Page 23 of Broken By The Devil

“Have a drink, it’ll loosen you up a little.” Cyrus offers me a drink, but I decline.

“Trust me, I don’t need loosening up. I need to be kept on a leash,” I can’t lose it again; I need to get Emilia to tell me everything, and that’s not going to happen if she’s scared of me.

“Have you seen my Emilia? I can’t find her anywhere.” I hear Tom approach to my left. My blood is boiling, my skin is hot, and my muscles feel extremely tight, like they don’t belong to me. He says ‘my Emilia’ like she belongs to him, like she’s his property. My jaw is about to snap with the amount of force I’m clenching it when Cyrus leans in and whispers “Want to revisit the leash idea?” Bastard has impeccable timing for his jokes.

“She’s not with you? I would have thought you two would have come together, considering you’re delusional and think you’re a couple,” I state.

Tom closes his hands into fists at his sides. He doesn’t hide his hate for me. Frankly I couldn’t give a shit.

“We are a couple Kade. The sooner you get that into your head, the better.” He tries to put some authority into his tone, but it doesn’t work.

“You sure about that? It really didn’t feel that way when I kissed her a few weeks ago. She’s touch-starved Tom. I would have taken her right there against the wall if we hadn’t been interrupted.” Cyrus nearly chokes on his drink. Tom doesn’t need to know it was for an undercover operation. I know, I shouldn’t be speaking about her like this, but I know it riles him up, and I’m in no mood to be considering my morals.

Tom looks like he’s about to snap when he looks over my shoulder towards the stairs leading down to the beach. He’s baring his teeth, his fists are still clenched, and his face is turning red. Whatever he is seeing, is not helping with his anger. I turn towards the stairs and see the most beautiful woman descending the stairs.

Emilia has Cass and Cara on either side of her, approaching us. The moonlight seems to bounce off her silver waves making it appear to sparkle. She’s wearing a black dress with slits on either side, exposing most of her legs and even a slight hint of her hips. She never wears anything of a vibrant colour, always dark. She has a flower pattern tattoo that runs the span of her left leg where it continues under the material of her dress. She’s not just beautiful, she is a Goddess. The darkness bows before her, like she owns it, moulds it, creates it. I don’t bow before anyone, but for her—I’d gladly get on my knees.

Tom is seething, saliva leaking from his mouth like a rabid dog. I don’t know why, I don’t care. Cyrus whistles towards Emilia, “Someone knows how to make an entrance. Tom is practically drooling over here.” He gestures towards Tom, who is in fact drooling but not from desire, from rage.

Emilia seductively smirks, closes the distance between us and drags her gaze up to meet mine. “Evening, Sergeant.” Then slowly looks towards Cyrus. “Oh good, we’re drinking already.” Cyrus hands her a drink that looks like pure vodka, and she downs it in one. She is still so close to me; whenever she is near, I lose all logical thought. I don’t even remember what I was talking about before she got here.

“Emilia.” The voice is stern, full of authority behind me. “What the hell are you wearing?” the chief asks her.

“I was just about to say the same thing, Sir,” Tom adds. Ass licking prick.

“You two are coming with me, I have some high commanders wanting to meet my daughter and her partner. Emilia, put Tom’s jacket over you for god’s sake,” he orders.

Tom looks like he’s not going to give her his jacket. He rolls his eyes whilst slowly taking one arm out of his sleeve. I don’t want his jacket anywhere near her skin, I don’t think she does either.

I grab her arm whilst she moves past me towards Tom and I whisper, “You look beautiful, don’t ever let anyone tell you differently… I don’t think you need this, but here… I’d much rather it be mine than his.” I gesture towards Tom whilst taking my suit jacket off and handing it to her. She flashes me a breathtaking smile, like I’ve just given her the best gift she could have wished for.

Emilia walks with her father and Tom over to a group of higher-ranking commanders. All men. Tom is looking over her, clearly not happy she’s wearing my jacket. He should have been more willing to give her his. I can’t hide the smirk that forms on my face, and everyone sees it. She’s wearing my jacket, my scent, mine.

I’m getting knowing looks from the group, like they know exactly why I’m smiling. I roll my eyes. “Alright, you can all stop fucking smirking at me. Let’s go find our table.” I gesture toward the rows of tables spread across the beach and take a seat. I'm thankful we're at one on the edge, so we're not boxed in by the others. Cyrus, Cass, Cara, and I are already seated. Emilia’s place card is beside mine with Tom’s on the other side.

I look for her in the crowd of people near the bar. She’s on Tom’s arm and being paraded around the group like a prize. Nobody is paying attention to her. Nobody appreciates how talented an officer she is. They don’t know how fierce she is, how much fight she has in her and how much she cares for other people, some who she doesn’t even know.

“Can you stop staring at her for two seconds?” Cyrus announces to the whole table getting a few chuckled laughs from Cass and Cara.

“I don’t like it when they parade her around like she’s some sort of amusement,” I spit out. Because that’s exactly what she is to them. She’s not even speaking; she’s standing there on his arm, being assessed.

“This is her mask; you must know that by now. She has to behave a certain way around them,” Cass explains. I do know she wears a mask, but I don’t know why. Now that I have a minute to think properly, I’m reminded of my behaviour towards Cass.

“Cass, I want to apologise for earlier. I shouldn’t have done that to you.” He waves his hand, dismissing my apology completely. “No apology needed. I get it, we all want to protect her.” He nods towards Emilia who is headed this way.

She sits down next to me, her dress slightly parting more, exposing more of her hip. She can’t be wearing any underwear…God help me. She catches my gaze on her hip and knowingly smirks in the seductive way that she normally does. She knows exactly what she does to me.

“Do you mind if I keep this? I’m kind of cold.” She grabs either lapel of my jacket and draws them closer together.

“Why did you pick a dress with hardly any material, Em?” Cass laughs.

“I only chose it to piss Tom off, I didn’t think I would be cold in the middle of August, Cass. Plus it looks like it’s fulfilled its purpose. He’s not happy.” Emilia sniggers. It’s good to see her laugh, she doesn’t do it often.

“You can keep the jacket Viper. I’m too hot anyway.” She smiles in my direction and nods in thanks.

“Em.” Cass’s tone is urgent. I look at him, and his face is completely void of colour. It looks like he’s going to vomit. Everyone follows his gaze and immediately knows why his face has paled.

Tom is holding a ring box in his hand, opening it, showing the chief. I look to Emilia, she looks like she is going to pass out, even whilst sitting in a chair. This can’t be right, she said they weren’t together and now he’s going to propose to her? Her legs start shaking, a sheen of sweat forming on her forehead, and her chest is rising up and down violently.