Free The Devil's Angel (Devil Series Book 2) by Rachel McClellan Page B

and she remained still.
    Finally, she turned to him. “There’s so much more to life than what you know, but I can’t force you to see what’s right in front of you. It’s your choice.”
    “My choice to do what?”
    “To live.”
    “Why do I have to choose?”
    “You are already choosing—whether to be in the shadows or in the light. There is no such thing as
not
choosing because not choosing is a choice, too.” She moved close to him. “I know it will take time for you to want goodness in your life, but when that time comes, I’ll be waiting.”
    “I’m not sure what you’ll be waiting for. There can never be anything between us.” And he believed it. She was crazy to think they could have any kind of relationship, even that of a friend.
    She tilted her head slightly. “Maybe you’re right.”
    A ribbon of moonlight stealing in through the window illuminated her sea-green eyes. He wanted desperately to read her calm expression, but there wasn’t a hint as to what she might be feeling or thinking.
    She returned to the bed and sat down. “Why did you save me when I fell from the bridge?”
    “I find you interesting,” was the most he could say.
    “So is an ant farm. Why did you jump after me?”
    He waited a minute before answering. “I couldn’t bear the thought of you being in pain.”
    “And yet you hurt me tonight.”
    A pain wracked his heart.
    “I need you to see the monster I am,” he said with barely enough air to get the words out.
    “If you truly are a monster, then why do you feel guilt?”
    The pain in his heart raced to his head. These questions were twisting his brain all kinds of wrong.
    “My life is complicated,” he said, because he could think of no other answer.
    “Then uncomplicate it.”
    “I can’t do that.”
    Her shoulders dropped, and her eye closed briefly. “What happens now?”
    “I’ll leave you alone.”
    “I don’t want to be left alone.”
    “You won’t be. You have good friends. And Charlie.” He tried not to say his name spitefully but couldn’t help it. “He would follow you to the ends of the earth.”
    “I don’t want Charlie following me.” Her voice rose. “I found you for a reason.”
    Lucien said nothing.
    Eve stood. “Fine. You’ve made your point. You prefer your empty existence over a life of happiness.”
    “It’s not like that.”
    “It’s exactly like that.” She crossed the bedroom to the door. “Go back to your alley or wherever you live and keep being depressed.”
    “I’m not depressed. I’m a realist.”
    She gave him a cold, hard stare, and then stormed over to him, taking his hand in hers. The cells in his skin leapt as if reacting to a fierce heat.
    “
This
is real!”
    He pulled his hand away. “Not to me.”
    Eve shook her head and inhaled deeply, the tight lines in her face relaxing. “I’m sorry. I said you could choose, and I meant it. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”
    “Please don’t apologize. This is for the best, you’ll see.” He turned to leave but stopped to say one last thing. “I’m sorry for ruining your kitchen. I’ll send a company by in the morning to fix it.”
    “I don’t care about the stupid kitchen.”
    “And I’m going to leave my number downstairs. If you are ever in trouble, please call me.”
    He left before she could say anything else.
    Back in his car, he leaned forward and rested his head against the steering wheel, exhausted
.
At least he knew who she was. As for why she sought him out, it was probably more out of some sense of responsibility she felt toward him for saving her life than any deep connection between them. Sure there was a physical reaction when they’d touched, but that could be because it had been so long since he’d experienced physical contact with someone, especially that of a woman.
    He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. It was better this way, he told himself as he started the car. Now that he knew who she was, he could leave her