His Redemption

Chapter Eight

Eva's pov

Eva's heart slammed against her ribs.

She stepped back instinctively, clutching the grocery bags tighter.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing out here in a place like this?" he asked, moving closer.

“Don’t be shy.”

She tried to speak tried to form a sound but nothing came. Her throat worked uselessly, panic rising fast and choking.

His expression darkened slightly when no words came from her.

“Cat got your tongue?”

He reached out suddenly and she flinched, but it was too late. His hand slammed into the bags, ripping them from her grip. They hit the ground with a dull thud, spilling everything—apples rolling, cans clattering, a carton cracking open.

Panic flared in her eyes.

Celeste is going to kill me, she thought.

She dropped to her knees instantly, hands shaking as she scrambled to gather everything.

Her vision blurred behind her glasses.

Just pick it up. Pick it up. Leave, she said to herself.

A sharp pain exploded at her scalp.

She gasped silently as her head was yanked back.

The man’s fist was tangled in her hair, pulling hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

“What do you think you're doing?” he muttered, his voice lower now, more dangerous.

Her hands clawed at his wrist, her body trembling violently. Her glasses slipped down her nose, barely clinging on.

Panic flooded her whole body, cold and suffocating.

His other hand grabbed at her clothes, rough, tearing fabric with careless force.

She shook her head frantically, tears blurring her vision.

A low voice cut through the alley.

"Take your hand off her."

The thug stiffened. Eva turned her head just enough to see a man step from the darker end of the alley, tall, broad-shouldered, the faint glow of a streetlamp catching on sharp cheekbones and a cold, unreadable expression. His suit jacket clung to him like it had been tailored in silence and money. His presence alone felt dangerous-controlled, coiled power.

The grip on her hair loosened slightly.

“What the—”

A voice, cold and firm, sliced through the darkness.

“Let her go.”

Everything went still for a moment.

The man turned, annoyed. “Mind your own—”

He didn’t finish.

Something collided with him hard enough to send him stumbling backward, his grip ripping free from her hair.

Eva collapsed forward onto her hands, coughing silently, her body shook uncontrollably as she scrambled away, dragging herself across the ground.

_____________________________________________________

Killian’s pov

The moonlight spilled across the night like a quiet confession, pale and unwavering. It hung low in the sky, a silver eye watching the world without judgment, its glow soft yet commanding.

Killian strode toward the car ready to leave the warehouse when suddenly a sound cut through the night.

The alley besides the warehouse breathed shadows, narrow and foul-smelling, tucked away from the streetlights.

Dylan was behind Killian discussing about routes and timing but Killian’s attention drifted, his senses sharpened.

“Colton,” he said coolly, fingers brushing the edge of the car door. “Check it out,” he nodded toward the alley.

Colton nodded, turning around toward the alley.

Killian paused his hand on the car door.

Something coiled tight in his chest.

"Wait," Killian said, his voice low.

Colton halted and glanced over his shoulder, raising a brow.

"You don't want me to go check it out?"

Killian didn't answer him, he was already walking, coat shifting with each measured step as he headed toward the alley. His shoes struck the pavement without urgency, yet every muscle in his body was primed.

The alley opened like a wound.

A man stood pressed too close to a girl, his grip on her hair.

Killian stopped for a single, cruel second, he considered turning back. This wasn't his problem to deal with.

This city chewed people up every night, and he was not its savior. He had blood on his hands already enough to drown a conscience.

But then something stopped him, his eyes locked with the girls for a moment and he saw the fear in her eyes.

There was no plea on her lips, no sound begging him to help. Just that look. As if she had already accepted the worst and was daring the world to prove her wrong.

Something inside Killian snapped.

Not anger or pity but recognition.

A memory of his past resurfaced where he had gotten tired of pleading his father to stop and instead he stood there, stiff shoulders, eyes fixed on the floor and waited for it to be over.

A sudden, violent surge of something raw and instinctive tore through him, burning away logic and restraint. His hands curled into fists at his sides, pulse thundering in his ears.

“Take your hand off her,” he said his voice low but deadly calm.

The thug scoffed. “Mind your own-"

Killian didn't let the man finish In a blur, Killian moved and pinned the thugs wrist, twisting sharply until the man cried out.

The girl stumbled back as the thug was slammed into the brick wall with a thud that echoed. A second later, he was on the ground, groaning, clutching his arm.

Killian didn’t look at the thug again. His eyes were dark, unreadable, burning with controlled fury and were on her.

Eva was curled on the ground, her arms were wrapped around herself and she sobbed silently.

"What are you doing out here at this time of the night?" Killian asked, his voice quiet, but edged with steel.

Eva swallowed, signing she went to the supermarket to purchase some stuff and she needed to get home quickly so she used the alley as a shortcut.

He watched her hands, brows pulling together. “You can’t speak?" he asked.

She nodded.

His eyes softened. He didn't feel pity but respect. He moved closer, kneeling in front of her slowly and carefully.

"This place is dangerous and certainly isn't a place for a young woman like you to be wandering around," he said picking up her glasses and handing it over to her.

He watched her take it with trembling hands as she put it on.

I didn't know this place was dangerous. She signed, picking up the groceries and placing them back into the bag.

Killian’s eyes narrowed. "I don't know what that means. I don’t understand.” his voice broke in the middle an admission of helplessness he clearly hated.

Eva swallowed, eyes flicking down. Heat flushed her cheeks.

"I'm sorry but I don't understand sign language."

Eva pulled her phone out of her pocket and began typing. She told him

The reason as to why she was here.

Killian’s lips twitched slightly as he stared at the screen.

"What's your name?" he asked.

Evangeline, she typed.

His lips curved into a faint, dangerous, beautiful smile as he stared at the screen. “Evangeline,” he repeated, tasting her name like he wasn’t sure he deserved to say it.

"I'm Killian blackwood, I'm sure you must've heard about me?"

Eva shook her head.

Killian frowned.

That's odd. Literally everyone in the city knew who he was how come she didn't.

A loud crash behind them startled Eva the thug scrambled up to run. Killian didn’t bother to chase him. His attention stayed fixed on her.