DEVAN
What?
I’m still wrapping my head around the wedding and then I hear this?
She didn’t want to go home last night.
Anywhere but home, she said.
For the millionth time, all this should be none of my business, yet the more I think of it, the more I hear, the more I feel invested.
I want to know more.
I want to know her deeper.
I want to know everything.
And it’s not only because her beauty took my breath away for the short time I saw her.
“Who is she marrying?”
“Kelvin Harrel,” Matias responds.
“And who the fuck is that?” I mutter.
“Her finance, I assume. You’re jealous, aren’t you,” a smirk flickers across his face.
Jealous is the wrong word.
If Scarlet ran away from him, he doesn’t deserve her.
He better not be the problem.
“Should we crush the wedding to piss a fucker off?” Matias asks.
He’s really enjoying this.
“Maybe we should just deliver the girl and collect our two million dollars,” he suggests.
“No,” I jump in quickly, shocking even myself, apart from Matias who looks at me like I’ve uttered a profanity.
He raised his brows.
“You don’t want free money?”
Money has never been a problem, and he knows it.
He just enjoys being an idiot.
I suddenly feel reluctant to let Scarlet go, which is strange for someone I only met last night.
Explaining this to Matias will be a disaster.
So l, I end up saying.
“What if I made her my wife?”
Matias purses his lips, opens his mouth and closes it.
I get it.
It’s a ridiculous idea that crossed my mind.
I was just thinking of ways to cool the pressure for me to get a wife and an heir.
She ran away, which means there’s a high chance she didn’t want to get married.
But if I offered her a huge sum of money for her to be my fake wife…
A snap of fingers snaps me back to reality.
“Did you miss the part where I said it’s her wedding day?”
“Do you know anything else about this Kelvin guy?” I probe.
“He’s a doctor. They work together at MPH. That’s all.”
“What level of incompetence is that?”
“You told me to look into the woman. Not everyone around her.”
I get on my feet.
“Where are you going?” Asks Matias.
“None of your business.”
“It is my business,” he stands up while I walk away.
“Then find another business. I need answers about that Kelvin before I break his legs and teeth.”
“Devan,” Matias calls out and I ignore him.
I need to have a word with my stranger who I now know to be Scarlet.
Scarlet.
What a coincidence that I admire red things sometimes.
I’ll make that permanent.
I knock on the door, and then I remember it’s my room.
I open it before she responds.
She’s awake.
And looking much better.
I stand at the door for a while just staring at her.
She’s in blue jeans and a black t-shirt.
It’s simple but she still brings the beauty in the attire.
The tight jeans reveal her luscious curves, tempting me to run my hands all over them.
Her hair is tied into a messy pony tail, and she still looks stunning.
Damn.
She’s gorgeous.
The thought of her being someone’s wife suddenly does something to me.
I don’t like it.
She doesn’t tear her gaze from me while I approach her.
Her blue eyes.
Beautiful blue eyes make me feel lucky to be under her scrutiny.
And then she bites her lips.
So subtle that I almost miss it.
Gosh, she should do that again.
When I’m closer, I put my hands in my pocket and smile. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Just admiring her charming skin, that tempts me to burry my head in her neck.
Like a damn vampire.
“Good morning, stanger,” I say.
She clears her throat before responding.
“Good morning.”
“How are you feeling today? Still want to be kidnapped?”
She huffs.
“I’m good. And I need to get out of here before everyone confuses me for your wife.”
“I don’t have a wife.”
“Good for you,” she says quickly.
“But you could be,” I suppliment, earning a glare.
“What?”
“I’m saying you could be my wife.”
She smiles and walks away from me.
“You’re crazy.”
I turn and grab her wrist.
“Why wouldn’t you consider it?” I ask.
She looks at my hand that’s holding her wrist and then back at me.
“First of all, we don’t know each other.”
“I’m Devan,” I correct that.
“That’s not enough. I don’t even know where I am. I was coming to find you because now you need to take me home.”
I narrow my eyes.
“Do you really want to go home?” I let go of her hand and she sighs.
“Doesn’t matter what I want. But I have to leave.”
“Because it’s your wedding day?” I spill without thinking.
Another glare follows.
“Excuse me?”
I rake my fingers in my hair.
“We need to talk,” Scarlet.”
“You know my name?” Her pupils widen.
“Have you been stalking me?” She gasps as though something finally made sense.
She points a finger at me.
“You stalked me. You followed me. Our meeting in the cemetery was not a coincidence.”
She lifts her hands.
“Why did I think I could give a little trust to a stranger?”
