He squeezed her hand and released her. “I love you too.”
CHAPTER 33
Aida unlocked the door as she answered the phone. “Hello.”
“Happy birthday!” Mollie exclaimed.
Aida smiled as she used her heel to nudge the door shut behind her. “Thank you.”
The click of her heels echoed over the empty building as she walked into the storage room and set her purse on an empty crate near her small locker. Over the past two days, workers had come in to remove all of Owen’s paintings from the walls. They’d all been crated and delivered to the new owners, but the crates of the latest works of art now littered the back room.
She spun through the dial on the locker and opened it to reveal the marvelous sneakers tucked inside. She tugged off her heels and exchanged them for the sneaker before tucking her purse inside and closing the door.
“How’s everything going? Any plans for your big day?” Mollie asked.
She should tell Mollie about Julian; she told her about everything. She didn’t think Cassidy and Kyle had told their parents yet, but it was only a matter of time before Julian did. Mollie couldn’t learn about this from someone else.
However, the words froze on the tip of her tongue. Their relationship was still so new, and she worried she might jinx it by revealing how happy she was. Mollie had to know Julian was in the city. Sera and Liam knew their son was here; they would have told Mike, wouldn’t they? But then, it might not have come up in conversation.
“I’m working, and then I’ll join Kyle and Cassidy at the bar,” Aida said.
“Sounds like fun.”
“Anything new and exciting with you?”
“Mike and I are going to Canada next week to check on the new property.”
After what happened on the island, the Byrnes, Mike, Jack, and David bought land in Canada in case they had to escape. She’d never been to the property, but she’d seen pictures of the endless acres stretching across open land. Workers started building houses around the massive lake in the center of the property three years ago, and they’d established a twenty-foot-tall wall around the perimeter.
“Is the construction work almost done?” Aida asked.
“It is done,” Mollie said.
Aida’s hand clenched around the phone. “Do you plan to leave Maine?”
She didn’t see Mollie anywhere near as often as she would have liked, and she hated the idea of having her sister living further away.
“Not anytime soon,” Mollie said. “We’re going to make sure everything is the way it’s supposed to be. Plus, it will be nice to get away for a week or two.”
“I bet it will,” Aida said as she returned to the main room and stopped to survey the walls.
The bare walls signaled a lot of work ahead of her, and she grinned as her creative juices already started to flow. She hit speaker on her phone as she walked around the gallery, examining the new batch of paintings and photographs leaning against the walls.
From years of working here, she knew Nicolette had only ordered the artwork unpacked; there was no rhyme or reason to it yet. That was for them to figure out today, and she couldn’t wait to dive in as this setup would be a challenge.
This upcoming exhibition was an eclectic mix of upcoming artists who each had their own styles. In her mind, she figured out how each of those styles could be used to emphasize the talent of the others.
A picture of where they belonged started to emerge in her head as she talked with Mollie. Entering the last hall, she was halfway down it when she discovered one of her photographs leaning against the wall. She’d given it to Nicolette six months ago in the hopes she would show it, but she hadn’t known Nicolette planned to use it for this showing.
She felt like a kid on Christmas as she stood there and grinned stupidly at the black and white photo of an older man leaning close to blow a dandelion into his grandson’s face. White tufts floated on the air between them, and the joy on their faces made her heart soar every time she saw the photo.
“Julian’s in town,” Aida said.
“No shit.” Mollie snorted. “What’s he doing there?”
“He came to visit Cassidy and Kyle.”
“I’m sure he was happy to see you too. That boy had the biggest crush on you.”
Aida turned away from her photo and continued down the hall. “I didn’t think he did.”
“That’s because you were so lost you couldn’t see it. I saw it, though.”
“He’s not a boy anymore.”
“That tends to happen as people get older. Were you happy to see him?”
“Not at first,” Aida admitted. “I was pretty pissed off at him for taking off and never contacting me.”
“So you think he’s like Dad.”
She loved her sister to death, and they never kept secrets from each other, but sometimes she wished Mollie didn’t know her so well. “Yes. I mean, no!” Aida blurted. “Okay, maybe I used to think he was a little like Dad.”
“And now?”
“Now, I understand why he left.”
“And why was that?”
“To let me have the normal life I wanted.”
“And now that he’s back, what does he want?”
“Me. He thinks I’m his mate.”
Mollie sucked in a breath. “He thinks, or he knows?”
“He knows.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think I’ve been in love with him for four years, and because he left me, I wouldn’t let myself acknowledge it until now.”
“If you’re his mate, he’s not going to leave again. I can’t believe he left before.”
“He explained that,” Aida said.
“And are you okay with his explanation?”
“Yes.”
“You suffered a lot more than me on the island—”
“Mollie,” she groaned.
“But you also know not all vampires are bad.”
“I do.”
“What are you going to do?”
Aida rubbed at her temples. “I’m going to join him; I’m just not sure when. I have a life here and dreams for my future.”
