That wasn’t true. That wasn’t possible. Cole hadn’t come back for her.
“I took another mission. Missed you like hell. Realized it wasn’t really possible to keep walking around without my heart, so I came back, again. This time, Harrison met with me.”
Her breath was coming out in hard heaves. She’d been heartbroken when Cole left her. Harrison knew how hurt she’d been. And Cole had come back? Twice?
“Evie…” Harrison’s voice seemed very, very careful now. “He’s trying to turn you against me. I don’t know why. I don’t know what game he’s playing, but don’t let it work.”
Cole lunged forward. Stood toe-to-toe with Harrison. “You think this is a game?”
Harrison’s chin jutted into the air. “Do you?”
“I don’t think a damn thing about Evie is a game.”
Evie hurried toward them. She curled her fingers around Cole’s arm.
Instantly, he turned toward her.
“You came back?” Her whisper was so unsteady. Hoarse.
He nodded.
Her heart stuttered in her chest. The ache grew and grew. Her hold tightened on him even as she swung her gaze to Harrison. “He came back?”
Harrison’s lips thinned.
He came back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Pain throbbed in her words.
“Because you didn’t need someone like him in your life, Evie! You don’t know the stuff he’s done. He’s dangerous. I dug into his background. Hell, why do you think I hired him in the first place? I wanted a man who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Someone who wouldn’t look too hard at the law because I needed you back. I didn’t care what had to be done to save you, and I needed a person without—without morals to do it. Someone who didn’t mind hurting or even killing to get the job done.”
She flinched, but didn’t let go of Cole.
“That’s who he is. He will do whatever is necessary. Even kill, for the highest bidder.” Harrison’s voice pounded at her. “He’s worked for the mob, Evie. I wasn’t lying about that. He’s not choosy on his employers. He only cares about money. That’s all he’s ever cared about. Why do you think he came back? Do you truly think it was because he loved you? I know you’re not that naive.”
She couldn’t speak. There wasn’t an ache in her heart. There was fire. Fury.
“He knew how much money we had, Evie. That’s why he came back. He got hurt on one of the missions he took after yours, and he decided he didn’t want to be in the business anymore. Your money looked damn good, so he came back for that. Not you.”
“That’s not fucking true.” Cole’s voice wasn’t a roar. Wasn’t some bellow. It was low and lethal.
“He was caught on an assignment overseas,” Harrison thundered on. His voice was high and wild. “Sliced over and over because the people who had him wanted Cole to turn on his team. But he didn’t. He killed the men who held him. Slit their throats and left them dying in pools of their own blood.”
She was going to be sick. Evie yanked her hand away from Cole and stepped back.
“Evie,” Cole breathed. Pain flashed on his face.
“When I learned all that, I wasn’t going to let him near you. I was going to protect you. I’m your family. It’s my job.” Harrison straightened. “So, yes, he came back. And I told him you wanted nothing to do with him. Because I knew the truth. I know you, Evie. You fell for him because he saved you, but when you got to know the real man, you wouldn’t love him. You’d fear him.”
Her hand rose to her mouth.
Cole was staring at her, his expression tense, his eyes blazing.
But he wasn’t saying anything. Nothing else.
“Yet y-you brought him back into my life,” Evie stammered. That meant—
“Because when you’re dealing with criminals, you use whatever tools work the best. Cole is a tool that needed to be used. I knew he’d protect you. He killed the man last night, didn’t he? So, yes, I guess he did his job, but things are getting too messy. He’s trying to push his way back into your heart, and I can’t have that. That’s why it’s better if we just fire him now and—”
“I need—I need a minute, I’m sorry.” She whirled and pretty much ran from the room.
“Evie!” Cole called after her, but she didn’t look back.
Right then, she couldn’t.
Pain and fury twisted inside of her. She just had to get away. Had to get a moment to herself. She rushed to her old room. Threw open the door.
Everything was the same. All of the furniture was still in the same place. As if the room had been waiting for her.
As if Harrison had been sure that, eventually, she’d come back.
Her chest burned.
Her brother’s words rang in her ears over and over again. He was caught on an assignment overseas. Sliced over and over because the people who had him wanted Cole to turn on his team. But he didn’t. He killed the men who held him. Slit their throats and left them dying in pools of their own blood.
“Oh, my God.”
Chapter Twelve
Her name is tattooed over my heart. Like, fucking literally. Because she owns it. Does she get that she owns my soul, too?
“I’m sure you can see yourself out now.” Harrison smiled at Cole. His Delta Force buddies would have called it a shit eating grin. “Don’t let the door hit you in the ass.”
Cole laughed. The sound was low and hard. Mean.
Harrison’s smile faltered.
Just so they were on the exact same page, in the exact same book, Cole told him, “I’m not going any damn place.”
“But—but Evie doesn’t want you—”
“Oh, trust me,” Cole said with far more confidence than he felt, “Evie wants me.” She’d had tears in her eyes when she ran from the room, and those tears gutted him. He prayed she wasn’t crying because she thought he was some kind of a monster. Shit, but…
I am.
He’d tried to be better. To change. To do more. For her. But she wouldn’t know. He hadn’t told her. He’d tried to hide his past. Tried to pretend it hadn’t happened. Then her dick of a brother had decided to air all the dirty laundry in the world. Thanks, asshole. Another thing I owe you for.
“Evie doesn’t want—”
“Ask her downstairs neighbors. I’m sure they heard her screaming my name last night. She wants me plenty.”
Harrison took a swing at him. Cole let the blow land, for shits and giggles. No surprise, Harrison couldn’t punch worth a damn. Cole barely felt the blow on his jaw.
And Harrison stood there, all chest heaving and cheeks flushed, like he’d done something. Absolutely adorable. Not. More like a pain in my ass. Cole quirked a brow. “That the best you got?”
“I—” He backed up a step.
“Because since you had your shot, I think it’s only fair I have mine.” He drew back his fist and let it fly toward Harrison’s face.
Harrison squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away.
Cole stopped the blow, just centimeters away from Harrison’s face.