Steph looked taken aback, her mouth falling open at Evangeline’s outburst. She glanced between Thane and Drake like she was sizing up two serial killers. Then her gaze drifted back to Evangeline, clear disbelief reflected on her face. Before she had time to respond to Evangeline’s blunt, impassioned statement, Evangeline pressed while she had the advantage.
“I’m fine, Steph. You were told I wouldn’t be home tonight or today or whatever it is. There was no reason for you to come here and cause a scene. I’ll call you, Lana and Nikki in the next day or two and explain everything. Until then, I would appreciate privacy and no more embarrassing scenes at this hour of the morning.”
Steph pinned Evangeline with a ferocious stare, one Drake imagined worked to intimidate Evangeline most of the time. Only this time, his angel didn’t seem in the least fazed.
“You better do just that,” Steph snapped. “Because if I don’t hear from you personally in the next twenty-four hours, I’m coming back with the police.”
Then she shifted her furious stare at Drake, who merely looked at her as though she were a nuisance.
“There isn’t a place in this damn city you can hide from me, and so help me God, if you hurt Evangeline in any way, I’ll cut off your balls and make you eat them.”
“Since that’s not ever going to happen, your threat is completely hollow,” Drake said in a dismissive tone. One that said it was time for her to leave. Now.
He lifted his gaze to Thane and sent him a silent look of apology. Thane mouthed his words but Drake could clearly see what he’d said and only barely managed to hold back his laughter.
Thane had said Fuck me.
“Thane will see you home now,” Drake said in a formal voice, remaining cold and aloof toward the woman who’d nearly ruined the entire evening. For that matter, she might well have for all he knew, because he had no idea what was going on in Evangeline’s mind.
Not waiting for any more drama or theatrics, Drake drew Evangeline to his side and guided her back to the elevator. Her eyes were closed the entire way up, her features still frozen with mortification.
He gently escorted her into his apartment, this time giving her no time to ponder the size and elegance of it. He ushered her into the bedroom and she immediately began to tremble against him.
Something went soft inside his heart. It was an alien, uncomfortable feeling. One he was not used to at all.
But she looked exhausted, lost and so confused that all he could do was pull her into his arms as he’d wanted to do before they were interrupted by her roommate. At first she was tense against him, but as he did nothing more than hold her against him and stroke a hand through her hair in a soothing motion, her own arms crept around his waist and she relaxed.
She laid her cheek against his chest and he felt her soft sigh all the way to his bones. It was a sound that would make a man do anything to make this woman happy.
“Get ready for bed, Angel,” he said gruffly. “You’re tired, your feet hurt and you’ve had a very long couple of days. The thing you need most right now is sleep. However, you sleep with me, in my bed. Every night. No exception.”
Slowly she nodded, her cheek rubbing up and down his chest.
“Don’t get me wrong, Angel,” he murmured. “There’s nothing I’d love more than to make love to you all night so that when you wake up you’ll know exactly who you belong to. But you’re dead on your feet, and for now, just having you in my bed, in my arms, is more than I could have dreamed of.”
When Evangeline awoke, two things immediately registered. One, Drake was no longer in bed with her and two, it was well into the morning. Likely approaching noon and yet exhaustion still weighed her down and all she wanted to do was snuggle deeper into the covers and go back to sleep.
As she shifted to a more comfortable spot, turning to where Drake had slept, her hand instinctively reaching for any lingering warmth or evidence that it hadn’t been a dream, her gaze lit on a folded piece of paper with her name scrawled across it.
Forcing herself to a sitting position, she crossed her legs and reached for the note, hesitantly opening it, unsure of what it would say. Then her brow furrowed as she took in the contents.
Your things are in the living room to put wherever you like. But just so you are aware, only your personal keepsakes and mementos were brought over. Your clothing, shoes and accessories were thrown out. One of my men will be there waiting to take you shopping for anything you require, and I expect you to buy everything you need. My man will have a list of the necessary accoutrements, and the salespeople at the shops you will be escorted to have already been given my instructions as well as your measurements and will have appropriate selections for your viewing when you arrive.