Eva’s cell rings out and I grab it for her, noting Michelle’s name on the screen. I climb off her so she can sit up and she answers. Michelle’s voice is shrill on the other end. I can hear every word as she berates Eva about something she forgot to do. Eva tries several times to explain. I nuzzle her neck, nipping at the soft flesh there. “Michelle, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t remember that conversation,” she says.
“I told you. If you weren’t so busy hitting on other people’s husbands, then you might actually remember the things I tell you to do,” Michelle spits out.
Eva’s mouth falls open and I roll my eyes. “Michelle, I would never—”
“Bullshit. I know about you and Callum. I know you tried it on with him.”
“I did not!” screeches Eva. “He tried it with me.”
“I suggest you get into the office and rectify this. I don’t care that it’s Saturday.” Michelle disconnects the call and Eva stares at her cell.
“Do you want me to have a word?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “God, no. If she finds out about us and she thinks I hit on her husband, she’ll definitely have it in for me.”
“Riggs heard some shit about him actually. Thinks he might be into the sex business.”
“What does that mean?” she asks.
I shrug. “Not sure exactly. We’ve been following him, but nothing major came up from my end. He goes to a house every night, but I checked the place out and it’s some kind of kink club.”
“Is that where he wanted me to go?”
“I think so. It’s members-only or invite-only.” I check my watch. “Which reminds me, I have church soon to update Riggs. Let me feed you and then I’ll take you home.”
Eva keeps my shirt on and takes a pair of leggings from Anna’s room. I grab her hand as we enter the kitchen. Riggs and Anna are already at the table with their kids. Frankie places a plate of bacon on the table and glances down at our joined hands. She smiles. “About fuckin’ time,” she mutters.
“You have that freshly beep look about you,” smirks Anna, and Eva blushes.
“I don’t know why you bother to beep your words when the kids are around the brothers all the damn time,” I say, taking a seat and pulling Eva down into my lap.
Chapter Nine
Eva
I’ve spent the last three hours at the office. I know Michelle didn’t ask me to sort out the end of the month invoices last week. I’ve checked every email and every text message and there’s nothing about this. The bitch seriously has it in for me thanks to her jerk-off husband.
I collect the final printout from Michelle’s office when I hear the entrance door. “I’ll be right out,” I yell. Why didn’t I lock the damn thing?
“No need.” I freeze at the sound of Callum’s voice. He fills the doorway to the office and I’m suddenly aware that he’s blocking my exit. “Michelle mentioned you’d messed up again.”
“I didn’t mess up.” I hate that my voice sounds weak.
He smirks. His eyes wander around the office and then land back on me. “She needs staff she can rely on, Eva.”
“She can rely on me. You told her I hit on you,” I say accusingly.
“Maybe I got confused,” he mutters. He steps into the office and closes the door. I take a step back to put some distance between us. I try to stay calm. He wants to intimidate me and I refuse to let him see that he’s getting to me. “You overreacted to my proposition.”
“I don’t think I did.” I move to the door and Callum blocks my path. “I’d like to leave.”
“I’m just here to give you another chance, Eva. I know my proposition was a little out of the blue,” he says. He runs a finger down my arm. “It really would be in your best interest to accept my very generous offer. People beg to get an invite to this place.”
“I’m not interested. Now, let me leave.”
He steps closer and I back up to the desk. I turn my face away and I feel his mouth near my ear. “You’ll regret it, Eva. I can make your wildest fantasies a reality.”
“My fantasy, Callum,” I hiss, “is for you to leave me the fuck alone.”
He laughs and steps back. I rush to the door and yank it open, then grab my bag and leave, not bothering to look back. I call Anna. My hands are shaking so bad that I get her number wrong a few times before I finally hear her voice. It’s such a relief that I burst into tears.
“I’m so sorry,” I sniffle. “I don’t know why I’m upset. I’m heading to Mum’s. Meet me there?”
“I’m on my way,” she says, and I smile because she doesn’t even know the reason I need her, but without questions, she’ll be there.
“Anna,” I add. “Please don’t tell Cree.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
Mum hands me a coffee just as Anna bursts in. She wraps me in a hug. “Oh god, I was so worried. Are you okay?”
“My boss’s husband is an ass. He keeps hitting on me,” I mutter. Mum places Anna’s coffee down and then joins us at the table. “Today, he closed me in the office with him and hit on me again. He didn’t touch me or anything, but he was just . . . ” I shrug my shoulders and let out a shaky breath. “Intimidating, I guess.”
“Shit, Eva. Let me call Cree. He’ll kick his ass.”
“Exactly. I don’t want that. We’re not even officially dating and I’m not gonna bring drama to his door.” I shake my head. “I don’t wanna be the damsel in distress that he comes to rescue. I can handle Callum. I
