Mastered(12)
She sent him another startled look. He was introducing himself like this was some social thing when he was, in effect, holding her prisoner. Just not in so many words.
“E-Evangeline,” she managed to get out.
He smiled then, and wow. He had a killer smile. Her knees went a little weak and she was suddenly glad his hand was still curled around her shoulder. Otherwise she might have face-planted.
“Very pretty,” he murmured. “Now, if you’ll come with me, I’ll take you to Mr. Donovan.”
The panic was back. Fear skittered up her spine and flooded her face.
Maddox had started to propel her in the direction of a set of stairs just outside the doorway leading to the dance floor when he saw her face and immediately stopped, staring directly into her eyes.
“He won’t hurt you. No one will hurt you. You have my word.”
“Then why . . . I don’t understand,” she said in frustration. She wanted to ask more but he stopped one more time and turned, gently cupping her cheek in a very surprising motion because he didn’t look like a man who made affectionate or comforting gestures, and he’d been nothing but extremely gentle and compassionate toward her ever since he’d put a stop to Eddie’s assault.
“You didn’t do anything, Evangeline. Now, please, come with me.”
She didn’t get to finish her endless questions because once more she found herself moving toward the stairs. She wasn’t sure exactly how he managed it. Her feet certainly didn’t want to obey. She didn’t want to obey. And yet in a matter of moments they were at the stairs. But then he bypassed them and entered a dark hall that did little to allay her fears.
He obviously felt her tremble because he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and then suddenly he settled her against him, pulling her into the crook of his arm as he pushed the button to an elevator. An elevator?
“Relax,” he murmured. “I swore to you no one would hurt you. And I never break my word.”
“Never?”
His eyes flashed with amusement as the elevator door whooshed open. “Never.”
“It’s got to be a requirement,” she muttered, as the elevator closed and then began its assent.
He looked at her in confusion.
“For working here,” she said patiently. “It has to be a requirement.”
“What is?” he asked, clearly puzzled. “Not breaking my word?”
“Being hot. Everyone’s hot here. Even the bouncers. And the waitresses. And whatever you and those other guys are. It should be a crime.”
She said it like it was a crime, and well, it was. No one should be this freaking gorgeous. Or nice. They all looked too badass to take the time to reassure a confused woman who was scared out of her mind. The bouncer at the front door. The bartender. Hot guy number one, who’d crushed Eddie like a bug. Hot guy number two, to whom hot guy number one had tossed Eddie. Not to mention the other hot guy who’d appeared, apparently to help hot guy number two escort Eddie out. The waitresses. And then there were the clubgoers themselves.
“And apparently only beautiful people are allowed here,” she muttered under her breath but apparently loud enough that Maddox could hear, judging by the laughter brimming in his eyes. “I knew it was a mistake to come. I don’t belong here. I should have just stayed home.”
At that he immediately sobered, and he had that scary look back. He stared fiercely at her. His eyes narrowed as he studied her, disbelief reflected in his beautiful eyes.
“You don’t think you’re beautiful?”#p#分页标题#e#
Her mouth gaped open. “Duh! I don’t think. I know! You can’t change what is.”
He didn’t look at all happy with her statement, but before he could respond, the elevator opened directly into a darkened, spacious room. She had to blink to adjust to the lower lighting and realized the only light illuminating the room came from video monitors placed on the wall. Surveillance. So that was why someone had ridden to the rescue. Well, thank God for that, because it wasn’t as if any of the other customers were going to intervene.
Maddox cursed softly, shaking his head as he propelled Evangeline into the room. He’d opened his mouth as if to speak or respond to her statement but snapped it shut the minute the elevator opened. But he still looked pissed, which she was beginning to think was also a requirement of working here. Hot and perpetually pissed. She had to say, when not directed at her, the hot and pissed-off look was pretty damn hot.
“Her name is Evangeline,” Maddox said.
“Leave us,” a deep male voice sounded.