Drake ignores the man and turns to me. “Did he rape you?”
I wince at his words, but find the courage in my voice. “No! I wanted it!” I scream, finally defying this man in the worst way possible.
“Then, why were you fucking crying?”
I don’t answer him. Instead, I turn my head away from him in defiance. It’s only when I hear the stranger’s strangled cry that I turn back to him. “Stop, Drake! You’re going to kill him!”
With gritted teeth, he motions to his men. In no time at all, two of them grab me by the arms and hold me in place. “Drake, what are you doing?!”
He ignores me. All of his attention at the moment is focused on this stranger, who Drake’s currently holding by the neck. “One question,” he barks into his face. The stranger’s eyes dart around in fear as his face starts to turn blue from the pressure on his neck. “Did you fuck her?”
The man’s eyes grow wider still as he tries to speak, but can’t get the words out. Instead, he shakes his head vehemently as if trying to appease Drake.
Drake looks deep into his eyes like he’s trying to sense whether or not he’s telling the truth. Once he gets what he’s after, he reaches into the waistband of his trousers, pulls his gun out, and shoots him in the head.
I scream, but my cries are soon restricted by the big, beefy hand covering my mouth. Tears pool in my eyes as I try to make sense of the scene in front of me. This stranger—this random, innocent stranger—is dead because of me.
I scream into the man’s hand. A mixture of anger and remorse is eating away at my insides. Drake snaps his head back to me, and there’s fire in his eyes. “Do you see what you fucking did? Why do you defy me, Evelyn? Why?!” Suddenly, he storms towards me, grabbing my neck and squeezing a little. My eyes widen in response as a different type of fear creeps up my spine. “I’m going to teach you a lesson you will never forget. Don’t ever think you can get away with this without there being some sort of repercussion. I was going to take it slow, but your actions tonight have forced me to decide on a different course. Just remember something, Evelyn. You did this. Not me. You.”
What does that mean?
I have no time to dwell on this as he pushes himself off of me with a huff and angrily orders two of his men in the room to take care of the stranger. I watch in horror as they drag his lifeless body away. Drake watches it too before turning his attention back to me.
Our eyes lock, and that same spell he is so adept at casting on me comes bursting through me like a tidal wave. I don’t want it to come, but he forces his way through me with a crash.
Disappointment.
That’s all I can see in his eyes as he stares at me. For a moment, my eyes drift down at his reaction. I feel… What is this feeling? Regret?
My eyes meet his again, showing him the remorse I feel. Again, my heart wants to give in to him, but my head is trying to outwit my heart. This time, my heart is winning.
Gritting his teeth, he shakes his head from side to side, but doesn’t utter the words that are so painfully itching to get through. Instead, he just stands there—all six-foot-seven of him with his impressive chest showing through a tight navy v-necked t-shirt. He wears his jeans low at the hips with a bulky belt strapped around them. He’s still surveying me. Still staring at me with those light caramel eyes of his. They seem to be burning their way into my soul—deeper than ever. I don’t want him to affect me, but he does. He coaches it out of me. In fact, he commands it.
And just like that, he finally breaks his spell, motioning to the men to move me. They immediately comply with his commands, hoisting me up from the bed and pushing me out of the hotel room. As I step out, I look around to see if anyone has come out of their rooms to watch the commotion, but there’s not a soul to be seen. This doesn’t surprise me. Drake is well known around these parts, and people wisely leave him alone to do whatever the hell he pleases. Even the police know not to be anywhere near wherever the great Drake Salvatore conducts his business. Everyone knows whatever he deals in isn’t legal, but everyone also chooses to look the other way.
No one wants to save me.
I can’t be saved.
As the men pin my wrists behind my back, I’m carefully pushed down the stairs and into a waiting limousine. I frown, wondering why his chosen method of transport tonight is this one.
In no time at all, I find out why.
As I push myself towards the other end of the seat—as far away from where he will sit as possible—Drake joins me, and his door is quickly shut behind him. He’s still wearing that same look of anger and disappointment on his face as he clocks me cowering in the far corner.