AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Evie, who had been taking the last sip from her glass, caught the cruel glee on my face. Puzzled, she looked around to find what had stolen my attention away for the first time all night.
“Is that . . . ,” she whispered, worried that her voice would carry and direct her father’s crew toward us. “I have to go.”
“Wait,” I said with little enthusiasm as she gathered her things.
She got to her feet and made a quick beeline to the exit, doing exactly what I wanted her to do. Harris caught sight of her and excused himself to trail after her. I took my time retrieving three hundred-dollar bills from my wallet and handing them to our waiter before I joined Evie and her father at the doors of the summoned elevator.
“What are you doing here with him? He’s dangerous. You have no idea what you’ve done—what you’re risking,” he scolded, red-faced and flustered.
“It was one date. I’m a grown woman, and I can make my own choices—”
“Is everything all right?” I slipped into their hushed conversation.
Harris pointed an accusatory finger at me. “Get away from her, you snake. I warned your idiot brother—”
“Watch your temper, Gerhardt, your constituents are watching,” I said, peering over my shoulder at the small crowd of turned heads behind us.
At the lift’s chime, Harris grabbed Evie by the elbow, pulling her inside before she could vocalize the apology brewing in her tear-lined eyes.
I smiled wolfishly as the doors closed. Harris Gerhardt was about to implode the last relationship that was worth his soul.
I took the emergency stairwell down to the ground floor to lie in wait for Evie.
14
EVIE
Embarrassment flooded my face as my dad pulled me away from Stolas, who watched with what looked like annoyance mixed with a calm knowing.
Did he know my dad would be here tonight?
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Evelyn. Slobbering all over that monster in public like a whore.”
Shock and ice plunged into my stomach. My dad had never spoken to me like that, not even in my rebellious teenage years.
“What did you just say?” The words came out weak and shaky as I fought to hold back tears.
“He’s a demon. And I don’t mean that figuratively.” His anger vibrated the walls around us.
“You’re insane. He’s been nothing but kind to me since I met him.”
The doors had barely opened when I rushed through them. I needed to get away from him as fast as I could before he made a scene in the lobby.
“Evelyn!” he shouted after me. “Come back here.”
I shoved past two men coming through the front door and took off down the sidewalk to the parking lot around the corner. Even if my dad did follow, he wouldn’t risk anyone seeing him chase down my car on foot. I turned the next corner but slammed into a solid chest.
“Evie, there you are,” Stolas said, not at all out of breath.
His hands wrapped around my upper arms and pulled me farther into the shadows of the building. The car lot was across the street, illuminated by yellowed street lamps and passing headlights. The urge to bolt out into traffic was hard to ignore, but Stolas’ hands held me firm against the cool brick.
“Stolas, I don’t know what is going on between you and my dad, but I don’t want to be a part of it. If you asked me out to get under his skin or blackmail him—”
I choked on my emotions and could feel the tears falling down my cheeks. Their hot and traitorous streams were hard to hide even in the darkness of the night.
“He told you, but you don’t believe him.” His deep voice crowded closer as he dipped his chin to the top of my head.
“He told me you were evil. That you were a monster.”
