Chapter 38
Wylder
The guyscrowd around Evie at her words as the rightness of them hits me directly in the chest.
To think Vivianne would betray Evie…it’s unbelievable – but as she once again tells us the story of meeting Viv, how Viv left before Wade approached Evangeline at the bar…Even down to how Viv never wanted to meet the man who was helping her best friend commitmurder…I realize the truth just as Evie has.
Vivianne played us all.
Evie wipes at her eyes, her voice hard as steel as she looks up at me. “I’m going to kill her.”
I continue to rub her back, never once moving from my place behind her but continuing to offer support. Kortez and Roman sit on the coffee table in front of her, the wood groaning but neither of them bothering to move as they try to get more information from her.
Atlas is pacing. He could never be seen as a gentle man but right now, he looks just like the king he said he was. His dark hair is slicked back from his forehead, showing off the tattoos he has on his neck that disappear under his shirt. His tan skin ripples as he tenses, his fists clenching and unclenching as he mutters to himself.
Evie shakes her head and looks down at her palms, “I need a new plan. She knowseverything.She knows where I hide the spare key, where my security cameras are…where – fuck! Abel!”
She shoots off the chair, immediately running for the door where her car keys sit on a little hook. I jump up, grabbing her around her waist and pulling her back into my chest. “Evie.”
I let out a grunt as she throws her elbow back into my stomach, but I don’t let her loose. I nuzzle my head into her neck, pressing a soft kiss right underneath her ear. “Evangeline, calm down.”
“Calm down? You calm down! That bitch could go after my son!” She continues to struggle, her groans of aggravation growing until Atlas comes to stand in front of her.
“Eve, I have men watching Abel at school. He’s safe. They won’t let anything happen to him.” Her body deflates as she looks up into his eyes. “I assigned him a protection detail as soon as I got here. They’re staying out of the way, but they can get to him in seconds if anything was to go wrong.” He reaches down and places his hands on her cheeks, trapping her between the two of us. “Our son is safe,Reginetta.”
She nods and he places a kiss on her lips. “Are you sure?”
I cut Atlas off, squeezing her in my arms. “Abel is safe, Evie. He’s always been safe.”
She spins around, confusion clouding her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Now it’s my turn to smirk. “I’ve had people watching you two for years. I get reports when any of you go anywhere, even down to when Abel gets to school and leaves.”
I hear a hum and look up to see Atlas’s hard facepainted with respect. “Thank you, Wylder. They must be good, my men haven’t noticed anyone watching them.”
I shrug, “When Markus and I left California, a lot of the crew came with us. They’re free of the life now but they still have the training and the knowledge of a member. Abel’s teacher, Carolina, is the wife of one of our old lieutenants. The bus driver’s street name was Typhoon. I have people infiltrated into every aspect of your life, Evie.”
Her once tense body is now completely lax in my arms. “I think I should be upset you invaded my life like that but fortunately for you, I like that brand of crazy.” She reaches up and rubs at my arm that’s still holding her hostage. “Thank you, Wyld.”
I kiss the back of her head.I guess I should tell her my secret since she’s spilled her own.“Tara is mine, too.”
Sounds of shock spill throughout the room as Evie turns around, her eyes wide. “Tara? Vivianne’s Tara?”
I nod, “She actually hates Vivianne. She’s been asking me if she can leave for months now, and I almost let her, but I told her to wait until we knew what was going on with…” I reach up and motion to Atlas, Roman, and Kortez. “These three.”
Kortez stands from his spot and approaches. “I did a dive into her when I was looking at Vivianne. Viv was spotless, not having a paper trail until right before you met her, if my timeline is right. Even so, I couldn’t ever get anything concrete on her.” He shrugs. “I wanted to think she just needed a fresh start, but I should’ve known it was too clean.”
He reaches over and steals Evie out of my arms.I guess I should get used to that. One woman and four men…things are bound to get close – and sometimes fuckingselfish.
“I’m sorry, Evie. I wanted to be wrong about her, and I’ve threatened your safety because of that – this family’s safety.”
She brushes the curls from his face. “I know, Kor. You don’t have to put all this pressure on yourself, it was me who didn’t realize what was in front of me all this time and –did you pierce your fucking eyebrow?”
Sure enough, there’s a fresh-looking piercing in his brow that I don’t remember seeing before. Roman comes over to look and Atlas lets out a short laugh. “When and why did you decide to pierce your eyebrow, Kortez?”
His eyes shoot over to me and Roman at my side. “Couldn’t sleep.”
Roman’s face flushes red as I feel a smirk come across my face. “I’m not sorry.”
