The Devil's Kiss

Chapter 15

Liam Devereux

The city stretched before me, glittering under the night sky, but my thoughts were elsewhere. I sat on the balcony, staring into the distance, waiting for a call or text from James. My fingers tapped restlessly on the armrest of my chair, my mind racing.

I hadn’t been able to shake Sophie’s words from my head.

"You disappeared without a trace."

I didn't. Or at least, I hadn't meant to.

The past was a tangled mess, and no matter how much I tried to justify my actions, Sophie’s voice haunted me. Accusations, disappointment, pain, I heard them all in just those few words.

My phone dinged, snapping me from my thoughts. I grabbed it immediately, my heart pounding. It was from Sophie.

"Thank you, Liam. It was successful. The doctor said Lucas will be fine."

Relief crashed over me like a wave.

For the first time in years, a genuine smile stretched across my face.

I leaned back, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The knot in my chest loosened slightly. Lucas was safe. Sophie didn’t have to be afraid anymore.

Lifting my wine glass, I took a slow sip, intending to savor the moment. But something felt… off. The satisfaction I expected didn’t come. The wine tasted bitter.

I set the glass down and stood abruptly, the need to see Sophie overwhelming me. I grabbed my jacket, ready to leave, when the doorbell rang.

Frowning, I strode across the room and pulled the door open.

Vanessa.

Dressed in a red dress, her red lips curled into a smirk. She stepped in gracefully before I could even utter a word.

"Vanessa," I said coldly, closing the door behind her. "What are you doing here?"

"You don’t allow your assistant to let me in, Liam," she said, her heels clicking against the floor as she moved further inside. "We need to talk, and it has to be now."

I clenched my jaw. "I don’t have time for this. I have something important to handle tonight. Meet me at the office tomorrow at eleven."

She folded her arms, tilting her head as she studied me. "You think I’m just going to leave because you said so?"

I exhaled sharply, my patience thinning. "Vanessa, leave. Now. Or you'll regret it."

Her lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Regret it? I don’t think so, darling."

She took a step closer, her eyes gleaming with something sinister.

"You see," she purred, "I came prepared. Brought the media with me. They’re downstairs, waiting for something juicy. One little slip-up, and tomorrow’s headlines will be all about the scandalous Liam Devereux."

My body went rigid.

She wouldn’t dare.

My penthouse was my sanctuary. No journalist had ever been able to track me here before.

"What do you want, Vanessa?" I asked through gritted teeth.

She took another step forward, closing the distance between us. Slowly, she reached up, trying to run a hand along my jaw.

I caught her wrist mid-air, my grip firm. "Don't," I warned.

She smirked. "Why not? We used to be so good together, Liam."

I scoffed. "That was a lifetime ago."

Just then, the beep of the security system echoed through the apartment.

The door swung open. James stepped in first, carrying a suitcase. Right behind him was Sophie.

The moment her eyes landed on Vanessa, her expression shifted from relief to shock. Vanessa was still close to me, her hand inches from my face. To an outsider, it would look… intimate.

James' jaw tightened. A flicker of panic crossed his face before he masked it. But he knows too well not to meddle in my business. He dropped the luggage and left.

Meanwhile, Sophie’s eyes met mine, searching, questioning.

I moved before Vanessa could say another word. Stepping away from her, I smoothly wrapped an arm around Sophie’s waist, pulling her close.

Vanessa’s smirk faltered.

"Sophie," I said smoothly, "meet Vanessa Reed, my ex-fiancée."

Vanessa's expression hardened instantly.

I turned to Vanessa, keeping my hold on Sophie firm. "Vanessa, this is Sophie, my girlfriend.”

Finally, Vanessa let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. "What?"