Page 14 of The Devil's Wrath

I thought about calling the police, but a part of me hesitated. What if they didn’t believe me? What if Connor somehow turned it around and made it seem like I was the crazy one? He was the son of a politician, after all. He had a way of twisting things, of making me doubt myself.

The slap left me reeling, stumbling backward until I hit the wall. My cheek burned, and I could feel the tears filling my eyes. But I refused to let them fall. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

“Get out,” I said again, my voice trembling with fear and anger. “Get out now, or I swear to god, I’ll scream so loud, the whole neighborhood will hear.”

Connor’s eyes narrowed, his fists clenching at his sides. For a moment, I thought he was going to hit me again.

And then,hewas there.

Theo West.

The green-eyed devil came rushing into my room like a knight in shining armor, ready to defend my honor.

It had taken everything in me to send him away when all I’d wanted to do was explore whatever this feeling was that had buried itself deep into my stomach. Maybe it had been the adrenaline, or perhaps it had been something else entirely.

As the night wore on, every shadow seemed to morph into Connor’s looming figure, every creak of the floorboards, his approaching footsteps. I huddled under the covers, trying to make myself as small as possible, as if I could disappear entirely.

When morning finally came, I dragged myself out of bed, my body heavy with exhaustion. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and winced. The bruise on my cheek had blossomed into a mottled purple, impossible to hide.

“Fuck me,” I sighed, digging around in my makeup bag to find some concealer.

As I blended the makeup over my angry bruise, my mind drifted back to Theo. He had rushed in, ready to defend me, his eyes blazingwith a protective fury. His sudden appearance last night had caught me off guard. I barely knew him, yet something about his presence unnerved and intrigued me. His green eyes had seemed to pierce right through me, as if he could see all the broken pieces I tried so hard to hide.

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. I had bigger problems to deal with. Like the fact that Connor was still out there, probably fuming and plotting his revenge.

I finished my makeup and dressed, choosing a long-sleeve shirt despite the warm weather. I didn’t want anyone to see the bruises on my arms, the ones Connor had left when he’d grabbed me. I headed downstairs, bracing myself for the day ahead. But as I stepped into the kitchen, I froze. Theo sat at the table with a mug of coffee in his hands. He was wearing a long-sleeve brown shirt, and I couldn’t help but stare at the bright colors of his tattoos as they peeked out from the sleeves and snaked up his neck.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “I hope you don’t mind, but I let myself in.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “Fixing your door.”

“Shit. Sorry, I forgot. Thanks for coming so early.” I tried to act nonchalant as I poured myself a cup of coffee, my hands shaking slightly. Theo’s presence filled the kitchen, his gaze following me as I moved.

“No problem,” he replied, sipping his coffee. “How are you feeling?” he asked. “After last night, I mean.”

I shrugged, avoiding his eyes. “I’m fine.”

Theo nodded, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. He stood up, walking over to where I stood by the counter. Our proximity made my breath catch in my throat. His green eyes studied me intently, lingering for a moment on my cheek. I self-consciously touched the spot, knowing the concealer couldn’t entirely mask the bruise.

When his jaw clenched, I thought he might reach out and touch me. But he didn’t. Instead, he stepped back, his hands sliding into his jean pockets.

“I’ll get started on the door,” he said, his tone neutral. “It shouldn’t take too long.”

I nodded, relieved for the change of subject. “Thanks again. I really do appreciate it.”

He flashed me a smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No problem.”

As he headed to the back door, I busied myself in the living room, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. I could hear him working, the sounds of tools and the occasional muttered curse word filtering through the house.

I tried to focus on straightening the living room, but my mind kept wandering to Theo. Something about him both unsettled and captivated me. His sudden appearance in my life felt like more than mere coincidence.

As I fluffed the pillows on the couch, I heard the back door open and close. Theo walked into the living room, his sleeves rolled up, revealing more of his intricate tattoos.

“The door’s all fixed,” he said, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Installed a new lock on the front and back door too, stronger ones.”

I blinked in surprise. “You didn’t have to do that.”

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