Was I even subtle anymore? I was too wrapped up in her to even notice.
“Back off. I can show my nipples if I want. I can take off my top if I want.”
“Don’t even fucking try it.” My jaw tightened so hard it felt like it could break.
“Or what?”
“Or I’ll be taking you home immediately.”
She grinned, the sly look making me freeze. “You’re kind of making me want to take my top off.”
“Evie, I swear I will fucking kill someone if you really think I’m going to watch you parade around flirting with other guys.”
“Then go tell Rook I won’t be flirting with other guys because I’m here with you. Explain to him this situation, and I promise not to flirt with one other man tonight.”
“Fuck,” I said, ready to throw something. She was right—she was always right and it’s how the blackmail had worked so well. There was never a situation between Evie and I that I could explain to Rook without it looking exactly like what it was.
“You are not fucking around with another guy tonight.”
“And I’m not listening to you. You’re not my date.” She pulled at the hoodie, shoving it back into my hands.
“You’re not taking your top off.”
She stepped closer, leaning in until her boobs were pressed up against me. “It could be fun riding home on the back of your bike topless. Think about how close I would have to press against you.”
I couldn’t think—not past one singular thought.
I could throw it all away.
I could grab her, put her back on my bike. We could go home together. I could have her in my bed within twenty minutes and wake up with her still wrapped around me.
“Evie.” My words were strained. “Keep your fucking top on.”
Her bottom lip stuck out, making me want to grab it, but everyone would see if I did.
“Well, if you insist. I guess I will keep the top on.” She paused, staring up at me with that infuriating grin. “I knew you would like it.”
She spun, heading off toward the bikes racing down the middle of Syndicate. I could already see eyes trailing her, watching every step she took. I would spend every second of my fucking night looking over every one of them. Were they here to hurt her? Or just have a hope of touching her? I would be the lucky one that had to look at each guy and decide exactly what his intentions were, keeping her safe all night.
I waited, taking three deep breaths before I went after her.
Nearly an hour went by of me following Evie around Syndicate and I finally got her in one spot.
Unfortunately for me, that spot fucking sucked.
She leaned againstmybike. Four guys crowded around her, smiling and carrying on like fucking idiots getting to talk to her.
A bitter chill ran down my spine as I watched her laughing with them, her head thrown back like she didn’t have a care in the world. Each time she tilted her head back, her scent—warm and slightly vanilla, mixed with the scent of motorcycles—drifted toward me, making it impossible to ignore her. It felt like it wenton forever, nothing breaking my attention on Evie even when I wanted it to. It’s like the more I needed to pull away for my own sanity, the more I took this bodyguard job seriously.
Watching her flirt back, even with those idiots, made something inside me snap. I told myself it was only about keeping her safe, but every laugh, every tilt of her head, had me spiraling further out of control. She knew exactly what she was doing.
What finally snapped my attention was when one of them reached out, his finger hooking into the top of the little bandanna she wore as a shirt, slowly trailing along the edge like he had any right to touch her.
The sound of my pulse roared in my ears, and before I could think about it more, I was moving around the bike to her side, my steps heavy. Each beat of my heart was pure rage, fueled by the sight of someone touching her.
I closed the distance in a matter of seconds. The guy didn’t even notice me until my hand wrapped around his wrist like a vise. The bones in his wrist shifted under my grip, a slight pop I felt deep in my own knuckles. His skin was clammy, slick against mine, and his sharp intake of breath was the response I needed. I pushed, his wrist twisting at a strange angle as he screamed.
“Why the fuck are you touching her?”
