Page 30 of Ravage God

I took a step away from him and leaned my back against the railing, afraid my legs wouldn’t be able to hold me up.

I looked sideways at Nico, pulling up short when I found the dark look on his face. I stumbled back a step, and he followed me. My heart was racing again, but for a completely different reason.

“You’re such a tease, aren’t you?” he said, trying to make his tone sound light. He failed. And the way he was looking at me… There was nothing light about it.

I blinked in surprise and backed away from him. “I think my brother is looking for me.”

He moved fast. Faster than I would have thought he’d be able to, given his size, and pretty quietly. One moment, he was standing with his back against the railing, and the next, he wason the other side of me, his back to the only exit, preventing me from leaving. “What’s the rush? I’m sure no one will miss us for a while.”

I could feel my heart racing as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. He didn’t look mean or threatening, but there was just something about him that gave me a bad vibe.

I tried not to show how nervous I was and shook my head, offering him a small smile I didn’t feel. “My brother would definitely know I’m missing.”

He moved in a little closer to me. “Let him wait.”

I took a step back, and another one, then one more. But he only closed any distance I might have been able to put between us quickly until my back hit the railing, and there was nowhere else to go. I looked back for only a quick second, but I realized my mistake of not keeping my eyes on him when I turned around and noticed his face was mere inches from mine.

“What are you-you doing?” I asked with a nervous laugh.

“Isn’t it obvious? Testing our chemistry.”

I put my hands on his chest and tried to push him away when he moved in even closer to me. He barely budged. How could I not notice just how much stronger he was than me?

“No.” I tried to sound firm.

He laughed, the sound menacing. “I don’t think you have a choice.”

“I think she does,” a voice said behind us.

I took in a broken breath of air at the familiar voice. Nico pulled away and turned, taking in Elio standing there. Nico visibly paled.

“Elio. We were just…”

Elio held up his hand. Nico might have been stronger than me, bigger than me, but standing in front of Elio, he suddenly looked weak and pathetic. My cheeks burned with shame. Had I really thought Nico would have helped me get over my feelingswhen it came to Elio? The thought was nearly ridiculous, and just as pathetic.

Elio moved his eyes over to mine. “Come here, Isa.”

I hesitated, afraid my legs might not work if I tried to move. I blinked back tears, and Elio’s face softened marginally. He held out his hand. I focused on that, then his eyes, before slowly making my way over to him on shaky legs. I nearly stumbled, but Elio’s hand was there. He pulled me in close to his side, and for the first time all night—all day—I finally felt settled. I moved in closer to him, seeking his warmth as Elio turned back to Nico, his voice losing any of its softness from before.

“Get out of my fucking sight.”

“Y-Yes, sir,” Nico stuttered and quickly ran out of there, giving me a wide berth as he passed.

And then it was just Elio and me on the balcony. I couldn’t look at him. Shame was like a heavy weight I couldn’t escape from.

Elio grabbed my upper arms and turned me around until I faced him. I looked down at his black tie. As usual, Elio looked good in anything he wore, including this suit. And I hated how it felt like I couldn’t possibly match up to him, no matter what I did.

“Please don’t,” I said softly when it looked like he was about to open his mouth to talk to me.

“Don’t what, Isa?”

I closed my eyes briefly before opening them, keeping them on his tie. I wasn’t brave enough to look into his eyes. Not just yet. “Lecture me. I’m already thinking about all the ways I was stupid, walking onto this balcony and staying behind with a strange man.”

He let out a small sigh, and I felt the air on the top of my head. “I won’t lecture you. For now.”

I nodded. “And please don’t tell Valentino.”

“Isa…”