Page 16 of The Devil's Torment

He chuckles, and my heart flip flops against my ribcage. I can’t stop staring. He looks so different when he laughs. A faint frown flickers across his face, and I drag my gaze away from his and focus on the unlit fire.

“You know where the front door is.”

There’s a pregnant pause before he speaks. “Enjoy your Sunday, Victoria. I’ll be in touch.”

All he gets from me is a curt nod, and a few seconds later, a dull thud of the door closing reaches me. I drift over to the window, watching as he makes a dash for his car to avoid the teeming rain. His driver pulls away, and I’m still standing in the same spot when my parents appear thirty minutes later.

During that time, a harebrained thought has snuck into my mind and taken root. What if… what if I were to somehow make Nicholas De Vil fall in love with me, a man who boldly stated he doesn’t believe in romantic love? Just to prove that I can.

The idea of bringing a man like Nicholas De Vil to his knees is intoxicating, a heady mix of power and vindication I never knew I needed.

Until today.

ChapterSeven

NICHOLAS

“The answer is no. How many times, and in how many different languages, do I need to say it before you all back the fuck off and leave me alone?”

My siblings seem to think I should have a stag party, and they’ve been banging on about it for so long, my last thread of patience is about to snap.

“I had one,” Xan says, a twinkle in his eye that’s only appeared since he fell in love. It makes me want to pick up that letter opener lying idly on the coffee table and stab him with it.

“Yours was the five of us lounging around here drinking brandy, smoking cigars, and shooting the shit. I also recall you storming off in a huff when your beloved joined us.”

“I did not storm off in a huff.”

Tobias laughs. “Yeah, you did, but keep lying to yourself.” He turns his attention to me. “Come on, Nicholas. You’re only going to get married once. We could go to The Lair. Watch some hot sex. Get you in the mood for the wedding night. Eight days to go, brother. You never know, you might pick up some tips.”

I heave a sigh. “I don’t need tips.”

“We all have room to improve.” Tobias winks.

Rolling my eyes, I consider relenting. It’s clear they’re not planning to stop badgering me, but if I go anywhere, it’s on my fucking terms. “If, and this is a big if, I agree to this, we arenotgoing to The Lair. You might need some assistance in getting it up, but I don’t.”

The Lair is Tobias’s baby, a sex club about an hour away, where he enjoys watching other people fuck. I’m not here to judge. He can get his rocks off any way he chooses, but it isn’t my jam.

“Believe me, brother, I don’t have any issues in that department, either.”

“Jesus Christ Almighty,” Saskia blurts. “Can we not talk about your sex lives? I could not be less interested.”

“Thank you,Saskia,” Christian says. “I’m this close to bringing up my dinner.” He brings his thumb and forefinger together, leaving a few millimeters of a gap.

“Why don’t we go to Noir?” Xan suggests, looking at me. “That is if it won’t be too difficult for you.” It makes sense for him to ask considering Noir was the club we visited the night Elizabeth died.

“Noir is a better choice than The Lair, that’s for sure.”

“Harsh.” This from Tobias.

“We can head into central London if you’d prefer,” Christian says.

“What I’dpreferis to swerve it all together, but something tells me you’re not going to let that happen.”

“Correct.” Xan grips my wrist and hauls me to my feet. “Get changed. I’ll have the cars outside in thirty minutes.”

“And I’m off to Victoria’s hen party,” Saskia says. “Here’s hoping she’s more enthusiastic about hers than the groom is about his.”

Somehow, I doubt it, but I don’t say that. I haven’t seen Victoria since I visited her last Sunday, and until Saskia mentioned the party, I wasn’t even aware she was planning the traditional get together.

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