Chapter 41 Shadow
She’d finally made a mistake.
All this time, Evie had been careful. Never truly alone. Always within reach of her precious little pack. I’d watched her slip through too many near-perfect opportunities, her instincts sharper than I had given her credit for. But tonight?
Tonight, she was mine.
No Rook. No Aiden. No pack of overgrown, violent watchdogs at her back.
Alone.
Maybe she thought she was being bold. Or maybe she was just arrogant. Maybe she thought she could keep poking around, getting closer and closer to things she had no business touching.
Stupid girl.
The information had come unexpectedly—a careless whisper, a throwaway comment from someone who had no idea what they’d handed me.
Evie needed air. She needed space. She was taking her bike out.
And that was all I needed.
I drove without hesitation, the city melting behind me in a blur of neon and asphalt.
The closer I got, the more calm I felt. Centered.
This was right.
I killed my headlights as I neared the turnoff, parking a few streets down. No taillights. No engine noise. She wouldn’t see me coming.
Her bike sat in the alley behind Sweet Haven Cafe. Cute.
She still didn’t get it.
There was no such thing as smart enough.
I stepped out of the car, heart steady, pulse even.
I had waited. I had been patient.
And now?
Now I was done waiting.
I moved through the shadows, deliberate and silent. Every step placed exactly where it needed to be. My breath slow. Controlled.
I knew Evie.
She wasn’t running because she was scared.
She was running because she was pissed.
Her emotions made her reckless. I had seen it before—watched her storm off, seething, her hands in fists at her sides, her jaw tight, her eyes sharp with too much fucking defiance.
And now she was right here.
Standing near the back entrance of the cafe, arms crossed, weight shifted onto one leg. Head tilted up toward the sky like she was contemplating something deep.
I wondered what it was.
Would she be thinking about me in a few minutes?
She had no idea she wasn’t alone.
I crept forward, close enough to see her exhale sharply, shifting her weight, rubbing a hand along her wrist. She felt it.
Good.
I wanted her to feel it.
That prickle at the back of her neck. That twist in her gut. That deep, ancient knowing that something wasn’t right.
Her body recognized the threat. Her brain hadn’t caught up yet.
I took another step.
She turned, and for a fraction of a second, her eyes flicked toward the alley, the dark corners she couldn’t see past.
Her mouth parted, a flash of something crossing her face—hesitation. Unease. A flicker of fear.
Then, just as quickly, it was gone.
The arrogance settled back in, her chin tilting up, her shoulders squaring.
She thought she was strong. Thought she was invincible.
But she wasn’t.
I moved.
Fast. Silent.
The second she realized what was happening, it was too late.
Her breath hitched, and I struck.
A hand over her mouth. A hard shove against the brick.
She fought. Of course she did. She always fucking fought.
Her knee shot up, aiming for my ribs. I twisted. She clawed at my arm, nails biting into my skin. I let her.
She wanted to fight?
I wanted her to.
It made this better.
She thrashed, her body heat pressing into mine, breath coming in fast, sharp bursts through her nose as she realized.
This wasn’t a threat she could talk her way out of.
This wasn’t a fight she could win.
This wasn’t a man who was going to back off.
I leaned in, inhaling the sharp tang of her sweat, the adrenaline in her veins, the raw, palpable rage rolling off her in waves.
“I should have taken you sooner.”
Her body tensed.
She heard that.
Felt it in the shift of my grip, the slow, deliberate way I adjusted, keeping her locked against the wall, her cheek pressed to the cool stone, her hands still fighting.
But this wasn’t a fight.
It was a hunt.
And she was mine.
I pressed closer, my mouth near her ear.
“You should’ve been more careful, Evie.”
She stiffened.
Because she knew me.
And now?
She knew she wasn’t getting out of this alone.
Not this time.