Read Online Devil's Deception by Doreen Owens Malek - Free Book Online Page B

tortured herself with visions of girlfriends and lovers, gorgeous and seductive, until her nails were imprinting little half moons on the flesh of her palms.
    The phone on her bedside table rang shrilly. Glad of the interruption, Angela answered on the second ring.
    She listened for a few seconds and then, swallowing hard, she replaced the receiver carefully. Moving woodenly, she left her room and paused on the upper landing.
    “Devlin,” she said. It came out as a croak.
    She tried again, louder. It still wasn’t forceful enough to summon him, but he appeared anyway, as if by magic, looking up at her from the hall.
    “What is it?” he asked.
    She tried to answer but couldn’t. Instead, she leaned against the wall and bent forward, her arms folded across her stomach. Devlin took the stairs two at a time. When he touched her shoulder she turned blindly into his arms.
    “Another call,” she whispered. “Oh, Brett, another call. I thought, I hoped, that they had stopped.”
    Devlin held her silently, hating himself so much that it was a tremendous effort of will not to tell her the whole story then and there. He stroked her hair as she recovered slowly, and sensed the exact moment that she became aware of the way she was clinging to him. She stiffened suddenly and stepped back.
    “I’m all right,” she said firmly. “I’m perfectly fine.”
    “Tell me exactly what was said,” Devlin demanded, playing his role through to the finish.
    Angela’s face closed as she relived the recent experience, going over what she had heard when she answered the phone. Devlin listened patiently, careful not to betray any of his own feelings.
    “It was just a scare tactic,” he said soothingly when she was done. “They haven’t done anything so far, and they won’t do anything now. I know that it’s upsetting for you, but try not to worry about it.”
    Angela nodded, and he walked with her as she moved back toward her room. He glanced inside when she opened the door and noted the decor. He had never seen the room in the light before, and examined the film posters with interest. The one on the wall facing Angela’s bed caught his eye. It showed James Dean, dressed in jeans and a red windbreaker for his role in Rebel without a Cause , a cigarette burning away unnoticed between his fingers.
    Devlin examined the young woman at his side. “You like that film?” he said, nodding at the wall.
    Angela smiled deprecatingly. “I like beautiful boys in battle jackets,” she replied lightly, starting to close the door.
    Devlin inserted his foot to halt its progress. He wasn’t going to let her evade him with a joke.
    “That movie is about rebellion,” he said, “about someone who is dissatisfied with his life. Is that the way you feel?”
    She tilted her chin up and met his gaze. “Do you care how I feel?” she demanded. “Or is my state of mind just a matter of curiosity?”
    Devlin sighed. He was often very sorry that she was going to law school. She had a wonderful facility for turning the tables that would undoubtedly serve her well in court.
    “I’m sorry I asked,” he replied. “Good night. I’ll be right downstairs if you need me. And if the phone rings again, let me answer it.” He was turning away when her soft voice called him back.
    “Brett?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I’m glad you’re here.” Her door closed as the sound of the words faded from the air.
    Devlin stood still for a long while, his face expressionless. Then he started back to his room but made it only as far as the top step of the staircase, where he sat and lit a cigarette with shaking hands, filled with self loathing.
    * * * *
    Angela emerged from her room several hours later, pulling on a jacket. Devlin looked up from his perch on the window seat in the living room.
    “What are you doing sitting there in the dark?” Angela asked.
    “Going somewhere?” Devlin replied, ignoring her question.
    “I have to go to the library,” Angela