Chapter 36
DEVLIN
It was almost as if he was walking to his own execution.
Devlin did his best to keep his back straight, his chin high, his expression neutral. He had to keep reminding himself who he was. He was Devlin Storm, a man known across the globe, a name that carried weight and power wherever it was spoken. He had more money than he could ever spend, more influence than most could dream of. But right now, none of that seemed to matter. None of it could stop the creeping dread that gnawed at him from the inside out.
Just four days ago he would have walked into this press conference with nothing but confidence. He would have regaled the press with tales of his heroics, then left them wanting more. He would have been icy, and arrogant, and selfish.
He would have been miserable, too, although he never would have let them see that.
Now, all of that was gone. Stripped away, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Now, he just felt scared.
His life, once so meticulously controlled, was unravelling before his very eyes. It felt like being in a helicopter caught in a blizzard, the wind whipping all around him, blinding him, making it impossible to pilot. No matter how hard he tried to hold on, he knew it was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down.
“Just in here, Mr Storm,” the doctor said, interrupting Devlin’s spiralling thoughts.
Devlin nodded a weary thanks to the doctor, walking into the small room. He stood there for a moment, rubbing his eyes and making a wish.
Please let her find me .
But Darcy was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Claudia was there, waiting for him with a look of fury.
“Where have you been?” she demanded. “You’re a mess, Devlin.”
Devlin stared at her for a long moment, too tired to argue. She was right — he was a mess, physically and emotionally. But he didn’t care what Claudia thought of him anymore. All he wanted was to get this over with, to survive the next hour without losing his last shred of his dignity.
“Let’s just get this over with,” he replied wearily, walking to the table. His arm throbbed from the effort, the pain a constant reminder of everything he had been through.
Claudia, unfazed by his tone, picked up a suit and tossed it at him.
“This one,” she said. “Five minutes to make yourself look decent.”
The suit hit his injured arm, sending a jolt of pain shooting through his body. Devlin yelped in agony, clutching the suit to his chest as his eyes watered. He blinked rapidly, trying to regain his composure as Claudia turned on her heel and walked towards the door, her stiletto heels clacking loudly against the floor. She smiled at the doctor as she made her way into the corridor.
“He may need some help,” she said. “He’s weak.”
Devlin heard the clack of her heels fading as she walked down the corridor, her words echoing in his mind. He wasn’t weak, not really — but he felt weak. He felt like a shell of the man he had once been, hollowed out by everything that had happened and the weight of losing Darcy.
“I’ll be fine,” he said to the doctor.
The doctor nodded and quietly closed the door, leaving Devlin alone. The silence felt too loud, amplifying his thoughts. All he wanted to do was escape, just leave through the back door and make his way into the mountains again. But if he did that then Claudia would destroy him. With the world’s eyes watching, she could say anything she wanted to. Whether she told the truth or lies, he would be finished.
And if he did that, Darcy would never know where to find him.
Wincing, he struggled out of his pyjamas. It took quite a few attempts and over fifteen minutes before he managed to dress himself, and the effort exhausted him. Leaning on the table, he took a few deep breaths to get his strength back. He needed Darcy. In the mountains she had done nothing but give him strength, and he needed her now more than ever.
But Darcy was nowhere to be seen.
Devlin gritted his teeth, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand, and after what felt like an eternity, he managed to get the suit on. It was a sleek, expensive suit — exactly the kind Claudia would have chosen for him. The kind that screamed power and control. But Devlin felt none of that. He felt exhausted, drained, like all the fight had been sucked out of him.
Sighing, Devlin straightened up and opened the door. Claudia was there waiting for him, her foot tapping. She looked at her watch — the ￡60,000 BVLGARI she had made him buy her — and shook her head. She took hold of his hand in an iron grip, making him wince with pain.
“Don’t mess this up,” she said, a cold smile on her face. “I need this. I need people to think we’re back together. One wrong move, and the myth that is Devlin Storm dies.”
Devlin met her gaze, his eyes hard. He always knew her celebrity status mattered to her, but to do this, ruin his image and his company just to get back onto the front page. It was pathetic. But she would enjoy every second of it.
As they walked down the corridor, following the doctor towards the private entrance that led to the press room, Devlin thought of Darcy. Her smile. Her bravery. She believed she was afraid of adventure, but she was the strongest person he knew. She would fight for what was right, not what was easy. Looking at Claudia, Devlin knew it wouldn’t be easy but perhaps it was time to tell the truth. Time for the lie that was Devlin Storm to die.