Assigned to You (Completed)

Chapter Nine: Evangeline

I had no idea what I was supposed to do at the moment. With Everett at work, my mission was put on pause. If this had been an ordinary shoot to kill order, I would try to get as much information as I could about my target and find out where he or she were planning to go to and then scout the place so I could figure out where to hide myself.

But this mission is different. I had to go undercover which is something I absolutely do not do. I was used to gather information, plot, and then kill. It was that easy and that fast. This waiting game wasn’t for me. The boredom that it imbibed suffocates me.

I was done with the deadline I needed to submit for today so I didn’t technically lie to Everett about what I was going to do for the day except I wasn’t entirely sure on that mall part since I wasn’t much of a shopper and I didn’t enjoy the mall at any means. With a sigh, I lay down on the fluffy carpet and stared at the ceiling, letting myself drown in my thoughts.

The knock on the door shattered my reverie and I swiftly got up and jogged to the door. I was surprised to see Nimri standing behind it. “Hello, Evangeline.”

I wasn’t sure why Nimri just suddenly paid me a visit but my senses were on full alert. I knew he was technically a boss of mine but that doesn’t mean I have to like him and fully trust him. One of the things that Henry taught me was that anyone can betray anyone. “Nimri. This is a surprise.”

He simply flashed me a thin-lipped smile. “You won’t let your guest in?”

I stepped aside and allowed him to enter the apartment. He looked around but didn’t seem fazed by how luxurious it looked. I slowly closed the door, looking at Nimri cautiously. “You look at me like a tiger would at his prey.”

I straightened myself and motioned for him to sit on the couch. I headed to the kitchen to get him something to drink, bringing him back a glass filled with ice and an unopened can of Diet Coke, setting it on the table in front of him. I sat across from him, crossing my legs and preparing myself for whatever he had in store for me.

“Just surprise that you paid me a visit, Nimri. Justin hasn’t informed me that I did anything wrong.”

“You’ve actually done exceedingly well, Evangeline, to my surprise,” Nimri told me, popping open the can and pouring the soda in the water. I watched the effervescence of the liquid fill the top of the glass, trying to make sure that I looked at it with such fascination to let Nimri believe that I wasn’t reading too much on his visit.

“Then if I had, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?” I asked, eyeing him.

Nimri sipped his drink, his hooded eyes looking straight at mine. “Everett’s had a meeting with his grandfather and uncle this morning.”

I knew it because Everett mentioned it to me at breakfast and I’m sure that they did because of the bracelet. I nodded at Nimri. “Yes, he did.”

“I have intel on the meeting.”

I blinked. How the hell did he managed to acquire that? “How?”

“We’ve bugged the room. Victor told him everything about the brothel.”

So I was right. Everett had no clue of the ‘family business’ that they had. I wanted to ask more about how they managed to bug the room though because if they could do that, what use was I to them? “How did you manage to bug the room?”

Nimri didn’t look surprise at my question. His face remained passive. “Because we have eyes at the café and at their company, Evangeline. We’ve been keeping a keen eye on this family for a year. You’re just more on the inside of this mission.”

I put that answer on pedestal, not wanting to fully believe that it was the truth. There was something off about this mission; actually, there was something off about Nimri in general. Henry had always said I had good radar and my radar always went on high alert when I was around this specific agent. Even Henry didn’t like him when he saw his photograph.

“If you’ve been keeping eye on them, why do you even need me to infiltrate?”

“Because you’re going to serve as Everett’s Achilles’ heel,” Nimri answered in a bored tone, leaning back on the couch and looking at me with a look that was familiar to me. I wasn’t the only suspicious one in the room. He was keeping me at arm’s length too, “Do you want to know what we’ve found out?”

“Do tell.”

“Everett is joining the business. He’s having a ‘trial run’ as Victor puts it. According to what we’ve heard though, it’s still up to Everett if he wants to join but a business like that, with money flowing like a river stream, it’s hard to turn your back on.”

“Everett won’t decide to join in the end,” I said, noting the sureness in my voice. I barely even know him but I felt so assured that he wouldn’t join the brothel business and possible human trafficking. Because I still saw the broken boy I met at the beach.

I know that if he’s still that broken, he was bound to be deceived by the temptation. But I just didn’t see him going forth with something that was wrong. There was something about him that I trusted, there was sincerity in his heart that could only be seen by keen eyes.

“You seem to know him so well for someone who’s only had three meetings with him,” Nimri mused, “But we’re not here to discuss you’re growing fascination for baby Saunders. I’m here to inform you that we have a target.”

I suddenly straightened up. “Who?”

Please let it not be Everett.

“Victor.”

I paused. It was easy to pinpoint that Victor was the mastermind of the whole operation and last night, I was sure that it was his blood I had to spill. But having to hear it out loud, to hear the finality in Nimri’s tone, to know that in a few days’ time, someone will break the news down to Everett that his grandfather was dead, to Louisa that his husband was gone.

