by Addison Fox
Any measure of distance.
He cared for her, that he knew. And he’d kill to keep her safe. He’d already proven that to both of them. But love? Was it possible?
Perhaps the better question was if it was possible not to love her.
She’d swooped into his life without invitation and disrupted everything he knew. With all that was happening in the battle with the Hunters, did he dare let himself be this distracted?
This unfocused?
He’d thought about her all afternoon and had spent all evening decorating a damned Christmas tree like he was eight. He couldn’t afford this sort of distraction, because after only one day of making love to her, he knew she was exactly that. A woman who had the ability to wield an inordinate amount of power over his emotions.
Which made her a distraction he couldn’t afford to indulge.
Hell, he’d kissed her on the grounds of the Archangel and had nearly missed the presence of a Hunter of Chaos. The battle was too close and he needed every bit of vigilance he possessed to fight it.
So it was time to back away. To back off, even if it killed him.
Chaos fed on weakness and Evangeline was a weakness as surely as he stood there, staring at the bright lights of the Strip from his window. She was life and light and every good thing in the world, and Chaos and his Hunters would be drawn to her like a magnet to true north.
So he’d let her go. Give her the world-famous Rafe Stavros brush-off and send her on her way. The faster he got her off the property, the better.
Just as soon as he figured out how to say goodbye.
* * *
Evangeline woke to a hot cup of coffee and a note on the end table. He couldn’t have been gone that long since the coffee was still piping, but a quick inspection through the lavish, endless rooms of Rafe’s apartment didn’t turn up any sign of him.
Something about the abrupt departure nagged at the back of her mind but she firmly pushed it away. He was busy—they both were—and he had a casino to run. And she had a replanting on the south lawn that she’d ignored for too many days. Holiday madness had started already and she was down two people today who were using vacation time. Moping around Rafe’s apartment wasn’t going to get a half acre of plants in the ground by themselves.
Renewed by the thought, she snagged her mug of coffee and sipped it as she inspected his living room. They hadn’t left much of a mess, although she would take the hopelessly tangled garland with her and drop it in the trash. Even if it was ruined, she couldn’t hold back the smile at the memory of just how it had gotten so tangled.
After a firm walk around the tree, inspecting their hard work, Evangeline was satisfied Rafe had a damn fine Christmas tree to show for their evening. He hadn’t turned off the lights before he left and she crossed the room to consider the eight-footer from her perch at the window. She continued to catch the rich, subtle scent of pine on the air as she enjoyed her coffee and let her mind drift over the past few days.
Was it really possible she’d started an affair with her boss? Was affair even the right word for what they’d shared? Especially since it felt far more like a relationship than something hidden in quiet moments, away from prying eyes.
Although it was far from her usual style, Evangeline had to admit to herself it felt right. Better than right, she felt whole.
Complete.
And head over heels on her way into love.
Which was a bit of a joke, really, since she knew damn well that she was all the way in love and hopelessly infatuated with Rafe Stavros.
Her phone pinged from where she’d left it on the counter the night before and she walked to it, flipping off the tree lights as she went. Images of love notes from Rafe filled her thoughts as she opened up her messages.
And wondered instead at the tersely worded summons to his office.
* * *
A sleepless night and far too much coffee this morning had combined to put Rafe in a foul-ass mood. The abrupt departure of one of their high rollers and a water-main leak on the fortieth floor added to the one-two punch of crappy timing. And a frigging six-foot Christmas tree cluttering his office had added the final straw to his morning.
Which was all a lie, because he could have drunk a gallon of water, slept the sleep of the dead and still had a few extra million flowing through the high-rollers’ room, and he’d be in a rotten, foul-ass mood anyway.
The hard knock on the door belied the person on the other side and Evangeline didn’t wait for a “come in” to march into his office. “You summoned me?”
“I’d hardly call it that.”
She dragged her phone from the back of her pants but didn’t even turn it on before mimicking back his text in gruff tones. “Evangeline. My office. Now.”
“You were expecting a love letter?”
“I was expecting civility.”
And there you had it, Rafe thought in grim satisfaction. Phase one of the Stavros ass-hat routine was well under way.
“Perhaps I was expecting the same.”
His words tripped her up and Evangeline stammered for the moment before catching herself. “When wasn’t I civil? I didn’t even see you this morning, though I did appreciate the hot coffee you must have left at my bedside just as I was coming awake.”
And check on phase two. Recipient is aware and responsive to the Stavros ass-hat routine.
“You took it upon yourself to leave a fully decorated tree in my office, spilling Christmas decorations and copious amounts of glitter all over my floor.”
“It was a gift.”
“One I said I didn’t want.”
Something dark and achy filled her gaze and Rafe tamped down hard on the remorse threatening to suffocate him. Hit opponent where it well and truly hurts.
And with that, phase three was well under way.
“Well then, I will see to it that it’s removed immediately.”
