Face to Face
“Argh...”
Groaning in pain, Evelyn opened her eyes with utter difficulty. Her head was throbbing and her whole body was in pain. As if she had been run by a truck or collided with a wall.
Her brows scrunched in pain as she removed the covers and stood up on her elbows while massaging her temple vigorously. The entire room was drowned in darkness with not a single soul in sight. Whimpering, she scooted to the end of the bed and switched on the lamp.
Her brown eyes bounced up and down the room, as she checked her surroundings. Evelyn was still under the medication but its effect wore off the moment her eyes fell on the black walls.
She was in someone else’s bedroom.
Her heart jolted as she immediately sat up straight.
“W-Where am I?”
Evelyn was in too much pain and was failing terribly to pinpoint the reason. But she didn’t meet with an accident then why was she so enervated?
It was the effect of heavy drug doses that Dylan fed to her.
Mustering up some strength, Evelyn kicked off the covers and put her wobbly legs down. She was in a master suite with a king-size bed in the mid, thick curtains on the windows, marbled floors covered with silk carpets, vintage shelves bedecked with antique items, and a flamboyant chandelier in the middle of the ceiling.
“Is this Xander’s or Brandon’s? Who brought me here?”
Evelyn was lost in her own la la land when suddenly the door creaked open. She immediately turned alarmed and waited for the enigmatic soul to grace him with this presence.
Her face scrunched in discomfit noticing the outline of a tall and muscular man standing near the entrance. The lights were out so she couldn’t see his face but could easily tell by his sturdy and buff figure that he wasn’t someone she knew. ’Cause Brandon and Xander both weren’t built up like a Hulk.
“Who are you?”
Evelyn couldn’t be more thankful as her voice came out steady and stern. After Miller’s incident, she always stays on her toes.
Her lips twisted in displeasure on receiving no response.
Evelyn stomped her legs forward and screeched while gazing at the man who was gawking at her like a creep, “CAN’T YOU HEAR ME? WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO ABDUCT ME?”
The man unfazed by her outburst remained quiet like a stubborn, triggering the woman standing ahead of him.
“Are you deaf or dense? Can’t you understand what I am saying? Do you think you can get away after messing with Evelyn Clarke? Do you even have an idea who I am?”
“Of course, I do.”
Evelyn continued ranting but her heart almost ceased to beat when she heard that thick voice. Sweat trickled down her forehead while her blood froze like ice.
How can she even forget that voice? It didn’t take her a second to recognize it after all it was imprinted in her mind.
Evelyn didn’t dare to move and continued staring at the specter of her dreams with a bated breath.
The man pleased at her silence breathed a chuckle before trudging through the darkness. Evelyn almost died when the sparkling rays of moonlight coming through the window pane illuminated his face. The dark obsidian eyes that had haunted her for two and a half years chilled her to her bone.
“You’re the wealthiest woman in San Francisco, the strongest and toughest competitor for every businessman who thinks a woman can’t be his match. You’re the epitome of beauty, a warrior Princess and also the Queen of my life.”
Dylan sang in her praise while watching her with eyes that were inebriated with love.
Evelyn gulped and took a step back while he advanced towards her. His posture seemed relaxed and there was a sweet smile on his face still it couldn’t flutter her heart because that only scared the crap out of her.
“But you made one mistake, love,” Dylan spoke as he stood in front of her, towering over her small frame. He watched how Evelyn had herself plastered against the wall and was peeking at him like a child. With hands pressed against the chest, she huddled and tried to maintain as much distance as possible.
“You’re Evelyn Black, not Evelyn Clarke.”
Dylan emphasized her name as if trying to ingrain it in her mind. Evelyn released a shuddering breath. His words went above her head as the dread of facing the man after so many years outweighed her courage to retaliate.
She couldn’t breathe, her mind turned blank. No words escaped her mouth, she was tongue-tied. Every cell of her body buzzed with trepidation as she continued gazing at the man through the thick curtain of her lashes.
Dylan wasn’t delighted by her horrified state. It stabbed his heart and piled up his guilt. Inching forward, he very slowly grabbed her face in his palms earning a flinch from her.
Cupping her small face, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against her. Evelyn was shivering like a leaf when he breathed a loud sigh as if he found solace.
“My home.”
Huh?
Evelyn peeked a glance at him with furrowed brows only to find him breathing slowly with his eyes closed. A small smile was etched on his lips but what shocked her was when the tip of his nose started turning red.
