Page 19 of The Devil's Wrath

“I apologize,” he said softly. “I shouldn’t have . . . that was . . . I’m sorry.”

I shook my head, still gripping his shirt. “Don’t be sorry,” I whispered. “Because I’m not.”

His eyes opened, searching mine intently. “Raven, I . . .” He trailed off, seeming to struggle for words. “I don’t want to complicate things for you. You’re going through so much already.”

I let out a soft, humorless laugh. “Exactly. My life is already complicated, Theo. This . . .” I gestured between us. “This is the least complicated thing right now. It’s nothing deep. It’s just two people comforting each other, well, comforting me mostly.”

He studied me for a long moment, his thumb still absently stroking my cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said finally, his voice low and rough with emotion. “I’m not . . . I’m not a good person, Raven. There are things about me, about my past . . .”

“We all have a past,” I interrupted gently. “And I’m not asking for forever. I’m just asking for right now. For this moment.”

His eyes darkened again, an intense fire igniting in their green depths. He pulled me to him again, his lips claiming mine in a searing kiss that left me weak in the knees. I clung to him, losing myself in the feel of his body against mine, the taste of him on my tongue.

But then he suddenly pulled away, breaking the kiss, and a chill crept in at the absence of his lips on mine.

“I can’t do this. I’m sorry,” he breathed, not meeting my gaze.

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Both.”

“Wow,” I scoffed. “Is it because of what Connor said about me being a whore and fucking his best friend? Because it’s true. I did fuck his best friend, and I don’t have an ounce of regret.”

His eyes widened slightly at my blunt admission, but he quickly schooled his features. “No, it’s not about that. I don’t care about your past. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.”

“Who said I’m not proud of it? Truth be told, I plan on fucking each of his friends one by one until I humiliate him like he humiliated me.” I crossed my arms, anger and rejection rising in my chest. “Am I not good enough for you?”

He shook his head vehemently. “God, no. That’s not it at all.” His hand raked through his hair, his frustration evident in the tautness of his posture. “It’s me. I’m not . . . I’m not good for you. My life is complicated—more than you could imagine.”

I let out a harsh laugh. “More complicated than dealing with an abusive ex-boyfriend with a very powerful family connected to very powerful men? It doesn’t get more convoluted than fucking my way through his friend group as some twisted form of revenge?”

Theo’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he might walk away. But then he spoke, his voice low. “I’m not who you think I am. The things I’ve done, the things I’m involved in, you don’t want to be a part of that. Trust me. My life is dangerous.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Dangerous? What are you, some kind of secret agent? A hitman? Please.”

“I’m being serious, Raven. There are things about me, about my world, that you don’t understand. And I want to keep it that way. For your safety.”

I studied him, noticing the haunted look in his eyes and how his shoulders seemed to carry an invisible weight.

I stepped closer to him, my eyes narrowing. “I’m a big girl, Theo. I can handle myself. And I’m not asking you to marry me, for god’s sake. It’s just sex.”

His jaw clenched. “It’s not just sex. Not with you. If we do this, if we cross this line, it changes things. It makes things complicated.”

“Maybe I don’t care,” I said softly. “Maybe I want something complicated. Maybe I’m tired of playing it safe, of being the good girl everyone expects me to be.”

His eyes darkened, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“Then show me,” I challenged, stepping closer until our bodies almost touched. “Show me what it means to be with you, Devil. The real you, not the mask you wear for everyone else.”

He stepped closer, his hand coming up to cup my cheek again. His touch was gentle, almost reverent, starkly contrasting the turmoil I saw in his eyes.

“If we do this, if I let myself have you, even just for a night, I don’t think I’ll be able to let you go,” he whispered, his breath hot against my skin. “And that’s not fair to you. You deserve better than what I can give you.”

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. “Maybe I don’t want better. Maybe I want you here and now, consequences be damned.”

For a moment, I thought he might kiss me again. But then he stepped back, putting distance between us.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

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