I don’t miss the flicker of confusion that passes over his face. He tilts his head, and his dark brows lower over suspicious eyes. “You said Eve’s seen them.”
“Yes, she has. She was with me this morning.”
“With you.” There is a dangerous undercurrent to his response. It takes him a moment before he puts my remark into context. “You don’t mean guarding her.”
“No, Beck. She spent the weekend with me at my place.” His gaze hardens as I speak. I don’t know if the truth will make things better or worse between us, but either way he has to know. “We’ve become . . . involved. I’m in love with her.”
He scoffs, incredulous. “What the hell do you mean, you’re in love with her?”
“I want her to be part of my life. I think she wants that too.”
“You’re telling me you fucked my sister?”
He leans hard on the accusation. I can’t argue that he’s got a right to be disgusted with me. Hell, I’m disgusted with myself for breaking my friend’s trust. But I can’t apologize for how I feel about Evelyn.
“I realize this isn’t what you want to hear, especially right now. But I’m not asking for your permission, Beck. I love her—”
I’m not expecting his punch. It comes up on my left and cracks me hard under the jaw. I stagger back on my prosthesis, tasting blood in my mouth.
“You son of a bitch,” Beck hisses. “She’s not one of Jared Rush’s shiny, brainless playthings from one of his clubs. She’s my sister.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
He glowers at me, fury rolling off him. “Your job was to protect her, not fuck her and put her in danger. You were supposed to watch over her. Keep her safe, whatever that took. That was your promise to me, Gabe. Goddamn it, that’s what you’re being paid to do.”
I feel a shift in the charged air that surrounds us. Then I hear the sudden, hitched inhalation from somewhere behind me.
I swivel my head and see Evelyn standing in the open doorway.
My heart sinks when I see her stricken expression.
“Gabe . . . is that true?”
30
~ Evelyn ~
I don’t know what hurts my heart more—seeing Gabe’s cut lip and guilty expression, or hearing Andrew state that Gabe’s being paid to care about what happens to me.
“Is it true?”
“Evelyn.” Gabe takes a step toward me and I take one back.
As much as I want to feel his arms around me, as much as I need his comfort after everything that happened this morning, first, I have to know.
“Am I part of your job description?”
His hazel eyes flick down, and it’s as if the floor beneath me has gone soft. “I wanted to tell you. I should have.”
I draw air into my lungs, but it doesn’t feel like enough to keep me standing. I am alreadywrung out and shaken after seeing the hideous photos and ugly words wielded against me like weapons in the hands of an invisible enemy.
Now, I feel as if I am looking a different enemy in the face.
Both of them.
Andrew’s voice is solemn with concern. “Evie, the important thing here is you’re okay.”
Mutely, I shake my head. I’m not looking at my brother. I’m staring at Gabriel Noble. The man whose silence is breaking my heart.
