Chapter 2: The Night I Should've Stayed Away

Evangeline's Pov

 

I stood outside his penthouse door, my hand shaking on the buzzer, but I pressed it anyway, and the sound cut through the quiet hallway like a scream. The door opened fast, and there he was, Nathaniel, still in his black suit from the funeral, his tie loose, and his eyes hard. He looked at me and didn’t say a word at first, just stepped aside so I could come in, and I did, my heels clicking on the marble floor.

 

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said and closed the door behind me, the click sounding final.

 

“I know,” I said and turned to face him, my voice didn’t shake even if my hands wanted to. “But I’m here anyway.”

 

He stared at me, his eyes going from my face down to my black dress and back up again, and I saw something flicker there, something dark. “What do you want, Evangeline?”

 

“I want answers,” I said and stepped closer, and he didn’t move back. “I want to know what happened to Daniel.”

 

“You think I’ll give them to you?” he asked, his mouth twisting a little, not quite a smile.

 

“No,” I said and reached up, grabbing his tie and pulling him down to me, kissing him hard. My lips crashed into his, and I bit his bottom lip. He made a sound low in his throat but didn’t pull away. He kissed me back just as hard, his hands going to my waist and gripping tight like he wanted to bruise me.

 

I pushed him against the wall, my hands going to his shirt, yanking it open, and buttons flew everywhere and hit the floor. He laughed against my mouth, but it wasn’t a nice laugh, it was mean and knowing. “So this is how you grieve,” he said in a rough voice.

 

“Shut up,” I said and kissed him again, my nails digging into his chest. He hissed but didn’t stop me. He spun us around so now my back was against the wall, pressed into me. I felt all of him and hated how much I wanted it.

 

“You hate me,” he said, his mouth on my neck, biting down, and I gasped.

 

“Yes,” I said, my hands going to his belt. I undid it fast, pulled it free, and let it drop. “I hate you so much.”

 

“Good,” he said and picked me up, my legs going around his waist. He carried me down the hall, kicked open a door, and we were in his bedroom. He threw me on the bed. I bounced and sat up fast. He was already taking off his jacket and shirt, and I stared at him. He was all muscle and scars and power.

 

I kicked off my heels, stood up, pulled my dress over my head, and let it fall. I stood there in just my underwear, and he looked at me like he wanted to own me. “Come here,” he said, his voice a command.

 

“No,” I said but stepped closer anyway. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him, kissing me again, his hands everywhere. I pushed him back onto the bed and climbed on top of him. He let me, his hands going to my hips and squeezing.

 

“You think you’re in control,” he said, his eyes locked on mine. I hated how calm he was.

 

“I am,” I said and leaned down, biting his shoulder. He groaned and flipped us over fast. Now, he was on top, and I was under him. He pinned my wrists above my head with one hand.

 

“Say it again,” he said, his other hand going between my legs. I arched up and couldn’t help it.

 

“I’m in control,” I said but my voice broke a little. He smiled, and it was cruel.

 

“Liar,” he said, kissing me hard and letting go of my wrists. I grabbed his hair and pulled, and he growled. We moved together fast and rough. It hurt, but I wanted it to hurt. Every time he thrust, I thought about Daniel and the building and the workers, and I hated him more and wanted him more, all mixed up in my head.

 

After a while, he rolled us again, with me on top. I moved how I wanted, and he watched me, his hands on my hips but letting me set the pace. “You’re good at this,” he said, his voice low.

 

“I’ve had practice,” I said and leaned down to kiss him, biting his lip again. He flipped us back and took over. I let him because I wanted to see what he would do.

 

He was rough and fast and didn’t care if it hurt. I didn’t care either. When it was over, we were both breathing hard and sweating. I lay there next to him, staring at the ceiling. He didn’t touch me after, just lay on his back, and I felt empty but clear, like something clicked in my head.

 

I sat up, found my underwear, and put it on. He watched me and didn’t say anything. I stood up, looked for my dress, found it on the floor, pulled it over my head, and smoothed it down. My hands shook now, but not from being scared from knowing I could do this again and again and get what I needed.

 

“You’re trembling,” he said, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. He looked too calm, like he didn’t just lose his brother today.

 

“I’m fine,” I said, turning to him with a steady voice. “That was a mistake.”

 

“Was it?” he asked and smiled, reaching for his pants and pulling them on slowly. “You came here.”

 

“I did,” I said, stepping into my heels and looking at him. “And I’ll come back.”

 

He stood up, walked over, stopped close, and looked down at me. “You think you can play me,” he said softly but dangerously.

 

“I know I can,” I said, meeting his eyes and not looking away.

 

He laughed, short and sharp. “We’ll see,” he said and stepped back where he went to a drawer, pulled out a shirt, and put it on. “You want to know about Daniel?”

 

“Yes,” I said, and my heart beat faster.

 

“Daniel amended his will before he died,” he said, buttoning his shirt slowly and looking at me. “Congratulations, Evangeline, you own thirty percent of my company.”

 

I stared at him, my heartbeat stopping, and the room felt cold. “What did you do to him?” I whispered, my voice small.

 

Nathaniel only smiled and didn’t answer. I stood there knowing this was just the start.