Devil (The Marchesi Family 3)

“Please.”

His eyes widened. “Fuck, Devil. Don’t do this to me.”

“Thanks.” I let go of him and ran. He didn’t follow me. I glanced over my shoulder as I pulled the door open. He was looking at me with a lost expression that tugged at my heart. I blew him a kiss and walked away.

I’d make sure everything was okay. I wouldn’t let him get in trouble for losing the ring, and I wouldn’t let anyone in my family go down for killing Sergio. The man had needed to die. Joe would understand if he knew the truth, wouldn’t he? Or was I just fooling myself?

20

Devil

I braced myself as I entered my family’s house. Fuck. Normally I was good at blowing things off, telling them it was none of their fucking business where I’d been, but I felt rattled and unsure of everything that morning. Not to mention the fact that my ass was sore inside and out and I was going to have to sit there and try not to squirm.

I heard chatter coming from the dining room, then Lucien called, “Devil? Is that you?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” I tossed my coat in the direction of the coat tree and it landed on one of the pegs. Then I walked into the dining room. At least I’d get some good food. If only I could take a plate to Joe. Maybe one day I would.

When I joined them, Peter was laughing so hard at something Sabrina had said he had tears in his eyes. I looked around at their smiling faces, and warmth spread through me. I loved my family, their warmth, and the way we all took care of each other. Part of me wanted to sit down and tell them everything, but I couldn’t. As long as I kept Joe a secret, I wouldn’t risk being rejected.

“You look better than I expected considering you disappeared all night,” Lucien said.

I ran a hand over my chest. “I always look good.”

Angelo snorted. “The other morning you didn’t. I’m pretty sure you were still drunk when I got you up at noon.”

I scowled at Angelo. I had still been drunk. That had been a bad night when I couldn’t stop thinking about Joe. I’d gone out and tried to fuck him out of my system, but I quickly realized even a massive orgy wasn’t going to help. Fucking him wasn’t like fucking anyone else.

“Where were you?” Lucien asked.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“You fucking worried us, Devil,” Angelo said. “You always answer when I call.” He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to hug me or punch me. I couldn’t blame him. I knew they were already tense about where the investigation into Sergio’s death would lead. Then I’d disappeared on them.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry everyone.”

Lucien studied me. “What happened to you last night?”

“I don’t think you want to know.” In fact, I was sure of it.

Angelo studied me. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

I might get away with convincing Lucien I was out engaging in my usual drunken antics, but Angelo had always been able to read me too well.

“You mean because I apologized? I can apologize. I fucked up, okay?”

“Sit down and eat some breakfast,” Sabrina said as she looked around the table. “The rest of you lay off until he’s eaten.”

Lucien turned his scowl her way, but he did what she said.

“Thank you,” I mouthed to her.

Her knowing smile told me she was buying me time, but she had every intention of interrogating me later. She’d probably have better results than Lucien or Angelo. She had magical ways of getting information out of us. That meant I’d do better to deal with my cousins than be lured away by her.

“We need to be especially careful right now,” Lucien said. “This is not the time to get arrested for some reckless shit.”

“I didn’t get arrested.” I’d come damn close, but fortunately I’d been able to seduce my way out of it.

“I want you by your phone at all times.”

“I don’t work for you twenty-four hours a day, Lucien. I get to have my own life.”

“Not right now you don’t. And this is your life.”

“Maybe I’m fucking tired of that.” I pushed back from the table, but Lucien grabbed my arm.

“Devil, seriously, what the fuck is going on?”

“Does this have something to do with Daniels?” Angelo asked.

It was all I could do to keep my expression neutral. “I got fucked, okay. Really, really well fucked. That’s all.”

Angelo shook his head, and Lucien looked furious.

“He’s lying.” Unexpectedly, that came from Peter.

I didn’t stay to hear what else they had to say because I was seconds away from a total meltdown. I raced upstairs to my room, slammed the door, and flopped onto my bed.

Several minutes later, Angelo burst in. The only reason I didn’t shove him back out was because he was carrying a plate of food. I would have said something I’d regret if I’d stayed downstairs, but my stomach was furious that I’d walked out on breakfast.