“I have appointments all morning. I expect it will be gone by lunch when I return.”
“Of course.”
Evangeline stood tall, anything she might have felt hidden behind a stoic mask of reserve. He’d seen that look before—she’d worn it the first night she’d arrived. He’d wondered at it then and had assumed it was a layer of cold disdain.
Oh, how wrong he’d been. Wrong and misguided. And woefully misinformed on the forces that had shaped her.
That stoic mask was her only protection against the world. Over the past year, as she’d grown more comfortable at the Archangel, it had slipped from time to time, until it had vanished over their last few days together.
But this morning, he’d been the one to put it back on her face.
* * *
How dare he?
Between the summons in his text and the jerk behavior over the damned Christmas tree, Evangeline would have preferred a public flogging out by the greenhouse.
Naked.
She’d have felt less exposed than she did right now.
What had possibly happened between their repeated bouts of lovemaking into the wee hours of the morning and his emotional ass-kicking before the clock had hit 9:00 a.m.?
Her booted feet struck hard against the pale marble of the lobby as she marched toward the back exit onto the grounds. The prior night whirled through her mind, but no matter how many times she rewound those moments, she couldn’t find anything to suggest he was upset.
They’d laughed over dinner. Had laughed even more over decorating the tree. And then they’d made love, through room after room of his home.
What had possibly happened to change his mind?
She’d already groped for the easy answers—she’d sucked in bed and she’d been in some sort of delusional fantasy over the tree—but quickly discarded both. If a man didn’t enjoy
sex he didn’t go out of his way to belittle his partner—he just went out of his way to disappear. Far too much pride on the line with that one.
And who got that mad and irritated about a tree?
Again, far too much emotional energy for something he could just ignore and walk away from. Which only meant one thing.
Rafe Stavros was an ass. An ass who was running scared.
The thought had bubbled up during her elevator ride down to the lobby but it hadn’t taken root until she’d cleared the back doors and walked into the bright morning sunshine.
He was scared. Chaos had found some way to further his power with those who did his bidding, and Rafe thought he’d keep her safe if he kept his distance. Silly man.
Didn’t he understand they were stronger together?
The fact he didn’t nearly had her pushing on in anger, but something stopped her. These last days with him had been transformative, showing her a new side of Rafe and a new side of herself.
She’d found love. And more important, had found herself capable of giving love. It’d be a shame to cut and run at the first sign of trouble.
Those thoughts kept her company as she turned on her heel and retraced her steps back through the casino. The normal quiet and calm that settled in during the morning hours was nowhere in evidence as she worked her way around milling guests, packed gaming tables and a persistent hum that grated on her nerves.
Maybe she did need that vacation Rafe had ranted about. Some time away. And blessed relief from the endless throngs of humanity that filled the Archangel. They were a bunch of heathens, anyway.
Gambling. Drinking. More than a few even whoring, if Rafe’s story the night before was to be believed. Why was she busting her ass to make the environment nice and attractive for these people when they were so damned ungrateful?
She shoved hard through a crowd thronging between roulette tables, a woman’s hard cry breaking through her anger. The large woman wobbled unsteadily on her feet from the domino-like impact of the other bodies who’d been shoved into her and Evangeline reached out immediately, steadying the woman.
“Watch where you’re going. You’re going to hurt someone!”
A hard retort and the urge to shove harder gripped her before Evangeline stilled.
What was she doing?
Gentling her grip, she laid a hand on the woman’s back. “I was moving too fast and not paying attention. I really am sorry.”
The woman’s deep frown smoothed out, even if her companions continued to look upset. Militant, even. “Thanks.”
Evangeline hovered another minute, part to confirm the woman was fine and part to take stock of herself.
Why was she so angry?
Yes, Rafe had her upset. Worse, he’d hurt her—deeply. But the roiling, churning anger inside of her wasn’t normal, nor was it a response to Rafe. Shoving her way through the casino, she’d wanted to hurt someone. A state that had nothing to do with Rafe and everything to do with her.
A young woman, barely old enough to gamble, screamed at a nearby table and Evangeline used the distraction to her advantage. Several patrons had gathered around to see what she’d won and Evangeline joined their number, stilling herself to take stock of her surroundings.
A light breeze whispered around them, out of character for a casino closed off from the outside elements. The wind had a slightly caustic edge, seeming to jump and swirl from person to person. As it moved on, Evangeline began to hear comments.
“She didn’t deserve to win. Ball dropped into her number at the last minute.”
“Did she wager early enough? Dealer wasn’t watching. I think she placed that bet late.”
“Where’d she get the money? She’s been losing all morning, bleeding chips.”
Dissention. Disenchantment. And a determined layer of anger that seemed to take purchase, like seeds taking root in fertile soil.
Chaos.
Without worry for who she might knock down, Evangeline took off at a run for the corporate offices. Rafe was in danger.
