by Jacey Ward
Chapter 3
“I’m going to take a quick shower,” Evander told Cassie when they entered his two-storey condo, ten blocks from his offices. “Make yourself comfortable.”
The awe in her eyes was apparent although he couldn’t understand why. Surely she’d been around luxury and opulence her entire modeling career.
It dawned on him then that she was trying to figure out how he afforded it.
It’s none of her damned business anyway, he thought but he still couldn’t stop himself from watching the way her face lit up when she studied the décor of his apartment. Evander had always prided himself on having good taste and the artwork reflected his inherent love of all things beautiful.
Especially her.
The thought popped unbidden into his mind but he couldn’t easily silence it, not when he found it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes off Cassie’s lithe form.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, her blue-grey eyes wide with an innocence reserved for children. He realized he hadn’t gone anywhere, despite his declaration that he was off to shower. He’d removed his stained shirt and stood bare chested in the hall leading back into the master suite but he hadn’t actually moved.
Cassie’s eyes slowly dropped along the ridges of his washboard stomach and paused at the buckle of his undone belt. A familiar twinge rushed through his groin and before he could will it to lower, his soldier was trying to salute.
Even from the distance between them, Evander saw her pupils dilate and his breathing grew slightly raspier as he willed himself not to fly across the room and pin her against the far wall.
She’s a mortal and a client. That’s all she could ever be. Walk the fuck away.
But it was easier said than done when Cassie’s tongue lolled out to wet her lower lip before clamping her white veneers against the plump softness so hard, it drew blood.
Oh, my gods. What is she doing to me?
He inhaled and whipped his body around, rushing to his suite as if to put as much distance between them as fast as possible.
The door slammed harder than he had intended it to but it didn’t matter. He considered it an act of finality.
He barely made it into the shower, his hand wrapped firmly around his shaft as he sank against one of the wall jets, groaning loudly. There was no fear that Cassie would hear him, even if she was pressed up against the door to the ensuite bathroom, her own hands down the delicious tightness of her jeans. The condo was fortified, soundproofed.
And he was still fixated on the idea that Cassie was outside the door, rubbing her long, pale fingers over herself.
The water was almost too hot but Evander couldn’t be bothered to adjust the temperature, his sack already tightening. He was seconds away from blowing his load and why? Because Cassie had licked her lips?
He grunted, feeling himself explode in fast, hot streams over his hand, which were washed away by the half-dozen shower heads pointed at his body.
Inhaling a deep, shaky breath, he straightened and smirked slightly.
That’ll do it, he thought with some satisfaction. Glad I got that out of my system before I did anything stupid.
He soaped himself down vigorously and washed his unruly dark curls before turning off the faucet. Toweling himself off, he ventured into the walk-in closet for a new outfit.
Idly, he thought about Bethany’s ridiculous temper tantrum earlier.
What the hell was that about? Just because I asked her to get lunch? She’s getting too big for her britches, that one.
He dressed in a pair of black slacks and a blue dress shirt. Then he dug his perpetually turned off iPhone from his discarded pants and powered it. He needed to get some more information from Kalen before he formulated a plan of attack with Cassie.
“I trust you’ve met up with Cassie,” Kalen answered without preamble. “How is she?”
“Hello to you too...and for starters,” Evander replied evenly. “She’s packing a gun she doesn’t know how to use.”
“Oh that,” Kalen replied nonchalantly.
“Yes that! When were you going to tell me that there were dead bodies attached to this thing? And how are you guys hiding this? I told you, Kalen, I’m not going into this without knowing what the fuck ‘this’ is!”
“Calm down, Evander. Christ, when did you get so sensitive?”
Ever since you dropped the most fucking stunning woman in the world into my lap and told me I can’t leave her alone! Evander almost yelled back but he didn’t.
“The truth is, we don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Oh, that’s comforting, Kalen. Thank you for that.”
“If we knew why this was happening, Evander, I wouldn’t be calling on you, would I?”
“Valid point.”
“All we can glean is that someone is trying to scare the shit out of Cassie. I don’t think he’s going to hurt her but he definitely wants her attention. I think he saw the guards as some sort of threat to their make-believe relationship.”
