Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 126510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
He slid his hand into hers and picked it up, shifting himself until they were closer, their thighs touching, their hands resting on his leg.
“There are several things we need to discuss tonight, my angel, but first, I want to know what upset you this morning.”
Her eyes flew up, startled as she stared at him in obvious confusion.
“Something was bothering you when you left to go shopping,” he said patiently. “And it had nothing to do with our phone conversation. I’d like to know what it was.”
Her eyes dropped and she fidgeted, her shoulders slumping as he watched her lips turn down into an unhappy frown. Justice had been right, and Drake suspected he knew precisely the source of her unhappiness.
“Did the call to your girls have anything to do with your quietness and the lack of sparkle in your eyes this morning? Because, baby, you shine. You just being you, you shine. Unless something is bothering you or has upset you.”
He cursed beneath his breath when Evangeline flushed and her lips trembled. She turned her head to try to hide her reaction—as if such a thing were possible. She was a woman with no artifice. One only had to look at her to know what she was thinking or feeling. It was a good thing she was inherently honest, because she’d make a terrible liar.
He gently cupped her chin and turned her back to look at him, feeling like someone had punched him in the stomach when he saw the tears welling in her beautiful blue eyes.
“Tell me,” he said.
“They think I’ve lost my mind,” she said in a weary voice. “They’re worried. I don’t blame them for that.”
“And?” Drake prompted, knowing there was far more to it than just this.
“Steph told me I was a fool to depend on a man so much and asked me how long I thought it would take for you to get tired of me and scrape me off and then where would I be?”
There was an edge of bitterness in her voice that suggested her friend’s caustic words had hit an already ingrained source of insecurity within Evangeline. If he could get his hands around Steph’s neck right now, he’d wring it. Damn woman had already caused enough trouble the night before. And she called herself Evangeline’s friend? Hell, with friends like her, who the hell needed enemies?
“I shouldn’t be so sensitive,” she hurriedly said, her worried eyes tracking back to Drake’s as if she thought he would assume she was fishing for assurances or guarantees. “It was more the way she said it that bothered me, I guess. She sounded . . . angry. Sarcastic. I don’t know. Maybe even bitter. Like I betrayed them somehow by just up and leaving. And . . .”
She trailed off, dropping her gaze, color once again flooding her face. She bit into her lip, and it was obvious she hadn’t intended to say so much. But he already knew how open Evangeline was and that she was honest to a fault.
“And what?” he gently prompted.
She sighed. “The night I went to the club, she, Lana and Nikki were all about how gorgeous I was and what a fool Eddie was and how he didn’t know a good thing when he saw it, blah blah. They told me I don’t see that I’m gorgeous. So if Steph really believed all of that, then why would she automatically assume that a man like you wouldn’t want a woman like me and would scrape me off at the first opportunity?”
Drake had to breathe deeply to compose himself and control the blistering curse words that burned to spill out. Instead he reached out and framed Evangeline’s tear-streaked face in his palms and looked directly into those gorgeous, innocent eyes.
“I imagine there were a lot of things behind that statement, Angel. I’m sure they were all taken off guard and weren’t prepared for you to suddenly move out when you’ve always been their constant source of emotional support. I’m right, aren’t I? It’s likely you they seek out when they get their hearts broken or someone’s pissed them off or they just had a bad day.”
Her expression said it all. There was no need for her to respond, so he continued on.
“And I’m sure she is worried about you, but baby, listen to me and listen closely, because you won’t like what I’m about to tell you, but it doesn’t make it any less true.”
Her eyes locked with his, clear question reflected.
“She’s a jealous bitch.”
Evangeline gasped and would have responded, no doubt denying any such thing, but Drake slid one hand over so his thumb pressed against her lips, silencing any outburst.
“She wasn’t lying when she told you how beautiful you are and that you have no clue how beautiful you are. But you aren’t a threat when you don’t know that fact and don’t act on that fact. Don’t think for a minute that she isn’t eaten up with envy that you’re where you are right now and she’s where she is right now, and she’s jealous as hell that it’s you and not her, and I’d bet my last dollar that she wishes she’d never given you that VIP pass to Impulse.”