Page 50 of Hades

I have never seen Evelyn lay down her armor like this.

“Tell me,” I growl.

“Not here. Anyone could be listening.”

I pull her face to mine, pressing my forehead to hers. “Princess, you have to give me something or I’m waging war,” I warn her.

“Why?”

I shake my head. “You haven’t figured it out yet?”

She swallows hard. “Figured what out?”

“That I would take on an army for you.”

She looks into my eyes. For several seconds, we just exist in each other’s space. I can feel her breath on my lips, but I don’t dare move. I don’t change a thing while I watch her process my words.

“Princess, you gotta talk. I’m starting to feel the need to beat someone up for you. If you don’t tell me who, I’m going to find that asshat Pembrooke and show him what I really think of him.”

Her face softens slightly. “I’m okay, but we need to talk. Let me run rounds, and then when we get home, I will tell you everything.”

I don’t like it, but I understand her reasoning. Whatever happened isn’t good, but it’s not life-threatening. She doesn’t want anyone else to be able to overhear what she says. She wants privacy. I can give her that.

“Hurry, because I’m imagining the worst.”

She nods, reluctantly pulling away from me. My hands itch to reach out and grab her once more. I don’t, though. I let her leave the lounge like she asked.

Keeping to my promise to be discreet here at the hospital, I wait in the lounge until she finishes rounds and comes back.

Neither of us speaks as she grabs her things. I walk her to her car, making sure she is closed in tight. Then I mount my bike and follow her back to her place. It’s not until we are inside and she’s showered and changed that she speaks.

“I don’t even know how to process this,” she admits.

“Did you lose a patient?” I ask her, taking the seat next to her on the couch.

“No. Dansworth showed up today.”

I freeze, unsure I heard her correctly.

She’s shaking now, though. Whatever he did scared her. Evelyn. My princess wrapped in barbed wire and sass was reduced to a shaking mess.

I’ll kill him.

“I held it together. I treated him the way I’m supposed to as a doctor, but it was hard,” she admits. “So hard.”

I reach out, taking her hand. “What did he say?”

“That I’m to give Reaper a message. He’s never going to stop coming for him. Not until Reaper is dead and Natalie is back where she belongs.” She gives me a sorrowful look, “I couldn’t tell him.”

I know what she’s asking. She wants me to take that bullet.

“He’s going to want to talk to you when I tell him.”

She sighs. “I know. I was hoping I could put it out of my head for a while. I didn’t want it to be real.”

“He didn’t hurt you?” I ask.

“No. Only made threats. Honestly, I don’t know why I’m so shaken now. I was nervous earlier, but not like this. Why am I being such a baby about this?”