Page 131 of Die for You

“Elizabeth.” Violet smiles. “That was Chloe’s middle name.”

In the years since Violet and I met, I’ve heard the story about Chloe. Even if I never got to meet her, my eyes sting with happy tears. What a beautiful way for them to pay homage to Wes’s sister and Violet’s best friend. The girl who brought them together in the first place.

“I love it. Elizabeth will love spending time with Auntie Aurora and her uncles.”

“Don’t forget her Aunt Sienna!” Sienna squeezes Violet in a hug that makes Wes tense until she wraps her arms around me. Luke brushes past to shake Wes’s hand and give Violet a gentle side-hug, eyeing Wes the whole time like he thinks his former teammate might attack at any second. “I’ve missed you!”

“We just saw you last week,” I remind her.

She pokes me in the side. “That’s notenough.”

“Damn.” I catch her hand. “That’s a fuckingrock.”

“It could take an eye out,” a flat, feminine voice agrees from behind me.

Juliet and Trey are decked out in their usual all-black, motorcycle helmets in hand. They haven’t changed a bit. The only difference is the matching wedding bands on their fingers. As soon as we graduated, they took off to the courthouse without telling anyone and eloped, breaking the news to the rest of us in the group chat.

“I want to hear all about the proposal.” Violet beams between Luke and Sienna.

“It was so romantic.” Sienna presses a hand to her chest, batting her lashes up at Luke, who grins down at her like he won the lottery and tugs her close.

“So romantic,” he agrees. To Violet, he says, “You should put it in your next book.”

Sienna squeals her approval.

“Make sure there’s more sex in the next one,” Juliet calls.

Trey nods. “At least every other chapter.”

“Agreed.” Damien’s voice is low in my ear.

“We gotta catch up after the event.” Knox grins. “Housewarming party at our new place?”

Violet claps. “Yes! I want to hear all of the updates!” When Wes clears his throat at the readers taking seats in front of us, she adds, “After I finish signing some books.”

We find our own seats. Damien and Knox on my sides, Finn directly behind me with possessive hands massaging my shoulders. A moderator asks Violet questions about the book until they take questions from the audience. Violet is totally in her element talking about her book with readers, and I’m so happy for her.

When the signing line begins to form, the Devils grin at me and lead me away to a quiet corner of the bookstore.

Finn shoves me up against a shelf, and I yelp before Damien’s hand covers my mouth to silence me.

Damien on my side, Knox on the other, Finn in front of me. The same position we were in at the Sigma Chi party all those years ago, when I finally gave myself over to them.

I peel Damien’s palm off my mouth. “We should get back to the signing. We don’t want anyone to catch us.”

“They know exactly what we’re doing,” Damien growls. “It’s on them if they come looking.”

Finn presses a finger to my lips and signs,Quiet.Don’t let them hear you.

“You’re not going anywhere, angel.” Knox grins. “And neither are we.”

As Finn kneels, I smile and stop protesting. Knox is right. I’m not going anywhere.

After all, every devil needs his angel.