Like a deer caught in headlights, I didn’t know how to react. I wasn’t going to lie to Harrison, but the truth was too ugly to admit.
“Talk to me, Eva, because right now I’m not liking what I’m reading on your face.”
I sank onto the bed and covered my face with my hands, my shoulders slumping forward. I was just too damn tired to pretend or try to hide shit from Harrison’s trained eyes.
“Was it one of Parker’s minions? Tell me, Eva, so I can know what happened to you.”
With my throat tightening and my heartbeat picking up, I shook my head, unable to get any words out. How could I tell the man I’d promised to marry that Nolan had forced himself on me?
Unprotected.
I shuddered at the mere thought. Obviously I hadn’t taken my contraceptives since leaving my apartment so abruptly. As I laid crying afterwards, I’d done the math and realized that I was at my most fertile when Nolan had shoved his dick into me.
That was the part I dreaded most. What would I do if Nolan’s seed had impregnated me? And how would Harrison react to it all? Maybe agreeing to marry him had been a really stupid idea.
Harrison knelt on the floor in front of me and took both my hands in his. Fat tears splashed onto the thin cotton fabric leaving large wet blotches that stuck to my skin on my breasts and legs. He rubbed gently over the faint red marks that were still visible on my wrists.
He knows.
“Baby, you’re scaring me. Tell me why you’re crying.” The fright on his face was something I’d never expected to see from this tough man.
Casting my eyes to the floor, I held my breath for a moment as I was torn between the choice of telling him everything and telling him nothing. Neither was a great option, and it was eating me alive.
If I was going to spend the rest of my life with this man, we should start on the right footing. Truth and honesty. That part I could do. It was losing his respect that was going to kill me.
Would he still want me?
I have so much to lose.
“I’m just overwhelmed by everything. I can’t talk now.” At least that was the truth.
He lifted my face to his and kissed my lips tenderly. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. I love you so much that nothing else matters.”
I nodded, staring into his warm and caring eyes. This Harrison loved unconditionally. Maybe we stood a chance, but I wasn’t risking it. Maybe if I didn’t think about what had happened, nothing would come of it. I was clutching at straws for the sake of our happiness.
A bang on the door, and Ryder’s deep voice reminded us our time was up. We were ready to leave this dreadful island, and I couldn’t wait to put as much distance between myself and this place as possible.
But it was far from over. Nolan and his men, including Jones, were on the plane. How much had Savage found out about what had happened when he’d interrogated them? Was my secret safe or would Nolan use it to destroy me?
Chapter 45 — Harrison
Eva’s reticence to tell me what upset her so badly cut me to the quick. The flash of fear that had passed over her face when I’d mentioned Parker’s name told me all I suspected was most likely true. Even if she wouldn’t admit it, I already had the answer.
The motherfucker had hurt my girl. I’d seen many abductions throughout the years, and it was rare that a woman wasn’t abused while being held captive. Men were filthy dogs. Given the opportunity, they abused the power they had just because they could.
My blood boiled and rage filled me. I wanted to yank Parker’s dick off and feed it to the dogs. He was going to pay dearly, and I wouldn’t rest until justice was done.
Ryder rapped his knuckles on the door again. “Dude, the plane is waiting. Let’s go.”
My shoulders stiffened. I hated interruptions. “We’re on our way. I’ll bring Eva,” I yelled back.
“Open the fucking door,” Ryder demanded.
I let go of Eva’s wrists and went to let Ryder in. He was as protective of Eva as I was of Jade, so although it annoyed the fuck out of me, I understood exactly where he was coming from.
Jerking the door open, I stared into his worried face. “Is Eva okay?”
His gaze shot to where she sat on the bed, tear stains evident on her cheeks. She crossed her arms over her chest to hide her nipples from Ryder. She looked so damn vulnerable that I just wanted to fold her into my arms and kiss the shit out of her, telling her it was all going to be alright. Instead, I had Ryder glaring at me as if I were the monster.
“Fuck, you’ve upset her. And why isn’t she dressed?” he growled as he entered the room. “I think you should leave. I’ll wait for her.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but perhaps he was right. Maybe he could get out of Eva what I couldn’t. If Ryder found out what exactly had happened to her, I’d be satisfied that justice would be served because Ryder would leave no stone unturned to avenge the wrongs done to his family.
“Eva, what do you want, baby?” I kept my voice even and calm.
“I’ll change and come with Ryder.”
My heart fell to my stomach. I didn’t want to be far away from her, but I respected her wishes. At least she’d be safe with the biker and I could catch up with Savage on what the latest was with our detainees.
I left the room and closed the door behind me. So what if everyone had to wait a while before we took off? Eva’s wellbeing was the most important thing. The others could just wait until she was ready.
What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall. Especially if she told Ryder that I’d asked her to marry me. His reaction would be priceless.
I found Savage and pulled him aside. “I suspect Parker couldn’t keep his dick to himself,” I said, staying as calm as I could under the circumstances. We weren’t just talking about any victim—we were talking about my woman, and it tore my insides up that she’d been through such an ordeal.
It was all my fault.
If I’d answered her calls, been there when she needed me, it would never have happened. Just when I finally thought I could redeem myself, something as horrific as that happened to the woman I love.
My heart squeezed and a deep ache settled there. An ache not only for myself, but for Eva too.
I was fucked, destined to never find happiness because all I caused was tragedy to the people I loved most. Amy. Jade. And now Eva.
Savage placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I know. Idiot bragged about it, trying to prove that he had ownership of Eva.”
It was like a punch in the gut. When it had been a suspicion only, the possibility existed that it didn’t happen. Being right never felt so fucking bad. I sunk down to my haunches, the contents of my stomach swirling around until they shot from my mouth like a projectile.
My poor baby. What hell she must have gone through. If only I could undo it all, reverse time and change the outcome. I’d give my life to take the horror away from her.
“The bastard is going to die. He doesn’t deserve to breathe.” I wiped the saliva dribbling from the sides of my mouth with the back of my hand.
“You can’t take the law into your own hands, Harrison. You made an oath.”
“Fuck that. And I quit, remember?” I spat the bad taste out of my mouth and pushed back up onto my feet, standing tall.
“That’s a mistake, man. You don’t mean it.”
Squinting, I stared at my partner. I meant every fucking word, and even more so after confirming my suspicions. I clenched and unclenched my fists as I imagined what I was going to do to the precious Senator.
“Razor made a joke some time back that I’d be an asset to the MC club. He may just be fucking right. Maybe that’s exactly where I belong—righting the wrongs of the world as a vigilante. Wiping out fuckers who got away with murder because of their position in life.”
“Okay, now I know you are screwing with me. Either that or you have jungle fever and are delirious. The man I’ve known for most of my life would never consider doing that.”