Malakai's expression was a mixture of confusion and dumbstruckness.
"What?" he rasped.
"You," Eve repeated again, taking cautious steps closer to him. "All I want in return is you. I want you to marry me."
"Marry you?"
She nodded her head. "Yes, you'll marry me and give me all your protection. That, and I'll help you take down both the Zolotovs and the Morins."
That earned her a side eye from Malakai, before he stalked towards her and grabbed her by her thin bicep towards the door. "Get out. The next time you pull this type of stunt with me again, you won't walk out alive. Think about that pup you're carrying." he threatened.
Eve knew she should have been afraid, in fact, taken that as her cue to leave, but she didn't.
No, instead, she grasped his hand, holding him still from walking away from her. Malakai pinned her in place with his sudden murderous eyes.
"Are you deaf?"
She'd seen this man countless times on billboards, TV commercials, you name it, and if there was anything those braincells up in her head knew, it was that her best shot at survival was with him.
Malakai Salvatore had power above many other, possibly even above Patro. And power is a way to survive.
"Wouldn't you like to hear what I have to say first?" she asked.
She was sure he was going to open the door and throw her out, but he slapped her hand off and took a step back. "If I hear you out, and what you have to give in return for this deal you just made doesn't entice me enough, I won't let you go freely. So either turn around now and walk through that door or stay and gamble on what you have to say."
The right choice should have been to turn around and leave, but Eve stayed, rooted in place, her mouth gaping like a fish in search of water.
"Leave—"
"No." She shook her head and walked over to settle down on the sofa. "Can I have some water first?"
Malakai gave her the kind of look that had her shutting up immediately. She gave him a crooked smile. "Nevermind." Then she cleared her throat and steepled her fingers. "My mate, well, ex-mate, made me do a job for the Morins family. They wanted me to hack into a system that had a list of wanted names. I don't really know what the list is all about or what were attached to it, but…your name was the only name I recognized on that list."
"How important is the list?" Malakai asked.
Eve's eyes sparkled. "They were willing to pay ten million Weils just to have me hack into the system."
The frown that appeared on his face and faded gave her hope that he was quite interested in her words, so she continued, "The thing is, I found out in the end that Patro had set me up, and the Morins were going to kill me once the list was handed over to them. But!"
Excitement grew inside of her, and she tried to keep herself composed as much as she could. "I had a feeling something was wrong, so after I got the list transferred into the USB, I hid the real USB, and gave them a fake one. Intuition, I have a very good intuition, it always kicks in when something is about to go wrong—"
"Get back on track!" Malakai snapped at her.
Eve bit into her bottom lip, shutting up.
"You always talk this much?" he asked.
She wasn't even offended. Instead, she shook her head. "Sometimes. But no. Well, yeah, maybe sometimes like this. I can't really help it. I have ADHD, so, when I'm nervous or afraid, I just can't seem to stop myself…like now," she finished weakly, lowering her head to avoid whatever kind of look he was giving her.
Malakai didn't chastise her. instead he waved a dismissive hand, saying, "Continue." One leg was draped over the other where he sat on the bed.
"I'm saying that I have the real USB here with me. And if you agree to my condition, I will give it to you and also help you take Patro down. It's like a revenge, but it's benefiting you too." Eve smiled at him. "I mean, they are after you and whatever is on the list, I think it should be enough to destroy you one way or another. Not to mention I also know why you hate Patro Zolotov."
The hairs on her skin rose right after that sentence as the temperature in the room suddenly lessened by a dozen's degree.
"What do you think you know?" Malakai questioned.
Eve swallowed thickly, but didn't back down at his intimidation.
"He shot…your sister." she said, confident in her research and finding. "The real truth behind your sister's death never made it public, b-but I know. I also know you weren't able to make him pay because then you were still nothing compared to a man like Patro Zolotov born into wealth. And even when you became something bigger than him, you couldn't afford to make him pay. No…evidence and if he died, you would be the first…suspect, no?"
Malakai stared at her unmoving, pupils dilated.
"You researched me…"
"Well, yes. In a way others can't. I have my ways."
He smirked. "Ah…I see. You're a genius type of omega, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am." Eve cleared her throat. "So um…w-what do you say?" Eve asked.
He wasn't saying a word or giving her some kind of look that might indicate he was at least interested enough or not. All she got from him was a low grumble and he stood up to begin pacing back and forth in the room.
She was nervous..not knowing what his answer would be.
Suddenly, Malakai came to a stop, and turned to her, approaching in a hurried stride.
"W-what are you doing?" Wasn't it enticing enough? Had she gambled wrong?
The man snatched her off the sofa, yanking her forward, she had to leap up to her tippy toes to be anywhere close to his chin, hands pressed against his solid bare chest. Eve's heart thumped widely against her ribcage and Malakai tilted his head to watch her with such maddening intensity.
Then, it was a shivering whisper, as he said, "Tomorrow, you'll become Eve Salatore."