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The moment she had marched out of the tennisclub almost two weeks ago, angry because someone dared to compare her to her brother, my mind started to already shift. Doubt settled in me and I’ve pondered over it ever since.
If Evangeline was like her brother, she would have defended him, instead of herself. Her voice would have been filled with pride for her last name; yet, she fought to distance herself from it.
“So, are you going to apologise now?” A smile grows on my lips. Damn it.
“I need a bit more before I apologise,” I tease, and when her face falls, I can’t help but laugh. Her face is so expressive. It moves and matches with whatever is on her mind. It’s easy to read her, and for once, I’m excited for what’s next.
“Are you kidding me?”
“I’m a businessman.” I shrug my shoulders. “I only sign a deal when I’m convinced it’s profitable.”
“Bloody…” Evangeline mumbles under her breath, and another small laugh leaves me. She shakes her head before she stares at me and my smirk grows even larger because she’ll give in to my request of wanting more information about her relationship with her brother.
She wants that apology — badly — and I would love to hear how she’s nothing like her brother.
Because the jury’s still out on that one.
“If I do explain, I demand you on your knees, apologising.”
“On my knees?” I say, shocked. She can’t be serious.
“Yes,” she states confidently with her hand still on her waist.
A silence falls over us because, for once in my life, I don't know how to navigate this situation. She wants me on my knees to apologise. On. My. Knees.
I stare at her, hoping she’ll break and tell me words will do, but when she raises her eyebrows, I know how headstrong she is.
She won’t let go of this, and I admire her strength and how far she’ll go to restore her damaged reputation. Tough woman, but fuck, does she surprise me.
“So, what’s it going to be?” she asks impatiently.
“It’s only because I’m curious that I’ll agree to your ludicrous request. I want to hear you’re nothing like your brother because I don’t have the energy to hate you too,” I say honestly.
“All right.” She nods her head before taking a step closer to me. There’s victory in her eyes because they burn even brighter. She pushes her shoulders back confidently, ready to yell ‘mission accomplished’ once I’m on my knees.
I wait for her to start listing her reasons, hoping I will, indeed, owe her that apology. Her brother is not only evil but a criminal; there are not many like him thankfully, but I want to hear from Evangeline’s mouth how she perceives her brother.
“My brother, Frederic, is greedy. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for a dime,” she starts, and I nod my head in agreement because he pushed my company down to the pits of hell. “He lies, he manipulates, and he plays games to get what he wants. And when he’s angry…” She trails off, and this time, my heart comes to a stop.
I fear the rest of her sentence because if he’s abusive, my blood will run still just before it starts to boil.
“I’m scared of him. Frederic will ruin my life with his tricks and plans. So no, I’mnothinglike him. I’ll fight forever to be nothing like him.” It comes out strong, and I take her words as the truth because there was too much pain in her voice for it to be a lie. She’s just another of Frederic’s victims.
“You didn’t win the brother lottery, princess,” I say. She nods her head, and her shoulders fall and the tension leaves her quickly.
“Now my apology, please,” she asks.
Fuck. What did I agree to?
“Does it really need to be on my knees? It is the words that count.”
“On. Your. Knees.”
“Fine,” I snarl, but my lips stretch into an amused smile as I stare at her beautiful face, where she, too, dons a smile. She got me good... I’ll give her that.
What am I doing? I’m getting on my knees for a woman I barely know.
I scratch my jaw, trying to prolong the moment, hoping she’ll change her mind.
