Chapter 37 Everett
THIRTY-SEVEN
EVERETT
fine
Irespond to Kashton, but there’s a smile on my face. I like that no matter how much I push him away, he doesn’t let me get far.
I enter Bill’s office, wondering why the hell he’s got me coming in for the day. I’m sure it’s something he could have called me about.
He sits behind his desk, reading over paperwork, and removes his glasses when he looks up to see me enter. “Hello, Eve.” He smiles.
“What do you need to say that couldn’t be said with a phone call?” I demand, and the smile drops off his face. This is going to piss me off.
He sighs heavily and gestures for me to have a seat, but I cross my arms over my chest.
“Kashton came to me the night after the reception,” he begins.
“What did he want?” I ask, getting a bad feeling.
I’m not surprised, really. I told him a lot about myself, and I’m sure he wanted to verify it.
Make sure I wasn’t blowing smoke up their asses.
Bill’s probably mad I ratted out Evan as his son.
He doesn’t claim him. Some people just can’t be helped, and Evan is one of them.
Bill knows that no matter what he does or says, Evan will never change.
I think a part of Bill really loves Sin’s mother, and he would never bring Evan into his life to jeopardize their marriage or her life.
“He asked me to pull some strings.”
I step forward. “Strings for what?”
“He wants to make you his Lady.”
No. This can’t be right. “I can’t… They won’t…” We just had this conversation in his bathtub. Why didn’t he mention it to me then? That would have been the perfect time to say “Hey, by the way, I asked your father to pull some strings with the Lords so I can marry you.”
“Eve.” He comes around his desk and takes my hand.
“It can’t happen,” I whisper. Fucking around is one thing, but to be his wife? I can’t give him anything. “No…”
“You deserve this.”
I rip my hands from his and my chest tightens. “You told him no, right?”
He lowers his eyes to the floor, and my heart races.
“You told him no, right?” I demand when he doesn’t answer the first time.
“Everett—”
“No,” I shout, stepping back. “You can’t be serious.” This is more than what we’ve been doing.
“You deserve this,” he whispers.
“Kashton doesn’t,” I grind out. “They will hurt him. Fuck, Bill, you’re a goddamn Lord, for fuck’s sake. You know what they will do to him. To his family.” His brothers and their wives are all he has left. When they can’t get to him through me, they’ll go after the ones close to him.
I see it all the time when I sit in the cathedral and watch the confessionals. He’s a Spade brother, so they will make an example out of him. “This can’t be happening,” I mumble.
“Hey.” He reaches down for me, but I pull away, not wanting to be touched right now. I’m so mad at both of them. Kashton for not telling me he went to Bill, and Bill for doing whatever the fuck he did to give Kashton what he wants.
What about what I want? You want to belong to someone. You don’t get more owned than being a Lady.
“You will get the life you dream of.” Bill speaks through my rambling thoughts.
I give a rough laugh. “You’ve got jokes.”
He places his hands on my shoulders, and I stiffen at the contact. “Trust me.”
“That’s rich.” A Lord asking someone to trust him?
He sighs. “Your mom always wanted a little girl.” Tears sting my eyes at the mention of my mother. This world took her from me before I ever got to meet her. “And she would be so proud of you.”
“No. She wouldn’t,” I whisper as a lump lodges in my throat. “I’m no one to be proud of.”
He gives me a kind smile. “You’ve survived so much, Eve. I just wish I could have stepped in sooner. Protected you like a father should have protected his daughter.”
I pull back and his arms drop to his sides. Turning, I go to leave, knowing this won’t go anywhere. He’s made up his mind to help Kashton. The door to his office opens and in steps the Lord I want nothing to do with right now.
“Eve.” His green eyes meet my watery ones.
“Adam,” I say and shoulder past him, wanting to get the fuck out of here. I’m pissed and emotional. Never a good mix. “Your sister is a bitch,” I can’t help but add when I shove the door open and storm out.
I’m almost at the elevator when my arm is grabbed and I’m spun around. “Don’t touch me,” I snap.
Adam raises his hands and steps back, giving me some space. I’m on edge. What Kashton has done…the mention of my mother…the Lords don’t believe in fairy tales, so why is Bill trying to sell me one?
Adam shoves his hands into the front pockets of his dress slacks. “How’s she doing?”
“Ask your brothers.”
He sighs heavily. “I can’t do that.” Shaking his head, Adam adds, “I’m not sure they’d tell me the truth anyway.”
“She’s married to Saint but seems hung up on Haidyn. She’s also pregnant, so Charlotte won’t stand up to her. But if I had to bet on a hand-to-hand fight, my money would be on Charlotte.”
