Dominated (The Enforcers 2)
She gave him a look of complete shock and bewilderment. “But, Maddox, you barely know me! I’m not worth ruining your relationship with Drake over.”
“Bullshit,” he said rudely. “You’re everything to Drake but apart from that? You’re important to us. You’re important to me. I’ve never had a sister and I won’t lie to you and say I view you solely as a little sister because I’m pretty sure my thoughts could never be considered brotherly and I doubt they’re legal in most states between siblings. But if I ever had a little sister, I’d like to think she’d be just like you.”
His face swam in and tears clouded her vision once more. Then she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.
“Thank you,” she whispered in a choked voice. “You have no idea how much that means to me. I’ve never had anyone but my parents and then my girlfriends here, and now . . . well, I don’t even have them.”
Her mouth turned down and her lips trembled as she said the last.
“You have us, Evangeline,” Maddox said gently. “And I’m pretty sure Silas squared away whatever shit you have twisted up in that head of yours yesterday.”
He was looking pointedly at her and she flushed again. “You know what he said to me?” she squeaked.
He chuckled. “Well, not in exact words. He didn’t give us a play-by-play. That’s just not Silas’s style. He’s not much on words. I believe his exact statement was, ‘I’ll let her know whatever fucked-up shit she has going on in her head is just that. Shit.’”
Evangeline groaned.
“He’s right, babe,” Maddox said pointedly. “You were thinking some fucked-up shit and that’s not cool. So I want us to come to an agreement that whatever fucked-up shit you’ve been thinking ends now. You get me?”
She sighed. “Yeah, I get you.”
He gave her an approving smile. “That’s my girl. Now, you ready to go do some shopping?”
“Oh my God,” she said in panic. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to get! Drake is taking me to some policemen’s benefit at Carnegie Hall. He said he’d wear a black tuxedo and I could wear whatever, but I don’t want to screw this up, Maddox.”
She sent him a pleading look.
“He never goes to these things. He told me that himself. But now he not only wants to attend, he wants me to go with him. What if I embarrass him?”
“Whoa, honey,” Maddox said. “First of all, you will never embarrass him. Drake doesn’t give one fuck about what anyone thinks about him, and trust me, if anyone tried to say anything bad about you in his hearing, he’d take apart the asshole with his bare hands. Provided he could get to them before I did. Secondly, I happen to have excellent taste in women’s clothing and know what looks good on a beautiful woman such as yourself. I won’t let you buy anything that doesn’t make you look like a million dollars. Deal?”
She hugged him again and squeezed him tightly. “You’re the best, Maddox. I never had a brother but if I did, I’d want him to be just like you.”
He kissed the top of her head and rubbed his hand lightly down her back. “You’re killing my ego, babe. Just saying. You’re supposed to say that if Drake ever fell out of the picture, you’d be all over me like white on rice.”
She laughed and then punched him in the gut.
“Are we going shopping or are we standing around gabbing all morning?” Justice called from the living room.
“Guess that’s our cue,” Maddox grumbled. “Get a coat, babe, okay? It’s chilly out today.”
Evangeline hurried to the hall closet just next to the elevator doors and pulled one of the casual coats off the hanger. Justice took it from her and held it up so she could slide her arms into the sleeves when the intercom buzzed. She frowned and glanced at Maddox and Justice.
“Are you two expecting anyone else?” she asked.
“I take it you aren’t expecting anyone, then?” Maddox asked, his stance immediately alert.
She shook her head and pushed the button to answer the call.
“Evangeline, you have visitors,” Edward said over the intercom.
“Who is it?” Evangeline asked, casting a nervous glance in Maddox’s direction.
“Their names are Lana, Nikki and Steph,” Edward said, his tone growing uncomfortable. “They said they are friends of yours. Shall I send them up or tell them you aren’t available at the moment?”
Her mouth fell open and she stared in shock at Maddox, a clear plea in her expression about what she should do.
Maddox’s expression became one of fury. “They the bitches who used to be your friends?” he bit out.
Wordlessly she nodded. What were they doing here? Why had they come? Lana had made it quite evident that Steph wasn’t the only one with reason to be unhappy with Evangeline.