by Jacey Ward
He opened his mouth to say something but seemed to change his mind and shrugged his broad shoulders.
“Don’t act like it doesn’t bother you,” Cassie pleaded. “It makes me feel worse.”
He blinked his ethereal eyes at her and tipped his head to the side, a half-smile forming on his lips.
“You really do feel bad, don’t you?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“Of course I do. You didn’t ask for me to be dumped on your lap.”
She blushed at the idea of actually being dumped on his lap and her eyes immediately darted toward his crotch. Evander’s gaze followed hers and they met half way back up his body.
Oh God. Stop it, Cassie!
But the argument was futile and whatever trance Evander seemed to have cast upon her was taking hold again.
To her great relief, he turned back around, breaking the pulsating energy between them.
“Are you bad company?”
She thought she’d misheard him.
“What?”
“Are you bad company?”
“Uh…I don’t know…”
He laughed and whirled back around to stare at her dubiously.
“Are you sure you’re a model?” he demanded. “You’re not sure if you’re good company?”
Cassie bristled at the initial question.
“What does me being a model have to do with anything?” she snapped defensively and his face turned puzzled.
“It was a compliment,” he replied slowly. “Any other model I know would have slyly tooted her own horn, told me how much fun she was, how lucky I am that she’d graced me with her presence. You, on the other hand…”
He waved a hand at her.
“You’re apologetic for intruding on my space when someone is trying to kill you. You read “The Iliad”, you’re polite, almost shy…I’m just a little shocked that you’re in the fashion industry, to be honest.”
“Oh.”
She shot her gaze down, her face tinged with a blush.
“But then again,” he continued. “I saw the way you were dicing those cucumbers. There might be a fighter in you yet.”
“I can fight!” Cassie protested, consternation washing through her as she fought through the highs and low of emotions he was putting her through.
“I’m not challenging you to one,” Evander said dryly. “I’m just saying, you’re an enigma, wrapped in a conundrum, garnished with a mystery.”
“No, I’m not,” Cassie muttered, turning back to her task. “I’m just a pushover who got suckered into a career she hates.”
She was shocked that she’d disclosed that much of herself to him but for some reason, it didn’t stop her from saying more and when he didn’t comment, she felt emboldened, probably because he wasn’t looking directly at her face.
“My mom always wanted to be a beauty queen. I didn’t know it when I was young but I found out years later that she had been picked on terribly when she was a kid. I guess she saw me as a way to live out all those dreams, even if I hated the idea.”
“Parents are weird that way,” Evander agreed and his concession only fuelled her desire to spill the entire story which had been gnawing at her intestines for years.
“I wanted to read and write, stay in the shadows and fall into my fantasy worlds. I loved sci-fi, paranormal stuff and she would be furious with me when she caught me reading it. ‘Fantasy is for ugly girls!’ she would scream at me. ‘You’re beautiful, the most beautiful! Do something with it!’ And then she’d punish me by making me ‘fast’ for three days.”
“She starved you?”
“Not if you ask her.”
Cassie bit on her trembling lower lip, thinking of the “Mommy Dearest” tortures Brianna could devise without even thinking about it. She was cruel in unimaginable ways but Cassie learned quickly to obey and do as she was told, even if that meant that she wet the bed until she was twelve.
“When I won my first pageant, I was six and it was confirmation that I was destined to do exactly what she thought. I discovered really early that fighting her was stupid. It would only lead to - ”
Cassie stopped herself from saying “punishment” because she didn’t want to talk about the abuse. At least not yet.
“It was just pointless,” she finished quickly. “If she was happy, I was moderately so also.”
“Wow…so she pushed you into modeling?”
“Seemed like the right path after she pissed away all of my prize and scholarship money. I could either work three jobs and hope to pay for college while still living at home or take the opportunity to flee and see the world. It seemed like a no-brainer at the time.”
She turned then and to her horror, she realized tears had welled in her eyes.
“Damn, I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I’m giving you my pathetic life story and you’ve already got more than enough on your plate.”
He stalked toward her then, his strong arms reaching out to embrace her tightly. He did nothing but hold her and allow Cassie to bury her face in his shoulder.
Oh God, he must think I’m so weak. I came to him like a damsel in distress, asking him to save me and now look at me! I can’t do this.
She tried to wriggle out of his grasp but he held onto her tighter, his hand reaching up to stroke her silken hair and just like that, Cassie was unable to resist.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled into the soaked spot on his shirt. “I-I’m not usually this whiny.”
“You’re not whiny,” he assured her. “Family is always a hard subject, particularly when they use you as a pawn. I’ve seen a lot of that in my life.”
Cassie’s head moved back and she peered at him, quickly wiping her tears away.
“You had a bad home life?” she asked, suddenly feeling guilty. Who knew what kind of horrors Evander had seen.
A smile of amusement threatened to break over his lips, one which Cassie didn’t understand at all.
What’s so funny? Is he trying not to laugh at me?
