Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Paz, we gotta go get Evie. I need the jet and a new fucking lieutenant for the western region because I am going to fucking kill Enrique!” I yell out through the house. I have no idea where Paz is, but I know he’s close. He’s always close.
As expected, he rounds the corner. “What’d he do? Is Evie okay?”
“Her shop is currently burning to the ground. She said something about Enrique manhandling her,” I grind out between clenched teeth.
“He touched her?” Paz’s brows raise in surprise. “Fucking moron,” he adds in Spanish before heading towards the garage. “Let’s go. I’ll contact the pilots on the way to the hangar.”
“I’ll meet you at the car. I need to grab something.” I run upstairs. Opening the safe in my wardrobe, I retrieve the small velvet box I’ve stored there for Evie.
A few minutes later, Paz jumps into the back seat of the car with me. I have my laptop out as I search through the CCTV footage of Evie’s shop that I have stored on the cloud. How the fuck does a dress shop go up in flames? In my experience, fires are never an accident.
I watch as Evie leaves with Rachel. Enrique messaged me earlier, saying that they’d stopped at a local diner.
I watch as Evie’s employee walks around the store.
There’s something about this girl I don’t like.
Amy maneuvers around the counter. She taps a key on the computer and then the cameras cut out.
“Someone turned her cameras off,” I tell Paz. “At the dress shop.”
“Who would target her?” Paz asks.
“Anyone on that fucking list we got from her mother.” If they know we’re coming for them…
Fuck, I should have considered how this could come back to her. I don’t care what I have to do. I will be taking her back to Vegas with me. At least I have more men there, more secure properties.
“Have you spoken to Enrique?” Paz asks. “He see anything?”
“No, I don’t want him to know I’m coming for him. He was at the diner with Evie when the store caught flames,” I explain.
“When you say manhandle, what exactly did he do?” Paz questions.
“Does it matter? He fucking touched her. He was instructed not to fucking touch her,” I grunt.
“I’ll find someone suitable for promotion on his crew.” Paz scrolls through his phone. I close my laptop and message Evie.
Me:
It’s going to be okay.
I know what that shop meant to her. The fact she’s just watched it burned to the ground will be breaking her heart. Whoever fucking did this will pay.
Evie:
How? I’ve lost everything.
Me:
You will never lose me. I will build you a new store, anywhere in the world you want it. I will fix this for you.
Evie:
I don’t want your money, E.
Me:
You don’t need my money. You have your own.
I know she sent the fifty million I put into her account back. I had my banker double it again. She either hasn’t noticed or is choosing to ignore it until she figures out her next move.
Evie reads the message but doesn’t respond. A few minutes later, she’s calling me.
“Hello, mi alma,” I answer.
“Don’t mi alma me, Emmanuel. What the hell did you do?
One hundred million? Are you freaking kidding me?
Are you trying to get me arrested or something?
How do I explain the sudden deposit of a hundred million dollars into my account?
” she screams down the phone. “I have enough to worry about right now. Your crazy ass isn’t something else I want to add to the list. Take it all back. ”
“Are you done?” I ask, waiting for her tirade to end.
“No,” she huffs.
“I know you’re stressed, Evie. I understand how you feel. But you haven’t lost everything. That will never happen. It’s just a hiccup. You will get your shop back. I promise you,” I tell her. “Whoever is responsible for the fire, I will find them and I will make them pay.”
“It was an accident, E. Amy was steaming a dress. She said the fire started. She didn’t know what to do and ran out of the store,” Evie says.
I don’t want to put more stress on her than she’s already under, so I don’t question her employee’s story. I’ll ask the girl myself. I don’t believe for a second that the CCTV was accidentally cut minutes before the fire started, or that a fucking garment steamer could ignite such a large blaze.
“I… I need to go. I’m sorry. Just… forget I said anything. This isn’t your problem, E. It’s mine, and I will deal with it.”
“Evie, your problems are mine. You are mine,” I remind her because I feel like she purposely forgets that fact.
“I’m not anyone’s. You need to forget you met me. Go and find someone who’s not as much of a mess as I am,” she tells me.
“You really want me to go and find another woman? Take her to bed?” I ask.
Evie hesitates, but then she says, “Yes.” It’s quiet, soft, broken. But she uttered the word.
“Too bad. It won’t work. You wanna know why?”
“Why?”
“Because she wouldn’t be you. I’ll see you in a few hours. Stay with Rachel. And don’t mention anything to Enrique. I don’t want him to know I’m on my way,” I tell her.
“He’s gone,” Evie says.
“What do you mean he’s gone?” My back straightens.
“He overheard me tell you he manhandled me, mumbled something about getting a bag from his car, and then he got in it and drove off. I haven’t seen him since. I thought you finally listened to me and sent him home.”
