She waved me off. “No need to thank me. You’re my sister, Ev. I don’t know what he did to break you so deeply, but I will help you get over him, okay?”
My eyes filled with tears, and I looked away, absently watching the world go by as people went about their lives while I was stuck in this endless vortex of sadness and betrayal. There was no end in sight. It was as if Derek was embedded beneath my skin and part of my bloodstream. Everything held reminders of him, even Diego.
“Hey, no crying allowed in my car. You’ll ruin my leather.”
A sob and a humorless laugh broke from my lips as I wiped under my eyes.
“I’m trying here, Lex.”
The crushing pressure in my throat gave way to more sobs, and I bowed my head, using my hair to hide my face and the pain and despair I knew she’d see there.
Alexa pulled into a parking lot and threw the car in park before quickly enveloping me in a tight hug. Our bodies shuddered as I cried into her shoulder for a good ten minutes, and she let me, rubbing soothing circles across my back.
“Okay,” she said, pushing hair out of my face. “Now that we got that out, let’s take deep breaths and relax.”
She wiped beneath her eyes with the back of her finger and fanned her face.
“I’m sorry,” I said in a hushed tone. “You must think I’m pathetic. He’s just a guy, right?”
“Look, you’re already bumming, so don’t make me slap some sense into you on top of that.” She pulled me into another hug, and I lay my head on her shoulder. “Of course I don’t think you’re pathetic. Your heart is broken, Ev. Been there, done that. But you’re going to grieve that loss, pick yourself up and move on because you’re EvangelinafuckingCruz, and he’s the biggest idiot in Philly for losing you.”
She wouldn’t be saying those things if she knew I was upset over a serial murderer and the man who had tortured and killed James.
“I wish it were that simple. I just… I don’t know what to do with all of this.” I gestured to my heart. “I love him, Lex. I love him so fucking much that it physically hurts.”
“Oh, Eva,” she whispered, cradling my trembling face.
“I hate him just as much too.”
“Good. Channel that and push out everything else. He doesn’t deserve any more of your tears. You’re a fucking goddess, okay.”
I laughed through the tears and threw my arms around her. “Let’s go. I am a little hungry all of a sudden.”
“Perfect!”
Alexa kissed my forehead and stepped out of the car. As I grabbed my bag, I heard male voices and Lex addressing them, but her tone was higher pitched than usual, distressed. No sooner had I held the door handle, my cousin’s body slammed against the car’s side so violently that it rocked from side to side. Before I could process what was happening, two loud cracks and a man in all black stood over her, beating her with his fists.
No, no. Shit.
I pulled my gun and jumped out of the car.
“Stop! Get away from her.”
It was all I got to say before hard steel pushed against the back of my head.
“Put it down,” a thickly accented voice commanded near my ear. “And if you try anything at all, he will shove his gun in that dirty mouth of hers. Is that what you want?”
Dmitry Belov.
I shook my head slowly. “Why are you doing this?”
“Oh, I’m just here to collect what’s mine. And you know that saying, if you want something done, do it yourself and all that? Well, here I am.”
One of his henchmen grabbed the gun from my hands, and Dmitry quickly pushed me against the car, his body flush against my back.
“So you’re the little angel of death responsible for my brother’s murder. You know, I saw your pictures and knew you were beautiful, but I see now they did you no justice.”
The tip of his nose grazed my shoulder while his other hand smoothed up my torso and under my breast.
