Chapter 12 Devon #2
I wanted to convince her that that sorry excuse for a man didn’t deserve a single fucking word from her.
But mainly, I wanted to take her into my arms and erase that shame from her face permanently.
And for that reason alone, I nodded, jogged down the steps, and headed straight to the SUV, desperate to escape her gravitational pull before I did something entirely stupid.
On the short ride, I’d called Chris and had him bring Sebastian through the gate on foot. Lofton didn’t want him up at the house, but I didn’t want her standing on the side of the road, exposed while having what I assumed would not be a light-hearted chat.
When we pulled up, he was standing in the middle of the driveway, looking every bit the douchebag I’d expected.
Brown hair.
Green eyes.
Designer sunglasses sitting on top of his head.
Khaki shorts and a blue button-down, untucked with the sleeves rolled up.
I pretended I didn’t own the same outfit while silently making plans to burn it when I got home.
To his credit, he was in good shape. He had to be in order to carry an entire franchise of CIA Black Ops films. Though he was shorter than I’d expected. But then again, his type always was.
Lofton and I got out of the car at the same time.
The minute he saw her, he smiled, award-winning and white, and then jogged over with his arms open wide. “Lofton, baby.”
I stepped directly into his path, causing him to faceplant into my chest. “That’s close enough.”
With narrowed eyes, he craned his head back. “Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m the one making the calls around here. You wanted to talk to her. Talk. But you touch her and I’ll break every fucking bone in your body.”
Lofton appeared at my side. “Okay. Let’s simmer down. I’m not even sure the backhoe still works, Devon.”
“Only one way to find out,” I replied, my malevolent gaze locked on her ex.
She rested her hand on my arm. “It’s fine. Really. Just give me a minute.”
Reluctantly, I backed away. Far enough to give them the illusion of privacy. Close enough to make good on my threat if need be.
“For fuck’s sake, you hired that Neanderthal to replace Marty?”
I hated the way the mention of his name made her face pale.
I hated even more that this prick was the one who’d said it.
Lofton rebounded quickly. “Why are you here?”
His hooded gaze raked over her body, his mouth twisting into a smirk. “Nice overalls, Lo-Lo.”
He called her Lo-Lo? I should have taken out his knees for that alone.
Lofton didn’t miss a beat. “It’s a farm, you dick. What the hell am I supposed to muck stalls in? Prada?”
“Jesus, chill. I was joking.”
“Don’t tell me to chill like I’m being dramatic. I haven’t seen you in two damn years and you decided to show up today?”
“You’re my wife. Am I not allowed to be worried after you were almost shot?”
Her laugh came sharp. “First, I’m your ex-wife. And wow, you were so worried it only took you two weeks to get here?”
He took a step forward, and instinctively Lofton took one back.
“Good girl,” I whispered to myself.
“I tried,” he whined. “I called absolutely everyone I could think of. Even Brooke, but she sure as hell wouldn’t tell me where you were.”
“I’ll be sure to give her a raise.”
“Look, just because things didn’t work out between us doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
I schooled my features, because if I rolled my eyes the way I wanted, I’d end up blind.
“Actually,” Lofton replied, crossing her arms over her chest as if she’d caught a chill.
“I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what it means after you knocked up the set’s catering manager, then gave an exclusive interview complete with actual tears when I filed for divorce because it just ‘came out of the blue.’”
His gaze immediately flicked to me, judging whether or not I’d heard her. I couldn’t help myself—I shot him a smug grin.
“It wasn’t my baby,” he hissed, leaning forward at the hip like that would somehow make him more convincing.
Lofton let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. “Just because you pay her a small fortune every month to keep quiet doesn’t mean the kid doesn’t exist.”
He scoffed, scrubbing a hand over his mouth before dropping it to his side. “So this is how you’re going to act? I came all the way out to bumfuck nowhere to check on you, and you’re gonna bring up ancient history like it happened yesterday?”
Her words sliced through the air like a razor blade. “Oh no. I’m well aware of when it happened. Because I was at the funeral home picking out my mother’s casket when I got that call.”
I drew in a sharp breath, a fresh wave of rage burning through my chest.
How fucking low could this guy get? My fists flexed at my sides, fingers curling like they were already wrapping around his throat. God, what I wouldn’t have given to lay him out and leave him as a feast for the vultures.
He didn’t even seem fazed. “Why do you always have to throw that in my face? It’s not like I did that shit on purpose.” He moved toward her like he had any right to close that distance.
I didn’t feel myself move, but in the next blink I was there, cutting him off before he reached her.
My hand dropped, hooking around the back of Lofton’s thigh just below her ass, pulling her solidly against my back.
Surprise flickered across his face before his chin tipped up, all arrogance and bravado, as he squared his shoulders. “Do you fucking mind? We’re trying to have a conversation.”
“You’re done here.” My voice carried more weight than volume, but it still hit like a loaded weapon.
I shifted my stance, angling my body just enough to block her completely from his view.
“I don’t give a damn who you are. I don’t care who you used to be to her.
Out here?” I stabbed my finger at the ground. “You’re nobody.”
The words cracked between us like a gunshot.
I waited for her to push me off.
To tell me I’d crossed a line.
Because I had. So many fucking lines. All starting with her.
Instead, she sagged against me. Her hand slid down my back, landing on the waistband of my jeans before her fingers folded over the edge, gripping tight.
That felt a whole lot like permission to me.
“You need to leave,” I continued, my gaze locked on his. “And I mean right fucking now.” I took a step forward, Lofton following, as I forced him back. “Someone is stalking her. Not a fan. Not some idiot leaving comments online. Someone real who will not hesitate to kill her if he finds her.”