“She’s been through a lot.”
I roll my eyes. “She shot her husband. Her husband, who she knew cheated at the vow ceremony to make her his in order to protect her, putting his own life in danger. Then she ran. When all she had to do was go to him, and he would have done anything for her.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“No. It’s not. She created a hostile situation and then cried victim.”
“You’re only saying that because it’s her life. Not yours.”
I give him my back, done with his conversation, and punch the button, waiting for it to open.
“Kash is doing the same for you.”
I stiffen but refuse to look back at him. Of course Adam knows what Kashton has done. He’s probably encouraging it because he knows who I really am. I wonder how his brother would feel if he knew what Adam knows about me.
“Kashton’s trying to save you from this life you hate so much. The life the Lords decided they want you to have. He’s willing to give his life for yours. Just because you don’t pull the trigger doesn’t mean your actions won’t kill him.”
I spin around. “What do you mean give his life for mine?”
“The Lords know if you fail, you can’t be sentenced to be a breeder, so Kashton has agreed to take your punishment.”
My stomach drops. It just keeps getting worse. How can he do this? Risk his life for mine?
“Give yourself more credit, Eve. He may be willing to protect you, but we all know you’ll pass.” With that, he turns and enters Bill’s office just when the elevator dings behind me.
Numbly, I turn around and enter the elevator. I slump against the wall and hang my head.
FUCK.
KASHTON
It’s a quarter to noon when I pull up to Eve’s house. I find the front door unlocked and enter like I own the place. “Everything in My Mind” by Nevertel blares inside.
I check my watch to make sure I’m not too early. Stepping into her kitchen, I find her sitting on the floor, her back resting against the cabinet doors and a bottle of whiskey next to her. She’s dressed in an oversized T-shirt and nothing else.
“Angel?” I crouch down in front of her and place my hands on either side of her face, forcing her eyes to meet mine.
“Are you okay?” I glance at the bottle that has her red lipstick wrapped around the tip.
It’s half empty. I’m not sure how full it was before she started drinking, but it’s the middle of the day.
I’ve known she’s had a drinking problem since I started following her, but with a past like hers, she’s bound to need some sort of outlet. A crutch that she leans on.
I want to be that for her.
“Why?” she whispers, her bloodshot eyes searching mine.
“Why what?” I frown.
Her eyes narrow the slightest bit, and I almost smile at her anger slipping through. “Bill told me, Kash. Why did you go to him?”
I lower myself to the floor in front of her and place my legs on either side, closing her between them, bending them at the knees. “I told you, Eve, I love you.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “No one can love someone like me.”
“Why is that so hard to believe?” I ask, reaching out and tucking a lock of her silky smooth hair behind her ear.
Looking away from me, she stares up at the ceiling. I hate how brainwashed she is. My mother was the same. My father made her think she was nothing. Therefore, she expected nothing. “You’re not broken, Eve.”
She licks her lips. “If I fail…”
“You won’t.”
Her eyes find mine once again. “What if I freeze up?”
“You won’t—”
“I can’t be what you need,” she growls, interrupting me.
I cup her face. “All you need to be is you. I’ll take care of the rest.”
She huffs, pushing me back, and gets to her feet. I follow. “I don’t know why you and Bill keep feeding me these bullshit lines. I’m not going to fall for them.”
I’m not sure what she means by that.
Eve squares her shoulders, and her eyes narrow on me, and I know what’s coming before she even opens her mouth. She’s going to challenge me, and I’m going to have to hurt my girl to prove my point. “I won’t marry you, Kashton.”
“The deal is done, Eve.”
She shakes her head. “No—”
“I already got confirmation from your daddy.” She flinches at the way I refer to Bill being her father.
“You had no right,” she grinds out.
“To love you?” I laugh.
“To take my life.”
“I’m giving you one.” Does she really think that killing and working for the Lords is all she’s good for?
She storms off toward her room and slams the bathroom door shut. I enter the bedroom and lean against her dresser, waiting patiently. I knew she’d be upset. Push back. I’m prepared to do what must be done to keep my angry angel. Even if that means pissing her off.
The door swings open and she stands there with a syringe in her hand. “What’s your plan, Eve? Knock me out?”
She doesn’t answer.
“Then what? Run?”
Again, no answer, but the way her eyes darken tells me all I need to know. “How about this?” I push off the dresser. “You stick me, you’re free.” Her pretty green eyes look skeptical. Why would I let her go after I’ve fought so hard to keep her? “But if I stick you, you’re mine.”
She snorts.
“I’m serious, Everett.”