Page 57 of The Devil We Crave
Because Iamashamed, both of what happened and hiding it for so long. I’m a fuckingDe Lucaand I let myself become a victim.
And I can't confess all of that to two people I consider to be superheroes.
“Just fine?” Mom smiles.
I shrug. “I guess? School is a lot right now. But I’m managing.”
She nods, then winks conspiratorially and leans in. “Anyboys?”
“WHAT BOYS!”
I snort a laugh as Dadinstantlyuntangles from my brother and lunges back in front of the camera, looking like a wrathful, vengeful god.
“My daughter has aboyfriend?!” he hisses. “Since when? Who is the fucker? Who are his parents? Where does he fucking live?!”
“Oh my God,baby,” Mom sighs, rolling her eyes and pushing her blonde hair out of her face as she leans in to kiss my dad’s handsome, murderous face. “There’s no boyfriend, okay?”
Dad scowls deeper. “I want to hear it from her.”
I laugh. “Dad, seriously. There’s no boyfriend.”
Just a man in a mask who chases me with a knife and it’s the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced.
A man who keeps saying I’m his. Who keeps inserting himself into my life.
A man who told me to give him my fuckingpantiesyesterday.
…And Idid.
Jesus, what is wrong with me?
Dad frowns. “Well…okay. I also don’t like this Hawthorne Hollow murder shit, by the way.” He shakes his head. “I feel better knowing Laz is going to be up there to keep an eye on you, though.”
My brows knit. “Wait, what?”
Laz Kislev is part of my dad’s group of long-time guy friends, which includes Wren’s dad Bane, Damiano’s father Carmine, Lucia’s dad Nico, and Galina’s father Roman. The rest of them all found their great loves in their twenties, but Laz stayed Mr. Single Bachelor until just a few years ago, when he abruptly married the oil heiress Victoria Donahue, whose son from her first marriage, Bryce, is Wren’s shithead ex.
“Why is Laz coming up here?” I frown.
Mom sighs. “It’s….well…” She hesitates. “I would saysad, but I don’t think anyone including Laz is all that sad about it. He and Victoria are divorcing.”
My brows arch. “Oh?”
Dad nods. “Yeah, and about fucking time,” he grunts. “Anyway, he’s got a place up in Hawthorne Hollow that he's rented out for years. He’s going to take a break from the city and stay up there away from all the bullshit for a while until the divorce blows over.” Dad shrugs. “Like I said, I don’t hate the idea of him being up there to keep an eye on you.”
My nose wrinkles. “I don’t need anyone keeping an eye on me.”
Pretty sure I already have someone doing that.
I can’t prove it, but ever since that insane night at the Para Bellum party, I’ve felt…eyeson me.
Constantly.
A shadow following my footsteps.
A flicker of a ghost in my peripheral vision when I turn around.
And I’m pretty sure I know exactly who it is.
