Page 108 of Die for You

Damien’s even louder than usual and basically a destructive, giant teddy bear as he bangs his shoulder against the locked front door. Even calm, controlled Finn stumbles into a lamppost and chuckles at every word out of Knox’s mouth. And Knox is actually giggling. I’ve never heard a grown man giggle before, especially not one his size, but it might be the most adorable sound I’ve ever been blessed to hear in my life.

Right behind us, Luke slumps against Sienna’s shoulders, poking her in the nose and tickling her while she laughs and playfully tries to push him away. Her laughter has been constant since before we left the party. Trey’s eyes have nearly fallen shut as he zombie-shuffles along the sidewalk, his shirt discarded and lost at some point in the night. Despite being just as drunk as he is, Juliet guides her shirtless boyfriend home...by a collar wrapped around his neck.

I’m not asking because Idefinitelydon’t want to know.

“Move out of the way.” Even drunk and slurring her words, Juliet pushes past the Devils and manages to unlock the front door to let us all inside.

The Devils’ happiness is contagious. Even though they’ve had plenty of wins this season, none of them has made Damien, Knox, or Finnthishappy.

One of the best nights of our lives. The words Knox murmured as we danced together.Because of you.

I pushed at his chest, grinning even though I knew he was full of shit.You didn’t win because of me.

We’re here because of you. Alive because of you. So yeah, we won because of you. Everything is because of you.

Those are the words that ring in my ears now. As a chorus of groans fills the room when someone flicks on the light over our heads. And a deadly silence falls over us.

Everything is because of you.

While we were gone, a tornado ripped through the Devils’ house. Plates and glasses smashed on the kitchen floor, couch cushions tossed onto the floor, coffee table tipped over, clothes ripped from our rooms and discarded at our feet, curtains yanked from the windows.

A tornado called Jeremiah.

Sienna covers her mouth, murmuring, “Oh my god.”

We all sober at the destruction in front of us. My heart stops in my chest, and I’m not sure it will ever start beating again. Because the Devils won’t want anything to do with me after this. Their friends won’t want me staying here another day. Not after I welcomed this into their home.

What would Jeremiah have done if any of them had been here when he broke in?

They’re not safe anymore either. Because of me.

“What thefuck?” Juliet’s face is a storm cloud. I’ve never seen her this livid before. If I didn’t know her, I’d be afraid to be on the receiving end of that wrath.

“Motherfucker,” Damien curses under his breath before charging into the house. He rips through the place like heexpects Jeremiah to be waiting somewhere for us, nearly yanking doors off their hinges.

Knox, Trey, and Luke follow suit, Finn the only Devil lingering behind to keep his hand on my hip, to squeeze me close. My safe harbor in the nightmare.

Because he can’t wake me out of this one.

I’m putting the Devils, my friends, in danger. I should’ve handled Jeremiah alone and not involved them. I should’ve waited until I escaped him permanently before letting them into my life. I could’ve done more to avoid them after the accident. To protect them.

“Aurora!” Damien’s shout nearly brings the house down around us.

I race toward his voice in Knox’s room, the others close behind.

In the bedroom, the light overhead nearly painful as I squint against it, Knox sits on the edge of his bed, facing the empty corner of his room with his head bowed.

An empty corner that we’d designated for the few belongings I brought with me from my apartment. But only one that really, truly mattered.

My violin.

The violin my parents gave me. The last piece of them I had left.

Gone.

He took it. He knew how much it meant to me. A way to punish me one last time. He took the only thing that mattered to me. When my parents died, a piece of my heart, my soul, embedded itself in that violin.

And he stole it.