No, she amended to herself. They were all in danger.
* * *
Those last moments with Evangeline played over and over in his mind as Rafe entered the private elevator to the security suite. That bleak gaze and empty stare. The way she seemed to wrap herself up in a quiet cloak of self-protection. And worst of all, the dark, desperate hurt that telegraphed from her in short, choppy waves.
Others might not see it, but he knew her. Understood her. And he loved her.
The elevator stopped, and the double doors slid open with silent grace. He was nearly through them when those words whispered through his mind once more.
He loved Evangeline.
So what in the gods’ names was he doing here?
He caught sight of Gabe marching his way, but waved him off. “Gotta go.”
“Rafe!” His brother barked out his name, gesturing him into the security center. “I need you.”
Irritation layered beneath the urgency to get to Evangeline and he was midway toward stabbing the close-door button when something in Gabe’s stormy visage registered. “Gabe?”
“We have an intruder.”
“Who?” Even as his answer lingered in the air, Rafe already knew.
* * *
Evangeline hovered at the elevator bank, shifting from foot to foot as the noise behind her grew louder. Her employee badge allowed her access to the executive suite of elevators but the employees-only sign and waving her badge didn’t seem to deter the noise that built steadily behind her.
The crowd she’d glommed onto at the roulette tables had followed her. She’d avoided saying anything, but a few stumbled behind her when she’d left the table, their numbers growing with every yard she narrowed to the elevator bank.
Hard whispers, as blatant as those she’d heard at the roulette table, bounced off her back.
“Going to give Stavros a piece of my mind.”
“Damn games are rigged.”
“How’d I lose so much so fast?”
Chaos’s stamp lit up each and every word, his ability to twist human frustration to his will on clear display. Could she get to Rafe in time?
And could she convince him once she did?
Again, she shook off the dark, dour thought. She would do this. And Rafe would help her. If the past days had taught her anything, it was that Rafe and his brother were more than willing to take on the hard job of protecting his people.
As people crowded in behind her at the elevators, she debated the wisdom of leading them to Rafe, even as she knew it was the only place they’d be safe.
* * *
Gabe rewound the video feed and played it once more. Evangeline marched through the casino, nearly toppling a heavyset woman who wasn’t strong on her feet. He’d watched the exchange, then had Gabe rerun it, watching Evangeline’s face on the second go-round.
Bright, vivid anger painted her features when she first collided with the woman. But then something morphed, her muscles relaxing as she seemed to surface from a deep depth. Her shoulders relaxed and that dark mask vanished. The women exchanged apologies, the stranger seeming to calm under Evangeline’s warm smile.
“One more time.”
It was that mask of anger that got him. When she’d left his office she was upset, but she was still herself. There was an otherworldly quality to her features on the video and as Gabe rolled the feed a third time, Rafe saw that look was matched on the faces of the crowd around her.
“Chaos. He’s here and he’s clearly not using one of his Hunters to do the job.”
Gabe paused a view he had up on a different screen and moved closer. “How? He’s locked up.”
“I don’t know how but look at them all. Those matched expressions aren’t
a coincidence.”
Gabe pointed to his paused screen. “Looks like Evangeline’s the pied piper.”
As Rafe took in the swarm of people who surrounded her at the executive elevators, he knew. “Or the lamb to slaughter.”
* * *
Evangeline turned, the throng becoming increasingly angry behind her. She positioned herself against the elevator call buttons and focused on the people in front of her.
“Hey, lady, get out of the way!”
She held her composure and forced a bright smile onto her face while she kept her voice calm. Level. “This is the employee wing. No guests are allowed.”
“Casino should have thought about that before it started taking our money.”
She avoided mentioning that was exactly how the casino made money and kept up the continued distraction. If she could only calm them down, she could find Rafe and get his help. “Gambling’s about lucky days and not-so-lucky days. You had fun. And you’re here, in this beautiful hotel. Get out on the Strip for a bit, take in the sights.”
“Corporate shill. Here to spout the party line.”
“Oh, I’m just a worker bee.” She forced more sunshine into her smile, more honey into her tone and pointed at her chest. “I’ve even got a name badge to prove it.”
A man in the back shouted, “Then they’re using you, too!”
Mind whirling with Rafe’s explanations, Evangeline knew Chaos wasn’t physically here. He was channeling emotions, but he couldn’t do more than that, so she’d channel them right back. “It’s too pretty a morning to be stuck in here. Get out on the sidewalk and get some air. People watch. Take in the new holiday plants over by the infinity pool.”
She had the vaguest notion that sending them out into the world might cause more problems, but leaving them in a clustered mob wasn’t doing much good, either.
“Since when do we give tours?”
That warm voice, deep, husky and so totally Rafe, washed over her. She took in the sight of him—so sure, so strong—and smiled. “I thought our fine guests might enjoy a walk around the property.”