Page 21 of His Deadly Devotion

I raise a brow at him. Is he seriously asking me for intel right now? He wants me to rat on my own family? Even if I did know what their next move was going to be, would I tell him?

Probably, because it’d help to keep Aurora safe.

“I need a burner phone,” I say instead of answering him.

“Why?”

“So I can call someone who will give me an update. I might be a genius, but I’m not psychic. I can’t just tell you what my parents are up to. As far as I’m aware, they’re still back in New York.”

“I’ll get you a phone. But if you fuck over Aurora, if anything happens to her, I will make your death the slowest torture I’ve ever handed out,” he says.

“You should take some lessons in delivering threats from your little sister. She’s much better at them.” I smirk.

“Who do you think taught her that?” Lorenzo smiles proudly.

“One more thing, everyone needs to stop referring to her as insane or crazy. She’s neither, got it?” I tell him, standing to leave.

He doesn’t answer, just looks at me with a curious expression on his face. As I reach the door, he calls after me, “Connor, stay out of my sister’s room.”

“I will,” I tell him.

Then I walk back down the hallway towards Aurora’s bedroom and slide down the wall opposite her door. I promised her I’d be here when she woke up, and here is exactly where I intend to be.

10

Icrashed out. I didn’t think I would, but clearly I was more tired than I realized. The first thought that goes through my mind when I wake up is that I’m alone. Connor isn’t here. Panic runs through me and then I remember where I am. Whereweare. He’s here somewhere.

After freshening up and running my fingers through my hair, I open the bedroom door. And there he is. Sitting right wherehe said he’d be. I didn’t expect him to mean he’d literally wait outside my door.

Who does that? Connor apparently.

He’s leaning against the wall. Sleeping. If I had a phone on me I’d snap a picture of him. He looks so peaceful. So beautiful. Those chiseled cheekbones. That square jaw and flawless, fair skin. His hair falls over his forehead and my fingers itch to push it back. I don’t move, though. I don’t want to wake him yet. I want to keep looking at him.

“Are you finished staring?” he asks, opening his eyes.

“You’re awake,” I state.

“Seems that way.” He smirks.

“Why are you sitting out here? Have you been here the whole time?”

“Pretty much,” he says.

“Why?”

I don’t miss the tick in his jaw as Connor pushes himself to his feet. He’s in pain but won’t admit it. “Because I told you I’d be here when you woke up.”

“You need pain pills,” I tell him. I’ve been trying to get him to take something, anything to ease his pain but he continues to refuse.

“I’m fine,” he says. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a rock.” I take a step closer to him. “Would have been better if you were in the bed, though.”

“You wouldn’t have gotten as much sleep if I’d been in there.” Connor wraps an arm around me, the non-injured arm.

“I wouldn’t have complained,” I tell him. “Why don’t you go and lie down for a bit. You really didn’t need to stay out here for hours.”

“And let you roam around causing chaos without me?” He raises a single brow. “I actually need you to do something for me.”