“You don’t have to give that up. At least not for a while.”
“I know, but I’m not ready yet.”
“Give yourself time to adjust to the idea, and don’t rush it, because once it’s done, it can’t be undone.”
“The permanence of it is a little terrifying.”
Mollie chuckled. “Understandable.”
When the door opened, Aida turned. Nicolette strolled inside and shook out her umbrella. Aida hadn’t expected to discover a heavy drizzle falling on the city. It was bright and beautiful when she walked over, but now the gray skies gave the city a dreary appearance.
“I have to go,” she said reluctantly.
“Give me a call when you get the chance,” Mollie said.
“I will.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Aida disconnected the call as Nicolette strode toward her. “I want these paintings organized and hung by three. Diego and Fred are coming in to help.”
Diego and Fred were the men Nicolette hired to set up everything for the showings and to crate and uncrate the artwork. The two men were surprisingly gentle with everything given their bull-like statures.
“I’m ready,” Aida said. “Thank you for choosing my photograph to display.”
“It belongs.”
Aida couldn’t stop herself from smiling; it was the best compliment Nicolette had ever given her about her work.
CHAPTER 34
It was after eight before Nicolette turned off the lights. Despite not having a big showing, the gallery was surprisingly busy and a couple of paintings sold.
“I’m going home,” Nicolette said. “Can you close up?”
She’d been closing on the nights she worked for almost two years, but Nicolette asked this question every time. “Of course.�
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“Have a good night, and don’t do too much celebrating for your birthday.”
It was the first time Nicolette acknowledged her birthday. “I won’t.”
“Have a good time.” Nicolette strode toward the door and stopped with her hand on the handle. “You’re doing a wonderful job, Aida.”
Before she could reply, Nicolette vanished out the door to leave Aida gawking after her before she started grinning from ear to ear. When Julian walked by the windows, she almost skipped over to the door as he stepped inside.
“What has you smiling like that?” he asked as she locked the door behind him.
“Nicolette told me I’m doing a good job. No, she said a wonderful job. And come here, you have to see this.” She dragged him over to where her photo hung in the left hall. “Look!” She pointed at the photograph. “It’s mine!”
He smiled as he slid his hand around her waist and studied the photo.
“It’s one of my favorites,” she said.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Nicolette said it belonged here.”
“It does.”
“It’s the best compliment she’s ever given me.”
“Then, she’s an idiot.”
Aida chuckled and rose on her toes to kiss his cheek. “She’s successful and talented, and I hope to be able to find and promote talent like she does when I own a gallery.”
“You want to own a gallery?”
“Yes. I’ve finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up.”
He chuckled and kissed her temple. “You’ll do better at it than she does.”
“I hope so. I have to get my purse.”
She squeezed his hand on her waist before releasing him and heading for the back room. She was opening her locker when she heard the door and glanced over her shoulder to find Julian examining the room as he strode around the crates. She closed the locker and was turning to him when his arm snaked around her waist, and he spun her to face the wall.
Aida’s purse fell from her hands when he pressed against her back. The warmth of his breath tickled her ear as he bent to nibble on it.
“Julian,” she breathed. “This is my work.”
“Tell me to stop, and I will,” he said.
As his hand ran up her thigh, he pushed her skirt up with him. She opened her mouth to tell him… something, but then his fingers slid between her legs. Her knees trembled as his touch electrified her body.
“Fuck,” he breathed. “I’ve unwrapped a very pretty, bare present just for me.”
“Just for you,” she panted as her hips met the rhythm of his finger inside her.
Julian continued to tease her with his hand while he unbuttoned his jeans. He kicked off his sneakers before pulling his hand away from her to push his jeans the rest of the way off. He could barely think beyond being inside her; they were apart too long today.
Once his jeans were off, he used his leg to spread her thighs further apart. He lifted her skirt higher and pulled her hips toward him as he slid into her.
Aida’s fingers curled into the wall as Julian plunged deeper into her until she couldn’t tell where he ended and she began. They shouldn’t be doing this, not here, but the wrongness of it only added to the excitement. When he leaned over her and his fingers found her clit, she came so fast she couldn’t stifle her loud cry.
CHAPTER 35
Over the next week, Aida felt like she was walking on cloud nine. Every second she wasn’t at work, she was with Julian, and she was falling more in love with him every day. He took some of her blood daily now, and not only had she accepted him feeding on her, but she craved it as much as she craved his body.
Nestled securely in is arms every night, her nightmares didn’t return. Nothing could upset her when he was at her side, not even the past.
She couldn’t stop smiling as she walked around the gallery. Not only was everything going so amazing with Julian, but her photograph had also sold. She’d made enough on it to cover half her share of rent for the month. She might be able to put some money into savings this month.
Walking back into the main room, she paused to watch the flow of people on the street as the sunset sent streaks of pink and gold across the sky. She didn’t know if it really was the most beautiful sunset she’d ever seen or if her euphoria was clouding everything, but either way, she wanted to throw out her arms and twirl around the floor. She didn’t think Nicolette would like that much.