Behind me, Lofton sucked in a breath, her body becoming stiff. I gave the back of her thigh a reassuring squeeze and then took immense pleasure when she melted against me.
“I know.” He rocked back on his heels, still trying to hold on to whatever upper hand he thought he had. “That’s why I came. I want to help.”
“Then you’re an even bigger dumbass than I thought.
If you took even a second to pull your head out of your ass, you’d realize nobody told you where she was for a reason.
You showing up here? You might as well have been handing out maps.
Everyone knows her family owns this place.
But if even one person saw you drive into this town you just confirmed her location to anyone who ever had a doubt. ”
I fucking loved watching that land on his cocky face.
His spine stiffened, his confidence cracking just enough to let something real slip through. “I… I didn’t think about that.”
“No,” I said flatly. “You didn’t.” I tilted my head, studying him like something I might scrape off my boot. “But it doesn’t sound like putting Lofton first has ever been a high priority for you.”
“Jesus.” He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing a step before turning back, frustration bleeding into his expression.
“That’s not—I didn’t—” He stopped, exhaling hard as he planted his hands on his hips.
Then his gaze shifted, trying to find her behind me.
“I didn’t come here to make things worse.
I just wanted to make sure you were okay. ”
I felt her shift before I saw her, her body sliding along mine as she stepped out from behind me. However, instead of her going around me, she ducked under my arm, forcing it across her shoulders as she pressed into my side, her front flush against me.
My lungs seized.
Her breasts pillowed between us, her fingertips grazing the skin at my lower back, sending a sharp, electric pulse straight to my cock.
There was nothing professional about this.
Not even a little.
But dear God, it felt incredible.
Sebastian’s eyes darkened, his gaze dragging over the way she fit against me.
Good.
Maybe that was the point.
Maybe she wanted him to see it.
To feel it.
To give him a taste of his own medicine.
I didn’t love the idea. It felt a little too much like a childish game for my liking, but I wasn’t about to be the one to stop it. Not when she felt so damn right.
My hand slid down her side, fingers tracing the curve of her waist before settling firmly on her hip.
Sebastian’s jaw tightened. “Are you two—”
She didn’t let him finish.
“I’m not okay,” Lofton’s stated, steady but stripped of anything soft. She curled tighter into my side, as if she were bracing herself. “But I will be after you leave.”
It wasn’t loud or emotional.
But it was final.
Something in his expression faltered. Not enough to make him look apologetic, but enough to make him hesitate on whatever bullshit retort dangled from the tip of his tongue. His gaze flicked between us again, lingering on my hand at her hip.
I hope he fucking choked on it.
He forced out a breath, trying to gather what was left of his pride. “Then I guess I’m leaving. You’ll call if you need anything?”
“I won’t,” she said without hesitation or apology. “But I appreciate the offer.”
A ghost of a smile tugged at his mouth, like he wanted to pretend that didn’t sting.
It didn’t work.
He turned, shoving his hands into his pockets as he started toward the gate. His shoulders tight and his stride just a little too stiff to be natural.
There was no fucking way he had given up that easy. A man like that wasn’t used to rejection, especially from a woman. A woman he so clearly thought he could win back just by showing up unannounced and pretending to be the hero.
And yet he never looked back. Not even once.
We stood there side-by-side, watching him go.
Chris must have hit the button, because the gate groaned to life, metal grinding as it slowly pulled open just enough for him to walk through.
The second the gate slammed shut behind him, the world shifted back into place.
Silence dropped over us like a heavy curtain. My hand was still on her hip. Her body was still flush against mine.
And for one suspended second, neither of us let go.
My grip tightened enough that I felt her heat through the denim.
Then she moved. It was just a small shift, allowing a fraction of space between us.
But it hit like a damn wrecking ball.
Her fingers loosened from my waistband, dragging lightly across my skin before falling away completely.
And just like that—
Lofton stepped out of my hold.
In her absence, it all came rushing back like the roar of a tornado—loud, violent, and impossible to ignore. A not-so-subtle kick in the dick to remind me exactly why I was there.
It didn’t matter that I was drawn to her in ways I still refused to acknowledge.
It didn’t matter that I missed her every damn day that I was forced to sit out in that barn alone.
It didn’t matter that she felt so damn right in my arms.
This was a temporary assignment with a woman who was in grave danger.
Nothing more.
As I silently berated myself, Lofton walked back to the SUV, utterly unfazed.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, drawing my attention away. It was a text from Apollo.
No message. Just a single image.
My stomach dropped when I pulled it up.
It was a zoomed-in still from the gate camera. Me with Lofton tucked against my side, her body pressed flush to mine, soft curves fitting against hard lines like we’d been carved specifically to fit together.
Sebastian stood in front of us, his mouth set in a hard line, his focus locked on her.
But it wasn’t him who set me on edge.
It was her.
Her head tilted back, eyes on me. Lip caught between her teeth. So much heat in her eyes, I could feel it through the damn screen.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, dragging a hand down my face.
Yeah, I definitely didn’t need to see that.
I also didn’t need to spend the rest of the night staring at it until I eventually wrapped my hand around my cock, imagining what it would be like to strip her naked and bury myself between her thighs.
“You coming?” she called.
My head snapped up to find her standing at the car door, one hand on the handle, the other shielding her eyes from the sun. Those damn overalls had no business being that sexy.
“Yeah,” I replied, shoving my phone back into my pocket.
And a few hours later, still staring at that damn picture in the small barn bathroom, I absolutely was.