“Didn’t we all?” He chuckled and took a swig from the cup he held. “Too bad that’s all you
can do. She’s into watching and being watched. Nothing else, which is a pity. I’d give my life
savings to fuck her.”
I cringed at the idea of him touching her and walked away before he could say anything
that would cause me to physically harm him. Eve’s car was already gone when I made my way back
to the front of the house through the crowd. I drove home thinking she was a lot more complex than
I’d originally assumed.
She went to different clubs, events, and parties for the next six months until one night she
was leaving INFERNO, her bodyguard— I’d learned his name was Gus— didn’t show up to escort
her out. She’d danced and left like she usually did. I noticed a car following her. I followed him. I
assumed she didn’t know either one of us were following her. Being so trusting and unaware of her
surroundings was dangerous. One day I would teach her that.
She took a detour and stopped at an all-night grocer. The parking lot was unusually
crowded for that time of night. She circled the lot for a moment, looking for a spot to park. Then,
without thought of her safety it seemed, she parked on the side of the building, away from the rest
of the cars and foot traffic. He pulled up beside her. I stopped just far enough away to be
inconspicuous, but not too far away that he would be able to harm her without me intervening.
I watched him as he watched her get out of the car. I recognized the possessive, predatory
gleam in his eyes. It was almost identical to mine. He wanted her as much as I did, but there was
malice. He’d planned to hurt her. There was no way I would let that happen. When she came out.
He sat in his car with his posture tight. I could tell he was struggling to restrain himself from
acting in the parking lot.
He followed her to her house. Sat outside just a few houses away from her place, watching
her. I pulled up into the driveway of the empty house across the street from where she lived. It was
where I usually parked. He had to go, I thought
I got out and grabbed the tire iron and hunting knife from my truck. I used the shadows of
the trees to make my way to the car. My rising fury threatened to blind me. What did he plan to do
to her? The thought of him hurting or touching her filled me with so much rage that my body felt
like it was on fire.
When I got to his window, I managed to smile as I tapped at it. His face turned bright red
