Page 76 of His Ruthless Match

“Wow. That clears it right up. Thank you for that in-depth analysis.”

“You just don’t strike me as the relationship type, Jareth,” she said, hiccupping again. “Too broody. Too stubborn. Definitely too much of an asshole.”

I barked out a laugh. “Well, aren’t you just a ray of sunshine.”

Overcome with giggles, she stumbled slightly and fell against me. I caught her easily, my hands steady on her waist. That’s when everything shifted.

From this angle, I could see the curve of her cleavage, framed perfectly by the neckline of her dress. My mouth went dry, and I forgot how to breathe. She smelled like champagne and something sweeter. And gods help me, she looked stunning in every sense of the word.

I snapped out of it as she pushed herself upright. “Tonight was nice,” she murmured. “Better than I thought it would be.” She looked down at her award, running her fingers over the smooth surface. “I never thought I’d make it here, you know. Born to a hooker. My father didn’t want anything to do with me, which, you know, turned out to be a good thing. And now… this.” She gestured vaguely, her laugh hollow.

Even though The Shadow had given me a quick rundown of her background, hearing the words from Eva’s mouth hit me harder than I expected.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

She waved a hand dismissively, forcing a smile. “Don’t be. It doesn’t matter. I’ve proven them all wrong, haven’t I? I’m smart. I’m capable. And I got here all on my own accord.”

“Yes, you’re certainly a badass,” I said, meaning it. “With an amazing ass.”

She burst out laughing and angled her body toward me. “Thank you. For… you know. Earlier. With Hayes.”

I reached out without thinking and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “I’ll be your pretend boyfriend anytime.”

The city sounds faded into the background as her eyes locked onto mine. My pulse quickened. I knew I should pull back, but I didn’t move.

This woman was dangerous. Not because of her sharp tongue or her stubbornness, but because of the way she made me feel. It was like I was falling, and there was nothing to catch me.

I thought about going to The Shadow and asking to be reassigned. Surely someone else could take over this job, someone who wouldn’t be so fucking affected by her. But even as the thought crossed my mind, I knew it wouldn’t happen. I couldn’t leave her now, no matter how much I told myself I should.

Eva’s lips parted slightly, as if she was about to say something, but I scooted away from her like a coward. I cleared my throat, suddenly uncomfortable.

“Grelth would probably be happy to be your pretend boyfriend, too,” I said, my voice strained.

She blinked at me, startled, before chuckling. “Grelth? Oh, God, I can only imagine.”

Her laughter was warm honey, thick and golden, slipping into the cracks of my control and threatening to undo me. It pulled a reluctant grin from me, easing some of the tension in my shoulders, but not all of it. It didn’t ease the tension simmering beneath my skin as the limousine glided to a stop.

I pulled the door open and stretched my hand out in invitation. She moved past me with a graceful sway of her hips, her perfume lingering in the space between us. I clenched myjaw and followed her inside, my frame too big for the sleek interior, or maybe it was the heat between us making everything feel too godsdamn tight.

The moment the door shut, it was like all the air had been sucked out of the limo. Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken words and something far more dangerous. Eva crossed her legs, the slit in her dress parting just enough to show the curve of her thigh. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Her gaze dragged over me slowly, from the undone top button of my shirt to the fingers I curled into a fist against my knee, straining to keep still. And then—fuck me—she bit her lip.

It wasn’t a teasing grazing. No, it was a slow, deliberate pull between her teeth, like she was imagining something indecent, like she wanted me to see exactly what was running through her wicked little mind.

Heat pooled low in my stomach. My cock strained against my pants, throbbing in time with the pulse hammering in my throat. Her lips curved knowingly, and I swore if she kept looking at me like that, the driver would have to take a detour to the nearest hotel.

I shifted in my seat, gripping my knee so hard I was surprised I didn’t tear the fabric. “You keep looking at me like that, and I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”

Eva let out a husky laugh, but she didn’t look away. She scooted over, closing the space between us. Her perfume wrapping around me.

“Who said I want you to be responsible?” she murmured, voice silk and sin, her fingers ghosting along the seat between us.

I swallowed. My restraint was hanging on by a thread. She was playing with fire, and she knew it. It took every ounce of my willpower not to touch her, not to pin her to the seat and kiss her until she wasn’t smirking anymore—until she was begging.

“Eva.”

She smiled again, slow and smug. And gods help me, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss her or punish her for it. The limousine hit a bump in the road, jolting her closer—close enough that I could feel the whisper of her breath against my throat. Her knee brushed mine. A small touch. Barely anything.