AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Your father accepted?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“Yeah, but now he wants more,” Isabella says, a grin on her face. “He’s seen how weak Declan is, how desperate for control, and he knows he can exploit him.”
I frown, knowing this was how things would play out. Declan was stupid if he thought ceding a small amount of control to the DeLuccis would be enough for them.
“What else is he planning?” I ask, stepping closer to her.
“I’m done talking. Let me go now, or I’ll make sure that my father takes your precious little pet again—and finishes the job this time.”
“Not if you want to walk out of here,” I warn her. “You so much as look in her direction, I’ll find you again and end you.”
A flicker of fear runs through her, but she maintains her composure.
“Doyle, let her down,” I order. She’s shivering now, adrenaline long since worn off, and the cold is beginning to seep into her bones. She rubs her wrists as I turn her to face away from me.
“You know how this works,” I tell her. “We’ll drop you back in your territory if you cooperate.”
She curls her lip but puts her arms behind her back, cooperating as I begin tying her up. At the very last second, I wrench her arm up her back hard, enjoying the scream that she lets out as the bone breaks.
I might have promised to take her back, but I never promised to take her back in one piece.
36
EVANGELINE
After working on things with Ryder, and promising to be patient with him, my next target is Oliver. It’s harder to pin him down since he seems elusive most days, rising before me and getting home much later than I can stay awake.
Finally, I manage to corner him at the bottom of the stairs just as he’s on his way out. He looks tired, as though he’d been up late and risen early.
“I need to go,” Oliver says, pushing past me to head out, but I step in front of him again, hands on my hips to block his way.
“I don’t think so,” I tell him, narrowing my eyes. I’m sure he could move me physically if he wanted to, but he just sighs.
“Eva, I can’t do this right now,” he mutters.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” I tell him, tone flat and leaving no room for argument.
Oliver’s eyes darken. “I’ve been busy,” he says. “I can’t cater to your every whim just because you’re pregnant with our baby.”
“Don’t start that with me,” I say, curling my lip. “You’re just trying to push me away. I know it. You haven’t acted like that with me in a long time.”
“I guess I have been avoiding you,” Oliver admits. “There’s been some stuff going on… stuff that we’ve tried to protect you from.”
I almost roll my eyes but stop. “I know you guys have been working on trying to bring Declan down,” I tell him. “I’m not stupid. I’m the one who gave you the files on him. And I know that you think he was the one behind my kidnapping.”
Oliver sighs. “It’s not just that. I’m dangerous, Eva. I’m a dangerous man and I’ve got a dark side that not many people know about.”
“Oliver, I don’t understand where this is coming from.”
Oliver moves past me, pacing the length of the hall, footsteps echoing on the marble tile. “You don’t get it,” he says. “I haven’t been able to sleep at night. Every time I try to go to sleep, all I can think about is when we got the call that the DeLuccis took you. You’re in danger with us, Evangeline,” he says, voice rising in frustration. “Every moment you spend with us, your life is at risk. It would be better for you if you left us, if you escaped and never looked back.”
“Are you finished?” I ask, tilting my head. Oliver stares at me, and I roll my eyes. “You don’t think I know that being around you means being in danger? News flash, I have quite a good idea of what being near the three of you means for me.”
“But…”
“Also, maybe if you and your brothers were around more, you’d notice that Bridget has pulled Seamus to work as my bodyguard. I’m protected twenty-four, seven now.”
Oliver looks guilty like he hadn’t realized. “The three of you need to get over yourselves. You don’t think I remember what it was like when I first came here? That I’ve so easily forgotten what the dark side of you looks like? I know who you are. I know you can be dark, cruel, and uncaring. But I know how to handle you now. I know how to call you out when you’ve gone too far. I know how to stand up for myself. Also, Bridget isn’t going to let you get away with anything, either.”
