My priority is the beautiful girl who’s shaking in my arms and to take her away from this piece of shit.
I kiss her forehead again and again as I carry her out of the building.
Jake, her driver runs toward us when he sees her in my arms. He doesn't ask what happens, only look behind me to the building and grit his teeth when I just nod.
I don’t protest when Jake shifts to the driver side of my truck. I don’t think I can let go of her even to drive her home and as she hugs me tight, I know she doesn’t want me to.
She shakes in my arms. Her sobs muffled in the crook of my neck. Her hold on me never loosens, and I don't know how to calm her down except whispering the same things over and over again: "Shh, I'm here. You're safe."
She whimpers at every bump in the road, and I want to turn back and kill that bastard. I hold her tighter and close my eyes when I hear her breath hitch. When I reopen my eyes, we arrive home.
“I’ll be here if you need anything,” Jake says as I get out of the car with Eva in my arms.
I nod, but my real focus is on Eva.
After we get into to guest house, I sit on the bed.
"Eva?" I whisper, and she starts to cry again, hiding her face into the crook of my neck.
Stroking her hair softly, I wait for her to let all out.
“H-he saw us,” she finally says when her sobs subdue.
I sigh. “I know, babe.”
She leans back to look at me. “He’ll tell everyone. He’ll report you. You’ll be fired.”
“Evangeline,” I whisper in wonder. That son of a bitch put his fucking hands on her, but this amazing girl is thinking of me, worrying for me. “Baby, I don’t care what he does to me as long as you’re okay.”
She shakes her head, trying to get up from my lap.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I need to talk to Jake,” she says.
I frown but nod. "Okay. You stay here, I'll bring him."
When I come back to the room with Jake, he looks at her disheveled way and keeps some distance between them. And I appreciate his effort not to scare her.
Jake and I became closer after that talk he warned me about Eva. He's an ex-army, and he sees more than he lets on. I know I can trust him when it comes to Eva.
"Jake… tha-that guy… he was drunk, and he tried to hurt me. And he has recordings… recordings of Elijah and I," Eva murmurs and I hold her shaking hand in min
e.
“Okay. I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry,” Jake says in a soft voice I’ve never heard him use before.
"And… Elijah hit him. He may go to the police. I don't know."
Jake snorts. "He won't go to the police."
“I left him in his office. He was unconscious,” I say, not feeling guilty at all.
He nods.
“Okay. I got this. I’ll let you know when things are handled down.”
I frown. He sounds dangerous, but I can’t find it in me to pity that bastard headmaster.