Chapter 48
Anais
“Are you ever going to forgive him?” Lana asks tentatively, as we descend the steps toward the quad. “I mean… I think he’s proven he wants to be with you. And not just with the bouquets of flowers he now sends you every day.” Amusement laces her tone.
Exhaling a weary breath, I glance at my friend. “I want to…” I start, my brows furrowing when I think about what’s really stopping me from forgiving Evan. It’s simple. I’m scared. Terrified. My love for Evan is so vast it eclipses everything else.
And he broke my heart.
I’m not sure I’d survive it a second time. And let’s be honest, with Evan’s track record, it’s a high probability that it could happen again.
“Well, now’s your chance.” My eyes snap to Lana, just as she jerks her head. “Evan Maxwell is standing right over there, waiting for you.”
I freeze on the spot, my heart hammering in my chest as her words register.
He’s here. Evan is here. I suck in a breath, staring at Lana’s face as if she can anchor me.
My entire body prickles with nerves, awareness surging through my veins.
The organ in my chest picks up an unnatural speed, knowing he’s close.
The hold Evan has on me should scare me, but instead I lean into it, allowing him to suck me under once more.
She smiles and gently cups my shoulders, ready to give me a pep talk.
“Look Nais, you know I’m always on your side.
I would never encourage you to do something if I thought it could hurt you.
” She glances off – and I know she is looking at Evan – before her gaze settles back on my face.
“But you’re miserable without him,” she whispers, and I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Just give him a chance.”
Staring at Lana, I inhale a breath then release it. It’s a calming exercise; one I’ve used too many times lately. Something tells me I’ll need every ounce of composure to face Evan. Lana squeezes my shoulders, her smile encouraging.
“Okay.” I whisper. My voice is barely audible but she hears me.
“Go, I’ll be right here if you need me.”
Despite the nervous energy coursing through me, I smile. Then before I can talk myself out of it, I turn and walk toward the man I love.
The sight of him alone makes me weak in the knees. He takes my breath away.
Impeccably dressed in a dark navy suit, white dress shirt and black Italian loafers, Evan Maxwell is impossible to miss.
He garners the attention of every single person wandering the area.
Girls stare with wide, lust filled, eyes and guys size him up, warily.
But Evan sees no one. Because his icy gaze is locked on me, tracking my every move as I slowly walk toward him.
As I approach, I take him in, and though he looks as handsome as ever, I note the dark circles under his eyes, the tired look on his face. My chest tightens.
“Hey,” I murmur softly, shifting my purse strap on my shoulder just for something to do with my hands.
Evan stares at me for a long moment. The intensity in his eyes makes my stomach twist with nerves. Then he runs a hand through his hair, grimacing. I’m not sure whether it’s because of my less than put together appearance or the words that tumble from his mouth.
“I thought I was immune to love after what happened with Valentina.” He starts softly, his brows drawn together in confusion.
“The truth is, I truly believed I was in love with her, but I wasn’t.
” Reaching up, he scrubs a palm across his jaw, blowing out a breath of sardonic amusement.
“Looking back now, after being with you, I see it clearly. Whatever I had with Val, or anyone before you, was shallow.” He steps closer, cupping my face.
“I love you.” I inhale, a sharp breath of surprise at his declaration, my eyes popping wide.
He loves me? “I am hopelessly, irrevocably, in love with you, Anais Lauder. What I feel for you… there are no words that exist to describe it. You’re a part of me.
In my blood. My heart. My soul. For so long I tried to resist you, keep you at arm’s length.
But somehow you climbed every wall I built and broke every barrier I put up.
” His lips tug up in a smirk. “And yeah, it infuriated me at first. But now? I’m glad you’re the relentless little brat you are, because I couldn’t imagine any other way.
You won the war, Anais Lauder, and I’m here to surrender. This is me waving the white flag.”
“Evan,” I start. My voice trembles and my heart pounds so hard in my chest I feel dizzy.
Then he does something that has my heart falling out of my chest and landing at his feet. Something I never thought I would see from the great Evan Maxwell.
He drops to his knees in front of me.
My mouth drops open, and in that moment I think it might be possible to die from shock. This is huge and means more to me than any piece of expensive jewelry or bouquet of flowers ever could. Evan once swore he’d never kneel for anyone. And here he is. On his knees for me. This… it’s everything.
“I’m sorry, Anais,” he murmurs, emotion thick in his voice.
“I never should’ve handled things how I did.
The truth is you scare me. I was falling in love with you but fighting it every step of the way.
” He shakes his head. “But I lost the fight, and I’m not even mad about it.
Because it’s you I want to wake up with every morning.
You I want to go to bed with every night.
You I want making a mess in my office, apartment, and life.
” His lips twitch in amusement and I roll my eyes.
“I want your chaos. Every single messy, maddening bit of it–”
I glare, cutting him off. “You could use some mess in your life. It’s not healthy being so anal about everything.”
He laughs but ignores me. “This thing in my chest, it belongs to you, Brat. It’s yours.” He places a hand over his heart as if to prove his point. “It beats only for you. And if you don’t give me a chance to prove I can be the man you deserve, I know I won’t survive it.”
My breath hitches and I fall to my knees in front of him, ignoring the curious stares all around us. “Evan,” I whisper.