And I was the one who murdered him.

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.

Nimri seemed to have noted my reaction because a smug smile slowly crept onto his face. “But if you can’t, we can call your uncle.”

Henry didn’t work for the FBI- that was why it was I who worked for them-, but sometimes he did them favours. And if he knew that I couldn’t do this, he’ll be disappointed with me. A disappointed Henry was the main thing I veered away from. It was the same feeling of disappointing my father and I hated it.

My eyes narrowed at Nimri as I watched him stand up. “I hope it doesn’t head into that direction, Evangeline. As your uncle had told me, he trained you to be merciless.”

He didn’t even bother to bid me goodbye. He just simply exited the apartment and it was as if he hadn’t been there at all. I closed my eyes tightly and leaned my head back, letting my head fall on the back of the chair. This was stressing me out. I didn’t like it one bit.

Another knock on my door jolted me up. I expected to see Nimri once I opened the door but I was greeted by Everett standing with his hands stuffed in his pocket and his eyebrows creasing. He looked as stressed as I did.

“I wanted to text you and ask if you could have lunch with me but I still don’t have your number,” he said with a small smile and then shyly handed me his phone.

Dear God, this boy was adorable. I punched my number on his phone, the fake number that I was using anyway, and handed it back to him with a smile. “So we’re having lunch?”

“Yup,” he answered, smiling brightly at me and then fidgeting on his phone. Somewhere inside the house, I heard my phone ping. I rolled my eyes, knowing it was him as I rushed back in and grab my phone and purse.

The two of us entered the elevator and we were soon headed down to the basement. “I saw this big black guy when I entered the building. He looked absolutely terrifying.”

Nimri. I pursed my lips. “Did he talk to you?”

Everett shook his head. “No but he was looking at me like I murdered his puppy.”

It was Nimri alright. “Did he do anything other than look at you?”

He shook his head again and then suddenly stopped. “I didn’t bring my car keys.”

“It’s okay I’ve got mine in my purse,” I said and then fished them out. I clicked the remote and a white Lexus responded. I glanced at Everett, he seemed impressed.

“Suits you,” he commented as he slid in the passenger seat and I took the driver’s, “He didn’t do anything but look at me but he just gave off bad vibes.”

I nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. Sometimes I wondered how Nimri even managed to be a part of the FBI when he wasn’t exactly trustworthy. “Where are we heading?”

“There’s a diner near where I work. They serve great breakfast food.”

I stopped on a red light and turned to him. “I thought we were having lunch.”

Everett shrugged. “We’ll have breakfast for lunch.”

I chuckled and then had him point me the directions as we carried on with the conversation which was mainly about creeps staring at you in public. I had no idea why he seemed so passionate about that topic but let him talk. It was probably the most random conversation I had with anyone but I’m not complaining. At least we weren’t talking about plotting to kill which was normally my go to topic at the dinner table with Henry.

The conversation led to more random things and with Everett asking me questions about my take on completely surprising topics and asking me why dogs didn’t have eyebrows. The last bit was because we spotted a St. Bernard being walked by his owner the moment we got off the car.

“What if they’re like, walking, breathing eyebrows?” Everett asked, opening the door for me. I could only laugh at what he said as we sat down a table and he waved down a waitress to take our order.

“I’ll just have a turkey sandwich and iced tea,” I ordered. Everett looked at me and he looked aghast at my order, “What?”

“We went to this place because they serve all day breakfast but you’re not getting breakfast!”

I burst out laughing and he merely chuckled. “Shut up, Ev. If you want to get breakfast for lunch, by all means, do what you want.”

He grinned at me and then ordered himself French toast and orange juice. “So did you pass that deadline of yours?”

I nodded, making myself comfortable in the booth that we were. “Yep. And then I became bored out of my mind.”

“I thought you were going to the mall.”

I made a face. “I’m not actually the biggest fan of shopping. I only go to the mall when I’m supposed to buy something.”

He nodded and then leaned closer, as if that bit of information intrigued him. “So, what’s your favourite go to place then if it’s not the mall?”

I nibbled on my bottom lip, thinking. In front of me, I watched Everett squirm uncomfortably in his seat until he leaned and pulled my bottom lip with his thumb, gently. “Stop doing that, Evangeline.”

It was only then that I noted his blue eyes had darkened and it was back to resembling the stormy grey the sky. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“It makes me want to crash my lips on yours and bite those lips with my own teeth,” he said, his voice low and husky and sent shivers down my spine. In front of me was no longer the adorable boy that asked random questions but the mysterious man I met at the beach.

The s****l tension that surrounded us shattered the moment the waitress came back with our order and Everett’s eyes cleared at the sight of his meal. “We had breakfast just a few hours ago.”

He simply shrugged. “I’m a growing man. I need sustenance.”

