Page 34 of The Sweetest Devotion

My heart clenched in my chest and all my emotion bubbled to the surface. “No.”

“Every second counts, Kennedy,” Cain said gently. “Damon’s a tough guy. He’s definitely putting on a brave face through this all, but he strikes me as the sentimental type when it comes to you. He didn’t…relent to this deal so easily. Despite the circumstances between you and me, you should see and be with your father as much as you can.”

His words seized my heart in a grip I couldn’t shake. Maybe, in some small way, he could understand the harsh reality of losing a parent. After all, he’d lost two. “You must regret getting to James so late.”

Cain averted his gaze and placed his hands in his pockets. “Let’s not compare notes.”

Or maybe he couldn’t relate, as he’d never known his father intimately.

Still, it was nice of him to try to smooth things over between my father and me. This whole situation was daunting considering my father’s illness. And asshole or not, Cain had a heart enough to understand that.

I didn’t know what to say, because despite the dark side of him I’d seen Monday, there was no denying his thoughtful side.

I grabbed the bag of takeout and examined it. “Thank you.”

Cain shrugged. “What’s your favorite fish?”

I gave him a small smile. “Salmon, actually. Good call.” I supposed it would’ve been nice to ask him about his taste as well. “What about you? What’s your favorite thing to eat?”

Cain was taken by surprise, though he recovered quickly. “Steak.”

“How do you like it?”

A dark glow passed through his eyes. “Guess.”

Because this was going too keenly for my liking, I got back to basics. How would the Devil like his meal? “Bloody,” I decided. “Medium rare.”

Cain grinned, wagging his finger at me. “Good guess.”

I took a step back, closer into my home, placing a much-needed barrier between us. This was too strange and bizarre. Almost civil, even. “Well, have a nice trip, Cain.”

He tipped his head at me, eyes once more solemn and serious. “Remember what I said, don’t embarrass me.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I let out dryly.

Cain’s vision drifted to where I was wringing my hands before me. “And don’t let me catch you without your ring again.”

My eyes trailed to my naked ring finger. With or without his gaudy ring, I knew I was tethered to him. Stuck in this lifelong arrangement until death-do-us-part. “Anything else?”

A lopsided frown briefly coasted his full lips. “Go see your father.”

Perhaps that was the hardest part of this. The severed tie between my father and me. The way there was no going back after what he’d done in throwing me to this man I didn’t know, didn’t love, and didn’t want.

But there was no denying Cain was right. Every second counted.

After a curt nod from me, Cain turned and made his way toward the elevator. Once there, he glanced back at me, studying me.

I gave a tight-lipped smile before grabbing the takeout, stepping further into my suite and shutting the door behind me.

I tossed the bag in the nearby wastebasket and padded back to bed, ready to resume my depression nap.

8

I recognized her instantly.Same cherry-red hair, same sweet looks—only now as I spotted her in Italo’s brightly lit pizza parlor, I could really take in her pretty brown face. She was void of makeup and wearing a baggy sweatshirt and khaki pants. Looking youthful as ever, she was reading a book at a lone table and eating a serving of Italo’s ice cream. Not many were in the restaurant, and something told me Sabrina was alone.

I shouldn’t have done anything. But seeing how I was about to head to the community center to mentor the city’s youth, it only felt right.

After putting in my large order for a few party-size pizzas, three in cheese, three in pepperoni, and three in white vegetable, I hesitantly made my way over to the young girl in the corner of the room.

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