in the rain.
Chapter Six
Riel hugged herself tightly as they sat in freeway traffic, heading south. The rain pounded against the windshield, and the defroster whooshed at full-blast, keeping the windows from fogging.
Evan cursed, his jaw tight. “I’m going to fucking kill that fucker.”
“It’s okay, Evan.”
“It’s not okay.” His eyes burned an almost radioactive green. “I had no fucking idea he was violent like that. I’m so sorry, Riel.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I should have dragged you out of that house during the party whether you wanted me to or not.”
She snorted. “Like you could have.”
He glanced at her, and his expression softened. “You’re right. You would have pulled those sexy guns on me.” He squeezed her biceps, and Riel giggled. She was so happy to be back with Evan. He was so sweet, so normal. No matter how messy life got, he made it seem like everything was okay.
He sighed, raking his fingers through his curly hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t come last night. I figured it would be easier sneaking you away from that bar than risking a fight with that dick, and maybe Mama Maria.”
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “How did you even know I was there? Isaias said he scared you off.”
“Isaias doesn’t scare me. I figured he might pull something like that, trying to run me off, and I also figured he might try to make you work at that goddamn bar of his. I told Robert that if you showed up there, to call me. So I coordinated something with Luis this morning to make sure penis face was out of the way long enough for you to get out.”
Riel felt a prickle of fear. “Robert isn’t going to get in trouble with Isaias, is he? Or Laina, or this Luis guy? Won’t he know they’re involved?”
“No way. He doesn’t even know I’m friends with Robert or Luis. That dude doesn’t pay attention. Robert and Laina will just say you ran out into the rain, and that dipshit will probably sit around all day, thinking you’ll crawl back as soon as you’re cold and hungry enough.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “I am. That dude’s a dipshit. Mama Maria runs everything. She might figure out that you’ve gone off with me, but she’ll just think you had my number. She won’t know Robert or anyone is involved.”
Riel pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “But my sister and nieces…”
Evan sighed and kissed the top of her head, stroking the curve of her neck with his thumb. “You can’t save the world without saving yourself first. You going back there won’t help anybody.”
“But—”
“We’ll figure out some way to get them away from that stupid man-cunt, I promise, or at least some way to give them the option. I’ve talked to Lizette about it a little, and I don’t even know if she’d leave. She loves him, for whatever reason.”
Riel’s stomach turned over dully, and she nestled into the crook of his arm, taking a deep breath. “I’ll convince her. She doesn’t need him, or his money. She’s got to get out of there.”
Traffic was at a complete standstill. Evan put the car in park and leaned back in his seat, pulling her closer. “We’ll get ourselves set up nice somewhere. We’ll buy a huge house down in Mexico with six bedrooms, convince all of them to come. Laina and Robert too.” He gave her a boyish grin, and a sweet ache spread through Riel’s breast. Did he really mean it?
His grin faltered, and he brushed her hair back from her face. “Ah, Riel, you’re so beautiful. I missed that sweet smile of yours.” He leaned down and kissed her, and Riel sank into the bliss of it, feeling his hot lips, his breath, and the taut muscles of his body against hers.
How could she not have seen it before? All those months they’d spent on the road together, she’d thought they had just been friends, but now she realized she’d always felt like this about him. She’d just been afraid to admit it, even to herself, because she didn’t know if he felt the same way, and didn’t want to get hurt.
Then a horn blasted behind them, and they broke apart. The car in front of them had moved forward. Evan cursed, put the car in gear and crept up behind it.
Riel cuddled up against him, closing her eyes. Whether or not he wanted