Chapter 59: Stealing Innocence
ANNABETH SAINT
Hell, no, I shouldn’t trust him. His so-called bad behavior was more like a permanent character flaw. I would rather die of pneumonia walking in the storm outside, thank you.
I shivered. I’d been standing in place so long, my still dripping clothes had formed a small puddle around me. My skin prickled from the cold air and from the scrutiny of club-goers passing by.
"You are so stubborn." Sean grabbed my wrist, opened the door and dragged me inside.
***|***|***|***|***
DEVON THORNE
I sipped expensive whiskey and thought about the shivering girl who’d begged for my help. Her doe-like eyes, her trembling mouth, her rain-soaked body ... damn it. I didn’t like that her vulnerability had softened his heart. I’d learned to be cold and ruthless because that’s what it took to survive.
That’s what it took to win.
All my planning, my sacrifices, my suffering would finally culminate in getting rid of the Thorne family’s bad seeds. I’d spent years rooting out corruption, building my power and my wealth, and biding my time. Now, I was the CEO of Thorne Industries and would soon be declared the Thorne heir.
But I wasn’t safe yet. I still needed to strengthen my position before I landed the final blow to my greedy uncles. If everything went to plan---and it damned well would---the men who’d conspired to kill my parents would be ousted from the family company and the family tree. They’d spend their rotten lives in jail, and they deserved all the misery coming to them.
I finished his drink and poured another one. My thoughts circled back to the young woman who’d plucked up her courage to meet with the devil. Why did I find her so intriguing?