Page 93 of His Ruthless Match

He paused, his chest heaving as he looked back at me. His face was wild, his golden-brown eyes blazing with fury. Slowly, he stood, towering over the man.

Jareth grabbed the camera and inspected it briefly. “You can only have this back if you give me whatever has the photos on it,” he growled menacingly.

The man wiped at the blood dripping from his nose. “I’ll sue you for assault!”

“Stop being a pussy,” Jareth shot back. “And wipe the blood off your upper lip. Now, hand over the photos, or you won’t live long enough to file a complaint.”

The man hesitated, clearly weighing his options, but Jareth’s unrelenting glare won out. With a shaky hand, the man pulled the SD card from his camera and handed it over. Jareth tossed the broken camera back to him, and the man scrambled to his feet, muttering curses as he stumbled away.

I exhaled a shaky breath, my body trembling from the adrenaline. “You didn’t have to go that far.”

“Are you okay?”

I nodded, my hands still shaking. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks… for that.”

He frowned, his jaw tightening. “You shouldn’t have left without telling me. I’m supposed to protect you, Eva. How the hell am I supposed to do that if you’re sneaking off?”

“I didn’t think I needed an escort to pee.” His protection had begun to feel less oppressive and more welcome. I didn’t know what to make of it.

“You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just about some rogue paparazzo. You’re in real danger, and I can’t afford to let my guard down for even a second.”

I sighed, running a hand over my face. “Fine. I get it. But you were so enthralled by the damn painting, I didn’t want to bother you. I should be able to go to the bathroom on my own.”

For the first time, his lips twitched into a faint smirk. “It was a good painting.”

I rolled my eyes, a reluctant smile creeping onto my face. “Come on, let’s go.”

As we walked back through the lobby, Jareth glanced at the painting again. I tugged at his sleeve to keep him moving. “You can admire it again tomorrow.”

He chuckled and rested his hand lightly on the small of my back as he guided me out of the courthouse.

26

JARETH

Isat at the back of the courtroom, slouched low in my seat as I scanned the room. A guy in a trench coat sitting off to the side caught my attention. He could either be a harmless guy who liked sitting through boring court procedures, or he was someone who had no business being here. Either way, I wasn’t taking any chances.

Eva sat at the front, poised and professional, her focus on the judge. She was a fucking powerhouse, but that didn’t ease the gnawing sensation in my gut. Too many pieces weren’t adding up—the footage of Genevieve, the blackmail threat against The Shadow, and now the possibility that Eva’s newfound visibility had put her on someone’s radar. Someone from The Below who had a personal vendetta against The Shadow.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I tapped out a quick message to Luca.

Jareth:What’s the latest?

Luca:The Shadow told me your sole focus should be on Eva and nothing else. Why the fuck are you texting me?

I rolled my eyes.

Me:Whatever’s going on down there might somehow be tied to whatever’s happening up here with Eva and her client. Ithink it would be foolish of us to ignore the timing of all of this, and I need to keep my mind open to the fact that these things might be connected, especially with the new development of the blackmail against The Shadow.

Luca:I don’t have much to report. Nothing concrete, at least. The rebel factions are still terrorizing everyone in the Crimson Dominion, and they’re not backing down. I haven’t found anything connecting to your situation up there with Eva or Genevieve.

I muttered a curse under my breath and slid my phone back into my pocket just as the judge called for the courtroom to rise. I was so fucking frustrated that I couldn’t be in two places at once. It wasn’t like I could take Eva to the Crimson Dominion. It was far too dangerous.

The room erupted into applause. I saw Eva, grinning like she’d just conquered the world, hugging her client. Nadia and Theo were practically bouncing with excitement.

It was a win. Eva needed this, and judging by the way she glowed, it was one hell of a victory. I enjoyed seeing her so radiant, confident, and completely in her element. Of course, it didn’t hurt that she looked incredible in that black pencil skirt that displayed every curve. If it weren’t for the pantyhose, I’d call it perfect. Then again, Eva could probably wear a garbage bag and still look like a goddess.

I waited in the back of the courtroom, keeping an eye out for any weirdos. As the courtroom began to empty, the guy in the trench coat slipped out quietly. No fuss, no threats. Still, I made a mental note of his face. Better safe than sorry.