Fifteen
Ara
I step back from Nico as the colour drains from his face. In my thrill of winning, I pushed too far, forgetting myself—and now the poor man looks uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry, Nico.” I wince, looking up at him.
Damn, why is everyone so tall. For the first time in my life, I’m starting to feel short and small. Nico shakes his head before he looks down at me.
“It’s okay,”
I flash him a smile, but before he can speak, Eero steps in, shoving him aside and pulling me into his arms. I let out a squeal as he lifts me effortlessly, spinning me around until laughter bubbles out of me.
“That was fucking awesome. Was that a wild guess?”
“You are mean!” I gasp.
“What?”
He chuckles at my expression before he puts me down. Nico pulls him back again and inserts himself between us both.
"Ara Sinclair does not guess! Ever!" I wag my finger under his chin and make a face at him.
I'm still buzzed, still giddy, and having a great time. Who would’ve thought it’d take a pack of gangsters to finally loosen me up?
Nico’s fighting a smile, while Eero laughs without a care.
“You run a chi-square analysis, and you get probabilities on where the ball is most likely to land,” I explain, picking up where we left off.
I cross my arms, confidence buzzing through me. “Take me to any game in this casino, and I’ll make sure you win. Guessing, he says.”
I grumble the last part under my breath, still annoyed by the word.
When I glance around, the handler’s eyes are pinned on me, his disapproving frown impossible to miss. I wince and quickly look away.
"I shouldn’t have been so overenthusiastic about it, perhaps," I murmur to Nico, feeling the flush of embarrassment creeping in.
Eero quietly gathers his chips, unbothered, while I sneak another glance at the handler. Big mistake. His glare sharpens, cutting straight through me. His gaze shifts briefly to Eero before locking back on me, making me nearly squeak in response.
Why are they all so big? I wouldn’t want to cross any of them—especially not this one.
“I got lucky,” I say with a nonchalant wave, hoping to smooth things over.
But the man doesn’t budge. His glare stays fixed.
I clear my throat and turn away, muttering under my breath, “Sweet rivers, he must’ve had the runs all day.”
A soft cough makes me glance up to see Nico trying to hide a laugh behind his hand. His attempt at composure only makes me grin. Seeing amusement on his usually stoic face feels like a rare triumph.
Eero, unfazed by the handler or my muttering, keeps stacking his chips. It’s strange how things change. Eero and Nico visited me in the hospital a few times, and it’s safe to say I’m not nearly as terrified of them as I was before.
And if I can look past the maniac glint in Eero’s eyes... well, I might even call him a friend.
“I’m bringing you to all my games from now on,” Eero declares.
Nico frowns while I laugh slightly.
“Like fuck you will,”
A shiver snakes down my spine at the sound of that commanding voice. I don’t need to turn to know who it belongs to.
Eero’s expression shifts to something teasing, while Nico steps back in line behind his boss, his posture instantly sharpening. Around us, the gamers and handlers freeze, their chatter dying as pale faces flick toward the man standing at my back.
I can’t blame them. Devlin has that effect on people—an aura of quiet authority that demands attention and stirs fear without effort.
I’m pulled from my thoughts when hands gently peel his coat from my hands. My first instinct is to protest, and I try my best not to pout. But judging by Nico’s barely contained smile, I’m failing miserably.
Unlike Nico, Iblis doesn’t bother hiding his amusement. His grin is all too visible, and there’s something unnerving about it—the angelic face paired with his perfectly tailored suit makes him look more like a devil in disguise.
I’m still wary of him. Not out of fear, exactly, but because I know for certain that he’s been bothering Ivy—or, at least, was. She won’t talk about it, and I’ve learned not to push. But something about the way she tenses at the mention of his name tells me enough. He scared the hell out of her.
And then there’s that smile of his. It’s always there, like he knows something the rest of us don’t.
“Dr Sinclair,” he nods.
I simply narrow my eyes at him before nodding back. I don’t know his second name, and I’m not calling him by his first when he strictly maintains formality. My eyes widen slightly when Devlin’s coat comes around me, filling me with a portion of the warmth his body did on the pier.
I look up at the man and notice him sporting a dark scowl.
Would it be wrong to smooth it out?
I’m afraid that he might have a permanent indent between his brows with the amount of scowling he does. I reject the idea because I don’t want to lose a limb.
I turn away to hide my yawn behind my hand. I look down at my watch to see that it is well past my bedtime. I have an early class tomorrow.
“Thank you for bringing me here, Mr Devlin. I had a nice time,” I smile at the man who steals my breath every time he is around.
“Goodnight,” I try to step aside when he goes to block my path.
I crane my neck to give him a questioning look.
“You will come with me,”
Okay. I’m not as high as before, and his words, coupled with his authoritative tone, bring back the fear that is usually present in my sober self whenever he is involved.
“What?” My voice betrays the courage I want to portray.
"What my boss intended to convey is that he will personally see you home," Iblis explains with a smirk.
“Oh.” I turn back to Devlin and shake my head. “That is mighty nice of you, but I have my-“
“It wasn’t a request, little siren.”
His hand encircles my wrist as he turns, pulling me along with him. The grip isn't harsh, but it's firm enough to leave me no choice but to follow his lead.
“But…But my car,”
“I’ll drive it,”
I nod at Eero, who follows us along with Nico. Iblis stands back as he ushers the patrons back to their games.
“Woah, slow down, big guy,” I tug at my hand when his long legs strain the pain in my ankle.
I look down into my purse and fish out my keys to give them to Eero. I see a smirk on his face that is directed at his boss. I frown in confusion as I hand him my keys.
“It is parked behind the church. It is a silver-“
“I know, sweetheart.”
My frown deepens. “Okay, try again. Because I am one minute away from having a panic attack,”
Eero just wiggles his brows when Nico kicks his shin.
