Page 40 of Die for You (Diamond Devils #4)

Knox

Damien and Finn leave the gym an hour before I do. The burn from the weights and machines isn’t enough to drive all the nagging thoughts from my head.

Rory’s ex was spying on us. Watching us fuck her through my bedroom window. Why the hell didn’t I think to draw the curtains? Why didn’t I think to protect her?

He saw us fuck her and that will set him off. More furious than he’s ever been. And after the breakup, the restraining order, and his own mother threatening to disinherit him, he’s basically a bomb ready to detonate at any moment.

Finn confirmed that the property at Jeremiah’s address is still owned by his parents.

We went to confront him that night, but he wasn’t there.

A whole new family lives there now, two little kids playing in the front yard.

The whole family held their breath as we pulled into their driveway and quickly turned around to head in the other direction.

He really did move back in with mommy and daddy. But that doesn’t mean shit. Definitely doesn’t mean they’re keeping track of when he comes and goes.

By the time I leave the gym, neck sticky with sweat, darkness has long since fallen. My car is one of the few in the parking lot at this hour, and someone’s leaning on my hood.

Not Jeremiah. Not any of the Devils. Not Aurora.

I grit my teeth and halt dead in my tracks. “You stalking me?”

She rolls her eyes, pushing off the hood to saunter closer. “Relax. I saw your car. And I needed to talk to you.”

“You don’t need to do anything with me, actually.” I’m done playing nice. Monica doesn’t deserve any part of me anymore. Certainly not my kindness.

“I heard your little girlfriend is living with you now,” Monica calls in a singsong voice.

“What’s it matter to you?”

She saunters closer, and I brace myself for her to reach out for me. I’ll have to shake her off. Maybe even shove her away if she doesn’t take the hint. She’s never been good at that.

“There’s no way she’ll choose you over Damien or Finn.”

My teeth clench. Monica has no clue what she’s talking about. She thinks I must have some deep-rooted insecurity about Aurora not choosing me over Finn and Damien, but we’ve never expected her to choose, never wanted her to. Monica doesn’t understand what we have with Aurora, and she never will.

I fold my arms, utilizing all my willpower to bottle my rage. “So you waited out here this whole time just to insult me?”

Monica shakes her head, face morphing into an expression that turns my stomach. An expression I know all too well—mouth falling slightly open, eyes going round with innocence, brows lifting in faux concern. Another step closer to me, but she doesn’t reach out.

“I’m not trying to insult you, I swear. I just.

..I mean, we dated for years, Knoxy. I still care about you.

I always will. You were really important to me.

Really, really important. And I think you deserve better than someone who can’t decide between you and your friends.

” Her lips, stained with a shade of deep purple, curve down in distaste.

“You wouldn’t have to worry about that with me.

You know that. You would have me all to yourself. And that’s what you deserve.”

This is how she manipulates people. How she manipulated me for years.

She pretends like she actually gives a shit, like what she’s doing is all in your best interest, but the reality is she never does anything unless there’s something in it for herself.

She doesn’t give a fuck about how Aurora treats me or what I deserve.

She wants to worm her way back into my life, claim that spot as my girlfriend again and shove Aurora out.

But not because she cares about me. No, if she actually gave a singular shit about me, she wouldn’t have hurt me over and over.

What Monica cares about is winning. Getting the prize she’s set her sights on. She only wants me now that someone else has me.

I spent years trying to understand why she acts the way she does, trying to understand what could possibly be going on in her mind to justify the shit she puts people through, but I’ve given up.

I’ll never understand her, and at this point, I don’t care enough to.

I just want her out of my life. For good.

“Thought you had a boyfriend.”

“Not anymore.” She shrugs casually like he doesn’t matter. And he doesn’t. No one matters to her but herself. “So...I’m available. That’s what I’m saying, Knoxy. I’ve changed. We can try again.”

A laugh nearly bubbles out of my chest. Fuck that. Even if I didn’t have Aurora, I’d tell Damien to run my ass over before I let Monica anywhere near me again.

Before I can voice my endless objections, her hand lands on my bicep. Too close, too familiar. She doesn’t get to touch me anymore.

I shake her off, her touch burning like a hot iron. “Don’t touch me.”

Her brows furrow, that familiar hint of annoyance. “Knoxy?—”

“You have no idea what I want. Or what I deserve. You’ve never been anything close to what I deserve.”

Monica’s eyes narrow. She’s pissed now. A sight that used to turn my stomach leaden. Now it makes me want to grin. Good, be pissed off. Be so pissed off that you fuck off and never come back .

“What do you see in her?” she hisses.

“Everything I never saw in you.” Finally, I brush past her. My relationship with Monica ended a long time ago. Now that I’m with Aurora, hopefully she’ll finally acknowledge that and move on.

“You’re making a mistake,” she calls to my back.

I walk backwards to face her while I head for my car. “The only mistake I made was ever giving you a chance in the first place.”

Her scowl deepens to one I’ve never seen before. Even when she was hitting me. Even when she was screaming at me in front of our friends.

An arctic chill races down my spine.

I slide into the driver’s seat, and my tires squeal as I peel out of the parking lot.

Monica doesn’t move from her spot in my rearview mirror.

