Page 15

15

EVIE

K elly sits cross-legged on my bed, a steaming cup of peppermint tea balanced carefully in her hands. She eyes me with concern, brows furrowed, as I tug at the frayed edges of my quilt. I haven’t been in to work for two days, and the exhaustion clinging to me isn’t making this conversation any easier.

“I still can’t believe your parents,” Kelly mutters, shaking her head in disbelief. Her hands flick through an old magazine spread on the mattress between us. “It’s like they’re stuck a hundred years in the past. An arranged marriage? Really?”

I sigh, leaning back against the headboard, my head feeling too heavy on my shoulders. “They mean well, Kelly. It’s tradition. It’s expected. And honestly, Elvin Murphy isn’t exactly the worst person to end up with.” The room feels stuffy, no air moving in here today.

She gives me an incredulous look. “Evie, you talk about marrying him like you’re getting braces. Do you even want this?”

I pick at a loose thread on my sleeve, unable to meet her gaze. “It doesn’t matter what I want. It never has.” I know her silent judgment is out of concern. She's my best friend, after all.

Kelly scoffs softly, clearly irritated. “It does matter. This is your life. You’re allowed to have a say.”

“Not if I want to stay part of this family.” My voice comes out smaller than I mean it to, but the truth stings just as much. “Elvin is stable, reliable, exactly what my parents want for me. I should want it too. But I just?—”

“You just don’t,” Kelly finishes for me with a gentle voice. She folds the magazine shut and turns to face me more directly.

“No, I don’t,” I whisper. “I think… I’m falling for someone else. Someone I definitely shouldn’t be.”

Her eyes widen immediately, and she leans forward, curiosity flickering sharply behind her lashes. “Who?” The grin curling her cheeks makes me smile too.

Heat rushes to my cheeks as I think of Lochlan, the way his presence fills a room, the rough way he acts when we’re alone together. He's aggressive. Everything about him is wrong for my carefully planned life. Dangerous, reckless, unpredictable—and undeniably thrilling.

“It's complicated,” I mumble, staring at my lap. “He’s not the kind of man my family would ever approve of.”

Kelly grins mischievously. “Sounds like exactly the kind of man you need, Evie.”

I offer a weak smile, even as my stomach twists anxiously. If Kelly only knew how complicated things truly were. I press a hand subtly to my belly, nausea rolling through me—not just from anxiety but from a suspicion that's gnawed at me now for days. Pregnant? The word circles relentlessly through my mind, but I push it down, unwilling to admit it aloud even to her.

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” I finally say, forcing my voice to steady.

Kelly shrugs and sips her tea. “Maybe it should be.” She leans forward eagerly, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “Okay, details. Is it the tattoos, or that whole brooding, mysterious vibe? Because Lochlan O'Rourke definitely has both.”

My cheeks warm again, but this time, I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. “It’s both. And neither. I don’t know, Kel—there’s just something about him. He walks into a room, and everyone notices. It’s like the air gets thicker, hotter.”

She mock-swoons dramatically, clutching her chest and collapsing sideways onto the bed. I'm glad her tea mug is empty, and she snickers as she sets it on the floor. “Oh, so he’s one of those guys. The ‘I’ll-ruin-your-life-but-you’ll-love-it’ type.”

I laugh despite myself, lightly smacking her leg. “Seriously! And the worst part is, he knows exactly how irresistible he is.”

“Ugh, those are the worst,” Kelly agrees, sitting up again with a playful grin. “Dangerous and fully aware of it.”

“You’re not wrong,” I sigh, still smiling. Then I frown and say, “He is dangerous. Like actually dangerous. A criminal, Kel.”

She wrinkles her nose thoughtfully, leaning closer and lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Well, obviously. Good guys don’t come with tattoos, smoldering eyes, and criminal records. That’s like… part of the whole package.”

I groan and cover my face with my hands, laughter slipping out between my fingers. “You’re not helping, you know.”

“Was I supposed to help?” She taps me gently with her fingertips as she sits up. “I thought I was here to convince you to make bad decisions. Besides, Elvin’s idea of danger is probably eating cereal past ten p.m.”

The laughter shakes my shoulders harder, and for just a moment, everything feels almost okay. “You’re terrible, you know that?”

Kelly smirks triumphantly. “But you love me. And apparently, you also love yourself a good, old-fashioned bad boy.”

I throw a pillow at her, but she just catches it, giggling. She isn’t wrong—Lochlan is trouble. And despite everything, he’s exactly the trouble I want.

I bite my lip, debating internally. Maybe this is the perfect opening to finally tell Kelly everything—about Da’s dealings, about the threats, about Darren and the blackmail. She’d listen, help me figure out what to do. But just as I take a shaky breath to speak, a gentle knock at the door interrupts us.

Mum peeks her head in, holding a tray of snacks and wearing her overly cheerful smile. "Thought you girls might need a little something," she says brightly, setting the tray on the bedside table. "How are you feeling, Evie?" She reaches to press her hand against my forehead, and I push her away.

"I'm fine, Mum," I answer quickly, trying to hide my irritation at her intrusion.

Mum turns her attention to Kelly, and her smile turns conspiratorial. "Maybe you can talk some sense into her. Elvin called again this morning. He really wants to take Evie to dinner somewhere nice. To talk about their future."

I suppress a groan, casting Kelly a desperate glance, but my friend just smiles politely at Mum. "I'm sure Evie knows exactly what she wants," Kelly replies smoothly, taking a cracker from the tray.

Mum sighs, ignoring Kelly’s gentle deflection. "I don't understand your hesitation, Evie. Elvin’s a wonderful man. Stable job, good family—you won’t have to worry about anything. You should meet him and discuss things properly."

"Thanks, Mum," I say through gritted teeth, "but I’m still not feeling great. Can we talk about this later?" I'm not denying that I'll do as she asks, but I haven't been feeling the greatest. Even she can appreciate that.

She gives me a pointed look, as if to remind me later means soon, then nods. "Alright, sweetheart. Just promise me you’ll consider it."

"I will," I say softly, hoping it’s enough to appease her.

When she finally leaves, shutting the door softly behind her, Kelly turns to me with a knowing smirk. "Well, Evie, sounds like you’ve got a romantic dinner to plan."

"Please don’t start," I groan, tossing another pillow at her.

Kelly catches the pillow with a laugh, but the sound is cut short by the buzz of a phone on the nightstand. My heart leaps into my throat as I glance at the thing—the burner phone Darren made me take. Dread curls through my stomach when I see a notification.

Nausea hits me so hard, I have to grip the edge of the bed. My breath catches sharply.

"Evie?" Kelly's playful expression fades instantly. "You alright?"

"I'm—I'm fine," I stammer, trying to steady myself. "But I think you should probably head home now. I really don’t feel good."

She hesitates, worry clear in her narrowed eyes. "You sure? You look pale."

"I'm sure," I insist, forcing a weak smile. "Just tired."

Reluctantly, Kelly nods, grabbing her purse from the chair. "Call if you need anything."

I bob my head silently, waiting until she's gone to bury my face in shaking hands.

My mind races, anxiety clawing its way up my throat. What could Darren possibly want now? I gave him everything he asked for—unless he's finally ready to destroy my family once and for all.