Page 69 of The Devil's Torment

He races for the door, almost tripping over his feet as he launches through it. I follow, raising an arm at two of my security team and pointing at Courteney. They nod and launch into action, bracketing him until the crowds swallow all three of them up.

Patting my jacket to make sure the gift I’d kept in the casino’s safe is still in my pocket, I head back to the private function room. Scanning around, I spot Victoria standing with Christian and Tobias. Her eyes land on mine once I get within a few feet of her. Questions swirl in her hazel irises. I give the smallest headshake and a reassuring smile, and she must read what that means because her shoulders drop from around her ears.

He doesn’t deserve her sympathy. He deserves to be in the fucking ground, and that’s where he’ll end up if I ever see his face again.

She says something to my brothers, then makes her way over to me. My belly flips as she closes in. God, I missed her this week. The number of times I almost thoughtfuck itand jumped on a plane must’ve tipped into the hundreds. The only thing that stopped me was how badly that would’ve gone down with other Consortium members.

Her gaze drops to my hands. “No bruises.”

“I didn’t lay a hand on him.” I shrug. “Okay, I got him around the throat, but he left breathing, which is more than he deserved after the way he spoke to you.”

She grimaces. “Ever look at someone and wonder what you saw in them?”

Yeah. Every fucking woman before you.

“Come with me.” I take her hand and move into the center of the room. “Ladies and gentlemen!” I shout, and the excited chatter falls to a low hum. “I hope you’ve enjoyed the party, and it continues in the main casino.” I motion to the exit. “If you please, I’d like to spend some time alone with my wife.”

She looks at me with yet more questions in her eyes. Not a single person argues. Once everyone has filed out, she voices them. “What’s going on?”

I curve my hands around her cheeks and stare into her eyes. “You’re fucking beautiful, you know that?”

Her skin heats beneath my palms, and she gives a shallow laugh. “Are you drunk?”

“Only on you. I hated being away from you this week.”

Her soft smile makes my stomach do five hundred somersaults. “I hated you being away.”

“I have something for you.” I let her go and reach into my inside pocket for the oblong box. “Happy birthday, Half-pint.”

She giggles at the nickname—one that began as a joke but turned into something between the two of us. In front of others, it’s always Victoria.

“What is it?”

“A car,” I deadpan.

She rolls her eyes. “Funny.”

“Well, don’t ask ridiculous questions. Open it and you’ll find out what it is.”

After tugging the white bow, she lets the ribbon fall to the floor. The top of the box comes off, and she gasps at the gift inside nestled among pale blue satin.

“Oh, Nicholas.” She lifts out the teardrop diamond attached to a platinum chain; her mouth open. “It’s beautiful. Perfect.”

“Technically, it’s not perfect.” I take it from her and circle my finger in the air, indicating she should turn around. She does, lifting her hair off her nape. I fasten the chain around her neck, and she faces me once more. “Most diamonds have tiny imperfections that are difficult to see with the naked eye. This one is rare, though, and it took some persuasion for the owner to part with it.”

She arches a brow. “Persuasion in the form of pulling out fingernails with pliers?”

I shake my head, my shoulders vibrating with laughter. “You have a terrible impression of me. I promise the previous owner’s fingernails are all still attached. The persuasion part came in because his grandfather was the original owner, but it turns out that all he needed was the right number of zeroes on the end for his sentiment to vanish.” I grin. “Want to know what it’s called?”

“It has a name?”

“Yes, named after the man who discovered it, the grandfather. It’s called the Boring diamond.” I laugh. “Imagine your name being Boring. God, those kids must’ve been bullied like fuck at school.”

“And De Vil is better?”

“Sure. No one wants to mess with the Devil, right? Anyway, I filed paperwork to have it renamed. I’m not having my wife wearing a boring diamond.”

“What’s its new name?”

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