Will caught Clio's look, and with it he felt a sharp swell of love and fear for her, painful in its intensity. The courage of this woman. He'd seen her, beaten and bound, charge at the armed man who'd kidnapped her, no thought of her own safety, only an unbreakable determination to protect somebody she loved, and he thought he'd seen the immense depth of her bravery. It didn't even come close.
He didn't want her to do it. It might make Lucifer angry, or worse, it might make him interested. (He might already be those things.) It might get her hurt, or killed. (The Devil was already threatening to rape her in the middle of a restaurant.)
He wanted to do it himself. She shouldn't have to take the punishment for this. (It might fall on her anyway, if the Devil saw how quick Will was to fight for her.) She shouldn't have to fight off a violent advance on her own, not again. (Any move he made could make it worse for her.) If he couldn't defend the woman he loved, what good was he?
There was no way in hell he could say no to her. Not here, not now.
Will held Clio's gaze solidly and, with Lucifer's attention turned from him, he gave her the barest nod. I trust you, love, he tried to tell her with his eyes. I'm with you. No matter what.