Page 177 of His Ruthless Match

Eva scrambled to pull her shirt back on, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like “cock block.” I fought the urge to laugh as I stepped back, grabbing my pants and pulling them on as quickly as I could.

The Shadow sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Clothes on, Lanza. Now.”

“Sorry, boss. Sorry,” I muttered, though I didn’t sound particularly sorry. “Got a little carried away.”

He dropped his hand and fixed me with a sharp glare. “A little?”

Beside me, Eva huffed, crossing her arms. “You know, you could’ve knocked.”

“It’s my house,” he said simply. “Try to remember that next time.”

Eva rolled her eyes. She brushed past him, her cheeks still flushed, and I moved to follow her. The Shadow held up a hand, stopping me in my tracks.

“Stay,” he said. “We need to talk.”

Eva glanced back, concern flickering across her face, but I gave her a small nod. “It’s fine. Go ahead.”

When the door clicked shut behind her, The Shadow turned to me. “Take care of my sister, Jareth,” he said simply.

“I will.”

Was this really happening? The fuckingShadowwas giving me his approval to be with his sister? There was a long pause, and then I couldn’t help myself. “Does this mean I can call youRaffaelenow?”

His glare sharpened, his jaw tightening. “Absolutely not.”

I smirked as he turned and left the room, his coat billowing behind him.

I quickly found Eva. She was laughing at something Vivian was saying, and the melodic sound made my heart soar. Despite everything we’d been through, she still had that magnetic pull, drawing me in like no one else ever could. The room felt too loud, too crowded. I needed her alone, away from the chaos.

I slipped behind her, leaning down just enough to whisper in her ear. “We should get out of here.” My voice carried every ounce of the desire burning inside me.

She turned to look at me, her lips curving into a small smile, her eyes sparkling. “Is that right?”

“Very right,” I murmured, brushing my fingers over hers. “Come on.”

Eva grabbed my hand, and we practically ran out the door before anyone could notice. The cool night air hit us as we stepped outside, but it did nothing to quell the heat building between us.

At the car, I opened the door for her, but she paused before getting in, leaning back against the frame. “You’re awfully impatient tonight,” she teased, her voice dropping just enough to make my pulse spike.

“Can you blame me?” I stepped closer, placing one hand on the car behind her and the other gently brushing her cheek. “You’re irresistible.”

Her laugh melted into a soft gasp as I tilted her chin up, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss deepened quickly, her hands tangling in my hair as mine settled on her waist, pulling her closer. The way she responded to me—eager, unrestrained—sent a rush of heat through my veins.

She pulled back slightly, breathless, her lips swollen from the kiss. “We should get going,” she murmured, though she was still clinging to me.

I smirked. “You’re the one stalling.”

She slid into the car with a teasing glance, and I followed, settling into the driver’s seat. The moment the door shut, she leaned across the console, her fingers tracing a slow line along my jaw.

“You’re driving,” she said, her lips brushing the shell of my ear. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t keep you distracted.”

“Eva,” I started, but she silenced me with a kiss, her lips soft yet demanding.

Her hands trailed down my chest, like she wanted to memorize every contour beneath her fingertips. When her touch dipped lower, skimming over my stomach and further still, I sucked in a sharp breath. She let her palm settle over the rough denim covering me, applying just enough pressure to draw a curse from my lips.

“Hmm,” she murmured with a sly smile, her voice low and teasing. “I’d say this explains why you’re so confident.”

Eva didn’t make it easy to focus on the road. She pressed kisses along my neck, her lips brushing sensitive spots that made me grip the wheel tighter. “Eva,” I warned, though it came out more like a groan.