Page 20 of Cruel Honor

“I’m going to get you home safely.” I start driving again. At least Evie isn’t freaking out any longer.

“Who exactly are you?”

“Has Katya told you?”

“She told me you’re … the Bratva. That you work for the Russian mob.”

“Well, then, you know who I am.”

She lets out a huff. “That’s it? You don’t want to give me more information?”

“What more information is there to give? You know my deepest, darkest secret. Well, actually most people in my life know who I am. Now, you know, too. There’s nothing else to say.”

“You just said you were going to kill that man! That’s not normal.”

“My life isn’t normal, and neither is Katya’s.”

Evie goes quiet and sits back in her seat, contemplating my words. “I can’t believe she never told me.”

“She was probably just trying to protect you.”

“That’s not exactly comforting.”

I glance at her and see she’s gone pale. “Hey, you ok?”

“No! I was just kidnapped by a serial killer and almost died until you came along and saved me. But you work for the mob. I’m not sure I’m exactly safe with you either. And why am I even telling you this?”

“Because I’m easy to talk to?” I flash her my most charming smile.

It doesn’t even faze her. She just sinks deeper into her seat, looking like she wants to cry.

Ok. I’m not used to comforting women. When it gets to heavy, emotional shit, I’m out. I’m there for the sex, and that’s it.

But with Evie, it’s already different.

“Your address?” I gently remind her.

“Right.” After a long moment, she finally tells me, and then shefalls silent again. I want to know what she’s thinking. Never before have I cared what’s on a woman’s mind.

I reach her house and come to a stop. “Do you live alone?” If she tells me she lives with her boyfriend, I might hit something. God, why am I so fucking possessive of this girl in such a short amount of time?

I don’t care about her.

I can’t.

She’s not a Bratva woman. Bringing a non-Bratva woman into the mix is never a good idea. She doesn’t know our customs. Granted, I eschew those customs. If I truly followed them, I’d be married to Tatiana by now.

But secondly, she’s Katya’s best friend. I can’t exactly make her mine.

Or … can I?

I still have to find a woman to marry. If Abram gets what he wants, he’ll force me into a marriage with Tatiana, but if I’m already married, he can’t do that. Sure, he can still cause other issues, but making me marry his daughter is not one of them.

I like Evie. I know literally nothing about her other than she’s a librarian and is Katya’s friend.

And that she’s brave and speaks her mind.

But other than that, she’s a stranger. Yet I want her. Dima is still out there. Knowing him, he’ll come looking for Evie again. She’s exactly his type, and she slipped through his fingers.

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