Maddox entered in an instant, his expression wary as he sent a scowl in Evangeline’s direction.
“Go assure Evangeline’s roommates that she is perfectly all right, but she won’t be coming home tonight, or any other night for that matter. Inform them that she’s moving in with me and will be in contact with them in the next day or two and will explain everything to them then.”
“What?” Evangeline’s shriek made Maddox wince. She didn’t look frightened as one might expect. No, she looked outraged and indignant.
Satisfied she wasn’t about to become hysterical with fear, Drake ignored her reaction, instead picking her feet back up and resuming his ministrations, which forced her to recline back onto the couch. Because while she might not dissolve into hysteria, she might well punch him right in the face, so distraction was necessary immediately and she’d definitely enjoyed the foot rub he’d already given her.
Maddox clearly had no liking for the task Drake had assigned him. It was evident in his disgruntled expression.
“What the hell did I do to deserve to be put on difficult and recalcitrant women duty?” Maddox muttered. “Surely you can come up with more creative ways of punishing me, Drake. Defuse a bomb? Stop an assassination attempt? Be a substitute day-care worker for a week?”
Evangeline sent Maddox a saccharine-sweet smile at his acid sarcasm.
“I certainly didn’t ask to be dragged from my workplace at four in the morning to face a man who is clearly out of his mind or has mistaken me for someone else entirely. And if I hadn’t been dragged here, I would be home, and therefore my roommates wouldn’t be out of their minds with worry and you wouldn’t have to deal with difficult, recalcitrant women. Though I’d pay money to see you in a day care with mini spawns of Satan nagging you and pulling you in forty different directions.”
Her smile was mockingly sweet, a definite smirk lurking on her lips, but her words were tart with a distinct edge that amused Drake. Evidently Maddox was as well.
Maddox gave her a quirk of a smile, amusement glimmering in his eyes, and then, just before he turned to exit, he gave her a two-finger salute as if to say, Touché.
As soon as Maddox departed, Evangeline aimed a ferocious albeit cute glare in Drake’s direction and opened her mouth, no doubt to blast him with both barrels, so Drake did the one thing guaranteed to silence her.
He fused his mouth to hers in a hot, breathless kiss, though he wasn’t sure who was the more breathless, him or her. A savage groan worked its way from his chest and into his throat, escaping into the sweetness of her mouth. He swallowed her gasp of surprise and dropped her feet, leaning forcefully into her, grasping her hands when they went to his chest to shove him away.
Instead, he clasped them there over his chest, letting her feel the rapid beat of his heart, allowing her to feel her effect on him. Not something he would normally ever allow to happen, but damn it, he was treading in unfamiliar waters here. He’d never had to deal with a reluctant female when it came to his advances. He was well used to women tripping over themselves in their haste to get to him, to gain his attention. Not try to run as fast and as hard in the other direction as possible.
Reluctantly, he eased his lips from hers, noting the swollen, delectable bow of her mouth and that delicious little funny quirk in the corner. He couldn’t help himself. He flicked his tongue out and licked at it, coaxing another tremble from her already quivering body.
“Now, I’d like an answer to my question,” he said in a deceptively lazy manner. One that might fool someone else into thinking he was merely asking a simple question, one that could either be answered or not.
Her eyes narrowed, telling him without words that she definitely hadn’t missed the hint of command in his tone.
“Why are you working in that place night after night, running yourself into the ground, to complete exhaustion? Where men touch you, put their hands on you and God only knows what else,” he growled.
He was becoming more pissed by the minute, and he was seething as he stared at her. The idea of those bastards putting their hands on what he’d already claimed, fondling her, disrespecting her, had his teeth on edge, and his temper, already bad enough, was fast becoming overwhelmingly foul.
“It’s not that bad,” she said, immediately becoming defensive.
“Bullshit,” he barked, startling her with his vehemence. “I had men in the bar all night. They saw exactly the kind of shit you endure on a nightly basis. Remember the asshole who wouldn’t take no for an answer when you oh-so-politely told him to get fucked?”