Page 36 of Manacled Hearts

I’m still wrapped tight in disbelief as I return to her and hand her the paperback. Her eyes bulge when the title sinks in, then with an ear-piercing shriek, she throws her arms around me. It only lasts a second before she whips around and jumps back on the sofa, showing the man who looks like he just came from a beach photo shoot. He looks just as stunned as I am.

“Look, look!” She jumps on the sofa next to him. “It’s the same one. It’s like you talked!”

He only manages a nod before he straightens his surprise and gives her a quick smile before rising.

I want to ask him what he’s doing here, but it’s not my house. He probably comes here for Katya all the time.

It doesn’t explain why he’s watching me like that, though. His focus heats my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck rise. It was the same at Vincent’s house—every time he looked at me, I felt exposed down to my soul.

Tiny electric shocks flourish down my back, wrapping around my waist, and I move before they can reach the area that threatens deeply inappropriate thoughts.

“Could we talk for a moment?”

His voice stops me dead in my tracks. On a slow inhale, I turn, breathing in through the tightness gripping my chest. Katya walks over, a cold annoyance in her gaze directed straight at him. She obviously knows what this is about, and I’m not loving her expression.

“Evelyn, you—” she begins.

“Katya,” Finnigan warns, and her nostrils flare in response.

She wants to but doesn’t argue. I cross my arms against my chest, tightening them ever so slightly, as I cock my head.

“Maya, could you come with me for a moment?” Katya shifts toward my sister, and a moment later they are both out of the room.

This is only the second time Finnigan and I have been alone, and the first one did not go well at all. I suspect this one won’t be any different.

“You can’t tell me to leave again.” I begin because I’m can’t stand this silence, not when that prickle is back on my spine, “I live here. You’ll have to be the one to go.”

He drops his gaze for a second and my heart follows the moment realization strikes. That’s exactly what he’s about to do. I take a step back, eyes widening as I force my composure.

“I’m going to give you money so you can go back home. I know this is the only reason you’re not going back yet, and I want to make it happen. I will provide transport or a car, a place to stay when you get there, and enough money for you and your sister to be comfortable for a long while.”

Excuse me?

“You’re messing with me, right?” My arms drop, fists tightening as I force my anger into them rather than my tone.

“I’m happy to do it this week. I have a number in mind, you tell me if it’s enough or if this is gonna cost more.”

“Cost?” I choke on the word. “You’re actually being serious?”

This is not help, this is borderline bribery. The fact that my voice stayed at an almost calm level is nothing short of a miracle.

“Yes, I am.” His tone is cool, so matter-of-fact something tightens in my chest in response. “You need money to leave, and I have money to make it happen.”

Taking an involuntary step toward him as heat fills my chest, I let his words sink in along with their implication. Conflict flickered in his eyes for a split second, but I don’t care to unpack that right now. We’re two steps away from each other, too close, yet not close enough for me to slap him. And God, how my palm twitches to slap his handsome face.

“How dare you?!” The disdain bleeds through my voice, but I’m keeping my tone low since Maya’s in the other room.

“Excuse me?” he says with a scowl.

“You heard me. How dare you pay me off to leave Queenscove? Do you really think I’m that type of person?”

“It’s not any different from us helping to return all those kids to their parents or to whomever they were taken from.” He shrugs, the gesture irritating me further.

“Is that what you tell yourself to justify this? It definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the other night?” I take another step toward him, flexing my hands at my sides as the itch intensifies.

The man sneers. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The conflict is way clearer in his eyes now. The ire too.

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