Chapter 48

The car ride was silent except for the hum of the engine. Liam broke the quiet first. "Would you prefer to go back to Blackwood Manor or your current apartment?"

Evelyn's fingers tightened around her purse. Her apartment was closer to the flower market where she worked. Besides, Blackwood Manor felt like Victoria's domain now - not hers.

"My place," she answered softly.

Fifteen minutes later, Liam parked outside a weathered brick building that had seen better decades. Evelyn stepped out, leading him through the dimly lit entrance.

Night had fallen completely. The hallway stretched before them like a dark tunnel, narrow enough that their shoulders nearly brushed the walls. Evelyn fumbled for her phone, the flashlight beam cutting through the gloom.

"The building management isn't... diligent about maintenance," she explained, embarrassment coloring her words.

Liam's sharp gaze took in the peeling wallpaper and flickering exit sign. The place was a dump.

At her door, Evelyn turned the key with practiced ease. Light flooded the small space as she flipped the switch, then hovered uncertainly in the doorway.

Liam crossed the threshold in three strides. The studio apartment couldn't have been more than 300 square feet, yet it held a certain charm. Neat. Lived-in. Surprisingly homey.

When Evelyn turned from closing the door, she found Liam holding out the bouquet of white zinnias.

"For you." His tone gave nothing away.

Evelyn's breath caught. She'd assumed the flowers were for Victoria. The unexpected gesture left her momentarily speechless, her pulse suddenly racing.

Liam's brow furrowed. "You don't like them?"

"No! I mean yes!" She accepted the bouquet hastily, cheeks burning. "They're perfect. Thank you."

She couldn't remember ever having a favorite flower before. Now she did.

Setting her bag down, Evelyn rushed to the kitchenette, digging through cabinets until she found a simple glass vase. The flowers looked almost too elegant for her modest home as she arranged them on the nightstand.

Meanwhile, Liam settled on her threadbare couch, his attention caught by the books scattered across the coffee table. He picked one up, flipping through pages filled with unfamiliar characters.

"Xyperian?" he asked when Evelyn returned with a glass of water.

She nodded. "I found it at the library. The title intrigued me. Strangely, I could read it."

Liam's eyes narrowed slightly. "You speak Xyperian?"

"I didn't think so, but..." Her shrug ended abruptly as her knee connected with the coffee table. Pain shot up her leg as she pitched forward.

Time seemed to slow. The water glass slipped from her fingers. Then suddenly she was sprawled across Liam's lap, the spilled liquid soaking through his trousers in a rapidly spreading stain.

Heat flooded Evelyn's face as she scrambled upright, nearly tripping in her haste. "Oh god! I'm so sorry!"

She grabbed tissues from the box, dabbing frantically at the wet fabric. "I didn't mean to— I wasn't looking where—"

"Evelyn." Liam's voice cut through her panic.

But the mortification had short-circuited her brain. She kept blotting, her movements growing more erratic.

Strong fingers closed around her wrists, stilling her. "I said enough."

His tone brooked no argument. Frozen in place, Evelyn finally looked up to meet his gaze. The intensity there stole her breath.