Page 26 of His Ruthless Match

Jareth’s eyes darkened. “That’s it. This office needs better security.”

“Who the hell is this guy?” Gabe asked without looking up.

Jareth stared at Gabe as if he wanted to beat the hell out of him. Luckily, he chose to focus on the task at hand. He opened his bag and started unpacking it.

Theo sat at his desk, openly gawking like a kid at a candy store.

I shot Theo a quick text.

Eva:Stop ogling and get back to work.

Theo:Have you seen this man? How am I supposed to work?

Me:Just let him do his job.

Theo:Who is he anyway? Another Gabe?

I couldn’t very well tell him that Jareth was a magical cat shifter from a world below us.

Me: Yeah, he’s going to help out with security, kind of like a bodyguard.

Theo:Holy shit. I volunteer to be guarded.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I turned back to my desk. Jareth, of course, was oblivious to the attention. He moved around the room with practiced ease, his shirt lifting slightly every time he reached up to mount a camera. Not that I noticed, I told myself.

Gabe shut his laptop. “System’s secure again. I’ll keep digging for whoever’s behind this, but they’re unusually good. Might take some time.”

“Make it quick, please,” I said.

Nodding, Gabe cast a curious glance at Jareth before leaving.

Jareth sidled up to my desk. “Taking charge looks good on you. Hot as fuck, actually.”

I ignored him as I pretended to focus on my screen. But my ears burned, and I couldn’t stop the faint flush creeping up my neck.

Jareth smirked. “You know, if you ever need help putting someone in their place…”

“Get back to work,” I snapped.

He chuckled, and I wished—not for the first time—that I had a spray bottle in my purse.

8

EVA

The office was quiet save for the hum of electronics and the occasional groan of the ancient HVAC system. Everyone had left hours ago, and the only light was that of my desk lamp. Sighing, I pushed back from my desk and rubbed my temples. The clock on my desk told me it was nearly eleven.

“Way too late,” I muttered, grabbing my coat and purse. Yawning, I flicked off the light and let the darkness settle over the room.

It was colder outside than I’d expected. I pulled my coat tighter around me, but it didn’t do much to ward off the chill. The sidewalks were practically empty, with just a few late-night wanderers and the occasional couple stumbling out of bars.

Raffaele’s voice echoed in my mind:You don’t walk home after dark, Eva. Not in this city. Not alone.

Shoving my hands deep into my pockets, I rolled my eyes. “Paranoid much?” I whispered to no one. Sure, New York City could be sketchy after dark, but I wasn’t a naïve rookie who couldn’t take care of herself. I’d been walking home alone at night since I was barely a teenager.

Still, the shadows seemed longer tonight. The quiet was a little too quiet. My footsteps echoed sharply against the concrete, the sound amplified in the stillness.

The hair on the back of my neck prickled.