Storm’s eyes harden. “Not at all.”
Devlin’s smile vanishes and his voice drips with warning. “You’d do best to turn around and walk out that door, Grayson. You do not know the can of worms you’re about to open.”
“Oh, don’t I?” The crowds’ gaze is latched on to Storm as he opens his arms and declares loudly, “Don’t I know? First you steal the Spell Book of Unlimited Pages from me.”
My mouth falls. What is he talking about? Devlin would never steal from anyone. He’s honest. He may have been a player in the past, but he is honest.
Devlin spits out, “Stop talking and leave.”
“Why should I?” It’s the invitation of someone who’s either too stupid to know who they’re dealing with, or they’re overconfident in their own talents.
Storm takes an intimidating step forward. “Years ago, you had that creepy set of hands sneak into my home and take the plans. Oh yes, he did. For all of you who don’t know,” he plays to the crowd’s open astonishment, “Devlin Ross is a thief. But I just happen to be smarter than him, and I got the book out first.”
“That is a lie.”
“The truth,” Storm shouts, spinning around with his hands in the air so that his audience can worship him before he comes to a stop facing us.
These are serious allegations, and Storm is obviously jealous and humiliated that I chose Devlin over him. But even so, to accuse Devlin of stealing—this threatens my brand-new fiancé’s freedom.
Devlin’s jaw flexes. “Take it back.”
“No. It’s all true. I did release the book first.”
“Not that. What you said about Hands.”
Storm tosses his head back and laughs. “About the creepy little creature you keep? Never.” He steps closer and drops his voice. “Tell me, Devlin—is it true what they say the creature doestoyou at night?”
Devlin drops his empty glass of champagne, and it shatters to the floor. Storm smirks, and Devlin looks like he wants to kill him.
“Devlin, it’s not worth it.” I tug his sleeve. “Everyone knows that you would never do anything like that.”
My fiancé’s voice is ground rocks. “Take. It. Back.”
“No,” Storm says flatly. “I won’t take any of it back. You think that you’re better than me. Well, you’re not. You even think that throwing me a bone here and there is something that I’lltake. Well it isn’t. It’s about time the world knew the truth—that Devlin Ross is a thief and a liar.” He cocks his head at me. “But that wasn’t enough for you, was it? You had to steal Blair from me too, didn’t you?”
“I was never yours to steal,” I spit.
He leans forward sloppily, and the heavy scent of whiskey wafts up my nose. Storm’s drunk. That explains this.
“Weren’t you mine? Or was that a game? Do you play with all men’s hearts? Tell them that you like them, seem to have the same goals, and then jump into bed with another man?”
People gasp in shock. Murmurs scatter across the room. People are staring at me accusingly.It wasn’t like that,I want to say.Devlin needed me for his invention.
Devlin speaks through clenched teeth. “Leave now, Storm, before you say anything else that you’ll regret.”
He scoffs. “You think that I want to be with a woman who works in a bookstore and has no ambition? Do you actually think I’d care if I won her or not? There are millions of women who want to be with me.Millions.Losing someone as pathetic as her isn’t worth one thought. But between us, I just regret that I didn’t screw herfirst.”
There’s a split second where this could go in any direction, and then Devlin punches Storm right in the face.
He stumbles back and covers his nose. The crowd takes a step back. Blood drips through Storm’s fingers, splashing onto the marble floor. He pulls his hand away and wipes his sleeve across his face, smearing blood onto his cheek.
“Not broken this time,” he says victoriously about his nose. “But you are, Devlin. You’re done for. I’m bringing formal charges of assault against you. I’m also charging you with stealing the Spell Book of Unlimited Pages.”
He starts to walk off, but Devlin says, “Wait just a second.”
“Go to hell.”
Inky black power floods Devlin’s eyes for the briefest of seconds before vanishing. I suck in a breath. Why is he using my magic? How will this make anything better?