We continued on with our conversation, putting aside the s****l tension that occurred. “I like bookstores. And beaches. Actually, I like reading at beaches. It’s my kind of relaxation.”

Everett nodded his head slowly. “I guess most writers are like that, huh?”

I shook my head. “Maybe. But then, it’s different for everyone. Kind of like how people prefer movies over books.”

“I’m one of those,” he said, “The movies kind. I have an overhyped imagination but I suck at picturing what I read. I don’t know if that’s even normal.”

I giggled and shrugged. “Nah, I think that could pass. It’s better than thinking about dogs’ eyebrows.”

Just before he could reply, someone accidentally bumped into our table and toppled our drinks, almost causing them to drench our food had I not have the reflexes I did. Everett whispered lowly. “Nice catch.”

I turned to who bumped into us and met the familiar eyes of Justin. He smiled apologetically and absentmindedly rubbed onto his wrist. The gesture made me narrow my eyes. “Sorry. Clumsy me.”

He continued on with the gesture as he walked away and I subtly glanced at my wrist and silently cursed myself for forgetting to wear the bracelet. I had it on when we had breakfast which was why Nimri and the others found out about the meeting Everett had with Curtis and Victor. I remembered that I took it off when I was typing on my laptop, bothered at how it felt against the device.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched Justin sit down on a table near eyes. His eyes were subtly glancing on me and in the briefest moment that our eyes met, I knew he was chiding me at forgetting the bracelet.

“Thanks but I guess I just have really good reflexes.”

Everett nodded in agreement and shoved down his food into his mouth. There wasn’t much conversation at the moment as Everett ate and I nibbled on my food, conscious of Justin a few feet away and hating how I knew he was watching the exchange I had with Everett. I had always been aware of prying eyes and I knew that they were always listening to every conversation I had with Everett but actually having him in the same room and seeing where he sat, it bothered me.

“Are you okay?” Everett asked, noticing the change of my demeanour.

I nodded. “Yea. Just zoned out for a moment. Thought of real good lines for what I’m writing.”

“You don’t want to write them down?”

I pointed on the side of my head. “I have them tuck in here somewhere.”

He chuckled. “That’s what I try to do too, whenever I just have a good game idea. But sometimes, hard as I might, I can’t remember them. So I have to write them down.”

“Oh you’re such a grandpa,” I said, smiling at him like a high schooler would at her crush.

Everett grinned and shrugged. “Having bad memory doesn’t make you old, Evangeline.”

I rolled my eyes. “Does that mean your grandfather has spotless memory?”

I gave myself a pat on the back at the smooth veer of conversation. Everett took a huge gulp of his juice before answering me. “Actually, he has. He’s very good at remembering things. He’s also very smart. I guess that’s what made him successful.”

“Do you wish you could become like him?”

Everett was quiet for a moment. I was suddenly anxious if he was going to answer my question or not because he took his time to think. Finally, he responded, “No. I used to idolize him. Him and Curtis both. They were so successful and they had all the means. But I realized they merely harvested the seed that Papa’s father planted. They weren’t successful because they started from the bottom.”

“I’m guessing the meeting with them didn’t go well?”

Everett flashed me a strained smile and he sighed, pushing away his finished plate. His blue eyes regarded me with such confidence and trust and I could feel myself shrinking under his gaze. If he only knew that I should be the last person he should trust.

“Nope. They’re forcing me to do something I don’t want.”

“Which is?”

He smiled sadly at me this time. “I’m not sure you should know about it, Evangeline.”

I nodded, glancing subtly at Justin who had his head hidden behind a newspaper. Oh, how inconspicuous. “Okay.”

I didn’t want to ask any more questions because that could make him suspicious. But Everett seemed keen on keeping the conversation. “I just hate the fact that they expect me to just accept what they want me to do. I’m human. I have dreams too.”

Another subtle glance at Justin to make sure that he heard every word. “But your own company. Money flowing like a river stream.”

Everett scoffed. “Tell me, Evangeline, for the briefest time that you’ve known me, did you peg me to be the guy who’s simply after green paper?”

I honestly didn’t. “No. I pegged you to be a creep staring at me.”

Everett cracked a smile and I could feel my heart skip a beat for at the sight of it. “But you happened to entertain that creep which led us to where we are now.”

“Had the creep not be my next door neighbour, then we really wouldn’t be where we are now.”

The smile on Everett’s face widened. “Does this mean the creep is getting somewhere with you?”

I chuckled. “This still doesn’t count as a date, Everett.”

I watched him laugh in front of me and then his hand reached out and held mine. “Then, are you free on Friday, Evangeline?”

My eyebrow rose. “Depends on what time.”

He chuckled. “The entire day. Are you free on Saturday?”

I nibbled on my bottom lip again and slowly nodded. “Yes, why?”

“Go on a date with me?” His blue eyes were sparkling and the smile on his face made my heart flutter.

“Sure.”