Assigned to You (Completed)

Chapter Six: Evangeline

I couldn’t believe the morning I had with Everett. It honestly wasn’t something I expected to enjoy. Being with Everett was easy and fun, like a breath of fresh air. I was actually looking forward for the dinner. Not because it meant a good insider report but because I wanted to spend more time with Everett.

My phone rang as I headed to the laundry room. I answered the call. “Why aren’t you that bold with me?”

I rolled my eyes at Justin’s statement. “Because you’re not Everett.”

“It’s either you’re upping your game because of the mission or because you actually like Saunders,” Justin noted but there wasn’t a hint of accusation in his voice, “I thought you weren’t one for falling.”

“Who says I was?” I countered, throwing the piles of dirty clothes in the wash and adding detergent to them. “I’m just doing my job, Justin.”

“You’re actually doing too good at it,” Justin commented, “He invited you for dinner.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. It wasn’t as if I expected Everett to invite me. I guess the fact that we’ve met before was an advantage. “Also, I very much like the game you’re playing, Lin. Make him want you. Give a little chase. Everett looks like the kind of guy who loves a challenge.”

He also looked like the kind of guy that didn’t deserve get hurt but I didn’t say that. Instead, I replied, “Yea, thought the same thing too. Although I have to admit, most of the things I’ve said, I had no clue where they came from.”

“Because you’re a natural flirt,” Justin said, his voice smug.

A knock on my door stopped me from responding. “Give me a sec.”

I jogged to the front door and took a peek at the peephole. Somehow, Everett still managed to look cute behind the fish-eye lens of the hole. I opened the door. “I thought we were having a break?”

He pointed at his watch, “Fifteen minutes is enough.”

I laughed and then pointed at my phone. “Just make yourself comfortable.”

My eyes followed him as he lazily trudged around my apartment, eyeing the decorations that were set in place. He took the picture nestled on one of the shelves, the one of me and my parents, and I watched as his eyes skimmed over the photograph. I returned my attention to my phone.

“I have a visitor. I’ll call you later, Justin. Bye,” I didn’t bother to wait for Justin’s reply. I ended the phone call and headed off to where Everett stood. I pried the frame from his hand. I didn’t exactly like it when people saw that picture. It was meant for my eyes alone and I wasn’t expecting him to visit my current home.

“Was that your uncle?” he asked.

I placed the phone on the coffee table and sat on the couch. My eyes focused on his face as I answered. “Nope. It was one of the friends I made in Carolina. Just checking in.”

“Sure it’s not a guy?” He pressed, sitting down next to me. He removed his shoes and sat cross-legged on the couch and the turned to look at me.

I tilted my head to the side, noting how comfortable he was making himself be. “Does it matter?”

He shrugged. “I don’t like competition.”

I tried to stop the smile from breaking out of my face but failed to do so. I don’t know what it was with Everett but he simply knew the right words to make me smile or turn the switch to make me absolutely giddy. I didn’t exactly like the feeling.

“So, could you brief me with your family?” I asked, “Since you couldn’t help yourself and you marched right into my home and ruined my privacy.”

“You invited me in,” Everett pointed out but leaned back on the couch and rested his head, his blue eyes focused on the ceiling, “You’ve met my uncle. Curtis is only a few years older than the two of us. He’s in his late twenties and the youngest child of Papa and Nan. My father was the eldest and they have two sisters in between.”

“My aunts are both married so expect to meet my cousins later. You could just ignore them since they’re all socialites and snobbish. You know, typical rich people. Even both my aunts and their husbands. They pretty much worship the money that the family has,” Everett explained.

I noted how he always said the family and never mine. It was like he wasn’t thrilled to be a part of them and I couldn’t help but wonder if he had any clue about the business that their family has or if he only knows the cover-up. If that’s the truth, then I wouldn’t have to kill him. He would never become my target but could possibly be an ally.

I couldn’t help but pray that he would turn into one.

“You don’t?”

He turned away. “I used to.”