The front door opened, and a handsome man entered. She frowned as something about him tugged at her memory, and then she recalled him from Owen’s showing. It took her another minute to remember his name was Gerald. Smiling, Nicolette glided across the floor to greet him.
Nicolette spoke with him before turning and walking over to her. Aida glanced at Gerald again before focusing on Nicolette when she stopped in front of her. “Everything okay?” Aida asked.
“Of course,” Nicolette replied. “Mr. Addington would like you to show him around the gallery.”
Aida glanced at Gerald; he smiled and gave her a small wave. She waved back. “I already told him I’m seeing someone.”
“He might enjoy your company. Besides, he said he wanted you to show him around, not that he planned to sleep with you.”
Aida bit her bottom lip. This was her job, but she still didn’t like the idea of some guy pursuing her when she had Julian. She would keep everything completely professional, and if he tried anything or asked her out again, she would deal with it.
“I’ll show him around,” Aida said.
“I know,” Nicolette said and walked away when a middle-aged couple waved her over to them.
Aida tried not to scowl after Nicolette; she was pretty sure the woman would sell her for a goat if it meant making a sale. Sometimes she loved the woman, and other times, she’d happily choke her.
Brushing her hair over her shoulder, Aida plastered on a smile as she crossed the room to Gerald. “I’m not sure you remember me,” he said as he extended his hand. “Gerald Addington.”
Aida clasped his hand. “I remember you, Mr. Addington. I’m Aida McConnell.”
His smile caused his brown eyes to twinkle. “And I remember you. Please, call me Gerald.”
“Gerald then. Nicolette tells me you are interested in looking at some more work.”
“Yes. I’m furnishing my new apartment and require some art for my walls. My interior designer would prefer to do it, but when it comes to artwork, I choose my pieces.”
“Understandable,” Aida said with a smile. “I’ll be happy to show you what we have here and tell you what I know about each piece.”
“Sounds like a perfect way to spend the day.”
Aida’s smile almost faltered, but she managed to keep it in place. He fell into step beside her as she led him over to one of the new paintings. She kept their exchange professional, and he didn’t try to make a move, but she felt his eyes on her while they strolled around the gallery.
“How long have you been with your boyfriend?” Gerald asked.
Aida had been about to show him a painting from an up-and-coming artist she believed would become one of the greats. The words caught in her throat as his question completely threw her off. She’d been enjoying herself, and now this.
Aida turned toward him. “We’ve been together for over a week, but we’ve been friends for years.”
Gerald smiled at her, and before she knew what he intended, he grasped a strand of her hair and ran it through his fingers. Startled by the action, Aida stepped back and grabbed her hair to tug it free.
“Please, don’t do that,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Was it out of line?”
Aida wanted to tell him that, of course, it was out of line; people didn’t go around touching other people’s hair. It was freaky! But she bit her tongue. Nicolette would be pissed if she were rude to a customer who might become a potential regular buyer.
She glanced around to discover
they were all alone in the back hall. A sense of unease slid down her spine, and her hand twitched toward her pocket before she recalled she was wearing a skirt and her weapons were in her purse… in her locker.
But she wouldn’t need them here. He might not understand boundaries and was turning out to be a little weird, but she wouldn’t have to pepper spray him. Besides, she had enough self-defense classes under her belt to feel capable of getting away from him.
“It’s fine, but please don’t do it again,” Aida said.
Gerald smiled at her, but unlike before, there was nothing kind in this smile. Instead, malice glimmered in his eyes, and the cruel twist of his lips sent a chill down her spine. She glanced around the hall again in the hopes someone had arrived, but they remained alone. She hadn’t felt this trapped since she was on the island, and panic rose to claw at her chest.
Deep breaths, she told herself. Remember to remain calm.
“I think we should head back up front,” she said. “It’s almost time to close.”
She didn’t care if Nicolette got mad at her, she didn’t want to be anywhere near this guy anymore.
“Julian is a lucky man to have someone so faithful to him,” Gerald said.
Her mouth almost fell open, but she managed to keep her face impassive while every hair on her body stood on end. She swore a ghost passed through her body as she became encased in ice.
“What did he do to ensure such faith?” Gerald pondered.
If she kicked him in the knee, she could lose her heels and be on the run before he recovered. The heels were going to make it challenging to get a solid kick in. She wouldn’t try for his nuts; he’d probably block her before she could get to them, and she might only piss him off. No, the knee was her best option, especially since her skirt wouldn’t let her get her foot much higher.
“How did you know his name was Julian?” she asked.
Slowly, she worked one foot out of her heel and stood on her tiptoe to try to cover what she’d done. She didn’t know if she’d been successful, but she was ready for him.
“I like to learn as much as I can about those I’m going to kill.”
Forsaken (Vampire Awakenings, Book 10) Page 19