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“No, no, no. I wear a wig. There’s no way he recognized me.” Her voice is stronger than before, though I see my warning has shaken her.

“He did.” My voice is firm, leaving no room for doubt.

She turns pale as snow. “Fuck,” she whispers and shoves her hands into her hair.

I take a step closer to her, resting my hand on her shaking arm. “Did Olivia tell you who I am?”

“A little.” She meets my gaze, the fear in her eyes nearly guts me. “Said you used to have connections to the mafia. Is that why you left me without a word last year? Because I’m a cop and you’re a criminal?”

I give her a single nod. “I left that life, but it still haunts me. Threatens to suck me back in, and right now, it’s threatening you.”

“I’m just doing my job,” she whispers.

“And I’m doing mine.” My tone softens as I fight against that underlying urge to keep control of everything around me. “I’m trying to protect you.”

Her jaw clenches as she suppresses her fear. I can tell she’s wrestling with disbelief and resentment all at once. The fight in her makes me admire her more than ever—but this isn’t about admiration. It’s about survival.

“Do you think I need protecting?” she asks, her voice calm and cool.

“Yes,” I reply, an edge of desperation creeping into my voice. “Right now? Yes.”

Our eyes lock and something passes between us—something visceral and raw. There’s determination in her eyes but there’s something else there too—defiance maybe—and it’s pulling me closer to her.

My lips burn to feel hers again. To taste her. Make her mine in the way I just claimed she was to the local mafia.

I shouldn’t kiss her. I know I shouldn’t. But the fire in her eyes and the way her chest heaves with each breath has my control slipping. Before I can stop myself, I grab her face between my hands and crush my mouth to hers.

She gasps against my lips, her body going rigid for a split second before melting into me. Her fingers curl into my shirt, pulling me closer as she opens to me. The taste of her—gin and something sweeter—floods my senses.

I back her up against my desk, my hands sliding down her sides to grip her hips. Her body trembles beneath my touch, igniting a primal need deep in my core. She moans softly when I lift her onto the polished wood surface, stepping between her thighs. The heat of her skin burns through the thin fabric of her dress as her legs wrap around my waist, drawing me in until there’s no space left between us. My fingers dig into her flesh, claiming what’s mine.

Mine.

She lets out a deep moan that echoes through my office and my cock comes to life, straining against my zipper. The sound of her pleasure sets my blood on fire, awakening something dark and possessive inside me.

“Fuck, I missed you.” I growl against her mouth, one hand tangling in her hair while the other slides up her thigh, pushing her dress higher. Her skin is just as soft as I remember.

She bites my bottom lip in response, her nails scraping against my scalp as she pulls me deeper into the kiss. The little sounds she makes shoot straight to my groin. I want to take her right here on my desk—fuck her like I own her pussy—consequences be damned.

Fisting her hair in my hands, I tug her head back and bite down on her neck, not caring if it leaves a mark. I want to mark her. I want the world to know who she belongs to. The primal need to claim her rushes through my veins like fire. Every soft whimper that escapes her lips only fuels my possessive desire to brand her as mine, to leave evidence of my touch on her delicate skin for everyone to see.

But I can’t. Not with what I need to tell her.

With more willpower than I knew I possessed, I break the kiss and rest my forehead against hers. We’re both breathing hard, her chest pressing against mine.

“Evelyn,” I say roughly, sliding my hands down her sides and gripping her hips, “there’s something else.”

She tries to pull me back in for another kiss, grinding her hot pussy against the bulge in my pants, but I resist. Her eyes flutter open, confusion clouding their emerald depths.

“When Gio recognized you … I had to think fast.” I hold my breath as I brace myself for her reaction. Eve is an independent and strong woman. She’s not going to like this. “I told him you were my fiancée.”

She goes completely still in my arms, her expression frozen as the words sink in.

Chapter 5

Reflections of Fear

Evelyn