Page 39 of Velvet Corruption

And then the front door opened.

Ruby stepped outside, balancing a phone against her shoulder and holding what looked like an entire roll of paper towels wadded up in her hand. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun, the same way she always wore it when she was overwhelmed. She looked tired.

Exhausted, really. But still so beautiful it hurt to look at her.

The sight of her, so close yet so unreachable, sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing over me. I should’ve driven away right then. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her hand.

Not just wrapped up in paper towels; bleeding.

Bleedinga lot.

I didn’t waste another second.

I got out of my car.

My legs were on autopilot, crossing the street, heart racing with a strange mixture of guilt and sick, possessive pride. She didn’t want me here, wouldn’t believe for a second that this was a coincidence, but I couldn’t just watch her bleed out on the driveway. And worse…what if there was someone in her house? What if someone had hurt her? If that…

…if Tristan had sent someone, I would fucking kill him.

No hesitation.

“Ruby.”

She froze, her head snapping toward me. Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed with suspicion just as fast. “What the hell are you doing here?”

My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I kept my steps slow, cautious, hands raised in a gesture of peace. “You’re hurt.”

She looked down at her hand, then back at me. “How do you know that?”

“The blood kinda gave it away,” I said, voice sharp. I was ready for violence; I wouldn’t let someone get away with this. “Who did this? I’ll protect you—“

“Her name isRuby, so you can stop with the macho theatrics,“ she interrupted. “Kieran…why are you in my driveway right now?”

Ah…that was the million dollar question.

“I saw you come outside,” I said, trying to sound like a normal person. “Let me help.”

Her brow furrowed, as if she had to process what I just said, her body rigid with tension. “You saw me come outside?What the fuck, Kieran?”

“You can worry about it later. You’re hurt.”

“I think I’m going to worry about it right now, actually,” she said. “Were you watching me from out here? That’s so fucking creepy.”

I swallowed, trying my best to keep my voice steady, friendly. Non-threatening. “Rubes, don’t flatter yourself. I’m allowed to go anywhere in this city. I just happened to be here.”

“You really think I’m going to buy that?”

“I think you have more pressing things to worry about right now,” I said, my gaze darting to her bloody hand. “Look. You’re bleeding. Let me help.”

“Why?” she snapped. “Why do you even care?”

Because I couldn’tnotcare. Because no matter how much she hated me, no matter how deep the damage ran, I still want to protect her.

I was supposed to destroy her—dig up dirt, feed it to Tristan, break her down piece by piece.

But here I was, worrying about her hand like a lunatic. Worrying abouther.

I wanted to help her. Not for leverage. Not even for redemption. Just…because I needed to. And maybe, somewhere in the back of my fucked-up brain, I thought that if she let me in—just for a second—I could still do my job. Tear her world apart from the inside. But standing here, bleeding and furious and beautiful, she didn’t feel like an assignment.

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