Page 32 of Devilish King (Valentino Empire 1)

ChapterSixteen

It’s been a week since T showed up at my apartment, drunk off his arse. He returns every night. Sometimes earlier, while I’m still awake. And sometimes around two or three in the morning, when I pretend that I’m not. The truth is: I haven’t actually been able to fall asleep on those nights. Not without him. I know how pathetically stupid it is of me to get attached to someone like T, but I can’t help it. I’m too far gone.

He said he’d be out late tonight. He’s doing his best to find a way for us to be together—without getting anyone killed in the process. I honestly don’t know how he does it all.

He spends his time at different offices throughout the week, something I’ve noticed because he has me picked up to have lunch with him each day. He seems to be well respected by his employees, though it could actually be more fear on their part. I’m not entirely sure.

And I have no idea what he gets up to most nights. Some evenings he comes home and tells me little bits and pieces, while others he just sneaks in quietly. But when we are together, he finds new positions and ways of making me come apart.

I’m lying in bed, considering whether or not to call Reilly, when I hear the key in the door. I jump up and walk into the hallway, right as the front door is being closed. Then he turns around.

“Oh my God, what the hell happened?” He isn’t alone. He’s with Neo, who currently has one arm propping Theo upright.

“Ah, we ran into a bit of trouble,” Neo says as he leads a bloody and bruised Theo over to my sofa. My new damn sofa.

“A bit?” I shove my way past Neo and fall to my knees. “T, what do I do? Tell me what to do.”

“Dolcezza, I’m fine. Never been better. You don’t need to do anything.”

“Cut the bullshit. You’re not fine. Did you call the doctor?” I direct my question to the guy whodoesn’tlook like he’s gone eight rounds in a ring with Tyson.

“Yeah, he’s on the way. Trust me, Holly, it’s not as bad as it looks. He’s had worse.”

“Really, that’s meant to be comforting? Why does he look like this while you barely have a scratch on you?”

“Because I can clearly dodge them better than your boy here. Also, he’s a fucking idiot and tried to single-handily take on five Russians by himself. Those fuckers are ruthless. If L hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have even known where he was.”

“What do you have against the Russians? And how long is it going to take for the doctor to get here?”

“They’re fucking scum. That’s what. And they’re trying to steal our territory. It’s nothing for you to worry about, Holly. I’ve got it handled,” Theo says.

“Yeah, I can see that,” I counter. “Don’t move.” I go into the bathroom, grab a damp towel and some aspirin, and fill a glass of water. When I walk back out, I find Theo and Neo whispering heatedly about something. But they both freeze as soon as they notice I’m there. “Don’t stop on my account. Here, take these.” I hand the aspirin to Theo and start to wipe the towel gently down his blood-caked cheek and over the curve of his jawline. The whole right side of his face looks like it’s been used as a punching bag, his eye is almost swollen shut, and his lip is cut open. “Who did this to you?” I whisper.I want to return the favor—the rage that’s building up in me is foreign. I’ve been mad before, but this is different. I want revenge. I want to destroy something.Someone.

“I’m fine, dolcezza. I don’t like you worrying,” Theo says, groaning as he moves to sit up higher on the sofa.

How does he expect me not to worry? Is this going to be a regular occurrence? Theo coming home black and blue, or worse? Can I really sign up to be the supportive girlfriend of someone who leads such a tumultuous life? “I… I’ll be back in a sec.” I can feel the tears coming on, and I refuse to cry in front of these two men.

Neo has told me (more than once) that I’m queen material. I have no idea what his image of a queen is, but I’m pretty sure I’m not fit to rule anyone. If only he knew how much of an internal struggle I have every day…

Closing myself in my bedroom, I collect my phone from the table. I need to talk to Reilly, but how can I confide in her without giving away who Theo really is? I know she’d be on the next flight over to drag me home if she knew what I’d managed to get myself mixed up in.

I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to go anywhere Theo isn’t. I also don’t want to see him battered and beaten. What do I do? I need a sign.

Now would be a really good time for your guidance, Dylan.I know you help Reilly all the time, so how about you help me just this once?

I swipe at my cheeks. I hate that I cry so easily. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life; it’s why I avoid any and all situations where confrontation might happen. And now I’m sitting here on my bedroom floor, crying and talking to my dead brother. Yep, Holly 2.0 is working out just fine.

The bedroom door opens, and I don’t need to look up to know it’s him. I feel him in every fiber of my being. “Dolcezza, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here. I should have gone home and got cleaned up first.” Theo sits down in front of me and pulls my hands away from my face. “I don’t want to upset you. Sei troppo bella per piangere,” he whispers as he wipes his thumbs across my cheeks.

“I just needed a second. I’ll be fine in a second.” I hiccup before looking up at him. And seeing how hurt he is—yeah, that’s not helping at all.

“You don’t need to be anything other than who you are. What’s got you upset?”

“You really don’t know? Let me ask you, T: how would you feel if I came home to you in the middle of the night all beaten and battered?”

I watch as his face hardens, as his eyes darken. “I’d be out on the streets burning this fucking city to the ground until I found the fucker who hurt you. And when I did, I’d enjoy every moment of his pain.”

“That’s exactly how I feel when I see you like this, Theo. I have this overwhelming urge to hunt someone down, these violent thoughts running through my mind.” I shake my head. This is not me. I’m the wallflower. I’m not violent. I’m not vengeful. “I don’t know how to handle these kinds of feelings. They’re overwhelming. I’ve never wanted to hurt anyone in my life. But right now, I really, really want to hurt someone.” Theo smiles at me.He’s bloody insane.“Why are you smiling?” I ask, frustrated.

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