The Devil's obsession with the Heiress

Valentine Residence....

Gavriel materialized in their bedroom with a now-silent Aliana in his arms. He glanced down to find her eyes squeezed shut, her body practically shrinking into his chest as if her life depended on holding onto him.

His heart bled at the sight of her fresh wounds, so he moved quietly toward the bed and lowered her gently onto the soft mattress.

Reluctantly, feeling the plush bedding beneath her, she opened her eyes and glanced around, realising they were back in their room.

"Don’t move."

At his quiet instruction, her wary eyes immediately locked onto him.

"Why? Are you going to kill me if I do?" she shot back. The echo of his earlier confession, that she was nothing more than entertainment, still burned in her mind.

She didn’t know if he was joking or serious, but regardless of his intent, the statement hurt her. She couldn’t stop the thick lump from forming in her throat.

Gavriel saw the raw hurt in her eyes and knew that his own actions had brought her to this point. He hadn’t meant any of those words, nor had he truly intended to threaten her. He knew his intimidation could backfire, but Aliana had been so consumed by shock that gentleness was no longer reaching her.

So he had fought her shock with another shock.

He had shown her exactly what she expected the Devil to be: ruthless, merciless, and dangerous. Perhaps, in doing so, she would be forced to see the difference between the monster she now believed him to be and the man who had never once harmed her.

In theory, it could have ended disastrously.

But Gavriel had still taken the risk, because he would rather have her angry with him than shrinking away in fear.

And it worked.

Her brief run through the forest had given her mind enough time to clear, allowing the Aliana he knew to slowly return beneath the terror. She was questioning him again. Challenging him. Even cursing him.

Was it twisted? Absolutely. But Gavriel would take her anger over her fear any day.

Even though her sharp words pierced him, he welcomed the sting and decided to fan the flames further.

Leaning down, he brought his face inches from hers, watching her eyes widen. He brushed his fingers feather-light against her cheek, making her shiver beneath his touch as he whispered, "Would you like to find out?"

For a moment, the words caught in her throat as she gazed into his blood-red eyes.

When she found herself unable to come up with a retort, she slapped his hand away and looked aside, as if she couldn’t bring herself to hold his gaze.

Gavriel, on the other hand, simply stared at the hand she had struck.

But instead of getting angry, his lips curled into a faint smirk.

Even after learning what he truly was, she still had the nerve to strike him, a gesture no one in existence would ever dare attempt. That small spark of defiance brought a subtle wave of relief to his chest.

Without another word, he rose to his full height.

Aliana’s entire body went taut at the sudden movement, her muscles tensing as if she were ready to bolt all over again.

Gavriel studied her for a moment longer before offering a quiet command: "Don’t move."

With that, he turned and disappeared through the bathroom door.

Aliana kept her eyes glued to the doorway he had disappeared through. Her breath came in slow, shallow draws as she finally surveyed the space around her. This had been their sanctuary, the one place untouched by the chaos of the outside world.

Now, with the physical adrenaline finally draining from her limbs, the staggering toll of the day’s mental and emotional exhaustion crashed over her all at once. Sinking back, she leaned her head against the headboard. Still, she could not bring herself to face the reality that had turned her world upside down.

Her gaze slowly fell to the ruby ring and wedding band on her finger. She lifted her hand to eye level, staring at them absentmindedly as memories of her wedding day began to surface. Phantoms of her laughter and Gavriel’s warmth formed a tight knot in her throat.

Right then, a slight movement caught her attention.

Her light-grey eyes lifted from the rings and settled on the man who had placed them on her finger.

Gavriel now stood without his overcoat, wearing only a black dress shirt with the top few buttons undone and his sleeves rolled up to his forearms. In his hands, he held a small bowl and a towel.

Aliana lowered her hand, silently watching as he stepped closer to place his supplies on the nightstand before taking a seat on the edge of the mattress next to her. Dipping the towel into the water, he wrung it out and raised it toward her face.

The moment he brought it near her hairline, where dried blood was matted against her skin, Aliana reached out to grab the cloth, but Gavriel pulled it back instantly.

They held each other’s gaze in silence before she finally asked, "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" he countered.

"It’s not needed," she replied.

"Have you looked at yourself?" Gavriel asked, his jaw working slightly as he took in the state she was in.

Aliana lowered her gaze. Glancing down at her bruised feet and scraped hands. She didn’t need a mirror to know she looked like an absolute wreck.

Swallowing hard, she looked at the damp towel in his hand and whispered, "Then I’ll do it myself."

She reached for the cloth once more, but Gavriel pulled it out of reach again. His crimson gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that made her heart flutter. The unyielding set of his features told her that he had no intention of backing down.

"There is no need for this," she uttered softly, casting her eyes down. "I’ll take a bath."

She moved to get out of bed, but Gavriel immediately caught her wrist in a firm grip.

Aliana flinched, her eyes flying to his.

He dropped the towel beside him and reached up to hold the back of her neck, drawing her face closer. A startled gasp escaped her lips, and her body went rigid beneath his touch.

Reaching the very end of his patience, he finally spoke in a low tone. "Don’t test me, Ana."

She could hear the sheer restraint vibrating in his voice and a warning flashing in his eyes.

"Why?" she questioned back. Tears brimmed in her eyes under the heavy weight of his gaze.

Her eyes welled up as her voice broke into a fragile whisper. "Why would you care to do any of this?"

"On one hand, you threaten me... then you make me run into the forest, where I end up getting even more wounds. Then you admit that I’m nothing more than entertainment to you, and now..." Her voice trembled as she swallowed hard. "Now you’re acting like you care about me."

She looked at him through tear-filled eyes.

"So tell me why. Why would you care? Is there more to this, or is this just another way for you to pass the time?"

Gavriel stared into her devastated grey eyes long enough before his hands rose to frame her face. Gently, the pad of his thumb swept away a warm tear spilling over her lash line and finally broke his silence.

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