Mastered (The Enforcers 1)

But then Drake was changing all of that. Maybe . . . She shook herself from that train of thought. Her parents might be taken care of, a fact she was grateful for, but Evangeline had no job now and no means of raising the amount of money needed to visit her family. She was truly dependent on Drake for everything, and her heart sank at the ramifications of that fact.

“I’m no longer waitressing at the pub,” Evangeline said, deciding to start with the more minor announcements and work her way up to the more shocking ones.

“Praise God,” her mother said fervently.

“Good,” her father said in a firm tone. “I never did like you in a place like that. A bar is no place for a good girl like you. I hated that you had to do it because I can’t provide for my own family anymore.”

Her heart ached at the pain in her dad’s voice. Didn’t he know that she’d do anything, anything at all, to give back all they’d given her when she was growing up?

Drake’s hand rubbed up and down her arm, pausing at her shoulder before resuming the idle motion. He was solidly absorbed in the conversation now, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“I’ve also met someone,” Evangeline said softly.

As she spoke, she glanced up at Drake, pleading silently for him to understand the fabrication she was about to create. Her mother and father simply wouldn’t understand. The nature of Evangeline’s relationship with Drake would baffle them, and she had no doubt the both of them would be on the next flight . . . Wait, no, her father would make her mother drive all the way to New York because he’d be carrying his shotgun and he’d pepper Drake’s ass with buckshot for “dishonoring” his little girl.

“I work for him now,” she hedged. “It’s a good job. Fantastic salary. And benefits,” she added hastily for Drake’s hearing.

His eyes gleamed and his white teeth flashed. He looked so incredibly hot that she could feel her body jump-start and come to life. Her nipples puckered and strained outward and she wiggled uncomfortably on his lap in an effort to alleviate the sensitivity between her legs.

“Why, that’s wonderful, dear!” her mother gushed. “When do we get to meet him?”

Evangeline panicked, avoiding Drake’s gaze, because she wasn’t going to be presumptuous. Not when he, as he’d bluntly told her, called all the shots.

“Soon,” Evangeline said vaguely. “But there’s more. He didn’t like me working at the pub.”

Before she could continue, her father interrupted.

“Good. Sounds like a man with a good head on his shoulders and like someone who’ll look after my little girl. I’m glad he talked some sense into your head.”

Drake chuckled, covering the sound with his hand while Evangeline glared at him.

“When he insisted on knowing why I worked such long and late hours there, I told him that I was working to help my family.”

Her mother emitted a sound of distress and Evangeline closed her eyes, knowing how important her pride was to her. Something she and Evangeline’s father had passed on to her.

“He wants to help,” Evangeline continued, trying to cover the awkward moment. “He’s adamant that I no longer work there, and so he’s going to wire money into your account tomorrow. I wanted to call to let you know so you didn’t think it was a mistake or draw the wrong conclusion.”

Her mother gasped in surprise but recovered quickly. “Just how well do you know this man, Evangeline? Does he treat you well? You can always come home. You know that. We’ll get by. We always have.”

It was then that Drake surprised her and picked up the phone, turning off the speaker as he put the phone to his ear. Before she could demand he give the phone back to her, he began speaking to her mother.

“Mrs. Hawthorn, my name is Drake Donovan and I care a great deal for your daughter, and where she was working is a dangerous place.”

Evangeline launched a protest only to be immediately silenced by a firm squeeze from the arm surrounding her body.

“Not only that, the apartment building she lived in is not in a good neighborhood and is not well maintained. She lived on the seventh floor and the elevators haven’t worked in at least a year. Her locks were so flimsy a child could break in. I was not going to idly stand by and allow her to continue endangering herself when I am in a position to help in any way I can, and I intend to do just that. My first priority is Evangeline, and as you are her first priority, then you are important to me as well because I want her to be happy, but most of all I want her to be safe. She was working herself to the bone, exposed to men who would think nothing of hurting her, and that I will not allow under any circumstances. I understand your concerns. I share them. But rest assured, Evangeline will be perfectly safe under my protection and care, and I think we can all agree that if you are provided for financially, that will be one less burden she has to bear.”