Page 89 of Ravaged By a Devil

I turn the key in the ignition, the engine of the car roaring to life in the quiet underground garage. After scrubbing the blood and sweat off my skin in the private shower, I pull out into the cool night air with Alexis buckled into the passenger seat beside me.

My knuckles turn white against the leather of the steering wheel as I glance over at her out of the corner of my eye.

She's sitting there, completely calm, adjusting her seatbelt like we just left a quiet dinner party instead of a blood-soaked pit where she watched me pummel a grown man almost to death.

It boggles my fucking mind. Any normal woman would be terrified of me right now. They’d be cowering against the door, wondering if the monster who just broke a man's jaw with his bare hands was going to turn that violence on them.

Instead, she’s humming softly under her breath to the music, looking out the window at the passing city lights.

I honestly don't know whether to feel overwhelming relief or pure, furious frustration. The woman possesses zero self-preservation instincts when it comes to me. None at all.

When I bypass the highway exit leading back to the main Kavanagh estate, Alexis shifts in her seat, sharp eyes instantly tracking the route.

"Where are we going?" she asks, tilting her head. "You missed the turn."

"To my family's private jeweler," I rumble, keeping my eyes fixed on the road ahead.

She frowns, checking the digital clock on the dashboard. "Cain, it's almost midnight. Who opens a jewelry store at this hour?"

"Arthur opens whenever I tell him to open," I answer smoothly. "I texted him twenty minutes ago. He's waiting for us."

Alexis lets out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes as she crosses her arms tightly over her chest. "Cain, if you're taking me there to buy me some extravagant, absurdly expensive ring or necklace, save your money. I don't need diamonds."

I slant a long, unamused look down at her, the corner of my lip twitching.

"Be quiet, Alexis," I say, stepping slightly harder on the gas pedal. "You won’t tell me what to buy for you.”

"You're so stubborn," she huffs, leaning her head back against the leather headrest, though I can see the tiny, exasperated smile playing on her lips.

I don’t respond, just keep my eyes on the dark, empty streets as I pull up to the storefront nestled in the city's private district. I kill the engine, and even through her relentless protests, I can tell she's intrigued the second her eyes take in the sleek black marble façade.

Arthur, a silver-haired man who's worked with the Kavanagh family for decades, unlocks the heavy glass doors the moment we step up to the entrance. He greets us warmly, before leading us into a soundproof, velvet-lined back room.

He sets a velvet box on the polished mahogany table in front of us, bows his head, and quietly slips out, shutting the double doors behind him.

I reach down and open the lid.

Inside lies a delicate, breathtaking tennis bracelet crafted in white gold, studded with tiny, brilliant-cut diamonds that catch the dim amber light of the room. Alexis gasps softly, her eyes widening as she stares at it, completely caught up in its beauty before she can catch herself.

"Cain..." she starts, her lips parting to launch into another speech about how she doesn't need extravagant gifts.

I reach out to wrap my large fingers around her slender wrist and lift the bracelet from its velvet bed.

"Cain, no, stop," she protests again, pulling back slightly. "I told you, I really don't⁠—"

"It looks pretty on you," I cut her off softly, my tone leaving no room for argument as I snap the hidden clasp shut around her skin.

She opens her mouth to snap at me, but I lean in close, my thumb running lightly over the row of diamonds resting against her pulse point.

"And since you're so desperate to find something to be mad at me for," I rumble, looking straight into her eyes, "I better tell you now: there's a micro tracking device and a silent panic button built into it."

She gasps, her eyes flashing as she looks down at the shimmering diamonds on her wrist, then back up at me like she can't decide whether to kiss me or throw a punch.

"Never take it off," I command, my voice low and dead serious.

Alexis lets out a soft, sudden burst of laughter, shaking her head in complete disbelief. "You really are a hopeless romantic, aren't you?"

"I'm serious, Alexis," I rumble, my thumb stroking the smooth metal resting against her skin. "If you ever press that center stone twice, it triggers a silent alarm directly to my phone and my team. I'll know your exact coordinates, no matter where you are."