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If she learned anything last night, it was that she couldn’t trust herself with Krieger. The draw to be with him was too strong. She couldn’t stay here. . . near him.If she was committing to peace, then she needed to be all in and not distracted.
Her father sat on the edge of his desk and adjusted his glasses. “Eva, are you sure about that? How about I put in the agreement that your time needs to be split between the two settlements?” He eased off the desk and grabbed the contract.
“No. I mean, it’s fine. I think change will be good for me. Really.” Eva bounced her foot as the tension in the room peaked.
Samuel pressed his mouth into a thin line. “Eva, you’re still my daughter. I’m not going to be okay with never seeing you again.”
Eva stood and made her way to the door, pausing before reaching for the handle. “I’ll come and visit, Dad. But I think it’s best I get to know—” A pressure weighed on her chest. How could she say the word? Just tell him what he needs to hear. She took a deep breath. “My new husband.”
She white knuckled the door handle. “It’s what’s best for everyone. So, send my agreement over to Stone Haven and tell the council they canannounce that the peace agreement has been secured at the Harvest Celebration. The feud will be put to rest, and the people will be safe. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She turned the knob, easing it open as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t face him as she said, “I’m happy, Dad, really.”
She walked out into the cool air and marched toward her hut. She just had to get to the privacy of her room before anyone saw the glistening in her eyes and the pain etched on her face that she couldn’t hide.
What a fool she had been. She thought she could say goodbye to Krieger, but spending the evening with him had only made her feelings grow stronger. How had she become so attached to him?
Damn him.
She had a plan, a mission. She had made a vow to herself years ago.This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. Being in control, following orders, and not getting close to anyone—that’s what she was good at.
She stepped off the bridge and descended a small flight of stairs. Her room was just around the corner. Almost there. Loose strands of hair fell into her face as a breeze blew down the corridor, and the sky had darkened with her mood, the air heavy with the scent of rain.
As she rounded the corner, the tightness in her throat verged on being painful. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. She would have a good cry, feel sorry for herself, and then maybe she would feel better. Just need to get behind closed doors.
When she got to her hut, Derek was leaning against the door. His tall, slender frame faced away from her. A gasp escaped her, and she quickly brushed the tears out of her eyes.
He turned as her footsteps approached, and that’s when she noticed his face.
His jaw was set, and his lips were drawn into a grimace. “We need to talk,” he said as she stopped at her room.
She opened her door and stepped inside, not wanting to look him in the eye any more than she already had.
“Not now, Derek.” She began to close the door, but his foot braced against the opening, preventing her from shutting it. “What the hell, Derek?”
He forced the opening wide with his weight and edged her out of the way, pushing her farther into the room, then closed the door and paced back and forth in the small space. The filtered light from the window made him look menacing. A rumble of thunder filled the deafening silence that stretched out between them.
Her heart hammered in her chest. She’d known Derek a long time, never feared him, yet Krieger had warned her about him and said he had a bad feeling about the guy.
“What’s this about, Derek?”
She backed against the wall so he couldn’t get behind her, her knife only an arm’s reach away in the holder on her ankle.
He slowed his steps and looked to her. When he moved toward her, she sucked in a breath, ready to grab her knife. With a pained expression, he braced his arms on either side of her head. “I-I heard.” He punched the delicate wall and then hung his head.
“You heard? Heard what?”
He lifted his head, his dark gaze locking onto her. “I heard what you were talking with your father about. What you’re agreeing to.”
Shit. The noise outside her father’s office.
Eva’s chest rose and fell as the anxiety rolled off Derek in waves.
“Derek, you were eavesdropping? Why don’t you sit down and we can talk—”
His fist connected with the wall, harder this time, breaking through the first layer of wood. She just managed to spin her head away from his fist and the splintering wood.
“No, you have to listen to me, this... it’s all my fault. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I-I can fix it...”
“Derek, what are you talking about? Slow down.”
