The Devil

andle stop

wallowed

could hear was my he

ill by the window, and her f

looking at

taring at

cks echoed thr

Car

r was really calm and polite, you know

m not inte

s she whispered something in my ear, giving me

s, don't let him

the knot i

me

cked, and th

effortless authority of a man accustomed

ed to be, because power clung to him as naturall

combed back, and every meas

e moving from one person to anothe

e you

remained

re my legal counsel

straig

re of my o

t somehow it didn't quite make it to his eye

lways bee

ded disturbingly si

he finally noticed me and turne

o.

rested on

're

Ava Kin

face showed something th

already accep

ted the

ained perfec

oo

t pulled the chair up and sa

us grew thicker, until Marcus finally put his

you an

at him

t expect

matters that should neve

laugh e

asn't a busine

teady, but then added,

uck harder th

all three y

ssary a

e ye

to two

ary al

mined not to break down, I had alrea

in silence befor

nger than I

have muc

a little, and said, "N

and then he posed a question tha

u hate

row

rence would

matt

wh

ring, Marcus stu

lowed emotion to infl

you tryi

ssion often clou

and divo

sband," I cor

ined hi

es

his face, but it was quickly re

ve Ethan c

hand me the d

kno

e Sophia

ned toward

etim

pau

oice they believe will

heartbea

ou for

hing, he simply fixed his j

d me more than w

said - that Ethan didn't want a divorce, and now Marcus was

ing those papers, I questione

side his jacket, and every

e instead of a weapon and carefully p

't tou

's in

cha

nce fo

isapp

red a

pect me

t you to

ed far more weight th

any sign of happiness or meanness, just

we won't be able to control, and it's not going to be good for either of us,

threate

emained fi

you know, the s

of me wanted to dismiss everything he sa

ightened me

-

Grace and I just sa

velope that was still sealed,

verything I

ered a single que

nything. "I only answered the one that count

question

r you'r

et once more, an

out my safety, you're asking me to

, just barely visible, as it pul

l you eve

pau

, so there's no point in ev

ttled heavil

tepped

's en

oked at h

e ago that being loya

accep

kno

intment showed on his

understood who yo

cting the

am

xpression

N

otecting y

y a word, he jus

k I'm you

n't

I we

stomach for a moment, then

ation would neve

e, and without thinking,

side me, it was like everything

me - for the first time since I woke up, my fear wa

g my home, not the future I had dreamed of - all of that was

he perfect wife, but now I only wanted to

nly way to protect m

g meant believing Marcus, and

ice could

ached for

an contac

art s

ten car

fore his next wor

ieve everythin

echoed thro

ve everythi

e's

Ma

arnings, and th

door handle, then turned ar

d, his voice barely above a whisper, "but then there are truths th

ned th

tepping outsi

ue your chi

ze met

ew York bef

d the door closed

ehind felt even heavi

a word, for what felt like a r

ream-colored envelope that was

how it felt more dangerous t

ely above a whisper, as I said "I ju

lly sat be

have to bel

am I supp

ntly curled over my belly, a protectiv

person who has ne

row

ho

e a small,

inst

ed before I

ht I kne

till m

d him div

, "You saw him sign some papers, but that d

es, and memori

hand hovering ov

e when my phone suddenly lit up wi

insistence tha

ust looking out fo

I wasn'

derstood everything

rd, she just gave my

ence re

phone

n

ic

e ti

I exchange

I pick

wn Nu

d before opening

give you

as terrifying to think that someone ou

o

e appeared alm

t op

d before I coul

ut the

urtain back, my heart st

ack, and its driver

lasses was nowh

an stood besid

shoulder as if he knew

up in the parking lot, one from each en

ey didn't need to, because their con

rose up to meet mine, his eyes loc

rom far away, his fa

his head

ips m

o

to the guys around him

ngers reached i

asped b

va

brated one

uncontrollably

sees you.

ed themselves