An Agent's Love

28

28 | her protectors

As soon as I was discharged, my mother was by my side and Asher had returned to his friends after ignoring the wet patch on his suit jacket as if showing it off to the world. My mother and I had gotten into the SUV, Cato being the driver, Asher in the passenger's seat and Eli in the SUV behind us.

"It's okay," my mother whispered with a reassuring smile as she squeezed my hand in reassurance. I didn't know if she was talking about the loss of my sister or my anger towards the three men who were my protectors now.

As Cato pulled up, the gate automatically opened and my mother had asked if it would've opened to any car. Cato had shaken his head and informed her that there was a chip in only two SUVS that they were driving and the sensor only recognised these chips so that no other car was able to get inside. My mother had sighed in relief.

I examined the house, noticing that it was a two-storey house with black and grey aesthetics. It might've looked small and ordinary on the outside but it was only a facade since the inside was enormous, filled with white and grey canvases that was waiting to be decorated. My mother's eyes lit up, seeing this as a chance to decorate a house seeing as my father had never let her do that in the first place when she had married him.

Eli showed us to our rooms where mine happened to be the master bedroom and each door on either side of my room belonged to Cato and Asher. Eli's room was located downstairs where at least one of them was able to keep an eye out on things that were happening, especially the security room.

My mother and I sat on my new king-sized bed with white sheets as she turned on the tv, the news appearing on the screen. My breath hitched in my throat as a beautiful picture of my sister appeared on screen, the announcer sitting beside it with a frown on his face.

"The tragedy of Everlace Carrington, daughter of Joseph Carrington has shocked us all," the announcer said, his hands folded in front of him. "Socialite, beloved sister and friend to the community, she was found on the floor in an elite karaoke room with two friends who, sources say, left beforehand due to sickness. We have yet to find her murderer but our sources say that she had an undercover agent with her, only found dead in the karaoke room with her. We have yet heard from the Carringtons but we only give them our prayers. Now, I assume Joseph Carrington's wedding will be postponed-"

My mother switched the tv off, throwing the remote control across the room as she stalked towards me, a frown etching on her brows. "Bullshit. All these media want are news and news; they're just here for the gossip."

"Speaking of daddy," I pointed out with a slight frown. "I haven't seen him at all."

My mother frowned as if realising that I was right. "He's probably mourning for her sister in private. And besides, she was his favourite child."

I rolled my eyes at her as I rummaged through my suitcase, fishing for the object that I had so desperately wanted to find. My heart sighed in relief when I shook a pair of my sweatpants, a silver locket falling out of its pocket. I slowly opened the locket as my throat began to close up once again at the sight of my sister and I when we were sixteen before I clasped the locket shut and held it to my chest.

"Come on, let's get you something to eat," my mother whispered as she helped me get off the ground before we walked out of my room, descending the staircase as we strode inside the small and cosy kitchen.

I placed the locket around my neck and glanced around my new place, raising a brow when I realised the three men had disappeared. I bit my lip as I heard heavy footsteps coming from down the hall and noticed Asher's emerging figure.

"Is something wrong, Miss Carrington?" the formality in his voice punched me in the gut as I bit my lip and shook my head before turning around. Before I could take a step away from him, I felt his hand wrap around my wrist as he whispered, "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth, Evelyn. I'm sorry for-"

"Save it," I cut him off with a cold voice as I ripped my wrist from him. I glanced behind my shoulder with a cold look and scoffed, shaking my head in amusement. What a fool I had been. "You are just like every single one of them. What case were you working on before I became one of them?"

Asher faced me with a blank facade as he straightened his back. "It's classified, Miss Carrington."

"Go to hell," I spat, the frustration and anger boiling within one pot as I stormed away, my mother frowning at me when I walked past her but when I caught a whiff of what my mother was making, I walked back inside the kitchen and planted myself on the stool.

"What's wrong?" my mother questioned, raising a brow at me as she worked her way around the kitchen. "Is it Asher?"

I ignored her.

My mother chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "Oh, the minute I saw him with you was the moment I knew you guys were meant to be together."

I raised a brow at her, bewildered. "Mom, he lied to me."

My mother frowned at me as she took out two glasses of wine from the cabinet and I was stunned to find that there was already alcohol in this house. "He didn't lie to you to hurt you even further, Evelyn. He lied to protect his secret but not only his; his friends. He lied because he had to, for the sake of his job. He didn't even expect to fall for you anyways but when he did, I'm sure he tried to get away from you, am I right?"

I blinked, she was right. He had told me many times that he couldn't come near me or participate in sex with me for the sake of himself and yet, I still wanted him to and he had obliged. "Yes, but-"

"His feelings for you are true," my mother whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek as she handed me a glass of red wine and grilled cheese. "Don't take advantage of that, Evelyn. Choose someone that isn't like your father, for the sake of Everlace and I."

I frowned at her when she used my sister's name as I gulped, sipping the red wine before downing the grilled cheese. I realised that I had been so hungry that my stomach craved for food and I had become numb to the feeling.

"Your sister's funeral is set in three days, Evelyn," my mother announced as she placed her phone down, exhaling a sharp breath. "For now, get some rest. If you need me, I'll be in my room." I watched her retreating figure as she disappeared down the hall, leaving me alone in the kitchen.

It was beginning to become hard to breathe each passing moment.