Page 70 of Severed By Vengeance

“Hey,” she whispered, tenderly putting her hand over my chest, as if sensing the storm brewing inside me, “I’m okay. It was mostly superficial.”

I didn’t let her speak another word. Reaching down, I scooped her up and cradled her body. Eva’s brown eyes locked on mine, and neither of us said another word as I cut across the long entry hallway to the living room.

Unbelievable. Eva was trying to comfortme.

Yet I’d been the asshole, and she was the one who was hurt.

“I called you. When I heard what happened and you didn’t answer, I didn’t know what to think.”

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she regarded me curiously before answering. “I’m sorry. When I got home, I fell asleep. I wasn’t feeling too well and—”

I dropped my forehead to hers.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, unable to remember the last time I’d sincerely apologized to anyone. “I’m sorry for what I said and for acting like an asshole.”

Though my apology was sincere, I wasn’t here solely for her feelings. I was here for mine too. Letting her walk away that night wasn’t just to spare her pain but rather to save myself. I was a ruthless son of a bitch. Letting her go to avoid breaking her when she found out the monster I truly was should have been a good enough reason to stay gone. But I’d never been a righteous man a day in my life. I was far too selfish, too depraved, and obsessed to let her go. I needed a taste, all of her, until I’d had my fill.

I told her I would have her, and I had every intention of following through on that promise.

Eva was already mine.

“You were a jerk,” she said, placing a hand over my cheek, and I leaned into her touch.

“I won’t deny that I am a certified dick. But you already knew that.”

She cracked a smile.

“I won’t argue that. But you can put me down now.”

“Is that what you want?” I asked, running my mouth along her jaw. “I’ve told you before. I can hold you like this as long as it takes.”

“Don’t let go,” she murmured against my cheek.

Pressing her closer, I lowered our bodies onto the sofa.

Diego watched us intently from his perch on the arm of a recliner. For whatever reason, I felt the need to greet the little bastard, so I acknowledged him with a nod. His yellow eyes gleamed as he looked on, tilting his head.

Eva was staring again, waiting for something. Maybe a deeper explanation, waiting for an answer I wasn’t prepared to give her. Mostly because I didn’t know who the fuck I was when I was with her. Her touch, her closeness, lit up everything inside me. Even my dick was hard beneath her, making me feel like an inconsiderate jackass.

“What happened today?”

She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder.

“When Yuri knew we had him, he just lost it. Assaulted his lawyer and pulled a knife on me.”

“How the hell did he sneak a knife into a police interrogation room?” I gritted my teeth and swallowed hard, talking down the demons, lusting for revenge.

“Mistakes were made. And those involved are being disciplined.”

“Their fuck up could have cost you your life. That’s not something to take lightly. What if he’d cut you deeper? Were you in there alone?”

Evangelina straightened on my lap, a serious look on her face. “Do you know how many times I’ve stepped into that room alone? I don’t need a man to protect me, Derek. I handled myself and did exactly what I was trained to do.”

There was an edge to her tone, probably residual anger from how our phone call ended earlier that day. If she thought I was underestimating her, she was dead wrong. I was wholly aware of the fire that lived inside her.

She motioned to lift herself off my lap, but I gripped her hips in place.

“Hey, whatever you’re assuming I meant earlier on the phone, that’s not the case at all.”