Page 34 of The Warrior's Salvation

"We'll be ready," I tell him, nodding at my own glass.

"I'll keep her under lock and key," Draco breathes. It makes me feel better knowing he understands this risk.

I have to understand why they'd target her, and I have to find out why very quickly, before she gets any stupid ideas again. If being shot at doesn't sober her, nothing will, and something tells me whatever it was Connelly wanted, he's not going to stop until he gets it. He'll come back, and when he does, I'll find out how deep this rabbit hole goes.

25

EVIE

As I dab on the last bit of eyeliner and check my appearance, I think of my car left at the docks. It was running with the door open and I have no way of knowing whether someone there shut it down and locked it up for me. Da knows enough people who work there that someone might have taken care of it, but until I go to find out, I have no clue where it even is. Which means begging for a ride to work from Jasper. He's used to it now after Lochlan’s petty orders to have someone chauffeur me.

I pause for a beat, letting my shoulders sink. It was the first indication that he cared about me and I was so upset with him for "micromanaging" me that I didn't see it for what it was. He wanted me safe and he was just horrible at showing it. I feel horrible for being so callous with him when he deserved better. I was lost in my own stress and grief. I couldn't see anything else.

I pick up my phone and grab a sweater in case the office is cold, then head into the main house where I find Jasper wearing sweats and a T-shirt, seated at the kitchen table to enjoy his breakfast. His hair sticks up at odd angles, sleepy eyes trained on me as I shut the sliding glass door at the back of the house.

"Why aren't you ready?" Looking at the microwave clock, I see it's twenty 'til nine, so we only have a few minutes to be on the road or we'll both be late.

"Not going," he says with his mouth full, dripping milk down his chin to his sweats below.

"Feck, well can I borrow your car? Mine's at the docks." I don't let him know why it's there or that it may very well have been stolen along with my wallet, but he doesn’t seem to care.

"No can do." He takes another bite before his other one is fully swallowed and speaks with his mouth full of food.

"God, you're such a jerk. Why not?" My hand plants on my hip as I drop my sweater on the back of the chair next to him. We haven't had a good bickering match in ages because I thought he grew up. When I took the job at the union, I thought it showed some maturity on my part, and it showed me how grown up he seemed too. All of this is just rude.

"Da said. He wants you to stay home today. Probably tomorrow too. There's a few things to work out round the office and?—"

"Ugh!" I growl, stomping a foot. Both of my hands curl to fists at my sides in fury. "No, I'm not a child. I don't need a man telling me what to do. Get your keys and let me take your car to work."

Jasper flicks a glance at my face and scowls. "You think I like sitting on the sidelines to play babysitter? You got yourself into a mess, and now we have to clean it up."

I'm about to retort something nasty when the guilt clamps my jaw shut. I don't know exactly what he means or what he knows, but if Lochlan told my father about Darren Connelly, it makes sense that he's keeping me locked up at home. I have no car to go anywhere on my own, either, so I can't even look into it and find out what Da knows. Unless Mum will let me take her car.

Luckily, before my own guilt and shame can give me away, Mum strolls into the room with a serious expression. "You two, knock it off. We have company." It's been a while since Mum scolded us for bickering too. It makes me feel shameful, like a naughty child whose parents disapprove. "Evelyn, you have company. Please come into the living room." Her tone shifts on a dime, and I scowl at Jasper as I walk past.

The only person in the world I can think of who might come over this time of day is Lochlan, but if he wanted something from me, he'd just come to my apartment. I move toward the living room with purpose, not really knowing what to expect, but as I round the corner and see Elvin Murphy seated in my father's recliner with his expensive white suit and dark blue shirt, unbuttoned at the top to show off his chest hair, I cringe.

"Mum," I whisper, but she doesn't hear me. She continues into the living room and sits down across from him in her normal seat, leaving the spot at the end of the sofa nearest to Elvin for me to sit in.

He smiles as he sees me enter. Charm oozes off him like puss from an infection, and for the first time I realize how little I actually care for this man. I've known him for years, since we were both preteens, but who he's become, the thing his father has turned him into, isn't at all attractive to me.

Elvin stands as I approach under Mum's watchful eye. I can't be disrespectful, so I offer my hand, which he kisses—not nearly as smoothly as Lochlan would've—and then he sits. My heart is hammering against my ribs begging to be loosed. The anger that wants to explode at my mum for this little set-up, and at my father for locking me away, gets tidily locked behind a plastic smile as I settle on the couch.

"Evelyn, it's so good to see you." He sinks into Da's chair, smoothing his shirt over his chest. The act draws my attention to the flashy rings on his fingers, the expensive watch on his wrist and the tattoo peeking from the cuff of his shirt. He's put together, but there is still a hint of rebellion about him. It's part of him I've always liked but figured would be trained out of him by the time he got to marrying age.

"Elvin, Mum didn’t tell me you'd be here. You'll have to forgive my late entry." I'm flustered, wanting to snap at my mother for this, but the wheels in my head are turning, trying to make it all make sense.

Lochlan snatched me off the street at the docks in a crazy rescue, then shuttled me home to bed like a good little girl. He tells Da something that has Da locking me up at home and Jasper telling me I'm a fuck-up, and now Mum has Elvin Murphy in our living room. It's spun way too far out of control and things just went from calm talks I'm not ready for to actual courting. He's here in my parents' living room courting me.

"Elvin, if you will excuse me for a moment. I need to speak to my mum…" I glance at her, and she gives me a determined look.

"No, dear, Elvin is here to see you. We can begin discussing the arrangement."

I hate how she says the word arrangement like it's not my entire life she's fucking with. I am in love with Lochlan, not Elvin Murphy, and I don’t want to marry him. I don't know what I want. I just know he's not going to like it when he finds out I'm pregnant, and if she's not careful, I'm going to throw up all over her Persian rug.

"Surely, he can wait a few more minutes while we go talk for a second." I keep my jaw firm, hands folded in my lap. I've been trained what to do, taught how to act, but I'm sick of being the fucking good girl who gets shoved toward things she doesn’t want. I am a grown woman who makes her own choices. I'm pregnant with another man's baby. I can't marry Elvin.

"Evie, we've been looking forward to this for years. At least, I have. I'd love it if we could finally make the plans to wed." Elvin's voice sounds sincere. For a second, I feel a twinge of guilt at wanting to cut off the agreement. His expression is full of compassion too. I know him. He's a good man, albeit a bit flashy, but kind hearted. "I hope to make a good life for you, one fuller than your father's humble businesses can provide—one that's more secure."

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