Page 37 of Devour
“It’s too late for that now,” I say, holding the paper out toward her. My eyes lock on hers.
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
Ariel
Ithought it was just the two of us in the room—until I noticed the burly man with ginger-brown hair and a beard to match, close-trimmed but unmistakably the same fiery shade, hands Luca the papers. As if Luca’s size wasn’t intimidating enough.
“What is this?” I ask, eyeing the papers, too scared to take them. My mind plays tricks on me; I pray it’s not what I think it is.
He shakes the papers in his hand, his patience clearly thinning—like I should take them before he changes his mind. With shaky hands, I reach for them.
My fingers curl into a tight fist at the edges as I scan the words on the page. The blood drains from my face, and a wave of dizziness hits me.
“You want custody of my child?” I whisper, barely able to get the words out.
“Our child,” he growls.
Over the past few days, I thought things were getting better between us. I was starting to build this foolish notion that we were… something or could be. But it was all a façade, just a way to get me to lower my guard so he could come in and take everything.
“I’ll never let you take him from me,” I snap, injecting force into my voice—but it wavers, already on the verge of breaking.
“Is this why you have him here?” I demand, thrusting the paper in his direction. My hand trembles. The burly man hasn’t left his seat. He simply lifts his palms up—a silent gesture that says,Leave me out of this.
“How long have you been planning this?” I hiss, my voice rising as I wave the papers in front of him. I brought him into this world. I gave birth to him.”
“I put him in you,” he growls, eyes narrowing. “And you hid him from me.”
“I won’t sign this,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. My eyes are clouded with tears, but I refuse to let them fall.
He doesn’t flinch. “You know this is just a formality. I have enough to take him, with or without your signature.”
I know he isn’t lying. He definitely has the money and power, he could make me disappear if he wanted to, and there is nothing I could do about it.
I search his eyes for any trace of softness, any hesitation—but there’s nothing. Just that cold, ruthless determination. He’s going to take Noah from me. I can’t let that happen. I just can’t.
“Luca—”
“You do have another option,” he interrupts before I can finish.
What could possibly be better than this?I think to myself, heart pounding. He takes another document from the burly man beside him and hands it to me. I grab it quickly, scanning the words as desperation tightens in my chest.
If there’s anything that will keep me from losing my child, I’ll take it. It’s a marriage certificate. Of all the things I was expecting, this wasn’t even close.
I’m so unprepared for his answer that I can barely process it. I almost laugh—except the look on his face tells me he’s completely serious.
“I thought you hated me,” I whisper.
“Hate is a strong word, kitten,” he says, taking another step closer, invading my space. I feel like a cornered rat. I want to step back, but his hand spans my cheek and neck, holding me in place, forcing me to meet his eyes.
“You will be mine. And ‘till death do us part’—that will be your punishment,” he growls. “My face will be the first thing you see every morning… and the last thing you see at night. My scent will be what lulls you to sleep. Every. Single. Night.”
My heart takes up a thunderous beat. His words hit me like nails driven straight into my chest—sharp, heavy, and impossible to ignore.
“This is the last option I’m giving you. It’s your choice if you decide to take it,” he says coolly.
How is this an option? Losing my child… or being miserable for the rest of my life. But at least I’ll still have my child. The tears I’ve been holding back finally spill over, but he brushes them away with a slow swipe of his thumb—gentle, almost cruel in its softness.
“I’ll sign it,” I whisper, my voice hollow with defeat.