“Well he’s succeeded at scaring her,” Evander conceded, thinking about her red, frightened eyes. He also realized why Kalen had really called on him—no one was going to kill Evander with a bullet.
“This is crazy,” Evander muttered. “I can put her in a safe house—”
“Oh, hell no,” Kalen interjected. “She’s staying with you.”
“What? No way, that wasn’t part of the deal. Why can’t she stay at a safe house?”
“Because I’m telling you she’s staying with you until I get this sorted out.”
“I thought I was the one sorting this out.”
“Evander, why are you always such a pain in my ass? Can’t we work together on this?”
“I have no idea what ‘this’ is!” Evander protested. “But Kalen, having Cassandra stay here…”
“Here?” Kalen caught his slip up even before the PI did. “She’s at your place right now?”
“I had to come home and change—long story.”
“Well then, there’s no harm in letting her get comfortable, is there?”
There was no room for argument in Kalen’s voice but the dread and excitement mounting in Evander’s gut told him that he should be putting up more of a fight.
“I guess not,” he replied instead.
“Great. It’s settled. I’ll tell Circe her friend is in good hands. She’s been worried sick about this.”
Evander didn’t know how to respond.
“Tell Cassie that Circe will call her later, all right?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, and Evander?”
“What?”
“Keep your dick in your pants. I know she’s a model but things could get messy. She doesn’t know anything about us.”
Thanks for making shit even more complicated, Kalen, he thought furiously. I’m supposed to keep her with me and never show her my true side. That’s fucking great.
“I-I’m offended you would suggest something like that!” Evander growled, feeling his face flush crimson. He had never been happier that he wasn’t on Facetime in his very long life.
“Whatever. Just stick to banging your secretary or whatever.”
That time, Evander really was insulted.
“I don’t bang my secretary,” he snapped, knowing wholeheartedly it was true.
“I have to go,” Kalen sighed. “The Corpus calls.”
“Yeah,” Evander grunted again. “See ya.”
The call ended and Evander paused to look at himself in the full-length mirrors from all angles. He wondered if he looked hot enough to have Cassie’s eyes rake over him again the way she had before he’d gotten into the shower.
You’re losing your damned mind.
He pulled himself away from his reflection and made his way down the corridor into the living room where he’d left Cassie.
“Sorry I took so long,” he said, turning the corner. “I wanted to talk to—”
He stopped speaking abruptly
when his eyes fell on Cassie.
She had curled up in the corner of the leather sectional after selecting a hardbound copy of “The Iliad” from his library but the book had fallen to the side of her crunched form, open only to page five before succumbing to the exhaustion which had so clearly claimed her.
A fusion of affection and pity touched him as he stared at her for a long moment, again struck at how angelic she seemed laying there.
I guess she feels safe here, he mused with some confusion. Even though she doesn’t know the first thing about me. I wonder how safe she’d feel if she knew I was a vampire from the underworld and that her boss was a Valkyrie.
Not that Evander was going to be the one to tell her.
He stood for a moment, debating whether to move her or not. She seemed comfortably uncomfortable, her long limbs tangled into a twist embracing her body. Straightening her would surely wake her, he reasoned but leaving her like that would undoubtedly have her waking in pain.
I’ll stretch her out a bit and find her a blanket, he decided. Gingerly, he fixed her arms and legs against the leather and found a cashmere throw from the linen closet which he tucked neatly around her body.
He pulled off her shoes and stepped back, a strange swelling rushing through him that had nothing to do with lust.
She’s a piece of exquisite art, he thought, stunned by the emotion he felt. There’s just something inside that radiates outwardly.
He almost laughed at himself, wondering when he’d become such a pansy. Yes, Evander adored beautiful things but he’d never simply sat and watched a woman sleeping.
Not even when his blood-lust was at its peak.
Cassie stirred slightly, turning on her side with a sigh but she didn’t open her eyes, much to his relief. He didn’t want her to catch him gawking over her like some weirdo, especially not when she already had a stalker with whom to contend.
