Chapter 31
Evelyn Sinclair's steps were quick yet steady. Only she knew the fire raging inside her was threatening to consume all reason.
Her fingers tightened around the stun ring on her wrist, its metal surface still warm to the touch.
When Ryan Holt tried to embrace her, she'd struck without hesitation.
The electric current hit his forehead with precision, filling the air with the acrid scent of burning flesh.
His screams echoed through the confined space.
This pretty-faced celebrity wouldn't dare show his face on camera for at least two weeks.
Seven years at Royal Gardens hadn't turned Evelyn into some fragile hothouse flower.
Losing her parents' protection had forced her to sharpen her claws in the shadows long ago.
She'd come prepared for this interview.
From Ryan's financial backers to Summer Sky Entertainment's gamble, no detail escaped her notice.
Isabella Winslow's trap was cleverly laid, but she'd underestimated her prey's vigilance.
The moment Evelyn spotted that white patch near the air vent, everything became clear.
The abnormal temperature settings on the control panel only confirmed her suspicions.
Ryan was merely a puppet—with the Winslows pulling his strings.
Sunlight stabbed at Evelyn's eyes as she stumbled into the street.
She staggered into the shadow behind an office building, letting the fountain's mist cool her fevered skin.
The antidote she'd taken earlier preserved her sanity, but couldn't suppress her body's reactions.
As she leaned against the cold brick wall gasping, a shadow fell over her.
Alexander Kingsley stood before her, his arrival silent as a panther's.
Evelyn's pupils contracted before she curled her lips in a mocking smile. "Did Isabella send you to inspect her handiwork?"
She knew this script by heart.
Isabella wanted Alexander to witness her "betrayal" firsthand—to sever their last remaining ties.
Alexander didn't answer.
His hand closed around her wrist with bone-crushing force.
"Are those lowlifes really so irresistible?" His voice was dangerously soft, his gaze tracing the flush across her cheeks.
Evelyn had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.
The dark turbulence in those depths was a warning she knew too well.
Her legs gave out suddenly, sending her collapsing against Alexander's chest.
The unexpected contact froze them both.
His breathing grew noticeably ragged.
Strong arms locked around her, trapping her against him.
"Let go—" Her voice trembled in a way she didn't recognize.
"Let you go?" Alexander's laugh was icy. "So you can keep throwing yourself at trash?"
His thumb brushed her burning lips, his gaze darkening further.
Evelyn knew—this battle had only just begun.