He looked ashamed to admit it and I couldn’t stop another piece of the barrier in my heart breaking for the blue-eyed boy next to me. “What changed?”

“Can I pass that question?” He replied, his blue eyes suddenly sad, “I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”

I suddenly remembered how he respected the way I didn’t respond about my family, or when he didn’t protest or ask questions when he saw the picture of my parents and I. He deserved the same respect from me and I simply nodded. “Okay.”

A small smile graced his face and I felt my heart skip a beat at the sight of him. He leaned over the coffee table and made a grab of the remote, “So do you have Netflix?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Didn’t I tell you-,”

When he turned to look at me, his eyes resembled the color of the sky when a storm was brewing, “Say that word again and I might not control myself anymore, Evangeline.”

The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine and it immediately shut me up. He seemed amused by my reaction because his face suddenly broke out into a grin, his eyes clearing and back to the pale shade, “Besides, when I meant Netflix and chill, I meant it. But don’t get me wrong, I do want you, Evangeline.”

I nibbled on my bottom lip and snatched the remote from his hands, skimming through the movies available. I chose Pretty Woman and waited for his reaction but he didn’t seem bothered at my sappy choice. He rested comfortably beside me, trying to make sure I don’t make any rude comments about the movie when I really wanted to do so.

Halfway through, I stopped the movie and chose a scary one instead.

Everett turned to look at me. “I thought you liked it.”

“I’m not exactly a fan of sappy romance.”

“Then why did you force us to watch that?”

“I wanted to see your reaction,” I answered sheepishly before turning my attention back on the flat screen.

He chuckled and then stretched his hand behind me. My eyes narrowed, familiar of the move but he just smiled at me innocently. I could feel his arm slowly inch around my shoulders but I didn’t shrug him away. I liked his touch; I would be stupid to deny myself that.

By the time the movie ended, I was cuddled next to him. My head was resting on his chest while his arm was wrapped around my shoulder. The position was too comfortable for either of us to ruin even when the screen was simply showing end credits.

“We should get ready,” I murmured, inhaling the scent of Old Spice.

“I don’t really want to move,” he murmured and I could feel his voice reverberate through his chest.

I closed my eyes, restraining myself from snuggling into him because that would ruin everything. I tell him he needed to make effort to get me but here I was, cuddling him while watching a movie. I was eating my words.

But his warmth was addicting.

Reluctantly I pulled away from him and stood. I stretched my arms for him to take. With a pout, he took my hands and I pulled him up. “I’ll be back. Could you not lock the door?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You might come up to me while I’m showering.”

He suddenly groaned. “You’re not helping me here, Evangeline. But I promise I won’t peek on you no matter how much I want to. Chivalry isn’t dead in my book.”

I grinned and pushed him gently. “I won’t lock the door. Give me enough time to get ready.”

When he was out, I finished my laundry and I headed to the bathroom as I stripped off my clothes. I was so used to being alone that it had become a habit that I strip out of my clothes somewhere in the house when I take a bath and leave trails of clothing for me to pick up- towel clad- as I head to the bedroom.

The heat of the shower couldn’t compare to the warmth that Everett radiated. I closed my eyes and sighed. I’ve barely spent time with him- this was probably the longest time we’ve shared- but I was too drawn to him for my liking. I was attracted to him that much was true. But I was tiptoeing on dangerous waters. If I don’t keep him at arm’s reach, I could drown.

With a groan of frustration, I rested my forehead on the wall, letting shower run down on my head. It was too fast to feel anything for Everett than attraction but I knew in my heart that continuing this mission would doom me. The broken boy that lay underneath, every single time he resurfaced made him like him a little bit more.

I turned off the shower once I was done cleaning myself and grabbed a towel to dry myself with. I let my wet hair down, plastering on my face and then wrapped my body with the towel. I wiped off the steam that had clouded the mirror and looked at myself. I was flushed from the hot shower, but I knew that it was also partly because I was thinking of Everett.