“Evie, I need you to walk around Rachel’s house. Lock every door and don’t stand in front of any windows. Does Rachel have guns?” I ask her.
“No. What’s going on, E? You’re scaring me,” she says.
“It’s nothing. I just don’t like the idea of you being alone. Unprotected. Find a knife, a weapon, and hold on to it. Remember to always choose yourself,” I tell her. “I’ll be there soon.”
“What’s happening?” Paz looks to me when I drop the phone onto my lap.
“Enrique left. He knows I’m coming for him. Bastard. She’s alone,” I grumble.
“I’m sending Tomás. He’s only a two-hour drive away. He will get there in half that time,” Paz says.
“Gracias.”
The pilots made it to the small airfield just outside Evie’s town in record time. Paz informed me that Tomás was outside Rachel’s house, where Evie is staying. I feel a little better knowing she’s not alone, but I’m keen to get to her.
I want her to know that she can rely on me. That when life throws curveballs at her, I will be there to shield her from the blow. I want her to turn to me for anything that she needs, because I will make sure she fucking gets it.
The car pulls to a stop out front of Rachel’s house. I walk over and say a quick hello to Tomás, asking him if he’s seen Enrique. I will find him, no matter where he’s hiding.
My fist rises to knock on the door right as it swings open. “Where is she?” I ask, pushing my way past Rachel.
“Well, hello to you, Emmanuel. Gee, why don’t you come right on in. Can I expect the rest of your entourage to drop by too? I don’t think I have enough tea for everyone,” Rachel snarks at me.
I glare at her. “You’re a surgeon. I’m sure you know just how quickly a tongue can be removed from someone’s mouth.”
“Sure, threaten the best friend. That’s how the villain ends up with the girl in all the stories.” Rachel rolls her eyes at me—fucking rolls her eyes—and then slams the door behind us. “Evie, your boyfriend’s here!” she yells out through the house.
“I don’t have a boyfri…” Evie’s words stop when she sees me enter the living room. “E, what are you doing here?”
“Please finish that sentence, mi alma.” I tilt my head to the side.
Evie stands, walks right up to me, and presses up on her tiptoes to glare in my face. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
My hand cups the back of her neck and my lips claim hers. My tongue pushes into her mouth, circling around. Fuck, I missed her.
When I pull away, I keep my hold on her. “You do have a boyfriend, Evie,” I remind her.
“What I have is an obsessed stalker with psychotic tendencies. That is not a boyfriend. A boyfriend is someone who takes me out on dates, brings me dancing. Not someone who installs cameras in my house and watches my every move.”
“We can agree to disagree. It doesn’t change the fact that you’re mine,” I say. “Get your things. We’re leaving.”
“Um, where on earth do you think you’re taking me?” Evie steps back, quickly folding her arms over her chest.
“Your house. I’m sure Rachel has better shows she can watch than the one you and I are giving her right now.” I look to her friend, who hasn’t left the room.
“I’m sorry, Rach,” Evie tells her.
“Don’t be. This is entertaining.” Rachel shrugs.
“I’ll call you tomorrow. Thank you for your help with the insurance company and everything.” Evie hugs her friend, whispering something into her ear that I don’t catch.
I wait for Evie to pick up her bag, and then I take hold of her hand. “Thanks for taking care of her, Rachel.” I nod and lead my girl out of the house.
“Paz, how are you? Sorry you got dragged back here.” Evie smiles at my second-in-command. I’m not sure I like the friendship these two have developed.
“Miss Carter, it’s not a problem at all. Sorry to hear about your store.” Paz nods politely before climbing into the driver’s seat.
Evie and I climb into the back. Once she’s settled, I lean over and whisper into her ear, “I missed you.”
“It’s been three days,” she states.
“And?”
“You need help.” She shakes her head but smiles at me. “So do I, apparently, because my first thought when I saw you was relief that you came.”
“I will always come when you need me,” I tell her.
Evie wants to be wined and dined, and I’ve been fucking shit at giving her that.
I’m going to change it right now. I take out my phone, search for five-star restaurants on Google, and make a reservation for tonight.
I want to take her out. I want to show her that I can be that guy.
The one who listens and gives her what she asks for.
“We’re going out tonight. I’ve made a reservation for dinner,” I tell Evie.
“Really? Where? And what if I don’t want to go on a date with you?” She lifts a questioning brow at me.
“You do. And it’s a surprise,” I say.
“You know, your ego is too big for your own good. You’re not as hot as you think you are, Emmanuel.” She smirks.
“I only need to be as hot as you think I am, mi alma. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
“Guess we should book a plastic surgeon then. ?Cause, honestly, you could use some work.” She laughs.
If I didn’t have confidence in bounds, her words could cut. They don’t, though. I know the effect I have on this woman.