Page 83 of His Ruthless Match

I turned back to him. “Do you know who’s behind this? Who do you have working on it?”

The Shadow’s eyes narrowed. “I’m heading the investigation myself,” he said. “I’ve got Luca and my top trackers on it. I’m not leaving this to chance.”

It wasn’t enough.

“I want in,” I said firmly. “I need to know what’s going on to protect her properly.”

The Shadow’s eyes went dark. “Your focus is on Eva. That’s the job. Period.”

“I can’t protect her if I don’t know who or what I’m up against,” I argued. “I need to be in the loop.”

The Shadow stared at me with that unreadable expression I loathed. Something I couldn’t quite place flashed through his eyes, then just as suddenly, his usual mask fell back into place.

“You’re not disposable, Jareth. But I need you to trust me to handle this. Stay focused on Eva.”

The words settled uneasily in my chest. Not disposable? Maybe. But I wasn’t convinced he saw me as anything more than a tool. And if that was the case, I’d be damned if I let him dictate how I handled this. I wasn’t just going to sit back and wait. I’d find whoever was targeting Eva.

I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets. “Do you know anything else? Do you have any leads?”

The Shadow exhaled sharply. “My list of enemies is long, Jareth. Especially with my territory no longer illusioned. It could be anyone vying for power. Anyone wanting to push me, throw me off my game, in order to make a move.”

“What about the magistrate?” I asked, though I already knew what his answer would be. “Maybe you should reach out to them, let them know what’s happening.”

“No,” he snapped. “They’ll only complicate things with their bureaucracy and red tape. Let me handle it.”

Eva’s shoulders sagged, and I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. I wanted to offer her some kind of comfort, but I held back. The Shadow might trust me, but one misstep could change everything.

Instead, I stood there silently. The tension in the room was like a coiled spring, ready to snap. Eva glanced at her watch, the subtle tap of her nail against the glass loud in the quiet room.

“If there’s nothing else to discuss,” she said, her voice clipped, “I need to get back to the human world. I have business to take care of.”

The Shadow stood, his towering form as calm and composed as ever. “There’s one more thing.”

Eva groaned softly, tipping her head back in exasperation. “Of course there is.”

“I’d like to illusion you so that you’re unrecognizable,” he said, his tone leaving no room for debate.

“Absolutely not,” she shot back, her voice firm. “You can’t illusion me. My clients need to know it’s me. How the hell would I even explain that to my staff?”

The Shadow’s expression didn’t waver. “I was afraid you’d say that.” He folded his hands behind his back. “Which is why I’m going to have to insist you do things the old-fashioned way.”

Eva’s arms tightened across her chest, and her eyebrow arched in a way that screameddanger. “And what exactly does that mean?”

“It means,” The Shadow said, his tone maddeningly calm, “you’ll need to wear a wig, big sunglasses, a hat… Whatever works to conceal your identity whenever you’re out in public. It’sthe smart thing to do, Eva, and I’m not asking you. I’m telling you.”

Her lips parted, clearly ready to argue, but he held up a hand. “If I see any social media posts or tabloid photos of you out and about without a disguise, I’ll have no choice but to illusion you against your will.”

Eva’s face flushed with anger, and she turned her back on him, her silence speaking louder than any words she could’ve thrown at him. I could practically feel the rage radiating off her, and it wasn’t helping the suffocating tension.

I tried my best to lighten the mood. “I don’t know, Delgado. You in a wig? Could be a good look. Maybe a bright pink one? Add some flair.”

Eva didn’t turn, but I caught the slight twitch of her shoulders—maybe amusement, maybe a new level of rage. It was difficult to tell with her.

The Shadow, however, wasn’t amused. “You’ll need a disguise, too.”

I blinked. “What? No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I’m fairly stealthy.”

He gave a humorless laugh. “I’ve seen photos of Eva with you either by her side or in the background. You’re already linked to her, Jareth. Some are even suggesting you’re her boyfriend.”