Page 39 of Ravaged By a Devil

A loud wave of laughter breaks out across the room, even Ezekiel shaking his head while Elijah just sighs in exasperation.

"I think I'll pass, Levi," I say with a grin, pushing myself up from the armchair. I turn to Jade, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "It was so nice meeting you, Jade."

"You too, Alexis. Take care of yourself," she smiles warmly.

I wave goodbye to Ezekiel, Elijah, Malachi, and Levi before stepping toward the doorway where Cain is waiting, his tall frame blocking the hallway light.

As we walk back down the corridor toward the private elevator, I glance at Cain's side profile, still unable to fully wrap my head around the last hour.

I just sat in a room, drank orange juice, and shared married-life gossip with the most dangerous and powerful family in the entire city—and for the first time since this nightmare started, I actually felt safe.

Minutes later, the soft hum of the Cadillac's engine fills the quiet cabin as we glide down the near-empty streets toward my house. I lean my head back against the leather headrest, looking over at Cain's sharp side profile outlined by the passing streetlights.

"Why did you tell your family about me?" I ask, breaking the silence.

Cain keeps his eyes fixed on the road, giving a casual, careless shrug of his broad shoulders. "You helped me identify Nolan's network. Protocol. They needed to know who you were."

I roll my eyes, turning slightly in my seat to face him. "Right. Because the way Levi was teasing you and Jade was hugging me definitely looked like a strictly business briefing. They had way too many inside jokes about it."

Cain’s hands tighten slightly on the leather steering wheel, his jaw setting as he visibly tenses up. He clears his throat, abruptly shifting his gaze to the rearview mirror. "How’s your grandmother doing?"

I let out a soft scoff, a small smirk pulling at my lips. "Nice change of subject, genius."

A sudden sound breaks through the quiet space between us—a low, genuine chuckle rumbles from Cain's chest. I freeze, staring at him in shock. It isn't a dark smirk, a patronizing scoff, or a dry rumble. It's a real, relaxed laugh, warming his entire face and softening the harsh angles of his eyes.

My heart does a sudden somersault in my chest. I quickly look away, staring out the passenger window as a flush creeps up my neck. I shake my head silently at myself.

I am such a complete fool for letting this man get under my skin.

When he pulls the car up to my quiet apartment building, he kills the headlights and steps out, walking me up the front steps to my entrance just like he did before.

We stop under the dim porch light. The air between us thickens, charged with an undeniable pull. Every part of me is tempted to open my mouth and ask if he wants to come inside—to see if that fierce, breathtaking tension from yesterday is still burning beneath his quiet demeanor.

I fight the temptation with everything I have.

"Goodnight, Cain," I whisper, stepping back into the doorway.

"Goodnight, doll," he rumbles softly, his dark eyes locked onto mine.

I turn the key, slip inside the warm entry, and push the door shut, leaning my back against the wood as my heart hammers against my ribs.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CAIN

By the time I pull the Cadillac back into the underground garage at Eden, my brothers are already standing near the armored matte-black SUV, waiting for me.

"What took you so long?" Malachi asks, leaning against the hood with his arms crossed over his chest, an annoying smirk playing on his lips.

I pull my key out of the ignition and step out, my brow furrowing into a deep frown. "It was literally twenty minutes."

Elijah scoffs from the backseat of the vehicle, not even bothering to look up from racking his sidearm. "You were probably making out with Alexis in her driveway while we were standing around here waiting on you."

"Alexis is strictly business," I snap, stepping up to the trunk to check my own gear."

"Right, and I'm a monk," Levi mutters under his breath from the driver's side.

Ezekiel steps into the center of the garage, his authoritative presence instantly cutting through the noise. "Okay, boys, let's not digress. We have a mission to run."