Sinful Mates (Savage Series Collection)

Book 2 Chapter-5

Evelyn POV

“Excuse me,” I say, as I step around him and run back inside.

What the f**k just came over me? Lisa is frantically trying to take orders, as I quickly step in and rush past her to the kitchen where I see a heap of orders.

When Lisa is finished, she comes back and helps me cook while we keep an eye on the door. Orion just sits in the corner, watching. Always watching. His presence doesn’t bother me like it did the first few days he was here. But these days, he has pretty much become a piece of the furniture.

After serving everyone, I grab my tray to clean the tables. I just finish stacking the tray and am about to head out the back, when I hear the doorbell chime. Lifting the tray, I turn to see who enters.

Two men enter the cafe, looking around before their eyes fall on me. A loud gasp leaves me, as panic surges through my entire being. My heart rate speeds up until I can hear it pulsating in my ears, and my hands start to tremble. I feel clammy as adrenaline pulses through me, paralyzing me, until I hear Lisa scream and realize I have dropped the tray of plates I was holding as they smash around my feet. The noise makes me flinch as my gaze drops. Lisa rushes out with a towel and I drop down, scooping the glass up with shaking hands.

“s**t, Evelyn, you okay?” she asks, but I feel nothing but fear, too scared to answer. “Evelyn, stop. You’re cutting your hands,” she says, making me look at my hands, which are bleeding from the glass cutting my fingers and palm.

I don’t even feel it, but I can hear my breathing coming quickly as I start to hyperventilate. The room and everyone in it are watching with worried eyes as the cafe trembles around me. I realize I am having a panic attack as everything slows down, except for the erratic pumping of my heart.

It is them, the men that killed him in the alleyway. I feel Orion move near me; he takes the tray from my hands. Lisa rushes out the back, but I am frozen in place, paralyzed by fear. I feel Lisa grip my arms, pulling me to my feet and taking me out the back. Orion follows us into the kitchen.

Lisa rummages through my bag as I try to find my grounding place and remember what I need to do to ground myself, yet my mind goes blank. Lisa opens my bloody hand and drops two pills on my palm as she hands me a glass of water. I quickly swallow the pills.

“What are they?” I hear Orion ask her.

“Valium. She has panic attacks sometimes,” Lisa explains.

After a few minutes, my heart rate returns to normal, and my body relaxes. Lisa quickly rushes around the kitchen while I gather my bearings and look down at my hand, which has a tea towel wrapped tightly around it. I peel it off as I approach the sink and force my hand under the stream of water. As soon as the water splashes over the cut, I wince at the sting, but ignore it to the best of my ability. Then, I reach for the first aid kit and wrap my hand.

When I go back out, Orion follows, and my eyes fall on the two men, watching me. I close my eyes, willing myself to hold it together. However, my shock only grows when I open my eyes again and see Orion sitting down at the table with them. I also notice that everyone else is gone.

Lisa comes out behind me. “Where did everyone go?” she asks, placing her hand on my shoulder. I shrug, not able to take my eyes off the three people sitting in the booth. Lisa follows my gaze and then looks back at me. “You okay, Evelyn?” I nod but say nothing. “How about you go home? I can call Merander and ask if she would come. I know she is looking for work again; the last place she was at shut down. So, go, I will be fine on my own.”

I look at her and I can tell it worries her. I haven’t had a panic attack in ages, so it is a little out of character for me.

“Go. I will be fine,” she says, handing my bag to me.

I nod wordlessy and take off out the door. As I walk home, my mind is stuck in some weird overdrive. I can’t help but wonder if they recognized me, wonder how Orion knows them.

When I get home, I flop on my bed and close my eyes. After a few deep breaths, I open them, just in time to hear a knock on the door. I hesitantly peek out the window and find Orion at the door. I groan as I walk over and unlock the door.

“How do you know where I live?”

“Lisa.” He shrugs, as he leans against the handrail, watching me. “Are you going to invite me in, or do I need to stand out here and freeze?” he asks, and I step aside, opening the door wider.

Orion walks in but has to duck his head to stop from hitting it on the doorframe. I stand awkwardly, unaware of what to say. To be honest, I have never brought anyone here, let alone had someone show up here out of the blue.

“What do you want?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest.

“I wanted to make sure you’re okay,” he says, facing me after looking around.

“I’m fine; you can go now,” I tell him.

Orion raises an eyebrow and steps closer to me. I, in turn, step back. “I will not do anything,” he says, reaching for me and pulling me to him. I feel my heart race at his proximity, so I shove him back, and he looks shocked. I see hurt in his eyes which I find odd - I barely know him.

“How do you know those two men that came into the cafe?”

“They’re my mates. Why?”

I shake my head. “You have friends like that?” I ask.

Orion seems gentle, yet I can tell he has a mean streak. “My idea of mates and your idea are two different things. And what do you mean, like that?” he asks defensively, crossing his arm across his chest.

“They…” I can’t finish what I should say. The last thing I need or want is to remember that horrid night.

“They what, Evelyn?” Orion asks, stepping closer.

“It doesn’t matter; you need to leave,” I tell him and open the door.

He looks at me, but he doesn’t move. I suddenly hear someone walk up the steps out the front, and my eyes dart outside before I feel my breath catch in my throat. I stumble back, terrified, as I watch the two men from the alley walk up the steps and step inside my trailer. I'm about to run to the back when I feel hands around my waist and realize Orion has grabbed me.

“Calm down, Evelyn; they won’t hurt you,” he says.

I ignore him, knowing exactly what those monsters are capable of as I struggle against him, but his hold doesn't loosen. I bite into his hand, making him release me, and I run to the bathroom, quickly locking the door as soon as I close it behind me.

Orion's voice calls out on the other side of the door. “Open the door, Evelyn,” he says, as I search the bathroom and my eyes focus on the small window.

In a moment of pure panic, the need to get out of here takes over, so I raise the window slowly, ensuring I’m quiet until I lift it enough to climb out. Halfway through the small window, I feel hands on my hips and I’m ripped back inside.

I open my mouth and belt out the loudest scream I can muster, but someone forces their hand over my mouth to silence me.

“Shh, we won’t hurt you,” says a voice below my ear. “If I remove my hand, do you promise not to scream?” he asks, and I feel tears burn my eyes. The tears burn my skin as they spill over and run down my cheeks.

They are going to kill me, I should have run and left the city that night. And yet, I nod my head, and he removes his hand. As soon as he does, I scream as loud as I can. A loud growl tears out of him as the stranger clamps his hand back over my mouth.

“Put her in the car,” calls a voice from the door, and I see his handsome face as he looks inside the bathroom. His silver eyes are dazzling and hypnotic as he stares at me.

The man walks me out of the bathroom, and I see Orion sitting calmly at the table. “They won’t hurt you. I promise. We will explain when we get you home.”

Home? What do they mean by home? Where are they going to take me?

I start to thrash against my captor, but he is stronger. My thrashing only annoys him as I feel his breath on my neck.

“We can do this the hard way or the easy way,” he says. Panic courses through me as I drop my weight and go limp to try and slip out of his grip. “Hard way it is then,” he says as he grips my ankle.

I kick my legs, my foot connects with his face, and he grunts as he rips me toward him and grips my arms. The man pulls me to my feet and wraps his arm around me, holding me in place against his chest. I hit and scratch at whatever I can. He rips my head to the side, and I scream as I feel him bite into my neck. My scream dies in my throat as black dots dance before my vision, and everything around us becomes dull. I try to force my eyes open as I feel them start to droop. What did he just do to me? My last thoughts fade as darkness envelops me.