Page 84 of His Ruthless Match

Heat rose to my face, and I cleared my throat. “That’s fucking ridiculous.”

The Shadow inclined his head slightly. “Completely asinine, I agree. But the rumors are out there. Disguises are non-negotiable, at least when you’re not in court or at your office.”

My ears burned as I caught Eva’s quick glance in my direction. This wasn’t exactly the moment I wanted to revisit the fake boyfriend act. I cleared my throat again, avoiding her gaze.

“Fine. We’ll pick up some disguises on the way home. Shame to cover up the magnificence of my hair, but…” I gave a mock sigh. “I’ll do as I’m told.”

Eva’s lips twitched like she wanted to grin but couldn’t muster the effort. Instead, she muttered something I didn’t catch as she crossed her arms again.

“Remember to go say goodbye to Vivian before you leave, Eva.”

Eva, still visibly upset, didn’t turn around. “You can give Vivian my regards.”

The Shadow’s brow furrowed, and for the first time since we’d arrived, his voice softened. “Eva.”

She didn’t look at him.

He sighed. “I know you never wanted anything to do with The Below. And now, because of me, you’re getting dragged into it. I didn’t want this for you.”

Eva shifted slightly, but she still didn’t turn.

The Shadow stepped closer. “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect you, Eva. But I need you to trust me and do as I ask. Whoever is targeting you isn’t fucking around, and we can’t leave anything to chance. If you want to keep living your life in the human world, this is the only way. If it’s not enough…” He hesitated, the words seeming to cost him. “You can come live here. With me. Where I can keep an eye on you at all times.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I shifted my weight uneasily as I glanced at Eva. She didn’t say anything as she walked out of The Shadow’s study with her back stiff and head high.

I hesitated for half a second before following her. As the door closed behind us, I blew out a breath. “You okay?” I asked.

She kept walking, her steps echoing in the maze-like hallways of the fortress. I followed in silence, my mind racing. Whatever The Shadow’s plan was, it wasn’t enough. Not for me. Not forEva. And whether he liked it or not, I was going to find out who was behind this—and I was going to end them.

My boots scuffedagainst the cold stone floor as Eva strode ahead of me, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The air outside was brisk, but it did nothing to clear my head. Eva was in danger, and I would do anything—anything—to keep her safe.

As we approached the car, I pulled out my phone and started searching for wig shops in New York City.

“What are you doing?” Eva sounded irritated, but I was used to that by now.

“Looking for a wig shop,” I replied, not looking up from my phone. “We’re supposed to get disguises, remember?”

She groaned as she leaned against the car door. “I already know where we need to go. There’s a place I send my clients to when it’s best for them to go incognito. I’ve never been there myself, but they’re discreet and good at what they do.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this earlier?”

She gave me a pointed look. “I was too busy being pissed off at my brother. But if you’re done Googling bad ideas, I’ll give you the address.”

I opened the door for her, then walked around and slid in behind the wheel. “Lead the way.”

Eva stared out the window, her profile illuminated by the faint glow of passing streetlights as we drove. I pulled into the parking lot near the tear in the Veil but didn’t move to get out of the car. Instead, I stared blankly out the windshield as my thoughts raced. The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind. Eva’s lips on mine. The taste of her. The scent of her. It was all burned into my memory and a constant, maddeningdistraction. And now the revelation that someone from The Below was targeting her, had connected her to The Shadow, perhaps because of my connection to both of them. The two things felt like entirely separate storms, but they were colliding in my head in a maelstrom of chaos.

She shifted in her seat, glancing at me with a mix of confusion and impatience. “What are we waiting for?”

I let out a heavy breath and gripped the steering wheel. “Eva, what happened last night can’t happen again.”

“Excuse me?”

I forced myself to meet her gaze, even though it felt like I was ripping myself apart. “I need to focus on keeping you safe. That’s my job. And I’m sorry I let things cross a line last night, but it won’t happen again.”

I caught the faintest shift in her expression as she clenched her jaw, and her fingers curled against her thighs. She gave me a curt nod but didn’t say a word.

Gods, I wanted to take her hand, and tell her that it wasn’t because I didn’t want her. Because I did. Fuck, did I want her. But what I wanted didn’t matter. I had to keep her safe. And if I couldn’t stay professional, if I couldn’t put distance between us, I’d fail her. And that wasn’t an option.