Page 165 of Kissing the Villain

I waved my hand toward the door. “You can all leave. I’ll deal with Alex when she wakes up.”

“See ya at home,” Bastian muttered as he walked past me. He looked tired, his dark hair sticking up from tugging at the ends.

Damian just nodded. He rarely spoke, not unless it was necessary. My adoptive brothers were even more fucked up than me. Losing your parents at an early age will do that to you.

Drake tipped his hand to his forehead and gave me a mock salute. Marcello turned to leave, and I grabbed his shoulder.

“Stay.”

Sonny stopped midway across the room. I hated how much he wanted to fuck Alex. My younger brother waved him off, andwe silently watched them leave. Alex stirred, making a sweet sound that forced me to turn around. Her plump lips parted.

Curled up on her side, she moved around to get comfortable. Pretty hard to do on a stone fucking slab. I had considered taking her home, but she looked peaceful in my arms. So I laid her on the altar and just fucking stared at her. Watched her sleep. With her blonde curls framing her delicate face, she looked angelic.

Even the Devil was once an angel.

I could have been good for her.

But I never wanted to be good.

It was too much fun playing the villain.

“No,” Alex whined, out of breath. “Stop it. Let me out!”

Her fist slapped against the stone table. I grabbed her wrist, uncurled her fingers, and held her hand until she stopped moving.

My gaze flicked between Alex and Marcello. “Is this what you were talking about?”

He nodded. “The nightmares.”

“It’s because of her brother.”

Marcello folded his arms over his chest. “We did this to her.”

“No,hedid this to her.”

Aiden fucking Wellington.

All of this started and ended with him.

60

ALEX

I wokeup confused the following day until Marcello explained that The Devil’s Knights temple wasn’t a dream. Luca brought me there in the middle of the night to scare me and help me remember the past and the role I would play in their future. All he accomplished was giving me a panic attack.

I curled up beside Marcello in bed and lay my head on his chest. “Do you like to read?”

“In my line of work, I spend a lot of time waiting and planning. Books help kill time.”

I peeked up at him with a smile. “What’s your favorite book?”

“The Iliad.”

“What do you like about it?”

He shrugged. “The themes, I guess.”

“Brad Pitt looked pretty hot as Achilles inTroy. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

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