The Devil Inside Read Online Free

working here. It’s obvious he used to be someone else in a past life. Maybe that’s why he came to the States. Maybe he’s running from something.
    I’m not about to ask.
    I don’t really want to know what Kaito is mixed up in. Violence seems to come to him so easily. It unexpected, and it scares me. But somehow, I get the feeling he would never hurt me.
    I hope I’m right.
    After what seems like an eternity, Kaito appears in the kitchen. He finds me leaning over the stainless steel bench, staring into my half-empty mug of green tea. At first, I don’t speak. I don’t know what to say. What happened out there isn’t exactly a conversation starter. And I’m still not sure where I stand in all of this.
    I’m a witness. Is that going to be a problem?
    I push the other mug of tea towards him. “Um, I made you tea.” It sounds lame. I glance up and see that Kaito has shed his black suit jacket. He’s wearing a white long-sleeved business shirt and tailored black pants. I’ve always thought he dresses too formally for a guy who just comes in to do the books in the evenings.  
    An angry bruise has blossomed under his left eye. There’s a graze on one cheek and his lip is split. Blood has trickled down his neck and dried, smearing the edge of his pristine, white collar.
    Kaito takes the mug into his hands. He has long, elegant fingers.  
    I wonder if he’s killed anyone with those graceful hands.
    My gaze drifts back to his face, and I’m relieved to see his expression soften. That terrible, empty look in his dark eyes is gone.  
    But he's staring at me intensely and I find myself drawn to him. Kaito has razor-sharp cheekbones and a long, straight nose above full, expressive lips. His black hair is a slicked-back crew cut, slightly longer on top.  
    Underneath the cuts and bruises, he’s actually a beautiful man.  
    Kaito takes a sip of his tea and moves closer to me. I lower my eyes, embarrassed. There are serious problems to discuss and I’m checking him out.  
    Kaito offers me a small bow. “Sorry you had to see that, Adele. Are you all right?”
    He’s back to the normal, reserved Kaito. I’m relieved, but at the same time struggling to understand how he can switch from ruthless violence to calm politeness in the blink of an eye.  
    I play with the teabag floating around in my cup, unsure of myself. “You didn’t kill them, did you?”
    Kaito laughs, but the sound is flat, devoid of humor. “Of course not. I was planning to give them the money, let them beat me up. I wasn’t going to fight. But then he put his hands on you.”
    I stare at him, speechless. Talk about a hair-trigger temper. He flipped out because that asshole touched me? My heart beats a little faster, fueled by a sliver of fear and the intensity in Kaito’s expression.  
    He seems to sense it, because he lays a hand on my arm. His skin is warm, his palm rough and callused, but gentle. I’m hyper-aware of his touch, the sensation of his long fingers caressing my skin. It’s electric. “Adele, you have nothing to fear from me.” His voice is soft, almost pleading.  
    The skepticism must be written all over my face. Kaito withdraws his hand, and something close to self-loathing crosses his features, hidden so fast I almost miss it. “I can see how you might have difficulty believing me.” A small, bitter laugh escapes him. “In Japan, I wasn’t what you would call a ‘good person’. But I’m finished with that life now.”
    I almost want to believe him, but there’s something a little bit desperate about the way he’s telling it, as if he’s trying to convince himself, too.
    I put my tea down, running a hand through my hair, which I’ve taken out of its ponytail. I sigh. “They’ll be back in bigger numbers, you know. And the cops won’t do anything because we can’t give them proof.” The CCTV footage would be perfect evidence, except it shows Kaito kicking the shit out of Angelo and lord knows what