15. Ryder
Devina walks up the drive. Alone. Surely, she can’t be so naive to believe she could leave on her own.
“Where were you?” I don’t mean to yell, but she’s still at the base of the drive.
Her stunned expression turns to anger and she marches to me, ignoring my question. “Where the hell were you?” She points at my chest with her dainty finger. I clench my jaw to keep from laughing at how adorable she is.
“Let’s go inside and I’ll explain everything. I thought Declan would have called you.” I reach for her but she pulls away.
“Why would my brother have to update me on the whereabouts of my husband?” Placing her hands on her waist, she cocks a hip to the side. I should throw her over my shoulder and punish her for being such a brat, but I know I’m in the wrong here at least, from her perspective.
“Devina, come inside and I will -” My plea falls on deaf ears as she pushes past me and makes her way up the stairs. I have no choice but to chase after her like the fucking puppy she’s turned me into with my tail between my legs.
Once we’re inside I shut the door and turn to plead my case but she’s already halfway up the stairs.
“You can’t be serious, Devina.” I follow her but she’s determined to get away from me. I should just let her take a time-out in her room, but I’m drawn to her in ways I can’t explain.
“Unfortunately, I can’t take you seriously, Mr. Totaro. You married me, danced with me, kissed me, and then left me without so much as a text. I haven’t heard from you for three days and you are out doing God knows what, allegedly with my brother?”
So she did think about the kiss. Hopefully, as much as I did.
“Well if you would let me explain, perhaps you would realize how ridiculous you are being.” I snap at her making her cheeks fume pink. I cut her off at the top of the stairs. Blocking her is easy with her being a fraction of my height. She crosses her arms and huffs.
“Declan and I got into a bit of a bind. An explosion, actually, and I was unconscious for a few days.” The more I speak, the crazier I sound.
She cocks a brow and drops her arms. Her eyes spark with recognition. “The women. You were there with them?”
“Yes! I was with those women!” I raise my hands in a hallelujah but instantly regret the words as soon as I say them, “Wait, how do you know about that?”
“The news this morning. Twenty women were brought to a hospital and … are you telling me you saved them?” Her expression softens but I can tell she isn’t letting this go completely. She’s hurt, and rightfully so. This could have been avoided if her idiot brother had given her a call on my behalf – or if he hadn’t given me a bomb to begin with.
“I swear, I got here as fast as I could,” I retreat a step, knowing she’s more receptive when I give her space. “I’m sorry Devina.”
My gaze is drawn to her lip as she bites down and I want to pull her in to inform her that I’m the only one who will be doing that from now on. But I don’t. I can tell she’s at war with herself, but as soon as she notices I’m staring, one side wins, and it’s not in my favor.
Her expression becomes firm once again. I wish I knew what she was thinking.
Am I allowed to kiss her? I am her husband.
In a normal relationship, this would be the appropriate time for me to grovel and worship her until I gain her forgiveness. But this isn’t a normal relationship. Still, I reach for her and pull her to me in an embrace. Her back stiffens and she is frozen in my arms. “I’m sorry,” Two words I’m not familiar with, but I’d say anything - do anything - to gain her forgiveness.
Just as she begins to melt into my arms, she shakes her head and pulls away. “I don’t believe you.”
I’m in shock when she walks past me and slams the door to the guest room.
The rage that was buried under guilt boils over and I see red. I don’t know who she thinks she is, but no one slams a door on me. I’ve had a knife held to my throat, a gun held to my head, and most recently, a bomb blast me into next Tuesday. But a door shut in my face? Not. Happening.
“Devina.” I seethe, trying to contain the beast, “Open this door now.”
“I don’t think so.” She sings from the other side.
“Open this door, Devina!” I yell back with a pound of my fist.
“Devina’s not here right now.” She echoes.
A frustrated sigh leaves me. This woman is impossible. I can’t deal with this.
Fiona clears her throat behind me and I turn to face the second to last woman I want to be dealing with today.
“Make her come out of this room, Fiona,” I command, pointing to the door.
“From what I’ve seen, you can’t make that woman do anything she doesn’t want to do, sir.” She smirks and I roll my eyes.
“I’m going to get cleaned up. Watch this door. When it opens, I want to be told immediately.”
She nods, but I have a feeling she’s just as frustrated as my wife.
* * *
I see red until the warm water hits my back. I wasn’t out running around for God’s sake. I was recovering, recovering from injuries obtained while saving the lives of twenty girls. I didn’t do it to be labeled a hero, but it is certainly a slap in the face that my wife has now labeled me the villain.
God, she’s infuriating. Her pale cheeks were rosy with anger, her bright green eyes darkened with hate. Even her voice was laced with delicious venom as she tried to harden herself toward me. Then I remembered she mentioned our kiss. The kiss I haven’t been able to forget. The kiss that ran through my mind right before the world turned dark.
I needed more of that, but it feels impossible now that she won’t even open her damn door. Frustrated and rock-hard thinking about my beautifully vicious bride, I turn the water cold before stepping out and drying off.
Making my way through the room to the closet, I see my bed, which looks slept in. A satin nightgown lies discarded on the floor. She was here.
I pull on a pair of black sweats and a T-shirt and try to calm my racing thoughts before I get to Devina’s door.
I knock.
No answer.
I knock harder.
No answer.
Maybe she snuck out when I was in the shower.
I lean my back against the door and slide down to the floor. “Devina. I need you to open this door. Please.”
No answer. Leaning my head against the door reminds me of the bruise that is still sensitive to touch. “I’m truly sorry, little sparrow. I came back to you as soon as I could.” I feel like an idiot. I could be talking to myself for all I know. “Okay. I forfeit. You win. But I don’t know what to do now. What the hell do I have to do?”
“I don’t know,” A quiet voice responds. I can tell she is next to the door, mirroring me.
“If you would open the door, we could talk about this.” I try my luck once more.
I hear her push against the door to stand and I scramble to my feet eager to lay eyes on her. Touch her. Fucking anything at this point.
A click solidifies my fate for the night when she turns the lock.
Not believing that she would turn me down again, I try the handle only to see that she did, in fact, lock the fucking door.
“I’ve tried to be nice, sparrow, but I’m not a patient man. I will ask one more time. Open this door or I will break it down.” I fist my hands at my side waiting for a response.
Silence.
I believe the only thing I can do now is prove to my wife that I am a man of my word.