Page 42 of His Ruthless Match (Below #3)

JARETH

I sat at the back of the courtroom, slouched low in my seat as I scanned the room.

A guy in a trench coat sitting off to the side caught my attention.

He could either be a harmless guy who liked sitting through boring court procedures, or he was someone who had no business being here.

Either way, I wasn’t taking any chances.

Eva sat at the front, poised and professional, her focus on the judge.

She was a fucking powerhouse, but that didn’t ease the gnawing sensation in my gut.

Too many pieces weren’t adding up—the footage of Genevieve, the blackmail threat against The Shadow, and now the possibility that Eva’s newfound visibility had put her on someone’s radar.

Someone from The Below who had a personal vendetta against The Shadow.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I tapped out a quick message to Luca.

Jareth: What’s the latest?

Luca: The Shadow told me your sole focus should be on Eva and nothing else. Why the fuck are you texting me?

I rolled my eyes.

Me: Whatever’s going on down there might somehow be tied to whatever’s happening up here with Eva and her client.

I think it would be foolish of us to ignore the timing of all of this, and I need to keep my mind open to the fact that these things might be connected, especially with the new development of the blackmail against The Shadow.

Luca: I don’t have much to report. Nothing concrete, at least. The rebel factions are still terrorizing everyone in the Crimson Dominion, and they’re not backing down. I haven’t found anything connecting to your situation up there with Eva or Genevieve.

I muttered a curse under my breath and slid my phone back into my pocket just as the judge called for the courtroom to rise. I was so fucking frustrated that I couldn’t be in two places at once. It wasn’t like I could take Eva to the Crimson Dominion. It was far too dangerous.

The room erupted into applause. I saw Eva, grinning like she’d just conquered the world, hugging her client. Nadia and Theo were practically bouncing with excitement.

It was a win. Eva needed this, and judging by the way she glowed, it was one hell of a victory.

I enjoyed seeing her so radiant, confident, and completely in her element.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that she looked incredible in that black pencil skirt that displayed every curve.

If it weren’t for the pantyhose, I’d call it perfect.

Then again, Eva could probably wear a garbage bag and still look like a goddess.

I waited in the back of the courtroom, keeping an eye out for any weirdos. As the courtroom began to empty, the guy in the trench coat slipped out quietly. No fuss, no threats. Still, I made a mental note of his face. Better safe than sorry.

Eva approached with Nadia and Theo in tow, her smile lighting up the space around her. She came so close to hugging me that I tensed in surprise, but at the last second, she stopped herself and smoothed down her skirt instead.

“I’m really happy for you,” I said.

Theo grinned at me. “Good, because you’re coming to celebrate with us.”

I glanced at Eva for confirmation.

“Another firm helped us out on this case,” she explained. “We’ve all become good friends. They’ve invited us to grab drinks at a bar up the street. You’re welcome to come.”

I studied her. Eva didn’t strike me as someone who hung out with colleagues for fun. Still, I nodded. “All right. But I’m not leaving your side.”

Eva pulled me aside, lowering her voice. “If you’re coming, you need to pretend to be someone else. You can’t just tell people you’re my bodyguard.”

I smirked, enjoying how flustered she was. “What, like at the gala? Should I pretend to be your boyfriend again?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. But it would look bad if my colleagues thought I needed a bodyguard. They’ll think I can’t handle myself, or that it’s because of Genevieve’s drama.”

“Got it. So, what should I be? A stockbroker? A lawyer?”

Eva shot me a warning look. “Whatever you come up with, just don’t make it weird.”

“No promises,” I teased.

“So, if Jareth comes with us, he’ll need to pretend to be someone else,” she said to Theo and Nadia. “I don’t need anyone else knowing I have a personal bodyguard.”

Theo’s eyebrows shot up, his grin wide. “Oh, I love a good roleplay. What’s the plan, Jareth? You gonna be a former Navy SEAL turned chef? Or maybe a mysterious art dealer who specializes in rare sculptures?”

I shook my head, laughing. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“Guilty,” Theo said, winking at Eva. “But seriously, Jareth, don’t screw this up. First impressions are everything.”

I glanced at Eva, who was watching me with that mix of skepticism and exasperation I’d come to know so well. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she sighed and said, “Worst-case scenario, we’ll make up an excuse for you to leave early.”

“Not gonna happen,” I said. “I’m staying the whole time. Nice try, though.”

