Page 179 of The Devil's Thorn
This wasn’t just business. This was betrayal.
The air was heavier now. Still warm, still thick with the last breath of sunset, but somehow it clung to my skin differently. The moment I heard the voices, the moment Damyen’s name slipped from their mouths, something in me shifted. And even though they were long gone, their words etched themselves into the sand beneath my feet, refusing to fade.
I stayed hidden for another few minutes, crouched low behind the jagged edge of a palm trunk, waiting until I was sure no one else was lingering. My heart was still racing, but not with fear. It was something else now—sharper. Cold. Focused.
I knew something was wrong with him.
I pressed my palm to the tree, using it for balance as I stood up again, eyes scanning the stretch of trees and shadows for any hint of movement. Nothing. Just the rhythmic lull of the tide brushing against the sand, as if nothing in the world had changed. But it had.
I moved slowly at first, brushing grains of sand off my knees, ears still tuned to the silence. Every few steps I turned around, checking behind me, instinct alive and buzzing under my skin. It didn’t feel right to walk too fast, like that might draw attention—or worse, alert someone that I knew something I wasn’t supposed to.
The colors in the sky had deepened, the gold fading into burnt orange and streaks of violet, and the soft shadows of night began to eat away at the light. The trees whispered around me as I walked, branches swaying gently overhead, like they knew too much and weren’t telling.
If they’re meeting up with Damyen later… that means he’s still close.
That thought alone made my stomach coil. I had no proof. Not yet. But if Rafael knew… if he knew and hadn’t done anything, or if he didn’t know and I kept this to myself—I didn’t know which version was worse. My fingers curled into fists at my sides.
I picked up my pace. As the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon, I finally saw the lights of the resort flickering in the distance, like fireflies strung across the edges of the property. The familiar path curved in front of me, and the white stone buildings shimmered under the weight of the growing moonlight.
Warm yellow glows spilled from the windows, casting long shadows across the perfectly kept lawn. The soft sound of music floated faintly through the air—probably Yuri playing something on the speaker system, something too loud and too obnoxious, like always.
I paused there for a moment at the edge of the trees, half hidden, staring at the resort.
You’re going to have to make a choice,a voice whispered in the back of my mind.Tell him. Or go alone.
And for a second, I didn’t move. I just stood there, staring at the light in the distance like it might hold all the answers.
But I already knew… it didn’t.
The wind shifted just enough to send a few strands of hair across my face as I stood at the edge of the resort grounds, fingers tightening around my phone like it might anchor me. My mind was spiraling, looping over everything I heard in the dark—the panic in the first guy’s
voice, the calm control of the other, and the name that tied it all together like a match over gasoline: Damyen.
I unlocked my phone with a flick, thumb hovering over the screen before I tapped Kellan’s name. It rang twice before his voice came through, low and casual.
“What’s up, I?—”
“Meet me in my room,” I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intended. “You and Ash. Now.”
I didn’t wait for his answer. Just hung up and slid the phone back into my pocket, already walking toward the resort again.
My sandals tapped against the stone pathway, heart still kicking against my ribs. I hadn’t come to Cartagena for this—I hadn’t come to play detective in paradise. But some things didn’t let you go. They hunted you down until there was no peace left.
The lobby was quieter than usual, a few shadows flickering across the sleek tile floors as I slipped past the front desk. I didn’t see anyone. The warmth of the evening clung to my skin, and the air inside felt too still, like it was holding its breath for what came next.
When I rounded the corner toward the hall of our suites, I spotted them immediately—Kellan leaning against the wall like he owned it, arms crossed, and Ash crouched down beside him, twirling a keycard between his fingers like it was a blade.
Both of them looked up the second they saw me.
“There she is,” Kellan muttered, straightening. “What the hell was that call about? You okay?”
I didn’t answer. I just brushed past them, pulling my key out and unlocking the door. “We will talk inside.”
Ash arched a brow but said nothing, following me in without another word. Kellan hesitated a second longer before stepping in behind us.
The second the door shut, I locked it. The click echoed louder than it should have, sealing the silence around us like a vacuum. My fingers lingered on the lock a second longer, just breathing.
This is real now.
