Page 46 of Die for You (Diamond Devils #4)

Damien

Outside, my jaw is about to break in half as I pace in front of our stoop. At my instruction, Finn disappeared inside to swipe Aurora’s phone.

This is over. We need to teach this asshole exactly who he’s messing with. He got a warning. He got a slap on the wrist. But apparently, the message didn’t sink in. Now it’s time to deliver it in a way he’ll understand.

Aurora is still inside, Sienna comforting her. For once, Knox doesn’t bother trying to talk me down off the ledge. He’s right there with me. Maybe it’s the alcohol or maybe that asshole coming after Aurora again is enough to make Knox ignore his better judgment.

If she had been here when he showed up...I don’t even want to think about what he might have done. Where he might have taken her.

Finn returns outside to the stoop with us, a prize in his hand. Aurora’s phone. He raises a dark brow. “You sure?”

“About what? Beating this guy to a pulp? Obviously. Never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“About taking Aurora’s phone,” Knox corrects. He’s always been better at translating for Finn. “Doing this behind her back.”

“If she knew what we were doing, she’d be pissed. Not because she doesn’t want us to teach that asshole a lesson, but because she doesn’t want us to put ourselves at risk. So yeah, we’re doing this. Even if she’s pissed about it at first, she’ll forgive us later when he never comes around again.”

Neither of them can argue with me. We have to protect her. That’s the vow we took. She protected us, she saved our lives, and we’ll do the same for her.

Finn turns on Aurora’s phone screen, prompted to put in the passcode. His fingers dance over the screen.

“So what’s the plan?” Knox asks.

“When you get into her phone, give it to me and I’ll?—”

Finn cuts me off by shoving the phone at me, unlocked. Even though he’s on my side, his morally questionable skills still creep me out. “Good work.”

I find the string of texts from an unsaved number that Aurora hasn’t bothered deleting. Evidence if she ever needed it. Came in handy during her court hearing.

Aurora

Can you meet me on campus?

Knox peers over my shoulder at the message. “Think he’ll take the bait?”

“No doubt.” If he’s breaking into her house and stealing her shit, this guy isn’t done with her.

“We could be waiting a while before he responds. Maybe we should?—”

Before Knox can finish his sentence, Aurora’s phone buzzes.

Unknown

What about the restraining order?

I bark a short, mirthless laugh. “Now he’s worried about the restraining order. Wasn’t too worried about it when he was breaking into our fucking house to get to her.”

“He’s covering his tracks.” A muscle twitches in Knox’s jaw. “If he shows up, he can use the texts to deny it.”

Finn nods his agreement, face cloudy. He’s been more silent than usual, if that’s possible. A shark beneath the surface, preparing for the perfect moment to strike.

My fingers fly across the screen.

Aurora

I won’t tell if you don’t.

We wait with bated breath for his reply. Aurora deleted all her old texts with him from when they were together. I have no idea how she used to text him. If he’ll believe this is really her.

Her screen goes black while we wait, and my heart sinks. He’s not responding. He knows something’s up. It couldn’t be this easy.

Unknown

I can be there in an hour.

I grin at Knox and Finn. Both of them wear smiles to match. Victory.

The front door shrieks open, and Juliet sticks her head out. “Are you three camping out here, or are you coming back inside to comfort your girlfriend?”

“Keep her occupied for a while. We’ve got something to handle,” I tell her.

“I don’t take orders from you,” she snaps. “But I’ll take care of it.”

With that, Juliet slams the door shut.

Finn claps a hand on my shoulder, the corners of his mouth pulled down in a frown. “Careful.”

“Don’t kill him,” Knox agrees. “We won’t be any good to her behind bars.”

Both of them already know exactly what I’m thinking without me having to say a damn word.

But my mind’s already made up.

I’d do anything for her. Even if that puts me behind bars for a few years.

She’s worth it. She’ll be safer when he’s gone, and I’ll make sure I go down for the crime alone.

Finn and Knox will still be out to take care of her until I can join them.

And if they go down with me, our friends will look out for her.

Trey and Luke would make sure she’s protected.

When I get my hands around that bastard’s throat, I’m squeezing until his face turns red. Then blue.

And I have no plans to stop until someone rips my hands from his body.

