Page 74 of The Devil's Wrath

I headed back up to the fifth floor to give Kai his coffee, and when I walked in, I almost collided with Wrenly. I handed one to Kai and then looked at her, scanning her from head to toe. Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t act like she knew me—not in front of Kai. She fidgeted with her scrubs, shifting uncomfortably as if trying to smooth out invisible wrinkles.

Kai looked at me, and for a second, his eyebrow raised as if trying to assess the situation. I knew he had questions, but he would wait to ask me. “Theo, this is Wrenly. She’s the nurse who took care of Haven.”

“Wrenly, is it?” I extended my hand. What was she up to? If my little bird wanted to play games, I would play along. “Nice to meet you.”

She placed her hand in mine, lifting her chin. There was something in her gray gaze that made me uneasy. Anger? Hatred? Fear? She was pissed, but she kept her face calm while fury radiated off her. Those smoky gray eyes I would happily drown in stared at me without blinking.

Challenge accepted.

I didn’t release her hand but met her stare with the same intensity.

She yanked her hand from mine and pretended to check her watch. “I’m sorry, but I really need to get home and get some rest. Iworked all night. It’s nice to meet you,” she told Kai, giving me a nod before leaving the room without another word.

I watched her retreating form, doing my best to keep my crazy contained.What the hell was that about?I knew I had missed her phone calls, but the cold fury in her eyes had caught me off guard. I needed to talk to her.

“Do you know each other?” Kai asked, jolting me out of my racing thoughts.

“I’ll give you two some time alone,” I responded. Without another word, I picked up my jacket and stepped out the door, glancing down the hallway just in time to see her take a quick turn. I hurried along the corridor, turned the corner, and saw her standing by the elevator with her arms tightly crossed.

I caught up to her just as she stepped in, and I slipped inside before the doors closed. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, her jaw clenched tightly. The tension in the small space was suffocating.

“Do you want to tell me what the fuck that was all about?” I did my best to keep my voice steady.

She remained silent, her gaze stubbornly avoiding mine as the elevator descended. I reached out and slammed my palm against the emergency stop button, bringing the elevator to an abrupt halt. Her head snapped up, eyes wide with surprise.

“We’re not going anywhere until you talk to me,” I growled, my patience wearing thin.

She let out a bitter laugh, her eyes blazing with fury as she whirled to face me. “Oh, now you want to talk? After ignoring my calls and texts all night? And then I find out you’re here with Kai.”

“My phone died. I didn’t get it turned on until we got here. I went to the emergency department, and they said you had left.”

“And you were too busy to send me a quick text to let me know you were okay? I don’t buy it, Theo.”

“What the hell is going on with you?”

“You really have no idea, do you?” Her voice was low, almost a growl.

I stepped closer, crowding her against the elevator wall. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”

She held her ground, her eyes flashing dangerously as I loomed over her. “One minute, we’re tangled up in each other, and the next, you’re shutting me out. I never know where I stand with you. As long as The Brotherhood exists, I’ll always come second.”

I stared at her, stunned by her words. “That’s not fair. You know how important you are to me.”

She scoffed as she shook her head. “Do I? Because from where I’m standing, your loyalties seem elsewhere. I can’t keep doing this.”

Her words hit uncomfortably close to home. Her breath hitched as I leaned in, mere inches from her face. “Do you think you have a choice? That you can walk away now? No, Wrenly. You’re mine.” I slammed my hand against the wall beside her head, making her flinch. “You knew what you were getting into when we started this. Don’t act like you’re surprised now. Like there’s anywhere you could run that I wouldn’t find you.” I pressed my body against hers, pinning her to the wall. “You’re in too deep. We both are.”

She inhaled sharply but didn’t push me away. I raised my hand to caress her cheek as my thumb traced the soft curve of her lower lip. Her eyes fluttered closed briefly before snapping open again, her anger still simmering in their depths.

“You don’t own me, Theo West,” she hissed through clenched teeth, her body rigid against mine. “I’m not some possession you can claim.”

I chuckled darkly, my thumb still brushing over her trembling lower lip. “You keep telling yourself that, little bird. But we both know the truth, don’t we? You’re just as addicted to this as I am.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No, I’m not like you.”

I leaned in closer, my lips brushing against her ear. “Aren’t you? The way you melt under my touch. The way you crave my presence. The way you come alive in my arms, surrendering to the darkness in your soul. You can’t deny it. We’re cut from the same cloth, you and I—shattered by death and haunted by the devil, remember?”

Her breaths came in shallow gasps as my words washed over her, the dark truth of them sinking deep into her bones. She wanted to deny it, to push me away and cling to the illusion of control. I could feel her heart pounding against my chest, matching the furious rhythm of my own.

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