Her eyes widened, meeting mine with visible shock.
“Derek… what are you doing?”
I said nothing and simply put more pressure on my thumb, drawing her sweet mouth open just a bit more. Fuck, I wanted to taste her. Throw her over the hood of the car and fuck her until I replaced her pain with pleasure.
There was something to be said about how beautiful she looked under the glow of the stars. The depraved part of me wondered if her tears would gleam just as lovely when they slid down that tender skin and cried out my name.
“I’m going to ask you again. And you’re going to answer—Who did this?”
“I-I don’t know. They broke in and tried to…” She paused and looked away. “They were after Rayne.”
“Who?”
Evangelina broke from my grasp and turned toward her car, motioning for someone in the passenger seat to step out. My eyes narrowed at an obscure figure moving behind the tinted glass. When the door popped open, as irrational as it was, I instinctively placed myself in front of Eva.
A young girl shuffled out from behind the door, shoulders slumped and a black hood over her head, partially covering the top half of her face. Her footsteps were slow and cautious as she approached. And like Evangelina, the girl’s face was bruised with spatters of dried blood. However, unlike Evangelina, I didn’t give a single fuck.
“What is this?” I asked with a clipped tone, turning to a much more resolute woman than the one from mere seconds ago.
“She’s a friend, Derek. And I need your help.” Just as I was about to object, the warmth of her hand on my forearm made me pause and listen. “I know you and me… we just met, but I don’t know who else to ask.”
* * *
My mind was reeling, hands buzzing, shaking with the need to spill blood and wreak havoc whenever I looked at Evangelina.
What was more maddening was that she didn’t seem concerned about herself in the least. Her only focus was on the girl, which, if I were being honest, resembled more of a stray, beaten dog than a woman of twenty-one years. She was severely underweight, skittish, and withdrawn. Her gaze hadn’t deviated from the floor in the half-hour since she’d sat on my sofa.
“You’re asking me if she can stay here?”
“I know I’ve no right to ask, and you can say no, but I just need to think, maybe talk to my partner...”
The girl, Rayne, shot up and wrapped her hand around Eva’s arm, holding on with what looked to be a death grip.
“You can’t tell anyone, Eva. Please, they’ll find me.”
“I can’t keep this a secret. They broke into my house and assaulted us both. These men need to be held accountable. I have to do my job.”
The girl swatted Eva’s arm away and pushed to her feet, pointing an accusatory finger near her face. “Fuck! You just don’t get it.”
My jaw ticked. She was testing my patience. Deimos stood on all fours at the commotion, causing the girl to back up and crawl back into her spot on the couch.
“Rayne, please understand.”
“You’re the one who doesn’t hear me.”
Again, she slapped at Evangelina’s outstretched hand, and I leaned forward, forearms casually draped over my knee. “Stop.” Both women looked my way. “Don’traise your voice in my home. And if you even think of lifting another hand to her, I suggest you reconsider.” My tone was calm. Even. The implicit threat loud and clear behind each syllable.
Of course, my words were meant for the girl, but my gaze was centered on the only one who mattered. And just like that, Eva and I were locked in another heated stare-down.
“There’s a guest room down that hall and a bathroom for you to get cleaned up. Second door on your left,” I said, hoping to be rid of the girl for the time being.
Rayne didn’t protest or ask a single question. She stormed past me and disappeared down said hall.
Rising to my feet, I extended my hand to Eva. “Let’s get you cleaned up too.” She stared at it for several moments before placing her smaller hand in mine and letting me lead her toward the main floor staircase, where she came to an abrupt stop.
“Where are we going?”
“The antiseptic and bandages are in my bathroom.” That was a half-truth, as there was a first aid kit on the first floor. But what would be the fun in that?
