Chapter 173 CHAPTER 173
Michael’s POV
I was thinking about Evelyn Moon throughout the night. She was always on my mind, but being around me made the thought of her even more overpowering.
Before going to bed, I had some time with my mum. Anna had refused to spend even a minute with her, sulking and throwing tantrums. She looked a lot better. Her wounds were dressed and she called my name whenever she spoke. We talked about her time in Anna Trent’s house. She smiled when she mentioned Evelyn’s name and she asked me when we were going to get married.
I was so impressed by her improvement.
When she reached for my hand and squeezed it, I felt my chest tighten with love for her. I was willing to do anything in my power to protect her. As I rose up to leave, she asked about Evelyn again.
I smiled sadly. Our date had been ruined, I told her. Evelyn probably hated me for putting her mother in danger too.
She laughed. “She doesn’t.”
It was the first time I was hearing her laughter. She seemed like a completely different person.
“I hope so,” I said.
“Go to her,” she said, urging me. “Don’t lose her because you are not sure.”
She stretched on the bed and slept shortly after that. I stood there, watching her and trying to tell myself why I shouldn't take her advice.
I went to Anna Trent’s room instead. She was not yet asleep as she asked me to come in when I tapped lightly on her door.
“I wanted to make sure you are comfortable,” I said.
She looked at me with a tenderness and warmth I had never noticed before. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m still settling in.”
I stepped in. “Thank you for doing this for us. Especially when you have every reason in the world not to.”
She nodded and threw three more pillows on the bed. She was like Evelyn. She slept with a lot of pillows.
“We talked this evening," I said. “She’s much better now. I don’t know what it is you do, but you have to keep doing it. It is very effective.”
She looked at me. “A fox is like a wolf. She just wants to be free. Keeping her locked in wounded her in so many ways.”
She was a smart woman, and I remembered how I had been mesmerised by her beauty the first time I saw her. I imagined Alpha Raymond being swept off his feet when he saw her. I thought of the lengths he had gone because he was attracted to her, and I knew he would never stop if what he felt for her was real.
I thought of how I had stubbornly held on to Evelyn too despite everything. We were just alike. We’d go any length for those we loved. Maybe I needed to be brave again, to love the one I desire against all costs. But the cost was my mother.
—
I stood in the doorway. She was lying on the bed, her legs curled up. And she was wearing something I recognised.
“I came to check up on you,” I said, trying to sound as casual as possible. As though it was okay for a host to knock on the doors of their guests by 2am just to confirm if they were okay.
She pushed herself to a sitting position and smiled. “I found my journal,” she said. “I’ve been laughing and crying.”
I knew the journal. I had used it to fill my days on those days when she was missing and I thought I'd lost her. But I was never going to tell her that I read her confession of her love for me, written in a book and locked in a drawer.
I leaned against the doorpost. “Wanna share?”
She pushed the journal under one of her pillows. “Never.”
I chuckled. There were about four pillows on her bed. “Do you need some more pillows?” I asked.
She patted the ones close to her. “These are fine.” Then she looked at me. “Come on in.”
I leaned away from the doorpost and walked into the room. The closer I got to her, the more I felt this overpowering force hitting me and drawing me in at the same time.
“I know I'd never get over you, Evelyn,” I confessed. “But I thought the attraction between us would have gotten less intense.”
She drew in a sharp breath and struggled with the right words to say.
“You don’t need to say anything,” I said, stopping just a few inches from the bed. “I’m sorry our date night was ruined.”
She smiled. “Are you kidding me? We had a bit of fun, and we can always go some other time."
I heard the invitation to ask her on a date again, loud and clear. She patted a spot on the bed beside her. I sat on it and I inhaled the fragrance of her skin. A perfect night would be sleeping beside her and holding her tightly.
We talked about things we shouldn’t talk about, and things that were okay to talk about. Conversation between us flowed easily and very soon our laughter was echoing in the quiet corridors of the mansion.
Our discussion slowed after about thirty minutes, our voices dropped and laughter reduced. Evelyn and I were seated side by side on the edge of the bed and she was swinging her feet.
“What if…,” I asked. “Will you give Alpha Raymond a chance to be with your mum?”
I didn’t even know why I asked her. It was a sensitive topic between us and I already knew her answer. They were the same as my wishes.
“Let them be," she said, her voice dragging the words.
I turned to look at her. Her eyes were dropping shut and her head was hanging low. I called her name and she placed her head on my shoulder. I remained still, watching her chest rise and fall.