Page 171 of His Ruthless Match

My hands were on her shoulders in an instant, steadying her. “Are you okay?” I asked, panic creeping into my voice. “You don’t look well.” Her face had turned pale, and her pupils were dilated.

She nodded but didn’t look convincing. “I’ll be fine,” she said, waving me off. “It’s probably just… everything. Stress, the magistrates, the bloodshed. It’s a lot.”

“All the more reason for you to stay behind,” I insisted, my tone firm. “I’ll make sure you’re safe at your brother’s estate with Vivian. You need rest.”

But she stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest. “No,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears welling in her eyes. “I’m coming with you. I have this feeling… this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that if I’m not there, you won’t survive. I can’t explain it, Jareth. I just know.”

I studied her face, searching for the right words while trying to keep my voice steady. There was a rawness in her eyes that told me just how much this was eating her up inside. It killed me to see her like this, and it killed me even more that I was the reason for it. But I couldn’t let her talk me into this.

“Eva…” I brushed the hair out of her face. She leaned into the touch, her gaze locking onto mine with that intensity that always managed to undo me. “With us being mates, it’s normal to feel this pull not to be apart. Believe me, I feel it too.”

Her lips parted, like she was about to argue, but I held up a hand to stop her. “That bond… It’s powerful. Primal. And it makes it hard to think clearly when it comes to each other. But,” I continued, forcing my tone to harden just enough to make my point clear, “I am very good at my job, Eva. This is what I do. And I can’t allow you to come with me.”

Her brows furrowed, confusion and frustration warring in her expression. “Why not?”

“Because it’s too dangerous,” I said, my voice sharp but controlled. “I need to be focused. If you’re there, I won’t be able to concentrate. I’ll be too worried about keeping you safe instead of doing what needs to be done. And if something happened to you—” My voice broke, and I had to look away. “If something happened to you, Eva, I wouldn’t survive it.”

Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over as she shook her head. “I understand. I don’t want to be a distraction for you. The last thing I want is to put you or anyone else in danger because I’m there.”

I exhaled in relief, but then she continued.

“But Jareth, I can’t explain it. I feel… sick. Physically sick. Like something horrible is going to happen if I’m not there with you. It’s this extreme sense of foreboding, like it’s in every cell of my body.”

Her words were like a punch to the gut. The anguish and certainty on her face made me hesitate. She wasn’t just scared or anxious—this was something deeper.

“Eva,” I said slowly, carefully. “When the magistrates were talking earlier, I started thinking about something. I wonder… if you have some kind of magical ability that is tied to your intuition.”

Her eyes widened, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. “You really think I have magical abilities?” she repeated, as if the words didn’t compute. “I think I’d know if I did.”

I nodded. “Think about it. The magistrates claimed you were magical. If that’s true, maybe what you’re feeling isn’t just instinct. Maybe it’s something more. Something tied to your magic.”

“I’d always heard about recessive genes, how some people with both human and magical parents didn’t always end up withmagical abilities. It’s not like I can shoot fire out of my fingertips or do anything special other than win challenging court cases.” She blinked rapidly, her gaze darting away as she processed what I had said. “I’ve always had good intuition. It’s something I’ve always trusted, especially with my work. I’ve banked on it more times than I can count, and it’s never let me down. But this…” She met my gaze again, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “This feels different. It’s like that intuition is on overdrive. Like it’s screaming at me not to let you go alone. And it’s making me feel like I’m coming apart at the seams.”

I let out a long breath, my hands settling on her shoulders. “If this is tied to your magic, you need to trust it,” I said, my voice low. “But you also need to understand the risks, Eva. This isn’t some court case or negotiation. This is blood and violence and danger at every turn. If you come with me, I can’t promise you’ll be safe.”

She nodded, her bottom lip trembling. “I know. But I can’t ignore this feeling, Jareth. I have to be there. For you. For whatever’s coming.”

I stared at her, weighing my options. Every rational part of me screamed to leave her behind, to keep her far away from the chaos and the bloodshed. But I couldn’t ignore the sincerity in her voice or how her entire body seemed to be reacting to whatever this was. If it was magic or intuition, or something else entirely, then maybe there was a reason she felt this way.

“I trust you.” Her eyes widened slightly, and I could see the relief flood her expression. “If you really feel like this is something you need to do, I’ll trust you. But,” I added, my tone hardening, “you stay by my side at all times. No exceptions. Do you understand me?”

She nodded quickly, her tears spilling over again as a shaky smile broke through her fear. “I promise.”

I pulled her into my arms and pressed my lips to her forehead. “You’re going to drive me insane,” I muttered, but the words came out with more affection than frustration.

She laughed softly against my chest, her hands clutching my shirt. “Good,” she said teasingly. “You deserve it.”

I pulled her into another kiss, this one slow and desperate, like I was trying to pour every unspoken word into her. She kissed me back just as fiercely, her hands fisting in the fabric of my shirt, her touch grounding me in a way nothing else could. For a moment, it felt like the rest of the world disappeared—like it was just us.

“Jareth,” she said softly when we finally broke apart. Her eyes searched mine, her expression serious again. “Thank you. For trusting me.”

I brushed a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “Always,” I said. And I meant it. No matter what came next, no matter how dangerous it got, I would always trust her. And I would always protect her.

The Shadow cleared his throat, and I whirled around to see the unamused look on his face. “If you’re done,” he said dryly, “I’d like to say something to Eva.”

The Shadow reached for Eva’s hand, his movements slow, deliberate, like he knew what was coming but still had to try.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.