Page 24 of Ravaged By a Devil

"Clean this shit up," I growl, walking past them without slowing my stride. "Burn the body and make sure nothing connects this back to the family."

I storm straight out of the warehouse, throwing the heavy steel doors open into the fading afternoon light, my mind already fixed on one thing.

Alexis.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ALEXIS

“Grandma, come on, let me cook,” I groan, trying—and failing—to gently pry the wooden spoon out of her hand.

Milly swats my fingers away with surprising speed for a woman her age, her eyes twinkling with stubborn determination.

"Alexis Hayes, if you try to take this pot away from me one more time, I will use this spoon on your knuckles. Don’t think you’re too old for that.”

"You're supposed to be resting!" I laugh, but the sound is lighter, freer than it’s been in weeks.

Seeing her like this—standing upright in her faded floral apron, humming softly to herself, her hands steady as she stirs the simmering pot of chicken gumbo—is a rare, beautiful miracle.

Lately, the bad days have far outweighed the good. But today, her mind is crystal clear, her eyes are sharp, and there isn't a trace of the fog that usually creeps in.

The specialist's treatments are painfully expensive, eating through every single dollar I pull from my double shifts at The Blackwood, but watching her move around our tiny kitchen with so much energy makes every sleepless night worth it.

The therapy is actually working. We have another checkup scheduled with her doctor later this evening, but for the first time in months, my chest doesn't feel like it's being crushed by an anvil. My spirits are higher than they’ve been in a long time.

"I spend all day resting while you're out working yourself to the bone," Milly says, giving the gumbo a vigorous stir before pointing the dripping spoon straight at me.

"For once, I want to do something nice for my girl. Now take your exhausted self over to that table, sit your butt down, and let your grandmother feed you."

"Grandma, please," I tease, holding up my hands in surrender. "You know if I sit down, I might fall asleep right into the placemat."

"Then sleep!" she huffs playfully, a warm, dimpled smile breaking across her soft face. "The food will still be hot when you wake up. Now git!"

I shake my head, chuckling as I finally yield, leaning back against the edge of the kitchen table to watch her work, letting the rich, savory aroma of her cooking wash over me like a warm blanket.

The persistent ring of my phone shatters the quiet hum of the kitchen. I hurry into the living room, grabbing it off the coffee table. An unknown number flashes across the screen. Frowning, I swipe the green icon and press the receiver to my ear. "Hello?"

"Doll," a familiar, low rumble vibrates through the line. "I need you to meet me at my house."

My eye twitches. "What? Are you out of your mind⁠—?"

"I caught the scarred man from earlier," he interrupts, his voice dropping into a hard, serious tone that cuts right through my annoyance. "He sang. I have everything they took on you, and you need to see just how much Nolan knows."

I freeze, my blood running cold. I swallow hard, the steady rhythm of my heart instantly derailing. "Fine," I whisper reluctantly. "Fine."

"There’s a car waiting outside your house," Cain states smoothly, leaving zero room for debate. "Get in. Now."

The line goes dead before I can even process the command.

"Arrogant jerk," I mutter under my breath, pulling the phone away from my ear. I cross the living room in three quick strides and pull back the curtains to peer out the front window.

Parked right at the curb is a sleek, blacked-out car with its engine purring quietly.

A sharp spike of fear shoots through my chest. This is reckless. This is completely insane. A girl like me is not supposed to trust a ruthless, dangerous mobster like Cain Kavanagh. But if Nolan has my life in his hands—if he has Milly’s files—I don't have a choice.

I take a deep, steadying breath, smooth down my shirt, and walk back into the kitchen.

"Grandma?" I say, keeping my voice light and easy. "I have to step out for a few minutes to run a quick errand. I’ll be back super fast, okay?"