I cock my head to one side. “You sure you’re okay with that?”
“I am very sure that I want to see you with my brothers.” Her eyes seem to twinkle at me. “You’re bigger than they are and a cop, so you might have a chance of surviving the Ambrose gauntlet.”
“I’ll take your word for that.” Since I’m an only child, I don’t have much experience with siblings. Hayden and Dwight are the closest things I have to brothers. “We still on for tonight?”
She nods. “Yes.”
“Good. My buddy Hayden will be there. I’ve been looking forward to introducing you to him.”
We walk inside, my arm still wrapped around her.
“Is this your test for me? You met the parents, so my turn to meet the friends?”
“Not a test. One day, I want you to meet my mom.”
“I’d like that,” she says softly. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Right now she’s in Tijuana with her family and doesn’t visit often. My schedule isn’t exactly the best for long trips. She likes for me to stay awhile, too.”
As soon as my foot hits the top step, I let go of her and turn to face her. “I love you. Haven’t been able to tell you this weekend, like I wanted, but I do.”
She searches my face, her blue eyes shining like a rare jewel I saw once in a museum. “I know you do. You showed me how much yesterday.”
“I’m good with people,” I admit.
“You’re very charming, Hunter, but that’s not what I meant. You took the scrutinizing from my parents without complaint. You didn’t bitch about it, didn’t throw a temper tantrum to embarrass me, or pout about not having time alone with me.”
“How in the hell did your dad make it through a meal without laying AE out?”
“It only happened once.”
“Good for your dad.”
Evangeline smiles sadly. “It didn’t happen because my dad did or said anything. Penn simply stopped showing up and later I did, too, when I couldn’t explain the bruises anymore.”
This is not the best night to take her to The Lab, but I’m getting antsy about telling her. I have to tell her before someone else does. But who says I have to take her there in order to show her what goes on…what I actually do with my spare time.
“You know what,” I begin. “How about instead of going to The Laboratory tonight, how about we go to your place and I show you what it’s like on my tablet?”
“Okay, I am kinda tired from all of the visiting. Plus, I have a ton of leftovers in the fridge we can eat for lunch and supper later.”
“If you’ll give me a minute to get my stuff, I’ll be right over.”
“Do I at least get to walk you home?” she says with a teasing smile.
I fucking love that smile. “The visit with your parents did you good.”
We start walking again, heading up the stairs. Slowly.
She grabs the center of my T-shirt and pulls me close. “You do me good.”
“I can do you even better.”
“It is Sunday,” she points out and nips at my bottom lip. “My favorite day of the week with you.”
“Video first,” I say, forcing myself not to give in to her charms and race the rest of the way up the stairs.
Evangeline doesn’t let go until the last moment. “You’re such a tease.”
“Nah. I plan to make good afterward.”
Laughing at her mock glare, I head to my apartment and grab my tablet, then head over to Evangeline’s. She’s left her door open, so I can go right inside, quickly shutting it behind me.
“Bedroom or living room?”
She walks out into the living room wearing nothing but a smile. “Bedroom, for sure.”
I hand her the tablet and start tugging my shirt over my head. “After you.”
Chapter 20
Evangeline
By the time Hunter and I make it into bed, I’m boneless and craving more.
“That’s one,” he says, kissing a path up my back. “Two comes after the video.”
I glance at him over my shoulder. “You are so mean.”
He laughs, running a hand down my bare stomach. “Couldn’t help my reaction to all of this.” Rolling over, he grabs his tablet and I get into a comfortable position to watch it with him.
I don’t know why he wants me to watch the silly video, but if it means that much to him, I will. Although, I’m pretty sure he wants to make sure that watching two guys fight won’t scare me.
“They call that the cage,” he says, pointing to the middle of the screen. “That’s where all the matches take place.”
“Gotcha.”
A man comes out, dressed in only tight blue-and-white shorts. They’re not exactly tiny, but they’re not exactly what you’d see guys wearing to the beach or lake around here.
The crowd boos.
“They have favorites,” he says. The crowd parts before us like the Red Sea as another man makes his way to the cage. His hair is black, cut short, and his body is muscular, but not overly so.
My stomach gets that heavy feeling of dread in it.
“Ramos is favored to win tonight, but the guy he’s up against is not to be underestimated,” an announcer says.