Page 59 of His Ruthless Match (Below #3)

JARETH

T he metallic tang of blood hung in the air as I stared down at the corpse sprawled on Eva’s pristine floor.

My breathing was calm, measured, as if this were nothing more than routine.

And for me, it was. But Eva’s soft gasp from across the room reminded me that this wasn’t her world.

And I hated that she’d witnessed so much that she never should have been exposed to.

She had her arms wrapped tightly around her torso as though trying to hold herself together. Her wide eyes darted between me and the blood seeping into her expensive flooring. “I still can’t believe you just killed him like it was nothing. In the middle of my apartment.”

I shrugged. “He wasn’t here to sell fucking cookies, Delgado. He was going to hurt you. Kill you, more than likely.”

Her lips parted, but no sound came out. Her gaze flicked to the broken glass scattered near the balcony and then to the body. “This isn’t normal. None of this is normal.”

I walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly but didn’t pull away. “Eva,” I said, my tone low and steady, “focus. You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.”

Her breathing hitched, and for a moment, I thought she might argue, but instead, she gave a tight nod. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for now.

I scanned the room, cataloging the mess and mentally running through the steps to clean it up. Broken glass, blood, and a dead body weren’t exactly easy to explain, especially in this part of the city.

“I need a suitcase or a duffel bag. Something sturdy.”

Eva blinked at me, clearly still in shock. “A suitcase?” she repeated, her voice shaky.

“Yes, a suitcase. Do you have one you don’t mind parting with?”

She hesitated, her brow furrowing as though she wanted to argue but couldn’t muster the energy, then trudged off to her bedroom.

When she returned, she was dragging a sleek, black suitcase that practically screamed luxury.

“This is the oldest one I have,” she said.

I arched an eyebrow, glancing between her and the suitcase. “You’re okay with me stuffing a corpse into this thing?”

She gagged, clapping a hand over her mouth. “You’re serious?”

“Very,” I said, crouching by the body. “Corpses aren’t exactly easy to carry. The suitcase makes it cleaner. Well… relatively.”

Her pacing picked up as I worked, her footsteps a frantic rhythm against the hardwood floor. “You can’t actually be doing this,” she muttered, her voice rising with every pass. “There has to be another way.”

“Do you have a better idea?” I asked.

She stopped in her tracks, watching in horror as I methodically folded the body to fit into the suitcase. “This is… this is insane.”

“What’s insane is letting whoever this guy was working for think they can come after you without consequences,” I said, zipping the suitcase shut. The sound of the zipper felt final, a sharp punctuation to the chaos of the evening. Eva flinched, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

I stood and dusted off my hands, turning to face her. “We’re taking him to The Below. To your brother. He’ll know what to do.”

Eva’s eyes darted to the suitcase, then back to me, her voice trembling. “I can’t just leave right now. Genevieve is still spiraling, and everything’s falling apart.”

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Genevieve’s situation isn’t just a legal and PR nightmare anymore. There’s magic involved, Eva. We need answers we can’t get here.”

She opened her mouth to argue but hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. I softened my tone, sensing her resistance. “Eva, I know this is overwhelming. But we need answers, and The Below is the only place we’re going to get them.”

Her shoulders sagged slightly, her gaze dropping to the floor. “What if something happens while I’m gone? What if Genevieve needs me?”

“Gabe is here,” I reminded her. “Your team can handle things for a little while. This is bigger than Genevieve. And if we don’t get to the bottom of this, you’ll never be safe.”

She exhaled sharply and threaded her hands through her hair. “I hate that you’re making sense.”

I smirked faintly. “It happens occasionally.”

She resumed pacing, mumbling about what she needed to bring, but I stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Pack light. We’re going straight to The Shadow’s estate. You won’t need much.”

Her eyes searched mine for a moment, as if she wanted to say something, but she quickly looked away. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

I grabbed the suitcase, lifting it effortlessly, and took one last look around. The space was still, unnervingly quiet after the earlier chaos. “You ready?” I asked, my voice cutting through the silence.

Eva clutched a small overnight bag, her expression reluctant but resigned. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

My senses were on high alert, and I scrutinized every shadow and corner as I guided her toward the elevator. My hand rested on the small of her back, reminding her that she wasn’t alone.

Eva glanced up at me, her unease evident in the tightness of her jaw. “You really think Raffy will know what we should do?”

“If he doesn’t, then we’re in more trouble than I thought.”