Eva narrowed her eyes, but she didn’t argue.

Theo clapped me on the back as we headed for the door, his grin still firmly in place. “This is going to be fun.”

“Define fun,” I muttered, bracing myself for whatever ridiculous situation I was about to walk into.

The bar was alive with energy and designed to make you forget about the daily grind.

Warm lighting bathed the room, and the sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and music from an old jukebox filled the space.

Not that I knew what the fuck a jukebox was, but Eva had pointed to it as soon as we arrived.

One of Eva’s friends pointed to our heads and laughed. “What’s the deal with the wigs?”

Eva’s mouth dropped open, but no sound came out. Shit. We meant to remove them before walking into the bar.

I pulled the wig off her head. “We like to roleplay. You know, to keep things spicy. Especially when we’re walking the streets. Don’t we, honey?”

Eva glared at me but forced a smirk. “That’s right. Honey .”

And, just like that, I was playing the role of Eva’s boyfriend again. Everyone laughed and shrugged us off as Eva stuffed our wigs in her briefcase.

I followed Eva and her crew to a corner booth, sweeping the crowd for anything that looked out of place. No immediate threats, just a lot of suits unwinding and spilling overpriced cocktails.

Eva was glowing, her earlier irritation with me buried under the victory she was still riding high on. When it came time to introduce me to the people from the other law firm, her pause was deliberate.

“This is Jareth,” Eva began, her tone as flat as a pancake. “He’s…” Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes silently daring me not to embarrass her.

I stepped in smoothly, flashing a grin that I knew would irritate her. “A private detective. Jareth Smith. Pleasure to meet you all.”

Walter, a graying guy with a loosened tie and a round face, perked up. “Detective? Like a real detective?”

“The realest,” I said, letting the grin linger. “I’m solo. I work homicides mostly, but every now and then, I get pulled into more… unusual cases.”

A warning flashed in Eva’s eyes. She didn’t need to say a word. Her glare was loud enough. I winked at her and turned my attention to the group.

The drinks came fast, and the introductions flowed, the buzz of good spirits contagious. Theo leaned forward eagerly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, Jareth, tell us… what’s the craziest case you’ve ever worked on?”

I leaned back, swirling the whiskey in my glass to play up the suspense.

“Craziest case? Let’s see…” I glanced at Eva, whose lips were pressed so tightly together she looked like she might explode.

“There was this one time a rich heiress went missing. Big-time tech family, billions in the bank. The media went nuts. Her parents offered a huge reward, and the cops were running around in circles.”

Eva groaned softly. “This better not be another one of your creative interpretations of reality.”

I shot her an innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean, Delgado. I would never lie.”

Her glare intensified, but her colleagues were eating it up.

“Anyway,” I continued, letting the group hang on my every word, “the case didn’t add up. No ransom note, no credible sightings, just a lot of noise and no real leads. Everyone thought she’d been kidnapped, but me? I trusted my instincts.”

“What did you find?” Nadia asked, her eyes wide.

“An email,” I said, lowering my voice like I was sharing a dark secret. “Sent from a burner phone to an offshore account. It led me to a safe house deep in the woods.”

Walter leaned forward, practically perched on the edge of his seat. “And she was there?”

“She was,” I confirmed. “Alive and well. Playing house with her boyfriend.”

Everyone around the table erupted in disbelief and laughter. Theo’s jaw dropped. “No way. She faked her own kidnapping?”

“Rich people, man.” I shook my head in mock dismay. “Turns out, she wanted to stick it to her parents. Get their attention. But here’s the kicker. Her boyfriend had a plan of his own. He was going to take the ransom money and vanish.”

“What happened next?” one of the female attorneys asked a little breathlessly.

“She figured it out before he could pull it off,” I said. “When I showed up, she’d already locked him in the basement. Smart girl. But then she needed me to clean up the mess.”

Eva laughed softly. “Of course, she did.”

“I called her parents, laid out the facts, and brokered a deal. No press, no mess.” I took a sip of my whiskey, letting the room hang on the pause. “Except for the boyfriend.”

“What happened to him?” Walter asked, intrigued.

I smirked. “He tripped.”

“Tripped?” Theo echoed.

“On my fist. Repeatedly.” I grinned wider as the table burst into laughter again.

“You broke his ribs, didn’t you?” Theo asked, his grin matching mine.

I shrugged, unapologetic. “He deserved it.”