CHAPTER 61 #2
“She told me my father was Lippincott. I found a letter from my mother that somewhat confirmed it, and then Angelo told me someone at the school had it in for me. I think he might’ve been the one to hire him.”
His brows came together in a mask of contemplation. “He hasn’t trusted you from the beginning. Not since he first saw you and realized who you were.”
“So, what do I do?” It wasn’t like I had proof he’d tried to kill me.
“You don’t do anything. At the moment, he likely thinks you’re dead.”
“How?”
“Before I excised his tongue, I had Angelo make a very convincing call to his contact.”
The confusion must’ve been written all over my face. The Angelo I knew wouldn’t have done anyone any favors.
“I had a blade propped at his balls.”
That might’ve been motivation enough.
If it was true that Lippincott was, in fact, my father, his malice toward me made no sense. “I know this is going to sound incredibly naive. Maybe stupid, but … I don’t understand why. I wasn’t going to ask him for anything. Not money. Certainly not any special favors. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“Your existence is a threat to him and his position. Should his wife find out about you, I’ve no doubt she’d leave him destitute. He’s desperate to keep his position in The Rooks.”
“The Rooks … they’re a secret society, right?”
“Yes.” His brows came together in a frown, and he unraveled my arms from his neck, urging me to sit beside him on the bed. “Lilia … there’s something I need–” A buzz interrupted him, and he pulled his phone from his pocket, his frown deepening.
“What is it?”
“A notification from the security system at the lab. Someone tried to punch in the wrong code.” He kissed the top of my head, stroking his hand down my hair. “I need to find out what’s going on.”
“You’re … you’re leaving?”
“Could be students fucking around, but I want to be sure. Besides, you need more antibiotic cream for the stitches, as well. I promise no one knows you’re here.”
Exhaling a breath, I glanced around the dark room, imagining how creepy it’d look if he didn’t return until nightfall.
As if reading my mind, he said, “I’ll try to be back in an hour. And I’ll grab some food. I’m sure you’re probably starving.”
My stomach grumbled in response, as if it appreciated the acknowledgement. “Okay.”
“I gave you a sponge bath earlier, but you’re welcome to shower, if you’d like. Just don’t get your stitches wet.
I caught a glimpse of my suitcase propped in the corner, which he must’ve grabbed from the apartment. “Oh, God. Conner’s going to freak.”
“I sent him a text from your phone, telling him you decided to stay with a friend.”
“Where’s Angelo?”
A look of vexation knitted his brows as he turned away. “When I entered that room and saw you practically naked on the floor and blood everywhere ...” A muscle ticced in his jaw. “Believe me when I say you don’t want to know what happened to Angelo.”
The blackness from before shifted inside of me. I somehow felt less alone, less heinous. He’d hurt Angelo for hurting me. Could Devryck have been considered a murderer for something like that? Who knew what Angelo would’ve done to me when he’d eventually come to?
At the same time, I knew damn well what my mother would’ve done to Bee, had I not found her. I’d seen that glint of madness in her eyes. Had Devryck seen the same thing in Angelo?
He’d told me he was going to rape me with a fucking blade–a fact I didn’t bother to tell Devryck right then, given the way his jaw hardened to a harsh angle and those eyes blazed with a murderous gleam.
Maybe it was best to count my blessings and understand there were certain justices in the world that went beyond what I considered fair and humane.
Like animals. Lions who tore other predators apart for daring to threaten their prides.
Was that what I was to Devryck? His pride? His untouchable thing?
For the first time since my mother’s death, I saw through the eyes of the victim. The one grateful to walk away. To be alive because someone had given a fuck, had been bold enough, to do what needed to be done.
In my ruminating over it, I didn’t notice Devryck had fallen into something of a trance, staring off at nothing.
Quiet, at first. Until, at last, he cleared his throat.
“There was … the briefest moment … when I was running toward that room.
Your screams had silenced. And I thought—“ Lips pressed to a hard line, he flashed me a sullen scowl that tore at my heart. He shook his head, refusing to say it. “That was the first time I truly felt that something could hurt me. That I could be brought to my knees. I don’t ever want to feel that again, Lilia.”
Through another shield of tears, I nodded. “I know that feeling well,” I said, recalling the day at the cove when I thought I’d lost him.
I decided to leave it at that, with the understanding that Angelo had chosen his path, his fate. He was a predator who’d happened to be cut down by a bigger predator, and in the case of my mother, she had challenged my love for her, my loyalties, by harming my sister.
He pressed another careful kiss to my lips, urging me back onto the pillow beneath me. “Are you okay?”
“No. But I hope to be.” As he stared down at me, the pain at my cheek flared with the memory of Angelo’s words. Now you’re a monster. Nothing but a used-up whore. Biting back another round of tears, I turned away from him.
His finger hooked beneath my chin, drawing me back to him. “Don’t hide from me, Lilia. You are no less beautiful than that day you walked into my classroom and stole my fucking breath.”
“It’ll scar.” I said, not only referring to the wound on my face.
“It might. But it’ll also serve as a reminder that you fought a professional killer and survived. You’re stronger than you realize.”
His words tunneled through me, and I gave a small nod, letting them smother Angelo’s relentless whispers that looped through my head.
He planted another kiss to my lips. “I’ll return soon.” With that, he strode across the room and closed the door behind him.