Jeremiah is punctual, I’ll give him that. His only decent quality. Too bad that won’t matter after tonight.

He won’t need to be on time for anything anymore.

From the dimly lit parking lot behind the library, Jeremiah approaches our meeting spot. His head’s on a swivel, hands swinging. He knows this could be a trap, but he can’t resist her. Can’t resist an opportunity to hurt her again.

Knox nudges me when I start vibrating with rage. I need to keep calm, cool. At first.

Can’t scare him off before the fun begins.

“Rora?” His voice calls out as he searches the path in front of the library.

“Thanks for meeting us.” I step out of the shadows, Knox at my side.

Gas masks conceal our faces, but Jeremiah’s frown tells me he knows exactly who we are.

“What the hell do you want? Where’s Rora?” he demands like he has any right to know where she is.

“Nowhere near you.” Even with the hard edge to his voice, Knox almost sounds friendly. Somehow, that makes him even more terrifying. “So, safe.”

Another step toward him, and Jeremiah retreats. Even if he turns to run, he won’t get far.

“What’s your problem? I’ve stayed away from her. We settled this in court.”

“You broke into her house and stole her shit. I wouldn’t exactly call that staying away from her.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Should’ve expected he’d play dumb. Why would he fess up now, even when we’ve already got his prints at the scene of the crime?

I crack my knuckles. “Maybe a little friendly reminder will help your memory.”

Jeremiah spins on his heel. Smart enough not to try to fight two men in gas masks in the middle of the night, at least.

Too bad he doesn’t get far.

Finn shoots out of the shadows and shoves Jeremiah back toward us before he’s got a chance to blink.

The first crunch of his nose beneath my fist is one of the most satisfying sounds I’ve ever heard. Nowhere close to the sounds Aurora makes when I’m between her legs, but satisfying in a different way. Like an itch you’ve had for months that you finally get to scratch.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.” Another fist to the face that connects with his jaw this time.

Jeremiah shouts, clutching his nose. Blood gushes through his fingers. “I said I didn’t fucking do it! I swear!”

“Damien—” Knox warns.

My teeth clench. He can’t seriously be buying the lie.

But neither of them jumps in to help. Jeremiah is all mine.

He’s on the ground within seconds, arms up to shield himself from every unforgiving blow.

A group of giggling, drunk college students stumbles down the sidewalk back to the dorms. Too close.

Within earshot of Jeremiah’s shouts. Someone yells that they’re calling the cops, a hand on my shoulder tries to pull me off him, but I keep wailing on him even when the sirens split my head and flashing lights wash Jeremiah in flashes of blue and red.

He’s still shouting, groaning, alive. Too alive to let him go.

I need to stop him. I need to protect her.

My knuckles are split, bleeding, and it takes Finn and Knox to drag me off him.

I try to shake them off, but a high, piercing scream stops me. My name. “ Damien !”

Angel . Aurora. She covers her mouth, horrified as she takes in the scene. Sienna sticks close to her. Luke is at his girlfriend’s side, but his worried gaze is trained on the cops rushing out of the cruiser. Proud smiles rest on Juliet’s and Trey’s faces.

Finally free of my fists, Jeremiah hobbles to his feet, pointing at me with a bloody hand. “They lured me here!”

Cool handcuffs strain to lock around my wrists. I don’t even register pain in my hands. Only that look on Aurora’s face.

Not happiness. Not pride. Not victory.

Horror.

Her face is ashen as the police lead me to the cruiser. Finn and Knox right behind me.

“They didn’t even touch him!” I object. But the cops ignore me.

Aurora turns into a ghost in the flashing blue and red lights. I can’t stand the way she’s looking at me. Like I’m in the wrong for trying to protect her.

She rushes into our path as the cops push me toward the back of the car. Her mouth drops open, but no words come out.

“I love you, Aurora.” My voice is foreign to my ears. Urgent, pleading. Because I need her to know I did this for her. Everything I do is for her. Because I love her more than anything else in this world.

Her face falls, and my heart drops with it.

She steps aside as the cops push me into the backseat. Her words are a whisper that almost don’t reach my ears. “I love you too.”

The three words I’ve wanted to hear from her for so long.

But they sound like a goodbye.