The Devil
andle stop
wallowed
could hear was my he
ill by the window, and her f
looking at
taring at
cks echoed thr
Car
r was really calm and polite, you know
m not inte
s she whispered something in my ear, giving me
s, don't let him
the knot i
me
cked, and th
effortless authority of a man accustomed
ed to be, because power clung to him as naturall
combed back, and every meas
e moving from one person to anothe
e you
remained
re my legal counsel
straig
re of my o
t somehow it didn't quite make it to his eye
lways bee
ded disturbingly si
he finally noticed me and turne
o.
rested on
're
Ava Kin
face showed something th
already accep
ted the
ained perfec
oo
t pulled the chair up and sa
us grew thicker, until Marcus finally put his
you an
at him
t expect
matters that should neve
laugh e
asn't a busine
teady, but then added,
uck harder th
all three y
ssary a
e ye
to two
ary al
mined not to break down, I had alrea
in silence befor
nger than I
have muc
a little, and said, "N
and then he posed a question tha
u hate
row
rence would
matt
wh
ring, Marcus stu
lowed emotion to infl
you tryi
ssion often clou
and divo
sband," I cor
ined hi
es
his face, but it was quickly re
ve Ethan c
hand me the d
kno
e Sophia
ned toward
etim
pau
oice they believe will
heartbea
ou for
hing, he simply fixed his j
d me more than w
said - that Ethan didn't want a divorce, and now Marcus was
ing those papers, I questione
side his jacket, and every
e instead of a weapon and carefully p
't tou
's in
cha
nce fo
isapp
red a
pect me
t you to
ed far more weight th
any sign of happiness or meanness, just
we won't be able to control, and it's not going to be good for either of us,
threate
emained fi
you know, the s
of me wanted to dismiss everything he sa
ightened me
-
Grace and I just sa
velope that was still sealed,
verything I
ered a single que
nything. "I only answered the one that count
question
r you'r
et once more, an
out my safety, you're asking me to
, just barely visible, as it pul
l you eve
pau
, so there's no point in ev
ttled heavil
tepped
's en
oked at h
e ago that being loya
accep
kno
intment showed on his
understood who yo
cting the
am
xpression
N
otecting y
y a word, he jus
k I'm you
n't
I we
stomach for a moment, then
ation would neve
e, and without thinking,
side me, it was like everything
me - for the first time since I woke up, my fear wa
g my home, not the future I had dreamed of - all of that was
he perfect wife, but now I only wanted to
nly way to protect m
g meant believing Marcus, and
ice could
ached for
an contac
art s
ten car
fore his next wor
ieve everythin
echoed thro
ve everythi
e's
Ma
arnings, and th
door handle, then turned ar
d, his voice barely above a whisper, "but then there are truths th
ned th
tepping outsi
ue your chi
ze met
ew York bef
d the door closed
ehind felt even heavi
a word, for what felt like a r
ream-colored envelope that was
how it felt more dangerous t
ely above a whisper, as I said "I ju
lly sat be
have to bel
am I supp
ntly curled over my belly, a protectiv
person who has ne
row
ho
e a small,
inst
ed before I
ht I kne
till m
d him div
, "You saw him sign some papers, but that d
es, and memori
hand hovering ov
e when my phone suddenly lit up wi
insistence tha
ust looking out fo
I wasn'
derstood everything
rd, she just gave my
ence re
phone
n
ic
e ti
I exchange
I pick
wn Nu
d before opening
give you
as terrifying to think that someone ou
o
e appeared alm
t op
d before I coul
ut the
urtain back, my heart st
ack, and its driver
lasses was nowh
an stood besid
shoulder as if he knew
up in the parking lot, one from each en
ey didn't need to, because their con
rose up to meet mine, his eyes loc
rom far away, his fa
his head
ips m
o
to the guys around him
ngers reached i
asped b
va
brated one
uncontrollably
sees you.
ed themselves
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