Page 111 of Ruin Me Gently

She scoffed, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous.”

I met her gaze, dead serious. “No, I’m not.”

She let out a breathy laugh, and I leaned in a fraction, lowering my voice. “Lilith, there’s not a lot I wouldn’t do for you.”

A pause. A slow blink.

“So, yeah.” I straightened. “I think I could crochet you a scarf.”

Her breath hitched, so soft I almost didn’t catch it.

“You reallydolook damn good in my clothes, Lilith.”

Her brows flicked up, lips twitching like she was fighting a grin. She tugged at the oversized sleeves of my hoodie—my hoodie—rolling them higher up her arms like she owned the damn thing.

She stretched lazily, rolling her shoulders. “Oh, this is yours?” she asked. “Didn’t notice.”

I arched a brow. “Mhm. Sure.”

She grinned, shifting her weight onto one hip. “I just saw it at the end of myemptybed and figured it was mine.”

My own smirk deepened. Empty bed. Yeah, I caught that.

“Did you at least like the breakfast I left?” I asked.

“Fucking delicious,” she said immediately, rolling her eyes. “Thanks.”

She could brush it off as quickly as she wanted, but I caught it—the flicker of something else underneath that bite. And it felt good, giving her what she needed in whatever form I could give it without getting too close. I stepped back, flipping the crochet book in my hand like I had every intention of reading the damn thing.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I said.

“Will you?”

I nodded once. “Yep.”

I turned on my heel before she could say anything else, tucking the stupid book under my arm as I made my way toward the door.

Just as it swung shut, I caught Molly’s barely contained squeal, followed by Lilith’s sharp, “Oh, for the love of all things good in the world, don’t start.”

The mid-afternoon air was cold enough that my breath curled in the air as I exhaled. I had to get back to work. That should’ve been my focus. That should’ve been the only thing in my head. But I knew, deep down, it wasn’t going to be. I adjusted my scarf, shoving my free hand into my coat pocket as I made my way down the street, my mind a conflicting mess of thoughts.

I could still hear my own voice in my head. ‘Lilith, there’s not a lot I wouldn’t do for you.’

It had slipped out as easy as breathing, and I hadn’t even thought twice about it at the time. But now? Now it was sinking in, weaving itself deep into something undeniable.

There really wasn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for her.

If she asked me to drop to my knees and beg for her? I would. If she told me to follow her to every corner of the Earth? Done. If she said jump, I’d be in the air before she’d finished speaking.

I picked up my pace as I headed into the heart of the city, straight for the office. She had no idea,noidea of what I’d do.

Jealous. I’d just gotten jealous and had to insert myself into a situation that wasn’t even my business. And that wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Hell, I’d already beaten the shit out of her pathetic prick of an ex, and she still didn’t know. My self-control for her and around her was almost non-existent.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

Lilith

Bring your A-game, big guy.

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