Mastered(24)
He made a deliberate show of checking his watch before his gaze returned to hers, warning still clearly visible.
“It’s now four in the morning, which makes you nine hours late, and Drake doesn’t wait nine hours for anyone.”
Evangeline bared her teeth. “Good! But if that’s the case, then why are you here? By your own admission Drake waits for no one and it’s been nine hours. If he’s not waiting for me, then why are you here scaring the crap out of me?”
Amusement flashed in Maddox’s eyes. “It would appear he’s making an exception for you. My advice is not to make him wait any longer by standing here arguing at four in the morning.”
Evangeline’s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? What gives him the right to order me around or expect me to comply with his demands, like I’m some minion or one of his employees?” She shook her head, because this had gone way beyond creepy. Even more so than the bizarre events at the club and in particular in Drake’s office. “You’re all crazy! Certifiable. Besides, I had to work. You know, that thing called a job, in return for which you receive a paycheck? Some of us don’t have the luxury of taking off on a whim. I have bills to pay and a family to support. I need this job, and I’m sure as hell not blowing off work just because the almighty Drake Donovan decided he wants my presence for God only knows what reason. That would make me as insane as the rest of you!”
Once again, amusement flickered in Maddox’s eyes, but there was also a gleam that looked suspiciously like . . . respect at her defiance and bluntness. She was not a rude person, but nothing in her responses could possibly be construed as anything but rude. Not to mention dismissive, and although her association with Drake and his watchdogs had been brief, she knew they were not men who were ever dismissed and certainly not by a meek, timid woman.
When he didn’t immediately respond, frustration made Evangeline lash out again.
“What could he possibly want with me? We exist in completely different stratospheres. I’m nothing. I’m average at best. Nothing to look at. The stereotypical plain Jane who wouldn’t even draw notice in a small group, much less a crowd!”
At that, Maddox’s expression went from amused to pissed and mean in the blink of an eye, his gaze glittering dangerously.
“Bullshit,” he snapped, not expounding further.
Instead he gently cupped her elbow, anchored his arm around her waist and began walking her toward a parked car just a few feet away. The same car he’d taken her home in the night before. He ignored her sputtered protests and her attempts to break his hold on her and merely tightened his grip, slowing his pace to ensure she didn’t trip or stumble in the ridiculous heels she wore. How could such a badass, scary guy use such extreme care to ensure her safety when he was kidnapping her? It just didn’t make sense and her brain was already fried from the night at Impulse and then an extra-long shift she’d spent entirely on her feet.#p#分页标题#e#
When they got to the car and Maddox opened the back door, panic kicked in and she immediately backed away only to collide with a very large, muscled man who didn’t so much as budge as she squirmed and began to fight.
Instead he very gently eased her back and began to solicitously seat her.
“You can’t just kidnap me!” she exclaimed, true fright nearly making the words she intended to scream come out more as a croak because her throat was rapidly closing in.
“And yet you didn’t protest overly much when I very gentlemanly handed you into the car,” Maddox said dryly.
“Define ‘overly much,’” she snapped. “Because from my viewpoint I certainly did not go meekly like a lamb to its slaughter. I’m sure it appeared that way to you because you could snap me in half with your fingers, but it doesn’t mean I’m not here under protest.”
But then she looked down to see that she was indeed seated quite comfortably on the soft, expensive leather, wondering how on earth he’d managed to get her into the car with such minimal effort. Despite her bravado about fighting and not being led meekly to slaughter. Self-disgust filled her because yes, to a man like him, it most assuredly would look like she did his bidding without a single objection.
“I was afraid you’d shoot me,” she muttered under her breath.
But Maddox heard and his lips twitched suspiciously, though she suspected he rarely if ever smiled. That too seemed to be a requirement to work in Drake’s establishments. Gorgeous, badass, well built, intimidating, scary and no smiling. Ever.