“My home life was…average for where I grew up,” he managed to say, releasing her suddenly.
Cassie’s body ran cold then.
He’s just placating me. He doesn’t really care. He’s got a job to do and he’s doing it. You’re a fool for expecting more than that from him.
“The food’s ready,” he told her. “I already set the table in the dining room.”
Cassie nodded and dropped the rest of the veggies into the salad bowl before walking it into the dining room.
Again, she was taken aback by what he’d done while she’d been asleep.
Settings for two were laid out on an eclectic black and white ceramic set. The plates were square, the linen uniquely folded and a candelabra lit with four long, flickering lights. Two bottles of wine glinted against the dim light.
“Sit wherever you want,” Evander told her, entering with a steaming pan in his oven mitts. “I’m not particular.”
Cassie looked at him for a long minute as he set the chicken onto the table and left again, apparently oblivious to her gaze.
I don’t understand him at all, she realized and it made her want to cry all over again. Her life was confusing enough as it was those days—she didn’t need a sexy, intelligent, strong man adding to her drama, especially when she had no idea what he wanted from her.
All he wants is to be done with you, and you haven’t even been here a day, she told herself firmly. After we eat, he can take you to that safe house and you can find some new bodyguards. I’ll have Lisette find someone.
She sat tentatively in a chair and waited for Evander to return with the pasta.
“Go ahead,” he said. “Eat.”
She nodded and reached for the salad, her stomach growling so loudly, she was shocked he didn’t hear it.
“I’ll go to that safe house you were talking about in the morning,” she told him quietly. “And I’ll have my assistant arrange for bodyguards to watch me there.”
His head je
rked up in surprise.
“Uh, yeah, no,” he laughed. “That’s not going to happen.”
Her brows knit.
“What do you mean? You were the one who said I couldn’t stay here,” she reminded him.
“Things are different now.”
She stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate but he didn’t.
“How?” she finally demanded as he shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth. Evander shrugged nonchalantly.
“They just are. You’re staying here and under no circumstances are you to contact anyone without clearing it with me first. Understood?”
Resentment bubbled up in Cassie’s gut.
“You can’t keep me here as your prisoner!” she hissed. “That’s not what I signed on for.”
Evander sat back, wiping the carbonara sauce off his face before grinning at her.
“Ah. There is fight in you,” he chuckled but Cassie wasn’t amused.
“I’m not staying here, trapped!” she insisted, the memory of her mother fresh and burning in her mind. She’d been told what to do long enough. She wasn’t about to sit back and let a stranger dictate where she could go and who she could talk to.
“Who said anything about being trapped?” He asked gently, perhaps sensing the primal response in her eyes. “You’re not trapped. I’m talking about keeping you safe, Cassandra. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
Sheepishness swept through her but she couldn’t bring herself to nod. She couldn’t get a grip on how to handle Evander. One minute he seemed to be mocking her, the next he was staring at her with those eyes…
“In fact,” Evander continued. “I have a plan for tomorrow.”
Cassie tried not to look too interested, but a spark of hope touched her fleetingly.
“What is it?”
Evander’s grin widened and he leaned forward conspiratorially.
“If I tell you,” he said in a stage whisper. “You better not rat me out to Circe.”
Cassie shook her head vehemently.
“I swear I won’t,” she promised.
“Good. Then maybe tomorrow you can help me on a little sting operation. What do you say?”
Cassie’s mouth fell open.
“You’re taking me with you to work?”
“You’re the one who said I shouldn’t forsake my clients.”
“Yeah but…”
Suddenly she wondered why she was arguing.
It might even be fun, she thought. And he shouldn’t be losing clients on my account. Why not do this?
She nodded slowly, her own beam matching his.
“Sounds awesome,” she laughed. “What time do we leave?”
Chapter 5
Kalen would have my ass on a plate if he saw what I was doing right now.
Evander quickly chased that thought aside and adjusted the volume on his headset.
“Can you hear me okay?” he asked Cassie again, staring at the screen of his cell phone. She nodded slightly shifting her slate-blue eyes toward her own cell phone at the bar. He could read the nervousness all over her face but she struggled to maintain her composure in spite of the tension emanating from her.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t worry about anything,” he told her with more confidence than he was feeling. He knew that he was taking a huge risk bringing her into this sting but his other option was leaving her at home and that wasn’t something he wanted to do either.
Well, you did have the third option of not involving her in this, he reminded himself but he shoved the afterthought away. Cassie had been as eager to participate in the sting as he had been to get it over and done with.
“He’s coming,” Evander told her quickly. “Look natural.”
He watched as she turned her head upward and summoned the bartender for a drink. The target appeared in the shot and Evander exhaled.
Here we go.
“You’ve got this—just do exactly as we practiced,” he told her quietly. She didn’t respond as the man sat at her side, eyeing her shamelessly.
He’s already taken with her. Who can blame him? She’s gorgeous.
“Shit!” the man said. “You’re Cassie Sawyer, aren’t you?”
