Page 39 of His Ruthless Match

The inside of the library smelled like a mix of old paper and varnish, the air cool and quiet in that particular way that demanded reverence. Shelves stretched endlessly, the aisles shadowed despite the natural light streaming through the tall windows. The soft murmur of voices and the faint rustle of pages being turned barely registered as I weaved through the maze.

The tracker guided me to a secluded spot in the back corner.

Eva sat by the window, her legs tucked beneath her, completely absorbed in a book. Sunlight spilled over her, catching the warm tones of her skin and the sheen of her hair.She had her chin propped on one hand, her brow furrowed in concentration.

I stood there for a moment, watching her. So, this was where she liked to hide. There was something almost disarming about seeing her like this, so unaware of the world around her. It was... humanizing in a way I hadn’t allowed myself to consider before.

11

EVA

The library was my sanctuary. Here, nestled in the farthest corner on a cushioned window seat, I could let the stress melt away. The faint scent of old books and polished wood relaxed me. My phone was on silent, and I’d left my bracelet at home where it couldn’t nag at me. No one knew where I was—not Theo, not Raffaele, and especially not Jareth.

Her Darkest Desireswas open in my lap, and for once, my brain wasn’t running through legal strategies or rehearsing cross-examinations. I was deep in the scene: the male lead was leaning in, his voice dripping with seduction as he murmured something sinful against the heroine’s ear. My pulse quickened.

This was the best part, the moment before everything fell apart?—

“Am I seeing this correctly? IsEva fucking Delgadoreading aromance novel?”

The voice I hated more than anything jarred me out of my reverie. My head snapped up, and there he was, leaning against the bookshelf with his arms crossed, his smirk wide enough to split his face. Jareth. Fucking Jareth.

My face burned. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” He laughed, closing the distance between us in two strides. “What areyoudoing here, ma’am? Shouldn’t you be at your office tormenting Theo or barking orders at some poor intern?”

I made to shove the book behind my back, but he was faster. He snatched it up and held it out of my reach like a kid taunting a sibling. His eyes darted to the cover—a shirtless man with rippling abs holding a swooning woman—and widened comically.

“Holy shit,” he said, glee dripping from every word. “You havegotto be kidding me.Her Darkest Desires?This is what you, the most uptight person I have ever met, choose to read?”

“Jareth, give it back,” I hissed, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. My luck was terrible. A couple of nearby patrons were already glancing our way.

“Oh, no, no, no,” he said, flipping through the pages. “Ihaveto know what’s so enthralling about these so-called desires.”

I jumped up and tried to take the book from him. “Jareth.Stop.”

He danced out of reach, holding the book high. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.” His eyes scanned the page. His lips parted in mock shock.

“She was taken aback by the sheerlengthof him as he ground into her inner thigh,” he read aloud, his voice low and theatrical.

I made another grab for the book, but he spun away. “Jareth!”

He ignored me and continued reading. “‘Not yet,’ she stammered. ‘I’m not ready.’” He glanced at me. “Gods, this ishorrible.”

Heat crept up my neck. People were staring at us. “Give it back!” I whisper-yelled.

But Jareth was having too much fun. His voice grew louder. “‘His hands roamed over my breasts. My nipples hardened ashe rolled them between his fingers.’” He laughed, doubling over before straightening to deliver the next line. “‘I gasped as one hand slid to my?—’”

I lunged and shoved him hard in the chest. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong withme?” he said, still grinning. “What’s wrong withyou?This is the kind of smut that gets you going? I expected something classier.”

I grabbed my purse and bolted toward the exit. I couldn’t take another second of his mockery or the stares from the other library patrons.

“Wait! Don’t leave! I think he was just about to make her orgasmmultiple times!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a librarian storming toward him, her face a mix of fury and shock. Good. Let her deal with him. I pushed through the heavy wooden doors and into the cool air outside. I didn’t stop until I was halfway down the block. The brisk air did little to cool my burning cheeks. My mortification was complete. The gall of that man had me gritting my teeth so hard my jaw ached. I kept my head down and walked quickly, praying he wouldn’t follow me.

Of course, my prayers went unanswered.