Page 35 of Nocturne

I step in, keeping to the shadows like I always do. But somehow, she senses me. Just like she did every time I sat at the back of her lectures, watching her stumble through her words, her gaze occasionally snapping toward me with those irritated, curious glances.

Now, she doesn’t glance. She looks straight at Eero, then at the teddy bear he holds. And, she smiles.

It stops me cold.

That smile. Soft. Eyes crinkling. Innocent in a way that doesn’t belong in this godforsaken world. Certainly not here. Not with us. We don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it. Even to look at. Something so soft cannot exist in our vicinity.

But there she is, beaming at us like we’re worthy. Like we wouldn’t snuff out that light with a flick of our wrist.

Then I see it—the faint red mark across her cheek—and something inside me snaps. My fists clench hard enough to hurt. I’d dig Leo out of his grave just to kill him again if it meant putting him through more agony.

The image of her dangling helplessly from his grip flashes in my mind. The way her small hands clutched me, trembling with fear, her voice cracking as she recounted what happened.

That damn voice.

That sound—it crawled under my skin. It wasn’t just fury it woke in me. It burrowed deep in my chest, warming something I thought never existed.

If I’d held on to my control a little longer, I would’ve dragged Leo to the slaughterhouse and made him bleed inch by inch.

But I didn’t.

I lost it. Completely.

And I’d lose it again without hesitation. The thought of any bastard breathing a second longer after laying a hand on her? Unforgivable.

She’s laughing silently, looking at Nico, hugging the damn teddy bear as if everything’s fine. As if she hasn’t been nearly killed.

A small presence beside me has me looking down at her sister. She’s smiling, cautious but still a smile.

“I’m Iyra, Ara’s sister.”

She doesn’t offer her hand. Good, because I don’t like touching people. She’s standing a bit too close, and the discomfort claws at me—though maybe it’s because of the crowd in the room.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving my sister, Mr. Devlin.”

I nod, eyes drifting back to Ara, who’s now accepting a fruit basket from Iblis. Nico stands there, looking awkward with the balloons. She reaches for them, but Nico just shakes his head. Since when did these fucker become…polite?

“You tie them to the bed, you blockhead,” Eero says, grabbing the balloons and securing them himself.

Nico smacks him on the back of the head and then retreats to the other side of the room. Ara’s laughter rings out, despite it being very soft, almost imperceptible, and tightens something in my chest.

“Are you interested in my sister, Mr. Devlin?” Iyra asks.

I respect the bluntness. I turn to look at her, noticing how different she is from Ara. Where Ara’s all softness, Iyra’s sharp edges. Small, but striking, but it’s Ara who pulls me in, her eyes that enticing shade of honey instead of just brown. Her mane, so thick and wild, hits me with an urge to wrap my hands in it and hold on tight as I push into her tight cunt.

“What if I am?” I murmur, looking back at Ara.

I know I can’t let someone like her into my life. She’s a distraction. But I’m curious to see what her sister will say, to find out why this would be so bad.

“Then I’d suggest you stay away.”

Of course.

“The demons in her past aren’t for the faint of heart.” She leaves me there with that and goes back to her sister.

Iblis and Nico are gone. Eero pushes up from the stool he is sitting on.

“Get well soon, sweetheart,” he says, giving her a soft smile I don’t like.

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