Derek framed my face with both hands and kissed the tip of my nose.
“Don’t ever scare me like this again. Why aren’t you taking care of yourself? Your nurse said you were severely dehydrated. What have you eaten today?”
A feeling between annoyance and shame crawled up my neck.
“It’s not something I can control all the time.”
“I know,” he whispered, brushing his lips over mine.
God, I wanted to close the small distance and relish in the taste of him, but as I closed my eyes and cupped his hands, I felt cold metal press beneath my palm.
His ring.
I opened my eyes and lowered our joined hands, staring at the dark piece of jewelry. He’d told me once it was an heirloom, a family crest, but the pieces were slowly falling into place.Bound by blood. His signet ring symbolized his alliance and oath to the organization he’d been bound to. The piece was a stark reminder of what he was and all he’d done.
Maybe James hadn’t been a model citizen, but he also hadn’t deserved such a cruel death at the hands of his own son.
Releasing Derek’s hands, I looked away and hugged my body as I fought with everything I had not to cry again.
He was silent for what seemed hours, the tension between us thick and nearly suffocating.
“You know, Eva, I can’t change who I’ve been or wash away the sins of my past. I just want an opportunity to love you.”
I knew that if I looked at him, I would either sob like a child or jump into his arms. And I wanted neither. My emotions were much too raw and too vulnerable for sound decision-making. As much as I wanted him to stay, I also needed him to leave.
“Mine,” he growled into my ear.
The cot dipped when he shifted his weight to kiss my temple. And without another word, he was gone.
Again.
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
EVANGELINA
Diego was curled up beside me on the chaise sofa, tail flicking from side to side as his little ears perked up whenever the rain outside strengthened, or the wind picked up. I scratched the top of his head, and he purred, rubbing it affectionately against my thigh as I ended my phone call with Catherine. While Sam would never be the man or officer he once was, he was alive and alert.
My eyes drifted out the window for probably the hundredth time in thirty minutes. But Derek was late and most likely not coming, especially not with this torrential downpour.
For the last two weeks, since I’d been on leave, he hadn’t missed a day. Every morning, he hand-delivered a full day’s worth of meals. His note had said he’d hired a renowned chef to cook the meals in his home since he knew I was too stubborn to accept it be done in mine. And he was right. But that wasn’t where it ended. One morning, I woke up to his Bentley in my driveway and a text letting me know he’d taken my car to get an inspection since the due date was coming up shortly. He made sure to add that he would have just gifted me a new car, but knew I wouldn’t accept such an extravagant and unnecessary gift.
Again, he’d been right.
He hadn’t attempted to speak to me outside of text messages and explained that he wanted to grant me space and time to reconsider our relationship.
While I’d give anything to wrap myself around him, what my heart and brain wanted were two different things.
It was a quarter past seven, and there was no indication Derek would show up. Not that I wanted him to. While the rain had slowed in the past half hour, it was still coming down pretty hard; coupled with the darkness of night, it made for dangerous road conditions.
I set down my e-reader, intent on walking into the kitchen for some peanuts, when I saw lights flash across my window and the sound of tires over wet gravel.
My pulse began racing as I flew to the glass, Diego jumping up on the windowsill, obstructing my view.
“Move, Diego!”
Derek jumped from the driver’s side and put his hands on his hips, as though contemplating his next move as the rain pelted him. The meals usually came in weatherproof packaging, so I wasn’t sure what he was worried about.
“He’s trying to figure out how to get to the porch.” Diego glanced at me, and then brought his attention back to Derek.
