Page 51 of The Hellkeeper

“She won’t need it.”

Damien.

He’s standing right behind me, his eyes locked onto me with a look so dark, it makes my pulse stutter. He’s perfectly composed on the outside, but the air around him feels lethal. A beast, barely restrained.

Theo glances at him, then at me, his brows lifting slightly in question.

Ruby, on the other hand, gapes at Damien. "Uh, who is this?"

Damien doesn’t give me a chance to answer.

“Her boyfriend. Damien,” he says smoothly.

He lifts me from my chair like I weigh nothing and drops himself into my seat. Then he pulls me onto his lap. My hands press against his chest, but he doesn’t even acknowledge it.

“You must be Ruby. Amelia’s told me about you,” Damien hums.

That’s not true, though, I didn’t tell him anything about her. But am I surprised he knows? No.

Ruby straightens. “All good things, I hope?”

His fingers trace small circles on my hip. “Of course.”

His focus returns to Theo. Like a predator locking onto prey. “And you are?”

“Ruby’s brother,” Theo says, almost grumbling. These two don’t seem like they’re going to get along. "Didn’t realize Amelia was seeing someone."

“She is,” Damien hisses. “Very much so.”

Damien’s lips graze the shell of my ear, his voice low, meant only for me. “You’re going to regret this, little flower.”

“How did you find me?” I whisper back, swallowing hard.

He looks at me incredulously, but I don’t miss the way his index finger taps the necklace around my neck. My brows furrow.

Then he presses a kiss to my neck. Right in front of them.

Ruby shifts in her seat. “Sooo, how did you guys meet?”

Damien drags his knuckles along my thigh; way too intimately for a public setting. “Fate.”

Ruby gives me a look, clearly expecting me to elaborate.

“Uh,” I manage, my voice unsteady. “We… met a while ago. At the restaurant.”

It isn’t a complete lie…

“She was meant to be mine,” Damien murmurs. “From the moment I saw her.”

Ruby watches, fascinated. Ever the romantic at heart, she transforms from skeptical to heart-eyed in seconds.

"You were talking about self-defense?" Damien growls at Theo. "That won’t be necessary. Amelia is always under my protection."

“Still, it’s a good skill to have. You can’t always be around,” Theo argues.

The temperature in the room drops.

“Can’t I?” Damien chuckles.

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