Shameless (Enemies to Lovers 5)

I frown, unable to believe that she doesn’t know her own parents.

“I’ve been in foster care since I can remember,” she explains.

Shit, at least Mia and I have good memories of our parents.

“How did you end up living on the street?”

She drops her eyes back to her hands, and I know I’ve just hit a sensitive subject.

“I turned eighteen.” Again she doesn’t elaborate, and I decide to drop that subject for now.

“Don’t take offense, but I have to ask. Have you ever been arrested?”

She cringes and whispers, “No, and before you ask, I haven’t done drugs either.”

“That’s good to know.” I take a sip of my coffee before I continue. “Have you thought about the deal?”

“I have.” Her eyes meet mine, and I see the uncertainty, which gives me hope that I can still convince her. “Can you explain it to me again.”

“It’s quite simple. I’ll be your benefactor, and in return, all you do is study your ass off. The only rule I have is that you keep your clothes on. No stripping. No dating. Give your full attention to your studies.”

“What rights will you have as my benefactor?”

I immediately read between the lines. “Evie, I’m going to be straightforward with you. I have no hidden agenda.”

She bites her bottom lip, still worried about my intentions.

“Hey,” I whisper as I reach across the table. I cover Evie’s hand with mine, hoping that I'm not too forward by touching her. “I want to give you a chance to be independent.”

She lets out a soft sound through her nose, almost like a silent laugh.

“I still don’t understand why you’re willing to help me. Especially when you won’t be getting anything in return.”

“I have a sister. She’s a few years younger than you. Living on the streets could’ve been our fate if Carter’s dad didn’t take us in when our parents died. He didn’t have to, and he certainly got nothing in return. Like I said yesterday, I want to give you the same chance I was given.”

“It’s all surreal,” she whispers as she pulls her hand from mine. “If I take the deal, what will I have to study?”

I smile, knowing that she’s going to agree.

“You can choose. We will look at apartments together, and the lease will be in my name, but you will have a say in which apartment we go with. I’m not sure what to do about your monthly expenses. I’m not comfortable with just transferring funds to your bank account.”

“I don’t have a bank account,” she says, her cheeks flushing pink.

“We’ll figure something out. I’ll pay the school fees and rent. Maybe we can get together once every two weeks to get anything you might need, and that way I can also check in with you to see how your studies are going?”

“We could do that.” She realizes what she just said when I grin at her.

“That sounded like a yes,” I tease her. She smiles, and it transforms her face. “You need to smile more, Evie.”

Her voice is hoarse with the emotion I can see on her face when she says, “You’ve given me a reason to smile. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Become a beautiful, independent woman. That will be thank you enough for me.”

“I don’t know about the beautiful part, but I really want to be independent.”

I reach over the table again and wait for her to shake my hand. When she does, I say, “We have a deal, Evie Cole.”

“It’s a deal,” she says, and a burst of laughter is quickly smothered by a sob. “I’m sorry.”