She was still in shock when a large dollop of water fell on her cheek, starling her to her bone. Evelyn lifted her eyes and found multiple streams of water running beneath his closed eyes.
He was crying.
Her jaw dropped. What in the world was happening?
For no reason, she felt an urge to comfort him. Why would she even do that? Her feelings for him had died. He was the one who killed them in the first place. Isn’t it?
Dylan on the other hand leaned more ruining her cheeks with his tears, “I-I feel home, Eve. Your embrace is my heaven. Your presence is what I want in my life. Your scent,” he said and ducked his head in her crook. Evelyn bit her lips in discomfit when he took a long whiff of her sweet fragrance like a wolf. He was practically sniffing her.
“is my drug.”
Dylan completed before diving his nose in her neck and hugging her figure tightly. Evelyn let out a yelp as he was literally crushing her bones. Her hands automatically fisted his tee while her face scrunched in pain as his vicious grip was suffocating her.
She waited for him to release her or say something but Dylan was just hugging her like a child who got his favorite toy back. Evelyn was failing in using her bravura act because the man who was just all over her was not just a plain guy. Moreover, he was not only her husband but the man who had shown her so many faces of him that she could no longer differentiate between real and fake.
Biting her lower lip, Evelyn wiggled in his grip but Dylan only tightened his grip further. She let out muffled groans and continued struggling but he was just stuck to her like a leech.
“L-Let me. Arghh...”
Evelyn continued squirming trying to make him understand that he was cutting off her oxygen supply. Her patience was hanging on a thin thread and she was hoping not to let go of it.
Pushing his shoulders, she turned her face to the left and tried to speak again.
“Let go of me, Dylan Black.”
“Never.”
He answered her leaving her shell-shocked.
’Cause his voice was ladened with rage and a dark promise.
Evelyn stood petrified but soon her anger kicked in. Her struggles intensified but to her surprise, Dylan broke the hug and grabbed her shoulders.
Evelyn lowered her gaze to his hands which were crushing her bones. Wincing she looked at him only to flinch back in shock.
He looked possessed.
Evelyn had her heart dropping in the pit when she witnessed the crazed look in his eyes.
“I have waited for you two years Eve and you want me to leave you?” Dylan rasped while he moved near her lips.
His knuckles rubbed against her cheeks which felt like velvet against his rough skin. He slowly caressed them before leaving a small peck on her left cheek. Evelyn immediately turned rigid in his hold, her eyes rounding to the size of saucers.
“Didn’t I mention that you’re my home, Eve? My haven. How could I let you or anyone else snatch that from me? We met after so many days, let’s catch up.” He spoke while eyeing her mischievously but what Evelyn said next left him staggered.
“Are you sure we met two years ago? Because as per my records, you have been following me since the day I walked out of your life.”
Dylan stood speechless.
She knows.
Evelyn smirked at his face which was deprived of colors. She tried to cash in on it and opened her mouth to give him another shock but instead was rendered speechless when Dylan started laughing.
“So, you knew it was me, love.”
‘What?’
Evelyn expected him to throw an expression which was like that she caught him red-handed but instead, he was laughing his apples off. What was even so amusing to him?
Dylan stopped laughing and then walked closer to her. Evelyn glared at him as he ducked forward and tugged a rogue strand of her hair which was blocking his beautiful view.
“That’s the power of true love, Eve.” He husked.
Evelyn threw him a weird glance.
‘What the actual fuck?’
“Love? When did I even say that I love you, Mr. Black?” Evelyn gritted, she had enough of his games.
But Dylan found her fuming state adorable. He continued twirling his finger around that lone brunette strand.
“You have always been in love with me Evelyn Black.”
Evelyn narrowed her eyes at him only to see him looking at her with loving eyes. She bet she could see tiny hearts brimming in his obsidian orbs.
“Yeah, I was,” she spoke and nodded. Her answer rose Dylan’s hopes but they soon crashed down when she roughly pushed him away.
“Until I saw your true face.”
Sneering, Evelyn tried to walk past him when Dylan grabbed her left arm stopping her.
“Listen, Eve, I know-“
“Evelyn.” She hollered before snatching her arm out of his hold.
“It’s Evelyn Clarke for you, Mr. Black. And I warn you to stay away from me if you don’t wish for me to become your biggest nightmare.”
Dylan also turned to her. His jaw was clenched and his eyes wore a deranged glint. Grabbing her forearm, he pulled her with a jerk making her hiss. Evelyn collided with his huge frame and tried to weasel out but he didn’t give her a chance as he circled his other arm around her waist and flushed her closer.
