Page 20 of The Devil's Wrath

The cold night air rushed in to fill the space between us. Disappointment and embarrassment washed over me, but I kept my expression neutral.

“Fine,” I said, my voice coming out harsher than I’d intended. “I get it.”

Theo’s eyes flashed with something akin to pain. “Believe me, I want you—more than you could possibly know. But I can’t . . .won’tput you at risk. My life, the things I’m involved in, they’re not safe for you.”

I laughed bitterly. “Nothing in my life is safe, Theo. In case you haven’t noticed, my ex-boyfriend is a psychopath who seems intent on making my life a living hell.”

Theo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know. And I’m sorry for that. But trust me when I say that the dangers in my world are far worse than anything Connor could do.”

“Then let me decide,” I said softly, stepping toward him. “Let me choose if I want to take that risk.”

He studied me for a long moment, a war raging behind his eyes. Finally, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Raven. I can’t. Not now. Not with everything you’re going through with Connor. It just wouldn’t be right.”

I took a step back, the chill of rejection officially seeping into mybones. “Fine,” I said again, my voice tight. “If that’s how you feel, then take me home. I have things to do anyway.”

He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes unreadable. Then he nodded, turning back to the motorcycle. We rode back in silence, the wind whipping past us, chilling me to my bones. I clung to him, but the closeness that had felt so electric before now felt hollow, tainted by his rejection.

When we arrived at my house, I climbed off the bike without a word, thrusting the helmet into his hands. I turned to walk away, but his voice stopped me.

“Raven, wait.”

I paused, not turning around. “What?”

“I . . . I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you or make you feel rejected. That’s the last thing I wanted.”

I took a deep breath and tried to steady my emotions before turning to face him. “Then why? Why push me away when it’s clear there’s something between us?”

He looked down, his helmet dangling from his hands. “Because of the risk of my . . . obligations . . . tainting you or putting you in danger.” He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch lingered as his fingers brushed against my cheek. “I’m not the kind of man you can build a future with. My life is too shadowed by the things I’ve done and the choices I’ve made. The darkness in my world, it consumes everything it touches, and I can’t be the reason it consumes you too.”

I placed a hand over his, holding it against my skin. “You know, we’re not so different, you and I. I’m touched by darkness too.”

He was silent for a long moment, the muscles in his jaws working as he seemed to wage an internal battle. But before either of us could say another word, his phone rang.

He pulled his hand away from my cheek to reach into his pocket. “I have to take this,” he said, his voice clipped. “Go inside, lock the door. I’ll wait until you’re safely in before I leave.”

I wanted to argue, to demand more explanation, but the look on his face told me this wasn’t the time. So I nodded and turned to go inside. As I unlocked the door, I caught Theo’s deep voice speakinginto the phone behind me. I couldn’t make out the words, but his tone was serious, almost angry.

Once inside, I closed and locked the door, leaning against it to process everything that had happened. The kiss, the confessions, the rejection . . . my head was spinning.

I moved to the window, peeking through the curtains. He was still on the phone as he paced beside his bike. His posture was tense, and his free hand was clenched into a fist at his side.

After a few minutes, he ended the call and turned back to the house. Our eyes met through the window, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of something in his gaze—regret, longing, frustration. But then it was gone, replaced by that now-familiar stoic mask.

He gave a single nod as if assuring himself that I was safely inside, then swung his leg over the motorcycle. With a roar of the engine, he sped off into the night, the red taillight fading into the darkness.

SEVEN

THEO

It took everything I had to pull away from her. Every fiber in my body urged me to turn around. To go to her and give her exactly what she’d asked for.

But I knew she was hurting, and I didn’t want to be with her while she was getting over her ex. I would be the only one on her mind when I fucked her.

When I got home, I accessed the hidden cameras I’d installed in her house while she’d been at school. I’d taken the spare key for myself when I’d fixed her door. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t keep my distance. I could argue that I was concerned about her safety in my absence, which wasn’t entirely untrue, but deep down, my motives were more complex and unsettling than I would ever confess.

Sitting at my computer, I logged into my software to scour the Internet for information about Raven.

No results.

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