A police cruiser sits in front of the hockey house. My stomach sinks when two officers climb out of the car and head for our front door just before I flick on my turn signal and parallel park along the sidewalk.

Despite my weak calves from the gym, I jog up to them. “Hey, officers! Can I help you?”

Both turn to me. The male officer nods. “You live here?”

“Yep. With a few of my teammates.” I hold out my hand, and the female officer is the first to shake it. “Knox Rockefeller.”

“Officer Jackson,” she says before dropping my hand. “We received a request for a welfare check on a woman named Aurora Archer. There’s concern about a potential abduction.”

I can’t help it—I laugh. The officers don’t like that. They exchange a look that tells me I’m their primary suspect.

“She’s inside. You’re welcome to do a welfare check. But I can assure you she’s just fine.”

Officer Jackson purses her lips. “We’d like to chat with Miss Archer.”

I lead the police inside, Damien and Knox dwarfing the couch with Aurora, doll-like, in the spot between them.

“What the fuck?” Damien’s brows fold low over his dark eyes as the officers follow me inside.

I jerk my thumb over my shoulder at them. “Someone called in a welfare check on Aurora. Apparently, they think we abducted her.”

Technically, we did. Once. But only to drive her home. Something tells me the officers won’t take too kindly to that information, though.

“Jesus Christ,” Damien grumbles. He shifts to let Aurora climb off the couch.

She stands and gestures to herself with a convincing smile. “I think you can tell I’m just fine. I’m here of my own free will.”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions.” Officer Jackson gives Aurora a polite smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and tells us that Aurora doesn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.

Officer Jackson leads Aurora outside to question her where we can’t hear them. My jaw clenches. I don’t like her alone with anyone we don’t know or trust.

In the middle of the room, Officer Williams hovers awkwardly with his arms folded. He’d rather be at home with his wife and a meatloaf.

“Someone called in a false tip,” I tell him. “We’re being harassed.”

Officer Williams frowns, interest piqued now. “Harassed? In what way?”

“Watching us through our fucking windows,” Damien growls. “Slashing our tires.”

Williams pulls out a notebook to jot it down. “Do you know who this person is?”

“Her ex.” Damien nods at the front door, where Aurora has disappeared with the other officer.

“And do you have proof of this person’s identity?”

We fall silent. Finn didn’t get a clear look at Jeremiah’s face in the window, and we didn’t witness him slash our tires. But we do have something.

“He broke into her apartment. We have a video. And she’s already filed a restraining order against him.”

The front door squeaks open, Aurora and Officer Jackson finally returning. Aurora’s expression is more troubled now, and all I want to do is close the distance between us and hold her to me, comfort her.

Somehow, Officer Williams still doesn’t look convinced. “So you believe her ex-boyfriend is the one who called in the false tip about the potential abduction?”

“Obviously.” Damien’s on his feet now, arms folded.

“While all of this information is certainly concerning”—Officer Williams casts all six-seven of Damien a wary look—“a woman called for the welfare check.”

Damien, Finn, and I exchange a look. What woman would call in a welfare check on Aurora? Jeremiah is the one messing with us. The only one with a stake in this.

“It must’ve been Barb,” Aurora suggests. “His mother.”

My teeth grind together. Now the bastard’s having his mother do his dirty work. Throwing the police off his scent.

He’s more clever than I gave him credit for. Which makes our job that much more difficult.

The police thank us for our time and head out the door. They called the fucking police on us. Sent them to our house in another attempt to get Aurora away from us.

An uncomfortable silence hangs over us when the door clicks shut behind the officers.

Damien’s ready to explode, Finn’s quiet fury a ticking bomb, and Aurora...she chews her lip, twists her fingers, and shifts uncomfortably. More distressed than ever.

Finally, I close the gap between us and hug her. She’s cold in my arms, and it isn’t until I’m holding her flush against me that I notice her hands are shaking. I rub her back in soothing strokes. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know.” She steps out of my grasp with a small, grateful smile until it melts away and she looks between the three of us. “I’m sorry. For bringing all of this to your doorstep. I can leave if you want.”

“Don’t be fucking ridiculous, Aurora.” Damien snatches her up and carries her to the couch, pinning her in his lap. “You’re not going anywhere.”

To Finn, I gesture to the front door, and he follows me out. We could both use some air.

The officers are pulling away from the sidewalk and heading down the road when a husky, feminine voice calls out, “The fucking cops?”

“They’re not in cuffs in the backseat,” Trey drawls. “Must not have killed anybody.”

Sienna races up to us, brown hair floating behind her. “What happened?”

“Why the hell were the cops parked in front of our house?” Luke frowns, gaze following after them.

I can’t even bring myself to be happy to see my friends. “According to Jeremiah’s mother, we abducted Aurora. They came to do a welfare check.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Sienna grumbles.

That manages to pull a smile from me. Even Finn chuckles. “No, it wouldn’t be.”

“You didn’t let them in my room, right?” Trey asks, voice suddenly tense.

“Why? You hiding a body in there?”

“Only a couple,” Juliet deadpans.

“How’s Aurora?” Sienna asks, concern lining her green eyes as they dart to the door behind me.

A rare word out of Finn: “Safe.”

The intrusive thought careens into my head. And doesn’t go away for the rest of the night. For now .