Page 31 of The Devil's Wrath

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the figure leaning against the lamp post up ahead until I was nearly on top of him. My steps faltered as I recognized the tall, muscular frame and chiseled features. He looked like sin incarnate in a black leather jacket and dark jeans that hugged his powerful thighs.

Theo.

“Raven,” he said as he pushed off and closed the distance between us. “Fancy running into you here.”

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore how my body reacted to his presence. “What are you doing here?”

A ghost of a smile played at the corner of his sensual mouth. “I wasin the neighborhood. Thought I’d take a walk to clear my head.” His gaze raked over me, taking in my sweater dress and boots.

Heat flooded my cheeks. “I just had lunch with my brother,” I said inanely, as if that explained my sudden appearance on the street.

He took a step closer, crowding into my personal space. His scent—leather, spice, and something uniquely masculine—filled my senses. “Did you now?” he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. His fingers lingered on my cheek, his touch searing my skin.

I jerked back as if he had burned me. I couldn’t think straight when he was this close. His presence overwhelmed my senses and short-circuited my brain.

“What do you want, Theo?” I demanded, hating the breathless quality of my voice.

“I figured I’d check on you after last night.” His eyes searched mine.

I looked away. “I’m fine,” I said curtly. “You didn’t need to check up on me.”

His jaw clenched. “Walk with me,” he said, his deep voice leaving no room for argument.

It wasn’t a request.

He turned and began strolling down the leaf-strewn sidewalk, clearly expecting me to follow. I hesitated, warring with myself. The smart thing would be to make up an excuse and get the hell out of there, away from his overwhelming presence that made it hard to think clearly.

But I found myself falling into step beside him, my traitorous feet carrying me forward. We walked silently for a block, the only sound the crunch of leaves beneath our boots. I could feel the heat of his body radiating next to me, the subtle brush of his leather jacket against my arm sending tingles across my skin.

“I shouldn’t have gotten involved last night,” he said abruptly, breaking the heavy silence.

I glanced at him sharply. “Then why did you?”

He chuffed forcefully, his breath misting the cold air. “I don’t know. I saw that prick pawing at you, and I just . . . reacted.”

His admission sent a confusing thrill through me. The thought of him being driven to act out of some primal need to protect me wasequal parts unsettling and arousing. I pushed those dangerous thoughts aside.

“I had it handled,” I said stubbornly, lifting my chin. “I didn’t need you swooping in like some white knight to save me . . . again”

He barked out a humorless laugh. “Trust me, I’m no one’s white knight.”

His words hung heavily between us in the crisp autumn air. I studied his profile as we walked, taking in the hard planes and angles of his handsome face. There was a coiled tension in his muscular frame, a quiet, restless energy that hinted at carefully leashed violence.

No, Theo was definitely no white knight. He was something far more dangerous. And that only made him more alluring.

Fuck. What was wrong with me? Why was I so drawn to this man who radiated danger like a pulsing beacon?

“You’re right,” I said quietly. “You’re not. And I don’t expect you to be.” I stopped walking and turned to face him fully. “But that doesn’t explain why you keep inserting yourself into my life. What is this really about, Theo?”

He stared at me, and a muscle ticked in his jaw as he seemed to war with himself. Some internal struggle was playing out behind those fathomless depths. After a charged moment, he exhaled harshly and raked a hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know. I wish I had a neat, tidy answer for you. But the truth is, I don’t.” He stepped closer, his broad shoulders blocking out the weak autumn sunlight. “You’re like a fucking fever I can’t shake.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “Theo, I?—”

“I’m no good for you. I’ll only end up hurting you or getting you tangled up in my fucked-up world.”

His words should have sent me running. They should have been a bucket of ice water dumped over the simmering heat building between us. But instead, they only stoked the flames higher, sending liquid fire rushing through my veins.

“Then why don’t you stay away from me?” I whispered. My voice seemed barely audible over the roaring in my ears.

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