Page 95 of Ravaged By a Devil

By noon, seeing that she's fully alert, eating a warm meal, and resting comfortably, Cain and I prepare to head back to the estate. We both lean down to kiss her cheek goodbye, making her swear up and down to follow the nurse's routine to the letter.

"I promise, I promise!" she chuckles, waving us off. "Now go on, get out of here."

The drive back is quiet, the anxiety from yesterday finally evaporating from my chest. As soon as we walk through the front doors of the estate, I turn to Cain in the quiet foyer, looking up into his exhausted eyes.

"Thank you, Cain," I say softly, stepping into his space. "For everything. For staying all night... for taking care of us."

A faint, rare smile touches his lips, his hand coming up to gently cup the nape of my neck. "It's my pleasure to do these things for you, Alexis."

I smile back, leaning into his touch before offering a light, casual sigh. "I'm definitely going to miss having you around like this once Nolan Devlin is dead, when I go back to my normal routine."

Cain's hand instantly freezes against my skin. The warmth in his eyes vanishes, replaced by an immovable intensity.

"You're not moving out," he says plainly, his tone leaving zero room for argument.

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head at his ridiculous possessiveness. "What?”

"I am completely serious," he rumbles, stepping closer until there's no space left between us. "You aren't going anywhere. I like coming home and finding you here."

I tilt my head, an amused, teasing smirk tugging at my lips despite the sudden flutter in my chest. "Is this your terrible, twisted version of asking me to move in with you?"

"I don't ask for things I already know I want," Cain answers without a single beat of hesitation, his thumb rubbing firmly against my jaw.

I look up into his eyes, holding his relentless gaze until the smirk fades into something warmer, deeper, and completely honest.

"I'll stay," I tell him softly, placing my hand over his chest where his heart beats steady and strong. "Because I want to be here with you, Cain. Not because you ordered me to."

Cain stares down at me for a long, quiet moment, his dark eyes softening just a fraction as a subtle, dangerous smirk returns to his face.

"Fair enough," he rumbles, bowing his head to press his lips against mine. "I'll accept the correction. As long as you stay.”

I’m about to speak, but the abrupt, sharp vibration of his phone cuts me off. Cain reaches into his pocket and pulls it out, his eyes sweeping over the screen.

Instantly, the faint softness in his expression completely vanishes. His brow furrows into a deep frown, his jaw locking tight as he stares at whatever message just came through.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my stomach dropping slightly as the easy atmosphere in the foyer evaporates.

Cain slides the phone back into his pocket and steps in close, cupping my face in his hand. He leans down and presses a hard, swift kiss against my lips—a brief taste of fire that leaves my head spinning.

"An emergency came up," he rumbles, his voice low and tight. "I need to leave right now."

I frown, reaching up to lay a hand against his cheek, feeling the rough stubble against my palm. "Cain, you haven't slept a full hour since yesterday. You spent the entire night sitting up in a chair. You can't run off like this."

"I'm fine, Alexis," he promises smoothly, his thumb sweeping across my bottom lip. His dark eyes glint with a sudden, wicked promise that makes my breath catch in my throat. "Go upstairs, take a hot shower, and get some rest. Because when I get back, I'm devouring you raw."

A surprised laugh escapes my lips, and I shake my head at his relentless, absurd stamina.

"Cain," I whisper, a small smile touching my mouth. "Be careful."

Cain gives me one last razor-sharp smirk before turning on his heel. He hurries out the front doors, slipping into the afternoon sun and shutting the oak door behind him with a click.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CAIN

I open the front door quietly, careful not to make a sound. It’s past midnight.

The silence of the estate wraps around me as I step into the dark foyer. My body aches from the sheer brutal exertion of the past twelve hours. The Devlin soldiers had tried to strike at one of our supply docks on the edge of the city.