I opened the door of the bathroom forgetting that I had left the front door unlock and that Everett might have come in. But I instantly remembered once I realized that the clothes I had left trailing around was piled neatly on the sofa and Everett stood in front of me, his eyes a stormy gray.

“I didn’t know you liked lace.”

Oh gosh. I closed my eyes and blushed in embarrassment, rushing to my bedroom and locking the door behind me. The look on his face when I stepped out was forever instilled in my brain. I’m pretty sure that even after the evening unfolds, before I went to bed, I’d end up seeing his face like that and it would knot my stomach again.

I put on my underwear and turned to look at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t one for makeups but I’m guessing if I needed more information about the Saunders, then I had to make an impression to be invited in more family dinners or occasions. I’d want to leave an impression that would cement myself to them and make them look for me every time Everett was with them.

I made sure I looked somewhere between demure for his family and sexy for him. I’m not entirely sure if I could pull it off but I tried. I blow-dried my hair and tied it in a messy bun, to emphasize my collarbones with the dress that he chose for me. The shade of the dress made my eyes appear brighter and my red hair more prominent. Most redheads wouldn’t like wearing green since technically, it made us look too into Christmas but I always loved the way it looked on me.

I slipped on heels that worked well with my dress and then put on the bracelet the FBI gave me and hooked on simple earrings and placed my phone and wallet in a gold purse I found in the closet. I have to commend Justin with the taste the FBI had. I was tempted to bring a weapon, even just a knife, but then I didn’t want to blow my cover. Besides, I can use a dinner knife to kill if needed.

The low whistle from Everett confirmed that I looked good for him the moment that I opened my door and revealed myself. For a moment, I was afraid to look up at him and see him have that same look on his face when he saw me towel-clad earlier but swallowed the fear and looked him in the eye.

“You look beautiful,” he whispered, his voice breathless.

I kept my cool and simply rolled my eyes, heading to the neatly pile clothes I was sure he had piled on the sofa. I grabbed it and headed back to my room, throwing it in the hamper. When I went back to him, I simply smiled.

“You don’t look too shabby,” I commented. He actually cleaned up pretty well, “I’m glad you shaved.”

He flashed me a grin. “I wanted to impress you.”

We locked my apartment and headed to the basement, to the car that he seemed to be in love with. He rushed to my side and opened the door for me, grinning. My eyes narrowed at him playfully, “Earning points?”

“Would like to make myself dateable for you, fit your standard,” he replied. I noted how he no longer seemed like the shy boy next door he was like in the morning when we first talked. He winked at me once I was settled in the passenger seat and rushed back to the driver’s side.

I watched as he closed his eyes as he revved the engine, finding the small smile on his face as he drove adorable. The ride was quiet and he never brought up the show of dirty clothes around my apartment and the underwear that I knew he saw nor did he mention my towel-clad moment.

I found some semblance of peace as we drove to where the dinner was supposed to be. I watched the surroundings change from palm trees to houses and evidently, I realized we were in a more luxurious neighborhood. I noted how the houses seemed to be blocks apart, like one house took up an entire block, and they were huge. I could feel Everett glancing at me from time to time, checking my reaction.

I didn’t react. I knew his family was rich, I knew this was something that could afford. I’ve killed socialites before, with Henry and for the FBI. I knew how rich people led their life. When Everett finally put the car into an idling state, I took in the huge estate that we were waiting to open for us.

Unable to help myself, I commented, “You’re family’s filthy rich.”

He chuckled but it wasn’t a smug sound or a proud one. “You could put it that way.”

The gates opened automatically and Everett drove in, eventually parking the car beside a white Lamborghini. “Give me a sec.”

He rushed out of his side and to mine, opening my door again. I couldn’t help but smile at the gesture. I had never been in a proper date but I knew that not every guy was as chivalrous as Everett. He held out a hand and helped me out of the car, and continued to hold my hand as we ascended the steps.