He shakes his head slowly. “No, it’s true. I've handed you my heart, Anais. Laid it at your feet on a silver platter. It’s yours.” His fingers wrap around my wrist, and he places my palm over his beating heart. “Feel that? You’re the reason it beats. I love you.”
A strangled sound bursts from my throat as the tears I tried so hard to keep from falling, spill over and run down my cheeks. Evan thumbs the tears, wiping them from my face.
“You don’t love me. You can’t.”
“I don’t?” He raises a disbelieving brow. “Look at what I’ve done for you, Anais. The money I’ve spent. I’ve been showing you every day, with my actions.”
I shake my head. “I’m just a college student.
A brat as you like to call me.” I admit my fears out loud.
“And you’re… well you’re you.” Because deep down this is the crux of my insecurities.
I might be the daughter of one of the most powerful families in the United States, but Evan Maxwell has topped every most eligible man list in the world.
He could have any woman he wants. “I’m not strong or powerful,” I whisper.
“For Christ’s sake, I can’t even get in an elevator without panicking. I’m not–”
He smiles, silencing me with a kiss to the corner of my lips. “And yet, you brought one of the most powerful men in the city to his knees.”
My heart stalls in my chest as I search his face.
For once, Evan is an open book, letting me read every truth on his expression.
He genuinely believes what he is saying.
My chest warms as heat coils low in my stomach, shifting lower until it is pooling between my thighs.
The reaction this man evokes from me is not normal, and yet I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I press a kiss to his mouth, murmuring. “Everyone is staring.”
“I don’t give a fuck about anyone else. I only care about you.” He brushes my nose with his, then pulls back to look at me. “Does this mean you forgive me?” His voice is filled with hope.
Biting down on my bottom lip, I nod. “Yes.”
His eyes squeeze closed for a brief moment before popping open.
His expression is one of pure relief. “Thank fuck for that,” he mutters.
“Because plan B was a little less…smooth. It involved Anaisnapping and locking you in my apartment until you agreed to be mine again.” The serious look on his face tells me he isn’t joking.
I laugh, shaking my head. “I fucking love you, Brat,” he growls, pressing a quick hard kiss to my lips, and I sigh, finally feeling like everything is right in my world.
Evan climbs to his feet, bringing me with him and wrapping me in his arms as he buries his face in my neck and breathes me in. Contentment fills me as I embrace him, something I haven’t felt since the moment I walked out of my brother’s apartment.
I’m finally home.
“Anais!” The frantic voice breaks through our bubble, making my blood turn to ice in my veins.
My head whips around trying to find the source of panic.
“What the fuck?” Evan growls, and I turn in his arms, following his line of sight to… Jarrod?
Jarrod, who is charging toward us, but that’s not what alarms me the most. No. It’s the knife he’s wielding in his hands.
“No.” I choke out as Evan takes a protective stance in front of me.
“Stay the fuck back,” Evan roars.
Pure fear washes over me. Evan is bigger than my classmate in both height and muscle but still, Jarrod has a knife.
Screams erupt around us, terrified of the man with a weapon, but I tune them out, my gaze locked on the unhinged man coming toward us.
“She’s mine!” he shouts, lifting the knife in the air, ready to pounce.
I pause. One heartbeat. Two. Everything clicks into place like a puzzle piece. The attack. Appearing out of nowhere. The feeling of being watched.
It was him. Jarrod.
Then, as if time stands still, everything happens in slow motion.
Evan lunges at Jarrod, who lifts his arm, ready to plunge the knife into the man I love.
I will not let that happen.
I don’t think. I move, throwing myself between them just as Jarrod plunges the knife down. Excruciating pain explodes in my thigh, my vision turning fuzzy as I fall to the ground.
“Fuck,” I choke out, my eyes squeezing shut as white hot agony burns through me.
“Anais,” a familiar terrified voice shouts, dropping down beside me. “Jesus fucking Christ, what did you do? Lana, call 911!” he barks.
“I’m on it.” My best friend’s voice trembles.
“Keep the motherfucker restrained,” Evan demands. To who, I’m not sure.
“The knife,” I croak, glancing down at the weapon lodged in my leg.
“It’s okay. You’re going to be okay baby.” Evan soothes, stroking my hair back and pressing kisses over my face.
“Don’t remove it. She’ll bleed out.” Lana says through a sob.
“I fucking know that,” Evan snaps, removing his hands from me to release his belt. “Where the fuck is the ambulance?”
“Two minutes away.” Lana goes quiet before speaking once more. “She asked if she’s breathing.”
“Of course, she’s fucking breathing. Do you think I would be this calm if she wasn’t?” Evan barks, then pauses. “It’s shallow,” he adds, softer this time, wrapping his belt around my thigh and tightening it. “Who the hell is that guy?”
“Jarrod. Anais…” Lana trails off hysterically, crying. “Oh god. She said she got a weird vibe from him, but we played it down.”
“That’s the last fucking time you’ll do that,” Evan fumes, before hovering his face close to mine. “Open your eyes, baby,” he whispers, brushing his lips all over my face. “Please just open your eyes. I can’t lose you. Not when I just got you back.”
I want to. I really do. But everything’s slipping. My eyes feel heavy, and my body feels numb, as if I’m floating.
The last thing I hear before everything goes black is Evan’s voice, rasping three little words.
“I love you.”