I shake my head and walk closer to her.
She takes a step back.
Fuck.
“And I gave you exactly what you wanted. I asked you to kidnap me.” She scoffs.
“God, I’m such an idiot. I guess there’s no need to fight my way out, because you won’t let me go, right?”
I massage my temples.
She gasps again giving the same look.
The look of realization.
“You told me you kidnap people on normal days.” Her brows furrow.
“Who are you?”
“I just told you I’m Devan.”
“Crap,” a painful laugh escapes her.
“How did I forget that part? I’m trapped aren’t I?”
She looks away and whispers.
“I don’t know what’s worse. This or that stupid wedding.”
When she’s finally calm.
I take her hand.
The way she complies surprises me.
You wouldn’t believe she was the one losing it five seconds ago.
I lead her to seat on the bed.
I look into her eyes and cup her cheeks.
“You’re stressed. But we can talk about it calmly. I’m not going to hurt you. You have my word.”
I let her go.
“I wasn’t stalking you, Scarlet. Our meeting last night wasn’t planned. You were in a bad place, I could tell, and it was the worst day of the year for me, too.”
“Why?” She asks as if she’s suddenly lowered her guard.
“That’s not important. But right now you’re not restrained. You can leave any time you want, especially because you’re a missing person.”
The last part shocks her, rightfully so.
“What?” She exclaims.
“Your father put a two-million-reward to anyone who finds you.”
She lets out a loud exhale.
Then she looks at me and gives a smile that doesn’t take a genius to know is fake.
“Are you going to collect the money?”
I smile.
“I’d rather keep you.”
She looks away for a second. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
“So what are you going to do with me?” She pries.
“I would have kidnapped you. But I still have some level of kindness hanging around.”
A soft laugh escapes her.
“Who are you, really? You said you kidnap people.”
“I do. And like I told you, I’m Devan. Though my last name might probably scare you back to your fiance.”
“I’d rather stay with the devil at this point.”
So Kelvin is an asshole.
I’ve gotten that.
The offer to break his limbs still stands.
“Devan Galloway,” I say.
She seems to think deeply about it until realization finally kicks in.
“THE Galloway?”
I nod.
“THE Galloway.”
“Oh my God.”
My reputation precedes me, I know.
She eyes me skeptically.
“You’re nothing like what they say about you.”
“Judging a book by the cover?” I raise a brow.
“And what is it they say about me?”
“You haven’t heard the rumors? You’re the head of the most dangerous…”
“I’m in danger aren’t I? I led myself into the devil’s den,” she concludes.
“Yes, you did.”
“But why are you being nice? Shouldn’t I be in a dungeon somewhere? I’m confused. Unless what they say about you is a bunch of lies.”
“The rumors are true.” I decide to get her out of her misery.
“Only for those who cross me.”
She sucks in a breath.
“So, would you still rather stay with the devil?”
“If the devil is nice. Maybe,” she responds.
I grunt.
“So what did the man whose limbs I’m about to break do?” I pry, hoping she opens up before I blow someone’s brain up.
Her expression falls and I almost regret asking her that question.
“Have you ever given someone your heart?”
“No,” I respond without hesitation.
“Great. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” I challenge.
Her expression is more proof that Kelvin is an asshole and now I want to do more than just break his limbs.
“I did. And now I regret it. It was all for nothing.” Her words start breaking.
“It was all a fuss to him.”
A lump forms in my throat as I watch her recite it painfully.
I clench my fists.
“Now there’s no wedding.”
“I have to go home and cancel everything. He lied to me.” The last words are said with tears flowing down her cheeks.
Breaking my heart in the process.
I pull her into my arms, as she lets out everything.
I slowly stroke her back to help her calm down.
We stay in the same position for a while.
When she finally pulls away from me, she’s still an emotional mess.
I cup her cheeks and wipe the tears with my thumb.
“Kelvin is an idiot,” I say.
“And I’m going to kill him.”
She stops and looks up at me.
“I’m sure you’re serious.”
“Just say the word.”
For a second I almost think she’s considering it.
“That’s not a logical solution,” she says.
Of course.
“I’ll only cancel the wedding. And end things with him.”
He’ll have it easy.
I suddenly have the urge to make him pay.
My conversation with Matias replays in my head.
I need balance.
This is ridiculous.
But again, wouldn’t it hurt to try.
I don’t want to take advantage of the situation, but what if we both benefit from it?
I’ll also have time to focus on the search of my father’s killer.
I look at Scarlet.
“Marry me instead,” the words leave my mouth before my mind can register them.