I took out my phone to double-check Genevieve’s wards. Nothing out of the norm. Good. We didn’t need any more trouble tonight.

The Shadow’s study always had an air of menace about it, from the intricately carved desk that screamed power to the low, ambient lighting that made even the air feel heavier.

I carried the suitcase like it was nothing more than a gym bag.

The Shadow’s sharp, calculating eyes immediately locked onto it.

“What’s this?” he asked, leaning back in his high-backed chair. His voice was smooth, laced with that quiet authority he wielded like a weapon.

“You’re about to find out,” I said, striding to the center of the room. Without ceremony, I unzipped the suitcase and tipped it over. The grotesque, misshapen carcass spilled onto the polished floor with a sickening squelch.

The stench hit immediately, sour and metallic, like rotting meat left too long in the sun. The Shadow winced and pinched his nose as he leaned forward. “Gods, Jareth. A little warning would’ve been nice.”

Behind me, Eva gagged audibly, one hand flying to cover her mouth as she stepped back. “Are you serious right now? What even is that? That’s not what he— it —looked like in my apartment.”

I folded my arms, keeping my expression neutral as The Shadow rose from his chair and looked at the thing’s elongated limbs, unnaturally sharp claws, and twisted features that glistened under the study’s low lighting.

Its skin had a pallor that wasn’t just lifeless—it was wrong, like it had never belonged to anything living in the first place.

The Shadow knelt beside the corpse, his expression darkening as he examined it. “Another Crimson Dominion mutant.”

“Figured as much. It was on her balcony.”

“It’s not like it was just hanging out, looking at the scenery,” Eva exclaimed, her voice pitching higher. She shot me a glare, her dark eyes sparking with anger. “It had a crowbar and broke in. It wanted to kill me.”

The Shadow waved a hand toward the doorway, and his guards entered the room, their footsteps echoing in the heavy silence. Their expressions shifted the moment they saw the body, curiosity mingling with disgust.

“Take a good look,” The Shadow ordered, stepping back. “You won’t see these things in our territory. And pray you never meet one alive.”

One of the guards crouched beside the carcass, inspecting the sharp claws and warped face. “It’s Crimson Dominion work, boss. Definitely one of their experiments.”

The Shadow nodded grimly. “Dispose of it. Burn the remains. I want nothing left of this thing.”

The guards obeyed swiftly, lifting the body with care to avoid letting any fluids drip onto the immaculate floor. As they exited, Vivian strode in, her heels clicking sharply against the marble.

She stopped short, her nose wrinkling as she took in the scene. “What the fuck is happening now? What is that smell?”

Without missing a beat, she crossed the room, her eyes narrowing as she zeroed in on Eva and pulled her into a hug. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

Eva leaned into Vivian’s touch slightly, her shoulders slumping. “Oh, you know, just another day in paradise. Some mutant assassin tried to murder me. No big deal.”

Vivian’s eyebrows shot up, but she quickly masked her surprise, turning to me with a raised brow. “Details?”

I filled her in quickly, keeping my tone clipped but clear. When I finished, Vivian’s sharp gaze swung back to Eva.

“You can’t go back to the human world,” Vivian said firmly, her tone brooking no argument. “Not right now. It’s way too dangerous.”

The Shadow nodded in agreement, his tone authoritative. “Vivian’s right. You’re a target. Whoever is behind this isn’t going to stop, and the human world isn’t safe for you anymore.”

Eva threw her hands up. “So what, I just hide out here forever? That’s your grand solution?”

“You’ll move in here,” The Shadow said, his tone leaving no room for debate. “This estate is warded and protected. No one gets in without my say-so.”

Eva’s jaw dropped, and she stared at him like he’d just suggested she move to the moon.

“Move in here? With you two? No offense, but that sounds like a nightmare. You’re newlyweds!

I’d feel like I was invading your honeymoon palace.

” She put her hands on her hips. “And furthermore, wasn’t my apartment warded?

By you ? What makes you so sure I’ll be safer here? ”

I stepped forward before the conversation could devolve further. “She can stay with me.”

Both Eva and The Shadow turned to me, their surprise palpable. I kept my expression calm, shrugging as if this was the most logical solution in the world.

“My place is on the estate,” I explained. “It’s just as secure. Plus, I’ll be right there to make sure nothing happens to her.”

Eva blinked, clearly caught off guard. “You’d… be okay with that?”