“It’s Evelyn Black for you and for the entire fucking world love. Don’t you dare forget that we are still married.”
Dylan said in a menacing tone. Evelyn scoffed.
“Are you talking about that marriage when you bought me from my parents for fifty billion dollars? Are you talking about that title where I never got the respect I deserved? That marriage in which I was held captive, beaten and molested, threatened and humiliated every single day. Where you reduced me into a puppet or wait, what you used to call me Genie, right?”
Dylan clenched his jaw as shame washed over him. Evelyn opened the chapters of the past, of his cruel torture which he did on an innocent girl just because he wanted her brain.
“My greed blinded me, love and my crimes can’t be forgiven by a single sorry but all I want is one chance.”
“Well too bad,” Evelyn roughly jerked her hand and moved back, “You aren’t getting one, not now neither in the future.”
She spat and blinked her tears away. She didn’t want to give him the pleasure of witnessing her weak state.
Without sparing him another glance, Evelyn hurriedly dashed to the door and grabbed the knob.
“And I am warning you, Dylan, that time I backed out but this time I wouldn’t. If you ever come in front of me, I will report you to the police.”
Saying that she twisted the knob but it didn’t open.
“What the-“
She continued rattling the knob and banging the door but couldn’t succeed. Frustrated she turned around and glowered at Dylan. Her eyes dropped to the remote in his hand.
He had locked the door.
“I AM NOT BLUFFING DYLAN, LET ME OUT OR I WILL CALL THE COPS!!”
She screamed at him although from inside she was frightened to the bone.
“Well too bad for you to threaten the man with the law who actually owns it, sweetheart.”
His accent was so smooth and seductive that Evelyn for once felt a tingling sensation. But ignoring that foreign feeling, she squared her shoulders and shot him a defiant look.
“What the hell are you talking about? You might be working underground but I have been living here for two good years. I have never come across your name in San Francisco.”
Dylan nodded, acknowledging her words, “Yup because I don’t live here babydoll but that doesn’t mean your new habitat is unaware of my identity. And step out of your bubble wifey as your man owns the whole of America.” He spoke and flashed her a complacent smirk.
Evelyn clenched her fists; she was fed up with his riddles.
“What do you mean-“
“The Night Stalkers.”
Evelyn clammed up after hearing him. Her eyes widened in horror.
“Do you know them, sweetheart?” Dylan questioned as he crowded on her. placing his one palm above her head, he cupped her chin and stared into her scared eyes.
“T-They are the goons of America and Europe.”
“Mmm..” Dylan let an annoyed sigh, “Don’t insult my clan so barbarically.”
Evelyn was confused but her jaw dropped as soon as his words registered her mind.
“W-What? Your cla-. You’re a Mafia, D-Dylan…”
Her words were broken as she palmed her mouth in shock. Never in a million years, she had imagined Dylan becoming a gangster.
Her eyes welled up. This was too complicated. How did he even end up becoming a mobster?
While holding her breath, she waited for Dylan to deny her accusations. To tell him that he was joking but the ground snatched beneath his feet when he affirmed it with a smile.
“I am one, love, and not just a simple mafia. The head of the mafia clan known by the sexy name “The Black”.”
He told her smugly but his every word scared the shaken girl to her wits.
Evelyn watched him aghast. Her mouth turned dry but then something clicked in her mind. What if he was bluffing?
But luck again wasn’t on her side today because Dylan noticed her suspicious eyes. He let out a throaty chuckle before cupping her face in his large palm, squishing her cheeks.
Evelyn pulled her brows together as it was painful but her mouth dried when her gaze collided with his fierce ones.
He was mad.
She yelped when Dylan moved closer to her face and brushed her pouty lips before seething on her face.
“Do I look like someone who can fucking joke about it?”
His harsh breath fanned against her lips. Evelyn closed her eyes freeing some tears but her silence ticked the gangster who was looming over like death.
He harshly pulled her forward and growled, “LOOK AT ME EVE!!!”
Evelyn let out a shrilled cry and quickly open her eyes. She was terrified of his red-rimmed eyes that were glaring into her soul.
Leaving her face, Dylan only grabbed the back of her head before pinioning her small figure on the door.
“You’re threatening me, huh? With what the law? I rule the whole of America babe, why do you think it was easy for me to clear the evidence of my crimes? Why you never found about me? How I managed to escape after murdering Ryan and Miller?”
He confessed leaving her stunned.
