Page 157 of His Ruthless Match

I dropped my hands, my eyes red and stinging as I looked up at him. “Then why is he staying away? Why would he leave me here like this?”

Grelth sighed again as he set a small trinket on the shelf. “Because Master Jareth is an idiot,” he said bluntly. “And because he’ll do whatever he thinks is best for you, even if it’s not what’s best for him.”

The words hit me square in the chest, leaving me breathless. I swallowed hard, my throat tight. “But I don’t want him to stay away,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I don’t want him to leave.”

Grelth finally turned to face me, his gruff expression softening just enough to show a hint of sympathy. “Then tell him that,” he said simply. “Because if there’s one thing I know about Master Jareth, it’s that he’ll move heaven and earth for you. But he’s not going to fight for something he thinks you don’t want.”

I looked down at my trembling hands. The thought of Jareth out there, doing everything he could to protect me while staying as far away from me as possible, was unbearable. I didn’t just want him back—Ineededhim back. And maybe now I finally understood why. Fated mate or not, Jareth had become a part of me in a way I couldn’t explain, couldn’t fight. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to fight it anymore.

Grelth turned back to the boxes, muttering under his breath as he unpacked the rest of my things. But I barely noticed. My mind was elsewhere, racing with everything I’d just learned, everything I needed to do to fix this.

Somehow, I had to find a way to make him understand. To make him see that I needed him just as much as he thought he needed me. Because this bond—this impossible, undeniablething between us—wasn’t going to let me give up on him. Not now. Not ever.

Walkingthrough Raffaele’s mansion felt like wandering a maze. Every hallway seemed endless, not that I was paying attention to where I was going. I was lost in thought, my conversation with Grelth replaying on a maddening loop.

Fated mate.

The term itself felt foreign, impossible, like it belonged in a fairy tale, not my life. My rational mind fought to make sense of it, to analyze it like I would a case file or an argument in court. But there was nothing rational about this. Nothing made sense. Jareth and I were like fire and ice—constantly clashing, challenging each other, and somehow, inexplicably drawn together.

I ran my hand along the wall as I walked, the cold stone pressing against my fingertips. The place was beautiful, imposing, and undeniablyRaffaele.Everything was too perfect, too controlled. Even the air felt like it carried his watchful gaze, a constant reminder that this wasn’t my space. It was his. I was simply a guest here. Or maybe a prisoner, depending on how you looked at it.

Turning a corner, I caught a faint glow spilling out from one of the sitting rooms. My steps faltered as I recognized the silhouette inside. Vivian. She was seated on the couch, a tablet in her lap, her glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

I hesitated, not wanting to disturb her. But I couldn’t keep this to myself anymore. I needed someone to talk to, someone who might understand. Swallowing my nerves, I knocked gently on the open door.

Vivian’s head snapped up. She set the tablet down and tilted her head, her gaze softening slightly. “Eva? What’s going on?”

I considered brushing it off and retreating back into my shell, but the weight was too much to bear. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside and sank into the chair opposite her. My hands gripped the armrests as I tried to steady myself.

“It’s… a lot,” I said finally.

Vivian sat back, studying me with concern and curiosity. “Then start from the beginning.”

And so I did. I told her everything—the attack at the black market, the ambush, the blood magic that shattered my illusion. I told her about Jareth’s refusal to guard me anymore, his confession to Raffaele, and Grelth’s revelation about the fated mate bond. By the time I finished, my voice was cracking, and tears threatened to spill over. I was unraveling, and I hated it.

Vivian rested her elbows on her knees as she studied me. For someone as sharp and calculated as she was, her expression had softened into something almost maternal.

“Eva, Jareth is a lot of things, but he’s not a coward. He didn’t leave you because he doesn’t care. He’s scared because hedoescare.”

The lump in my throat grew. “But I’ve insulted him so many times. I’ve made him think I don’t care about him in that way. And… we’ve been intimate. More than once.” My face burned as I said it.

Vivian’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. She patted the spot on the couch beside her. “Come here.”

I stood and took the seat beside her. Vivian patted my knee.

“Even though I’m a married woman now, I’m no expert in love. I’m still learning as I go. When I met Raffaele, I tried to avoid the connection we had. I told myself it was a bad idea, that I could ignore it, resist it. But I couldn’t. And trust me, it terrified me.”

“So what did you do?”

Vivian smiled, her gaze distant for a moment. “I stopped trying to control it. I stopped trying to fit it into some neat little box, like a court case where every law and rule is followed in order. Love doesn’t work like that, Eva. It’s messy, unpredictable, and, yes, terrifying. But it’s worth it.”

Her words made sense, but it didn’t ease the ache in my chest. “If that’s true, then why are we separated right now? If I’m his fated mate, why did Jareth leave me behind?”

Vivian sighed. “If Jareth truly believes you’re his fated mate, whatever he’s doing right now is for your benefit. You might not understand it, but I promise you, he’s doing what he thinks is best for you.”

Her words were meant to reassure me, but they only added to my frustration. “So what am I supposed to do? Sit here and wait for him to decide what’s best for me? Pretend I’m okay with being stuck here while he goes off and risks his life?”

Vivian gave me a sympathetic look, but there was a firmness in her tone when she responded. “Eva, you’re here because this is where you need to be. You’re safe here. Out of the public eye. Whatever Jareth is doing, he’s doing it so that you can remain safe.”