Page 109 of His Ruthless Match

For a few moments, the world was quiet except for our breathing, labored and unsteady. The city’s noise dimmed behind the haze of our shared heartbeat. My arms were stillwrapped around her waist, her fingers still curled over my shoulders.

Eventually, I raised my head, pressing a soft kiss to her collarbone, tasting the faint salt of her skin. She stayed exactly where she was, her forehead resting against mine as we both tried to catch our breath.

“You’re going to ruin me.” The confession slipped out before I could think better of it. My voice trembled with the truth of it. She had me so completely.

She put one hand on my cheek, and her thumb grazed along my jawline. Her eyes were warm, filled with a tenderness that sent a rush of relief through me. “Good,” she whispered, and a small smile curved her swollen lips.

I had beenawake in Eva’s bed for at least an hour, listening to the faint hum of the city filtering through the window. Sleep refused to take me, and I knew it wouldn’t. Not with everything swirling in my mind. Not with her lying here, draped across me, her soft weight anchoring me in place.

Her head rested just below my collarbone, her hair spilling over my chest like silk, and her slow, even breathing tickled my skin. I stroked her back lazily, because even in sleep, my body refused to let her go.

Her face was relaxed, her lips slightly parted, her hand curled loosely against my side. She looked so peaceful, so utterly perfect, it made my chest ache. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat against mine was like a quiet reassurance, syncing with my own in a way that felt natural, inevitable.

My cougar purred with contentment. Our mate was safe. She was with us.

I didn’t dare move. Hell, I didn’t even want to breathe too loudly, afraid I’d wake her. So, I stared down at her as I continued stroking her back lightly. Her skin was impossibly soft under my fingers, warm and alive, and it sent a jolt of something fierce through me every time I touched her.

She’s perfect. The thought came unbidden, and I let it settle, because it was undeniable. Everything about her was perfect. The way she looked, the way she fit against me, the way she made me feel like I’d finally found something worth fighting for. Eva Delgado was worth everything.

But then came the tightness in my chest, the sharp twist of fear that made me want to hold her tighter. Because she didn’t know. She didn’t know about the bond between us, about what she already meant to me. About how completely and utterly I was hers, whether she realized it or not. Whether she wanted me or not.

The thought was enough to make my grip on her shift, my fingers tightening slightly before I forced myself to relax. I couldn’t let her know how scared I was of her rejection. It would destroy me in ways nothing else ever could.

The faint buzz of my phone on the nightstand broke the quiet. I tensed, careful not to disturb her, as I reached over and grabbed it. One glance at the screen, and my stomach dropped. The Shadow.

Pressing the phone to my ear, I kept my voice low and rough. “What is it?”

“We have a problem.” His tone immediately set me on edge. The Shadow was always calm and collected, so this couldn’t be good.

“What kind of problem?”

“There’s a bounty on Eva’s head. A fucking big one. Flyers with her face are plastered all over The Below. My people are tearing them down, but it’s spreading fast.”

My breath left me in a rush. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Exactly what I said,” The Shadow snapped. “Someone’s offering a handsome reward for Eva, dead or alive. And this isn’t just some rebel faction trying to stir shit up. This is coordinated, and it’s serious.”

The blood drained from my face. I glanced down at Eva, still peacefully asleep on my chest, utterly unaware of the storm brewing around her. She looked so small, so vulnerable, and the thought of someone coming after her… My grip on the phone tightened.

“Who?” I demanded, my voice cold and lethal. “Who’s behind it?”

The silence that followed was telling. “We don’t know yet,” The Shadow admitted reluctantly. “But I’ve got people working on it. We’ll figure it out. Keep doing what you’ve been doing, but don’t let her find out. She has enough on her plate without this hanging over her head.”

I exhaled slowly, my gaze fixed on Eva’s face. Her lashes fluttered slightly, but she didn’t wake. I forced myself to breathe, though it felt like my lungs were made of lead. My pulse roared in my ears, but I kept my voice steady.

“I’ll keep her close,” I said, my voice low but resolute.

“Good,” The Shadow replied, though the tension in his voice didn’t ease. “I’ll be in touch when I know more. And Jareth…”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let anything happen to my sister. Do you understand me?”

I swallowed hard, my resolve hardening like steel. “Nothing will happen to her.”

The line went dead, and I set the phone back on the nightstand, my heart pounding. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just stared down at her as I brushed the hair out of her face. Shewas so oblivious to the danger, so completely at peace. I wanted to tear the world apart to keep her safe.

She stirred slightly at my touch, her head shifting against my chest as she murmured something unintelligible. I froze, watching her, but her breathing evened out again, and she settled back into sleep.