Slowly, Evander backed away, suddenly aware that he had a not-so-little problem that was becoming commonplace in Cassie’s presence.
“Down boy,” he growled to his newly-awake cock. “If she’s going to be here, you’re going to have to learn to contain yourself.”
And as he moved toward the kitchen to figure out lunch, Evander wondered why he was having a conversation with his junk.
He had a feeling that his life was about to become a hell of a lot more complicated than it had ever been before.
Chapter 4
To her horror, Cassie realized the entire right side of her face was encased in drool when she raised her head from what had apparently been a long nap.
Outside the large windows, twilight had fallen, casting the New York skyline into a thousand incredible shades of golds, reds and oranges.
Wiping a pale hand across her soaked cheek, Cassie sat up and looked around the condo groggily. Oddly, she didn’t have any moments of wondering where she was. It felt comfortable, familiar and she wasn’t at all unnerved. She was, however, starving.
The smell of something spicy tantalized her nostrils and slowly, she ambled to her feet, realizing that Evander had taken off her shoes after she’d fallen asleep and covered her with a soft blanket. The knowledge filled her with a warm glow.
For all his gruff exterior, he’s not such a bad guy.
Instantly, the image of his washboard stomach popped into her mind and she blushed, pausing mid-step. She didn’t want him to see her face blazing scarlet when she saw him.
Only after she was certain she had collected herself properly, Cassie continued in the direction of the mouth-watering smells and found herself in the kitchen. To her utter amazement, Evander was moving about, tending to multiple pots and pans over an open gas range while speaking to someone on the phone.
“Oh yes, yes it was,” he said, oblivious to his observer. “But something came up and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get to that now, Joe.”
He stopped stirring a bubbling pot and although Cassie could only see his side profile, she saw the scowl on his face.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. Good luck with another PI then.”
He pressed a button on his earpiece and sighed heavily.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“Does that have anything to do with me being here?” Cassie asked and he startled slightly at the sound of her voice.
“Christ, Cassandra. I didn’t even hear you.”
“I wasn’t being quiet.”
She stood at the edge of the counter and inhaled deeply, her lids half-closed.
“What are you making? It smells amazing.”
“Chicken carbonara.”
He froze for a second.
“Ah shit. You’re on some crazy ass vegan Keto whatever the hell stupid fad diet, aren’t you?”
Cassie laughed and shook her white-blonde waves.
“No,” she lied. “I can eat whatever I want.”
Screw that. I’m not watching my weight tonight. I’ve starved myself for days and with all this stress, I must have lost seven pounds.
Evander raised an eyebrow dubiously but she caught the look of relief in his face.
“Well, you learn something new every day. I thought models were health food fanatics.”
“Some are,” she agreed. “What can I help you with?”
He seemed surprised that she would ask and he looked around.
“You can make the salad,” he replied slowly, nodding at the fixings on one of the long counters.
“So,” she drawled, picking up a knife. “You never answered my question.”
“What question was that?”
“Was that phone call indirectly related to me?”
Evander grunted, casting her a look over his shoulder and his eyes widened.
“Damn. You’re good with a knife!”
“I’m good with a lot of things,” Cassie replied automatically. “I told you—I’m from Texas.”
Evander snickered but Cassie wasn’t kidding. Aside from being shoved into fashion shows and beauty contests, Cassie had been exposed to the world of guns and hunting also…although to be honest, she had never wielded a weapon before. But those were aspects of her life that Brianna had never known about. If she had…
“Are you purposely avoiding my question?” she asked, stifling a shudder as she thought about her mother.
“Maybe.”
Evander turned his attention back to the stove, switching off the burners and peeking in the oven.
“You shouldn’t have to upset your clients on my behalf,” Cassie told him and he made a noise that was a cross between a grunt and a laugh.
“Let’s just say that you’re my priority right now,” he said gruffly but hearing it didn’t exactly make her feel warm and fuzzy.
Cassie turned to him, placing the blade next to the bamboo cutting board.
“I don’t know what you owe Circe to have taken this on or why she thinks that you’re going to fare any better than any of my previous bodyguards but she shouldn’t be asking you to put me over your business. It isn’t fair.”
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.