Cassandra turned her head and stared at him, the shock clear on her face.
“D-do I know you?” she whispered and Evander instantly heard the fear in her voice. Shame flooded him as he realized how foolish he had been to send her in there.
She’s already vulnerable to an attack and I sent her into this job like live bait. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Sit tight,” he told her. “I’m coming in for you.”
“NO!” Cassie yelled and he paused, watching the man on screen stare at her oddly. Quickly, she regained her composure and grinned alluringly at him.
“No?” he echoed and she laughed nervously.
“I just realized where I might know you from,” she said quickly, placing a hand on his arm flirtatiously. Jealousy shot through Evander like a firework and he willed himself to calm down.
She’s doing exactly what you practiced. Simmer down.
“Oh,” he laughed. “We don’t know one another. I’ve just seen your pictures everywhere. You’re a model, right?”
Cassie nodded slowly and glanced at the phone, flashing him a slight smile through the camera.
“I am,” she replied sweetly. “How nice of you to notice!”
“It’s kind of hard not to notice someone who looks like you.” He licked his lips and leaned in closer to her confidentially. “I think you’re hot.”
Wow. Smooth.
Evander stuffed down the resentment as Cassie giggled.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “So are you.”
The bartender slid a drink in front of her and Cassie reached for it, taking a huge gulp before turning her attention back to him.
“Do I get to know your name now that you know mine?”
“You can call me Jack,” he leered and Evander snickered in spite of the tension he felt mounting in the back of his neck. The man’s name was not Jack but Lester Graham and he was the Vice President of Harper-Levins Bank in Manhattan.
“Bartender, put all of this lovely young lady’s drinks on my room. That’s room 1412.”
“Of course, Mr. Graham,” the bartender agreed and Evander laughed aloud.
“He can’t even keep his own fake cover for ten seconds,” he muttered. On screen, he saw Cassie smother a smile by pressing her drink back to her lips.
“That is very kind of you, Jack,” she demurred. “Thank you.”
“So…do you live in New York?” he asked, leaning forward again, as he studied her face in an awe-struck boyish way.
“I do…”
Evander’s eyes shot down on the screen but Lester’s briefcase was out of view. He gritted his teeth, watching the scene as Cassie smiled warmly at her new companion.
“But I travel a lot for work.”
“That must be hard,” Jack said in a tone which made Evander believe he wasn’t listening to Cassie at all but checking out her rack.
It was driving him crazy even though the man was doing precisely what Evander had expected him to do. He didn’t want the VP staring at Cassie like that.
I don’t want anyone staring at Cassie like that.
He listened to their idle conversation a moment longer and when he was content that Cassie had reeled him in sufficiently, Evander stepped from the non-descript sedan he used for stings.
He left the surveillance equipment where it was, still recording but unattended and made his way into the hotel bar also.
He seated himself two stools down from where Cassie and Lester chatted, his ears honed into their discussion but it wasn’t the words he was listening for. Evander tried to meet Cassie’s gaze but she almost skilfully avoided his look.
She’s got him, Evander thought with more confidence that he should have rightfully had. After all, he barely knew Cassie. For all he could
guess, she might suddenly do a one eighty and have a wave of cold feet just at a critical moment.
Evander had to risk it but his gut told him he wasn’t wrong about the woman who maintained her flirty banter with the drooling VP and he slowly rose to move next to Lester, testing the waters.
The man didn’t even shift his eyes to acknowledge his presence although the bartender did and his eyes narrowed. Evander rose a finger to his lips and shook his head, slowly removing a fifty-dollar bill from his breast pocket. He’d put it there earlier, sensing that he might need it.
Don’t fuck this up for me, buddy, Evander growled silently as he slid the money across the bar. The young man’s eyes lit up when he saw the bill and he quickly snatched it up, turning away to busy himself with something not customer related.
Evander exhaled and again turned his eyes toward the still-chatting pair beside him.
Lester still did not pay attention to what he was doing and Evander swooped down to swipe the briefcase between them before rising and heading away from the duo. He didn’t look back, placing the stolen case in front of him, lest the man turn at the last minute and see Evander slipping out of the side door with it.
He only exhaled when he returned to the car and closed the door behind him.
“I’ve got it,” he told Cassie into her earpiece. “Get out of there.”
He watched as she grinned almost impishly and for a minute, Evander wondered if she wasn’t enjoying herself at his expense.
“So…uh…” Lester drawled, his face inches from hers. “Would you like to come upstairs to my suite? I have a great view.”
Evander’s back was so tense, he was sure that it was going to snap.
“I would love to!” Cassie exclaimed, pressing a perfectly manicured hand to his arm and Evander’s mouth parted in stunned surprise.
“What are you doing?” he hissed. “Get out of there.”
She cast him a mischievous look through the camera and Evander realized she was toying with him.
“Seriously,” he grumbled. “That’s enough.”
She was already speaking to Lester again, ignoring him.
