Chapter 18 Evie #3
When he finally stood straight, he looked down, his hand running up my neck until his thumb pushed under my chin, making me look up at him now.
“You’ll live. Now answer me, are you okay?” he asked, the soft tone seeping in.
“I’m fine. A few scuffs and my clothes are now trashed.”
“He didn’t hurt you?”
“No. I hurt him first.”
He smiled—a slow, almost reverent thing—before his hands slid along the sides of my neck, warm and grounding, fingers trailing until they cupped my jaw. His touch was firm but careful, like he was committing this moment to memory as much as I was.
My heart stalled, then kicked back to life in a frantic stutter. My breath hitched as I tried—and failed—to look away, caught in Aiden’s gaze, feeling like I was something he was proud of, something he wanted to keep.
He didn’t speak right away. Only stood there, his thumb brushing the edge of my jaw in slow, lazy strokes, as if he had all the time in the world. The heat of his skin sent a shiver down my spine, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the warmth or the way his touch felt like a claim.
“Good,” he murmured, his voice rough.
For a second, I thought he might lean in. The space between us was so small, his body practically curled around mine, his breath warm against my cheek. His eyes were dark, heavy, lingering.
I could only imagine how damning this would look if one of the guys pulled up right now.
Then—a sigh. A slow, reluctant exhale, as if he were letting something go.
Not something—he was letting go of me.
“But if you can’t learn to not hit arteries, then you deserve the arterial spray,” he said, making me freeze.
“Excuse me?” I froze, my brain trying to catch up to the critical words.
He pushed away, his face falling into indifference again as he stepped closer to the dead body and farther from me. He pulled out his phone again, this time hitting buttons, his attention on me lost.
“I said, you deserve the blood and ruined clothes if you are going to hit major arteries. They spray blood and you should know this.”
“Yeah, I do know that, you ass. I was more interested in not being murdered, and he’s the idiot that pulled out the knife when I told him not to.”
His hand twitched, his face twisting with a smile for a split second before hiding all his emotions again.
“Well, now you can remember to do both next time. Not get murdered and not be close enough for the blood spray.”
“Wow, thanks, you’re a joy tonight. I’ll put learn to kill correctly on my to-do list. And what’s the difference anyway, if you are stalking me every time I leave the house alone? Might as well start encouraging people to jump me so you can come in and save the day like you love to do, Ace.”
A low, annoyed growl echoed next to me as his phone rang.
“No more than you love to get yourself into trouble, Psycho.”
After one brief conversation with Hero, Aiden was back in front of me, glaring down with every ounce of caring and warmth gone.
“You can wait in the car until they get here. I’ll park my bike near the body and hope no one comes around this time of night.”
“Why would I wait in the car?”
“Because you’re covered in blood, which might make people look twice.”
“So are you?”
“Evie.” My name was a command again. “Get in the car and sit there, warm and semi comfortable, until I take care of this.”
“I’m not—”
He took three steps, pressing against me again.
“Incapable? Obviously, but I don’t think you want to attempt to pick up a full-grown man’s bloody, dead body, do you?
You can be taken care of without it meaning you aren’t capable of doing this yourself.
You know damn well I’m always proud of you for handling things, but you did, and it’s over.
Get in the car and relax until I move the body.
If you don’t, I worry I won’t be able to stop from putting you on my bike and taking you home immediately. ”
I shook my head, speechless at his commanding tone mixed with kind words.
“And along with that, I would also assume you would like to stay warm while we wait for help?” I suppressed a grin—it was basically a bribe, but he knew it would work. I hated any bit of being cold and uncomfortable.
I nodded again, and he leaned down, his lips inches from mine as he reached over to pull open my driver’s door.
“Then be good for once and wait until everyone gets here.”
“Be good for once? I’m good all the time.”
He grabbed my arm, yanking me down to the seat and pushing my legs in. He was over me again, his tall frame filling the entire door. “You’re never good, you’re trouble.”
I grinned, finding my opening to win again.
“Then punish me.”
His face fell, and he didn’t say a word as he stood up and slammed the door shut.
Maybe I should have been mad he didn’t move for more, and maybe I should have pushed the door back open to lay into him harder, but I didn’t do any of it. Instead, I leaned my seat back, getting warm and comfortable like Aiden had insisted I do, and waited.
But now I worried about what exactly I was waiting for and how long I would be doing it.