Page 69 of The Devil's Thorn
And Rafael sees it. He’s not even looking at me anymore—his gaze is locked straight across the room, meeting theirs as his fingers skim the edge of my second button.
I feel Ash step forward again.
“Don’t,” I say.
My voice is sharp. Final.
They freeze.
Rafael’s hand stills over the buttons.
And then— he chuckles. Softly. Like this is all some amusing joke to him.
“Relax,” he says, drawing his hand away. “I don’t take what isn’t offered.”
The way he says it sends something hot crawling up my spine. Not lust. Not comfort. Just a reminder. He doesn’t need to touch toownthe room.
He lifts his drink from the bar again and takes a sip. Then nods once—to his right.
Nikolai moves. Too fast. I barely register the blur of his arm before a flash of silver gleams under the lights.
The blade is already at Ash’s throat.
Ash tenses, but doesn’t flinch. Not even with the sharp edge pressed to the skin beneath his jaw.
“I should kill all three of you,” Rafael says, voice soft—deadly.“You lied. You infiltrated my home. You tampered with my security.”
His eyes flick back to me.
“And you played the part of the innocent, all while planning something behind my back.”
His voice drops lower.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t have Nikolai slit his throat right now.”
Ash breathes slowly through his nose, not breaking eye contact with Rafael.
“Because if you do,” he growls, “you’ll never know what she really came for.”
Rafael’s jaw flexes. He glances at me again—studying. Waiting.
“You’re not here for me,” he says. “Not really. So what is it,Natasha?Revenge? Information? Or are you just playing a game you can’t finish?”
I don’t answer.
Because I don’t trust my voice. Not when Ash has a blade to his neck. Not when I feel my hands twitching at my sides. Not when the rage inside me is starting to outweigh the fear.
Rafael exhales slowly. And then—he speaks again.
“Nikolai.”
There’s a pause.
“Let him go.”
Nikolai hesitates. The knife stays in place.
“What?”
