Chapter 33 Eva
EVA
The Devil
Your silence is unacceptable.
Aleksandr Novikov is throwing games.
And I want evidence of it.
Tristan was so fucking kind, he didn’t say a word as I stared out the window on my way home from the gala. He parked his Jeep outside my house—he’d put the cover on it, finally, teasing me it was only to protect my curls, even if it still wasn’t heated.
I swallowed hard. “I need you to do something for me,” I rasped, hating what I was about to ask of him, hating that I was turning our relationship transactional.
“Anything,” he said, squeezing my hand.
“I’m going to take down Jed Carter,” I said finally.
He looked at me sharply. “Absolutely fucking not.”
“It’s not your choice.”
He brought my hand to his lips. “What if—”
“What if what?” I snorted. “What if he threatens my father’s life? What if he threatens to kill me? Tristan, he wants me to give him blackmail material against Alek now, not just information on Cole’s rehab. He says Alek’s throwing games!”
Tristan’s eyes widened. “You can’t—”
“I fucking know I can’t!” I shouted then clasped a hand over my mouth, embarrassed at my loss of control. “But if I don’t get him something soon…” I pleaded with Tristan for understanding.
“We’ll figure this out,” he reassured me as he stroked his thumb over my knuckles. He hopped out of the car to open my door, lifting me down from the car. I marveled at how easily he manhandled me, how good it felt for him to hold me in his arms.
I was so fucking tired of being strong.
Of holding my shit together.
But Tristan shouldn’t have to hold me together either.
He brushed his lips over mine when we reached my door. “See you tomorrow?”
I nodded, exhausted, barely holding back tears.
“Tomorrow.”
The minute the door to my bedroom closed behind me, I burst into tears, sinking to the floor with my back against the door, sobbing my heart out.
It was too fucking much—the hurt from watching Cole with his fiancée, the pain of pretending everything was okay in front of the team—and I was still beholden to a rich asshole who thought he could blackmail me to pay off my father’s debt.
I can’t do this.
But I didn’t have a choice, did I?
After long minutes of feeling sorry for myself, I forced myself to stand, still sniffling.
I wanted a goddamned minute without the weight of the world on my shoulders.
So, I made a decision and dialed.
“Eva?” Alek rasped, his voice thick with sleep.
“Alek,” I murmured, suddenly full of nerves.
“Are you all right?”
“You know what? I’m sorry, this is stupid.” And I hung up, feeling like a fucking idiot.
My phone rang a second later. “Malyshka, what’s wrong?”
I burst into tears again.
“Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t even know what happened,” I muttered through my tears, and the fucker laughed.
“I don’t, but I know you didn’t deserve it, whatever it is.”
His words were a balm to my soul. Tristan said them all the time, and to hear Alek say the same silenced the voice in the back of my head whispering that maybe, it was my fault.
“Where are you?”
“My room,” I said through my sniffles.
“Are you safe?”
“Yes, but—”
I stopped, embarrassed, feeling like a child.
“But what, baby girl?”
“I don’t want to be alone,” I whispered. Not tonight. Not after watching Cole and his fiancée be a perfect couple as they swept across the dance floor.
Not after I’d had to ask Tristan for help setting up a meeting with Cole.
Not when I was being such a fucking coward about it.
“I’m coming to get you,” Alek said. “At this time of night, it’ll only take me fifteen minutes.”
I nodded.
“Take a deep breath for me, baby girl.”
I breathed in then let it out slowly.
“What are you wearing?”
I laughed through my tears. “I just came from a fundraiser.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” he rumbled. “Go put on comfortable clothes, wash your face, and wait for me. I’ll text you when I get there.”
I opened my mouth as if to speak, then shut it, remaining silent.
“Eva? What is it?”
“I don’t—” Don’t hang up. Don’t leave me alone. Don’t make me sit here with my thoughts. “Never mind.”
“I’m taking the elevator down to my car, all right? If the signal cuts, I’ll call you as soon as I pull out of the garage.”
A sob erupted out of me. I needed this. I needed him.
As promised, the signal cut out, and, as promised, he called me back a few minutes later.
“I’m going to stay on the line, all right?”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. Still crying, I changed out of my formal dress and stripped off my uncomfortable shapeware before staring blankly at my dresser, trying to decide what to wear, whether it was worth keeping on my lacy lingerie, as if a part of me wanted Alek to see it.
“Tell me what you’re doing,” Alek said.
“Uh—”
“Eva.” His voice was sharp.
“Trying to decide what to wear,” I whispered, embarrassed.
“Your most comfortable clothes,” he said. “Clothes you can sleep in. Ugly underwear.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “You don’t have to impress anyone tonight.”
I laughed as I cried and did exactly as he directed, putting on old, soft sweats over cotton underwear and a bralette that held my breasts still, even if it didn’t offer any support.
“I’m washing my face,” I said softly when I moved into the bathroom in my hallway, carefully removing my makeup and then moisturizing.
“That’s my good girl,” he said, and I melted. “Pack a bag,” he told me when I turned off the faucet.
I put face cream into the bag and tossed in the scented lotion I loved before packing the athletic pants and t-shirt I normally wore to practice in the bag too, and padding downstairs.
“I have to text my dad,” I murmured to Alek through the phone.
“I’ll be there in two minutes,” he said.
Me
I’m going to crash with a friend tonight.
To my surprise, my father answered right away. He’d been more on top of communication and taking care of shit around the house lately.
Dad
Okay, be safe.
Love you.
Me
Love you too, Dad!
A few minutes later, my phone buzzed again.
Alek
I’m here.
I slipped on the grey coat Alek and Cole had purchased for me, then walked out the door.
Alek stood by the passenger door, imposing and terrifying, like he could chase all my problems and worries away with a word. I stood on the porch, staring at him, shocked at how relieved I was to see him here.
When he realized I wasn’t walking forward, he stepped toward me. “Eva?”
I shook myself out of my relieved paralysis, unwilling to examine why he was the first person I called when I was drowning, why I hadn’t hesitated when he told me he was going to come get me.
Before I could get in, he cupped my cheek. “You okay?”
I pressed my cheek into his hand. “I think I will be.”