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The texts continued to come in again this morning.
Damon: I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things to you last night, I was just so upset about what happened. Please call me, baby.
Damon: Are you fucking him right now, Reese??? Is that why you can’t take two fucking seconds to call, or text me?? Guess I meant shit to you!!!!
Damon: I’m going crazy here, thinking about what you’re doing with him. Please call me, baby.
Damon: You’re just another fucking slut! Just like all women are these days, spreading your legs for just anyone!
Damon: You have no fucking clue who you’re dealing with, Reese. You will regret treating me this way! Mark my words!
Logan: Hey, my girlfriend and I were just out walking her dog and passed by your house. Your window was broken. Are you ok? I’m really worried about you. Please let me know you’re ok.
I looked up at Creed, who was studying my face as I read all the lovely texts, but it was the last one that concerned me the most. “Did someone break into my house?”
“When Keiran went over last night to get Scarlett, there was another man at the house and the two of them got into it, and the window ended up getting broken in the process. Keiran didn’t have time to fix it before he had to leave with her.”
Jared.
It had to be. He was the only guy Scarlett had been seeing the past few weeks. I couldn’t help feeling bad for the guy, even though I really didn’t know him. I’d only hung out with the two of them briefly at the house a couple of times, but I knew Scarlett liked him a lot and would be really upset if something happened to him. Giving him a stern look, I asked, “was it Jared? Where is he right now?”
“I don’t know if that’s who the guy was, but last Keiran told me, he was knocked out cold in the living room... still alive. Which is why Keiran didn’t stick around and fix the window.”
Relieved that I didn’t have to deliver any bad news to Scarlett about her latest squeeze, I redirected things back to my original question. I searched deep into his eyes and hoped for the answer I wanted. “You never answered my earlier question. If I choose not to be with you, will you kill me because of what I know now?”
His jaw ticked. “No.”
“I thought your rule was anyone that knew, disappeared.”
“It is.”
“So, why would you spare me? You haven’t known me for years like Torin, Merric, and Keiran.” I needed to know how he really felt about me.
“I think you know why.”
“I want to hear you say it.”
Leaning forward, his hand stroked my cheek again as his other hand took a hold of mine, bringing it up to rest on his heart. I could feel it beating so hard, I wondered if my hand would wear a bruise from it. “I can’t even begin to explain to you the why’s about how I feel because I don’t even know myself. All I can tell you is that even though we haven’t known one another for very long, there’s just something inside of you I need.” He took a moment, shaking his head, wearing a smirk on his lips. “You have made me a stupid, stupid man from the first night I laid eyes on you. I’ve shown and told you things I have never allowed myself to reveal toanyoneever before. I don’t know how the hell it happened, but somehow I fell in love with you, Clarice. Even if you tell me that you don’t love me back, I could never harm you, nor would I allow anyone else to. I would die before I let anything happen to you.”
Closing my eyes, I tilted my chin down, pressing my face into his hand that cupped my cheek. The need to feel closer to him overtaking me. “I love you too. As much as I try and tell myself I shouldn’t, I can’t stop the way I feel.”
“Even after everything I’ve told you?”
“Even after all of that.”
“I’m not a good man, Clarice, but I will protect you with my life. I’m just afraid that you being in my life could endanger yours. Is that something you can live with?”
Moving closer, I took a hold of his face with both hands and stared into his eyes, seeing the truth in what he’d said. As crazy as it was, seeing how we’d only known each other for a short time, I somehow knew deep in my heart this man would protect me with his last breath. With that thought came the realization of just how much my life was about to change. “I love you, Creed. I know you will do whatever it takes to keep me safe. I’m also very aware that saying that means things in my life will change, and I’m ok with all of that, as long as I am with you.”
The time for words was over. Getting off the couch, he reached down, scooping me up into his arms, and made his way up the staircase, entering a massive master bedroom in record time. The quickness of his actions had me giggling. That was until he set me down on my feet, spinning me towards the wall, pinning me there with his grip on the back of my neck.
My devil was back.
And he wanted to play.