“The Lambo is Curtis’s,” Everett mentioned as we made our way up. He suddenly stopped for a moment and when I glanced at where he was looking at, I saw a tall man at the top of the stairs. His hair was gray but seemed to suit him perfectly. He didn’t look as old as I expected him to be but the thin line his lips were set at, the speculating blue eyes, made him look intimidating.

Arthur Saunders.

“Papa,” Everett greeted, the moment that we reached the top of the steps. He gave his grandfather a hug and then smiled awkwardly. He motioned at me with a hand, “This is Evangeline Sterell.”

Arthur regarded me with cool eyes. “Hello.”

His voice was deep and melancholic, soothing to the ears actually. He looked regal, actually, and it was hard to believe that he was the mastermind behind the brothel. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Saunders.”

I stretched out my hand for him to shake and he did so cautiously, still looking at me with suspicion. He turned to Everett, “You brought a date?”

Everett nodded. “Yes. I would like for you to meet her.”

“Why?” Arthur asked. “You finally show up after a year and you bring a girl with you, which you never do.”

I looked back and forth at Everett and his grandfather. It was clear enough that Arthur was a controlling kind, and I guess that’s why he had managed to run the brothel for years and safe from the FBI’s searching eyes.

“Because I like her,” Everett answered smoothly.

I was surprised at how forward he was with his grandfather. Before either of them could say anything, a woman appeared at Arthur’s side. “Everett! Oh, how I’ve missed you!”

She hugged Everett tightly and I saw how Everett tightened his grip on her, almost squeezing her. He had a huge smile on his face when they pulled away. He looked like a little kid at that moment, his blue eyes lighting up. “Nan! I’ve missed you.”

She swatted at him. “Then you should’ve visited your dear old grandmother!”

He smiled sheepishly and then made a grab at my hand. “Nan, this is Evangeline,” he turned to me and motioned at his grandparents, “These are my grandparents, Arthur and Louisa Saunders.”

Louisa turned her attention at me, her smile big and motherly. “Is she your girlfriend? She’s beautiful.”

Everett chuckled, pulling me close by the waist. “She is. But she’s not my girlfriend. At least not yet.”

Louisa nodded and whisked me off of Everett’s hold, “Then I better up your game, dear, make sure you get her to be her girlfriend. Oh you’re gonna love him, dear, I’m sure you will.”

I glanced back at Everett who had an amused expression on his face. He gave me a reassuring nod. I casted another glance at Arthur who stood beside him and then turned back to Louisa. She still had that motherly look on her face and I seriously got the grandmother vibes from her.

I guess being stuck with her was better than Everett being stuck with his intimidating grandfather.

Louisa practically dragged me inside, chatting about Everett and simply gushing about her grandson. It was clear to note that Everett was her favorite with the way she talked about him. We stopped near the fireplace and she picked up a framed picture of a little boy sitting on a man’s lap. The boy was around three or four and he had the biggest grin on his face. The familiar boyish grin.

“This is Everett and his late father, my son, Edward,” Louisa said, a longing look on her face, “Edward loved Everett dearly. My heart broke for Everett when Ed died.”

I wasn’t entirely sure why she suddenly showed me the picture. She hadn’t even asked me anything about myself. When she looked at me with her warm brown eyes and comforting smile, she simply said, “I’m sorry, I know this may seem weird to you but this is the first time he had ever brought a girl home and you aren’t even his girlfriend.”

“I-,”

But Louise cut me off. “I’m just happy that he finally brought a girl to introduce to us.”

“Were you worrying if he’s gay?”

Louisa laughed and shook her head. “Oh no. I’m simply worried of him never finding a partner in life.”

“Louisa-,”

But she gently held my hand, the warm smile on her face weakening any of my resolves, “This is too soon for me to say and too direct and forward. But sometimes a grandmother’s intuition just speaks volumes and I like what my intuition tells me about you.”

Then it was pretty clear that her intuition had malfunctioned because I was a girl on a mission and Everett could be my target.