Page 27 of Guarded Rebellion

He grunted a wry laugh. “And that’s expected. She expects it too. Eva knows that she’ll have guards with her, but if you keep acting like a fucking asshole with her, I wouldn’t be surprised if she reacted in kind. She might try to sneak away from you, just to spite you. Then she might end up somewhere she shouldn’t.”

I straightened, lowering my arms. “Are you suggesting I’m not cut out for this job?”

“Fuck, man. Yes, you are. Obviously, you are. The Boss wouldn’t have chosen you if he didn’t trust you. But this goddamn push-and-pull bullshit you’re playing with her can backfire.”

“Eva will always be protected,” I reiterated, not wanting to touch on what else he’d noticed.

I enjoyed being hard on Eva because those were the rare times she let meseeher, the real her. Not the icy princess she was supposed to be. Not the obedient niece who followed rules and expectations. But the woman. The free spirit who wanted to rail against me and protest being ordered. Eva didn’t have a submissive bone in her body, but I intuited how much she reveled in the opportunities to defy me and stand up to me.

I never saw her more alive than when she argued with me. I never heard such heat and passion in her voice as when she threw my attitude back in my face.

I couldn’t get enough of it, but I had to watch it. I had to watch myself, because Rurik was right. Letting my desire grow would backfire, one way or another.

“Do you hear me?” I asked him, pushing off the wall I’d been leaning against as I waited in the corridor just outside the area of the library she was studying in. “She will be protected. Under my say so, no harm will come to her.”

“Because you can control everything, huh?”

“I will control the measures that are required to keep her safe.”

“Including yourself?” He raised his brows, dubious. “Are you going to control yourself with her?”

I clenched my jaw. “Yes. Of course.”

I brushed past him to find her and take her home. Even though it was a few minutes before the end of the designated study group meeting, I imagined she’d be ready to leave.

“It’s not like she needs to study anyway,” I muttered to myself as I opened the double doors. It wasn’t any of my business, but I saw her grades when she left her laptop open. I’d skimmed over her shoulder when she checked emails from her instructors and professors, all complimenting her on work well done. Eva was brainy. A bookworm and an industrious scholar. Maybe it came naturally to her, and this excuse to attend a study group was just another way to spend time with Kelly.

Hell, maybe I could ease up and let the woman visit at the apartment.My reservation about letting Kelly into our apartment was for security reasons only, but if easing up on that rule would make Eva happy?—

For fuck’s sake, I’m not here to make her happy.

She’s a job.

An assignment.

I’m here to keep her alive and?—

I spotted her at the same table I saw her taking a seat at an hour ago. Rage colored my vision now, though. She was still there. Books lay open on the table. The only difference now was that Bryce had his mouth on her.

“What the fuck?” I growled, trying and likely failing to keep my tone down. Other students turned as I strode into the area of tables and lamps. Kelly lifted her face and grimaced. “Shit. Eva.”

Eva turned, pulling her face from Bryce. He leaned over from the chair he straddled, closing the distance to her. As she pivoted to see what had alarmed Kelly, she moved her face further from that ass’s mouth. He’d only put his lips on her cheek, but even that was far too much for me to tolerate.

But then she narrowed her eyes. Sensing the wrath I couldn’t mask, seeing the very real and evident anger I couldn’t hide, she did exactly what Rurik predicted.

She reacted.

She retaliated.

Before I could reach their table, she grabbed the front of Bryce’s shirt and hauled him toward her. She couldn’t have planted her mouth against his for more than a second, but I stole the bastard’s opportunity to respond in kind and kiss her back any harder than the peck it was.

“Get lost.” I yanked him up with one hand clutching the back of his leather jacket. He stood, arms flailing as I ducked toward his ear. “Stay away from her. This is your last fucking warning.”

Shoving him back, I scowled at Eva.

Pissy and put-out, she rolled her eyes and gathered her things. “Looks like it’s time for the overlord asshole to tell me that it’s time to go,” she quipped to Kelly.

Kelly avoided making eye contact with either of us, busying herself with collecting her books and highlighters. “Yeah. Um. Yeah. I’ll talk to you tomorrow at History,” she replied.

---