Page 20 of Righteous Enforcer
"I won't hurt you," I add, and despite everything, it's the truth.
I might want answers.
I might want to make her feel a fraction of the pain I've endured. But I could never harm her.
I pull my car keys from my pocket. “You’ll be safe at the estate."
Eva glances down at her daughter, then at the mouth of the alley. I know she’s thinking of running from me.
I brace myself for her to bolt like a cornered animal.
The fear in her eyes makes no sense.
I've never laid a hand on her in anger.
Never would.
"Eva." I force my voice to soften. "Whatever you're running from, I can protect you better than you can protect yourself. You know that."
She takes a half-step back, clutching her daughter tighter.
The way she looks at me, like I'm the danger she's been fleeing all these years, guts me to the core.
After everything we shared, after I mourned her, after I just saved her fucking life… what could possibly make her fear me this way?
She wants to get away from me, and perhaps I should let her go, let her risk her life and her child’s life.
But I want answers for every day, every hour she stole from me.
And yes, a part of me wants to punish Eva for her betrayal even as I simultaneously want to protect her from whatever drove her to such desperate measures.
6
EVA
My mind races through escape scenarios while my body wants to give in to Adriano’s offer to protect us.
I’m so tired physically, but also mentally, emotionally.
Mirabella's tiny fingers clutch my shirt, her eyes darting between me and the man she doesn’t know is her father.
The man who can never know what I've done.
I need a reprieve. To regroup.
I need to feed Mirabella.
The best option right now is to let Adriano assist me in getting out of this alley and away from the Bratva.
"I'll come with you. But first I need to feed Mirabella and tend to my cuts.”
For a moment I think he'll refuse, drag us both to whatever car he's driven here.
The Adriano I knew was stubborn like that.
The man standing before me now is harder, dangerous in ways I never witnessed before.
"Fine." He pulls out his phone and taps on the screen. “There’s a pharmacy around the block. Then we’ll get food."
