After a final check in the mirror, she turned to him. Cocking her head to the side, she smiled. "Like the luckiest woman in the world. You?"
"Feeling pretty damn lucky, myself." He reached for her, and she went into his arms without hesitation. "We have a bit of a situation,tesoro."
Though he'd said it casually, there was a bite to his tone that immediately put her on alert. "What is it? Did he find us?" Panic tried to get its claws into her, but she refused. Whatever it was, she would handle it, with her man and her sisters by her side.
"No, you're safe. You'd already be gone if he had."
She couldn't deny the truth of it. If Branson showed up within a fifty-mile radius, she had no doubt she'd be packed up and sent off somewhere else in a heartbeat. "Then, what is it?"
"Your parents. I don't know the full story, but somehow, he's convinced them you've been kidnapped. Come downstairs and see."
Her parents? Confused, she followed him down the stairs to the living room where everyone else was already gathered. Everyone looked up when she walked in, and even Ro's eyes were sad and serious.
"Your parents are looking for you," Luca said, gesturing to the silent TV, where her mother's image was frozen on the screen.
"I don't understand. Why would they be looking for me? I thought you sent someone to explain what was going on."
The men shared a look. "They wouldn't talk to our man." A muscle in Jason's cheek jumped, giving away the temper he was obviously working to hold back. "Your mother threatened to have him arrested."
"What?" For a moment, she was too stunned to speak. "No. You're wrong."
"Sit down and watch this." The order from Luca had her baring her teeth at him, but he simply raised an eyebrow. "Sit."
"Fine." Shooting him another glare, she dropped onto the couch and faced the TV. Ro and Teagan settled on either side of her, but she didn't so much as glance at them.
There was some kind of mistake. Her parents had been at the inauguration. They'd seen what happened. They couldn't possibly be siding with Branson.
Luca hit play, and her mother's voice filled the room. "If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of our daughter, Evelyn, we are offering a two-hundred-thousand-dollar reward for any information that helps us find her. These men…" Evie's blood ran cold when she held up pictures of Jason, Luca, and Octavius, "… are believed to have taken her." She put the pictures down and seemed to pause to collect herself. "Despite what the media would like to say about our new governor, Branson Montgomery has been nothing but a loyal, loving partner to our Evelyn. We believe these men forced her to participate in their scheme to ruin Governor Montgomery's reputation and force him to resign. Please, help us bring her home."
The screen went black, and heavy silence filled the room. Jason crouched in front of her, but she kept her gaze locked on the screen. "Tesoro. Look at me."
"I don't understand." Unable to bear whatever she might see in his eyes, she closed her own. "How could they think this? They saw everything. I don't understand."
There was a brief, heavy pause before Luca answered, "Long story short, he got to them before we did."
Her eyes flew open, and she glared up at him. "That's your answer? You drop the fucking ball, and all you can say is he got there first?"
"Evie."
Ignoring the warning in Jason's voice, she pushed off the couch and jabbed a finger into Luca's chest. "You fucked up. I don't know how, or why, and I honestly don't give two shits. Fix. This."
Luca's eyes went flat and cold. "Jason."
A baffled laugh escaped her. "That's your solution? Tell my Daddy on me?" With a snarl, she gave his shoulder a shove, her temper spiking when he barely moved an inch. "Go to Hell, Lorenzo."
"That's enough, Evelyn." It was all the warning she had before she found herself draped over Jason's shoulder as he strode toward the stairs.
"Jason Campbell, you put me down this instant!" She wriggled against his hold, but he didn't even break his stride. Letting out a frustrated screech, she pounded her fists against his back, but it was like beating on a brick wall.
He didn't stop until they'd reached her room and he lowered her to the bed. Without a word, he crossed to the door to close and lock it before turning to face her with a thunderous expression. "What has gotten into you, Evelyn Marie?"
The sound of her full name made her feel about five again, and she responded in kind by crossing her arms and pouting. "What?"
"You just threw a tantrum and cussed out Luca, that's what."
"So?" She tried for brave and defiant, but now that the mad was fading, her stomach had started to twist into knots. Less than twenty-four hours into their relationship and she was about to get her first spanking.
"So, you know better. If that had been Teagan or Ro, you'd be listening to them get their bare bottoms paddled right now."