“We met your friend using it when you were in the hospital,” Nico explains.
I nod and turn to see Devlin looking down at me. His gaze is fixed on my leg that was hurt.
“Are you in pain?” He asks.
I can see the moment his body bends, preparing to lift me. Instinctively, I leap back, shaking my head. I’m no lightweight, and I can imagine how much effort it took for him to carry me the last time.
“I’m not in a lot of pain. I can walk. Slowly,” I gesture to his long legs before I start walking.
Nico and Eero move ahead of us, quick and purposeful, while I take my time, strolling slowly behind. Maybe it’s the alcohol talking, but there’s something oddly sweet about Devlin’s long legs trying to match my pace.
I wonder if I could start calling him Zagan, at least in my head. We’ve long since moved past the formalities, right? He calls me whatever suits him, so maybe I can do the same, just in my thoughts.
We pause outside the casino doors, and the moment the bouncers spot their boss, they clear the path without a word. The patrons greet him, but he doesn’t acknowledge any of them, his gaze fixed on the distant city skyline, where the lights flicker like stars.
A sharp gust of wind cuts through the air, and I instinctively pull his coat tighter around me, shivering.
The thought makes me glance at him again. He’s dressed in a dark suit, sharp as always, but I can’t help wondering if that blazer is enough to keep him warm. Isn’t he cold?
“Aren’t you cold? Oh my god, I’m so sorry, please take-“
“Keep it,”
My hands halt from peeling his coat off me.
“But, aren’t you cold?”
He looks down at me, and under the streetlights, his eyes seem to be sparkling in a devious glint.
“Unless you can share, coat’s yours.”
My heart skips a beat at his words, and the heat that travels to my cheeks is instant.
I look away, hiding my choke with a cough. The man doesn’t talk much, but when he does, I think he does with an intent to mess with people’s brains.
* * *
The car ride to my home was filled with…something. Something electric and tense that I could see even affecting Nico. Or maybe I assumed that it did. I didn’t see any change in the man as he expertly navigated the city traffic towards the location I gave him.
I think I’m the one who is feeling things that aren’t there. I’ve peeped towards the source of this tension, and not once did I find him looking at me. I was relived and sad at the same time. I blame the irregular shift of my thoughts on the man.
And what a man he is. Even as he sits, looking out his window, he exudes power. The calm, potent power that does something to my insides. Maybe I’m starting to blame too much on my alcohol because that gives me an excuse to let me acknowledge thoughts. I cannot stop appreciating the man.
The way he sits, he grits his teeth, a muscle in his jaw ticks or his muscles ripple under his tight clothes… he is nothing but proof of how god hates us all except a few.
I’m quick to turn away from my open-mouthed gawking when the car jolts to a halt. I look back to see Eero parking my car right in front of the new house I bought a week ago. The day after I decided to adopt Cas.
“Goodnight, Nico,” I smile at the man as he unlocks my door.
Nico nods, and I raise a brow at him.
“Aversion to speak is contagious, I see,” I say as I climb down from my seat.
Zagan’s already there, holding the door open. I swear I see a tug of his lips, but it is dark; it could very much be a figment of my imagination.
Eero climbs out of my car and walks to me with my keys in his hand.
“Goodnight, Eero,”
He comes forward as if to hug me, but after a wary glance behind me, he clears his throat and sticks to waving his hand.
“Goodnight, love,”
He drops my keys onto my palm and is quick to walk towards the car Nico is waiting in.
I expect Zagan to follow him, but he surprises me as he walks me to my door. A thorough gentleman. Huh. This is a nice piece of information which wouldn’t help my tries to forgo the attraction towards him. Attraction towards my part-time stalker! I am in dire need of a good freaking slap.
I thrust my keys into the keyhole and push open the door. I turn to him, not having to try hard for the small smile that I’m sure plays on my lips.
“Thanks for today, Mr Devlin. You have no idea how much it helped.”
Despite the face of granite, I sense that something is troubling the man. His jaw ripples as he grits his teeth hard, and his hunter eyes look more intense than usual.
“Mr Devlin are-“
I gasp in surprise as he suddenly bends down, his face drawing closer to mine. He plants his hands on the door, caging me between the unyielding wood and his body. I can feel the heat of his body as his lips hover dangerously near mine.
"Just a taste," he murmurs, his voice low and filled with promise.
The words send a pulse of anticipation through me, making my heart beat faster as I meet his gaze.
His eyes lock onto mine, holding me with an intensity that sears through me. Then, his warm lips ghost over the corner of my mouth, the kiss so light, so delicate, yet it leaves my whole body aching. I can’t help but gasp, my eyes fluttering shut as I savour the softness of his touch.
The skin below his lips tingles, and I swear I can feel every inch of him even when he’s barely there. The burn from his large hand slowly coming to grip me tight around my waist sends sparks through my body, and suddenly, everything about my clothes feels suffocating. The urge to tear them off, to feel the heat of his skin against mine, is almost overwhelming.
I see the battle raging within him, raw and unfiltered. He doesn’t try to hide it from me. The anger, the disgust—they’re written all over his face, like I’m something he can’t stand.
In an instant, the euphoric feeling vanishes, replaced by a wave of dark, negative emotions I thought I had buried long ago. It’s as though the walls I’d built to protect myself are crumbling.
Before I can say or do anything, he pulls away, releasing me as if I’ve scorched him. Without a word, he turns and strides toward his car, never looking back. If he had, he would’ve seen how easily he unravelled everything I thought I’d overcome.
I blink back the sting of tears, the realisation sinking in like cold steel.
Nothing good ever comes from being drawn to a man like him.
The thought takes root in my mind, and I’m reminded of the burn from my past—the one caused by my ex. It would be foolish to make that mistake again.