I wasn’t the man she thought I was. Evangelina had no idea who I truly was. The depravity and chaos I was capable of. She’d never understand my past and the darkness lurking within me. And most importantly, she could never fathom nor forgive the horrific things I’d done.
Whatever this was, whatever bewitching spell she had cast on me couldn’t be. Falling for her was never the plan. She was supposed to be mine to ruin. To make that bastard roll in his grave. She was…
Fuck.
She was beautiful.
Light.
I hadn’t realized when she’d gotten off the bench, but she was picking up the lost hotdogs from the ground and tossing them into a trash bin. God, did she have to be so goddamn virtuous? And when the hell had that particular trait ever mattered to me?
I needed to clear my head. To get away from her.
“Eva, did you drive here?”
She nodded slowly. Her red-rimmed eyes were narrowed, sad. I’d disappointed her with my indifference.
“Yeah, my car’s back by the coffee spot.”
“I’ll walk you. I just—I...”
Was I fucking stammering?
“Derek,” she said, throwing her bag over her shoulder, “is there something wrong?”
“No. Why?”
“It’s just that, one moment, you’re—I don’t know. But now you’re… acting differently.”
I shoved my hands into my pockets and started down the sidewalk. The mask firmly back in place, and my feelings locked away where they belonged.
“You brought up a sore subject. That’s all.”
I stopped when I couldn’t feel the warmth of her presence close by. I turned to find her still standing by the bench, staring at me with those beautiful brown eyes. They were pleading for something I couldn’t give her.
If I cut her from my life, it would save us both from the inevitable fallout later.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. If I’d known—”
“So drop it.” My tone was harsh, causing her to rear back as if I’d hit her.
She clutched the strap of her bag and shook her head indignantly. “I don’t understand you.”
“Of course you don’t, princess. We come from two different worlds.”
“Princess?” She rolled her eyes and started down the sidewalk. “Don’t bother walking me to my car,” Eva clipped as she moved past me.
“Eva?” She stopped, but didn’t turn around. This was a defining moment. I had to kill whatever fire, whatever forbidden emotion this was brewing between us. Fucking her was one thing. But feelings—I didn’t do feelings. I didn’t know how to feel. “I don’t need you to understand, nor do I want your sympathy. And you can keep your tears. They mean nothing and won’t change a damn thing.”
Her shoulders stiffened for the briefest moment before she took off down the street and around the corner without another word. And while I warred with every fiber of my being to go after her and apologize, I remained in place, fists clenched at my sides.
This was the way things had to be.
But if that was true, why was there another sentiment overpowering my every thought?
Mine.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
