Page 57 of Nocturne

Eero, unfazed by the handler or my muttering, keeps stacking his chips. It’s strange how things change. Eero and Nico visited me in the hospital a few times, and it’s safe to say I’m not nearly as terrified of them as I was before.

And if I can look past the maniac glint in Eero’s eyes... well, I might even call him a friend.

“I’m bringing you to all my games from now on,” Eero declares.

Nico frowns while I laugh slightly.

“Like fuck you will,”

A shiver snakes down my spine at the sound of that commanding voice. I don’t need to turn to know who it belongs to.

Eero’s expression shifts to something teasing, while Nico steps back in line behind his boss, his posture instantly sharpening. Around us, the gamers and handlers freeze, their chatter dying as pale faces flick toward the man standing at my back.

I can’t blame them. Devlin has that effect on people—an aura of quiet authority that demands attention and stirs fear without effort.

I’m pulled from my thoughts when hands gently peel his coat from my hands. My first instinct is to protest, and I try my bestnot to pout. But judging by Nico’s barely contained smile, I’m failing miserably.

Unlike Nico, Iblis doesn’t bother hiding his amusement. His grin is all too visible, and there’s something unnerving about it—the angelic face paired with his perfectly tailored suit makes him look more like a devil in disguise.

I’m still wary of him. Not out of fear, exactly, but because I know for certain that he’s been bothering Ivy—or, at least,was.She won’t talk about it, and I’ve learned not to push. But something about the way she tenses at the mention of his name tells me enough. He scared the hell out of her.

And then there’s that smile of his. It’s always there, like he knows something the rest of us don’t.

“Dr Sinclair,” he nods.

I simply narrow my eyes at him before nodding back. I don’t know his second name, and I’m not calling him by his first when he strictly maintains formality. My eyes widen slightly when Devlin’s coat comes around me, filling me with a portion of the warmth his body did on the pier.

I look up at the man and notice him sporting a dark scowl.

Would it be wrong to smooth it out?

I’m afraid that he might have a permanent indent between his brows with the amount of scowling he does. I reject the idea because I don’t want to lose a limb.

I turn away to hide my yawn behind my hand. I look down at my watch to see that it is well past my bedtime. I have an early class tomorrow.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Mr Devlin. I had a nice time,” I smile at the man who steals my breath every time he is around.

“Goodnight,” I try to step aside when he goes to block my path.

I crane my neck to give him a questioning look.

“You will come with me,”

Okay. I’m not as high as before, and his words, coupled with his authoritative tone, bring back the fear that is usually present in my sober self whenever he is involved.

“What?” My voice betrays the courage I want to portray.

"What my boss intended to convey is that he will personally see you home," Iblis explains with a smirk.

“Oh.” I turn back to Devlin and shake my head. “That is mighty nice of you, but I have my-“

“It wasn’t a request, little siren.”

His hand encircles my wrist as he turns, pulling me along with him. The grip isn't harsh, but it's firm enough to leave me no choice but to follow his lead.

“But…But my car,”

“I’ll drive it,”

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