“I’ve been around the art world for a few years. I know what goes on. Even if it has Damien’s signature on it, I know it isn’t always his. The colors you use are more vibrant than most of his paintings. I’ve been drawn to them and finally figured out that was the difference. You keep to his style, but his colors are more muted. As are those other assistants he has.”
Okay. So he knew what went on with artists. Fiona wasn’t going to confirm or deny anything, but then she remembered Damien had fired her. That let her out of her contract. He’d broken it not her. “Okay. I’ll admit that we often battled over color.”
Brent let out a guffaw. “I’ve known Damien for a few years. I think battled is a good word.”
“You know Damien?”
Was this a setup?
“Yes. We went to college together. He’s an ass and I doubt you are sorry that you don’t work for him anymore,” Brent said.
Fiona didn’t know how to answer that. Of course, she was glad to be away from Damien, but that left her future uncertain. That’s why she’d called this number. She had nothing to lose. Disrespecting Damien to his friend was not a look she relished so she didn’t agree. Or disagree.
“What do you have in mind for me?”
Brent cleared his throat. “I’d like to talk over dinner.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes, that meal at the end of the day. Tonight? I won’t even pick you up. We can meet at the restaurant.”
That sounded safe. He was being considerate of her feelings. That was certainly a mark in his favor, especially given that Damien had been such a jerk. She found Brent’s thoughtfulness refreshing. Her thoughts turned to Declan, but he wasn’t here to talk her out of this. “Dinner tonight sounds fine.”
“I’ll text you the address, Fiona.”
“Sounds good.”
“Seven okay? I have an early day tomorrow so I don’t want to be out late,” Brent said.
“Of course. Not a problem. Thank you for seeing me.”
“I look forward to it, Fiona. I’m sure we can do business.”
They disconnected and Fiona thought for a minute that she was betraying Declan. It was just dinner. Even if he’d been against the idea, he didn’t truly have any say in her life. He had been sweet and taken her out.
As conflicted as she was, she didn’t know why and brushed it off as from the trauma of getting fired. This was a business dinner. She had to think of her future.
If Brent Houseman was part of it, so be it.
Chapter Eight
It was dark enough that he could get away with flying through the city. Declan landed on the building across from Fiona’s.
Perched on the edge of the building, Declan was ready to fly down and take on his human form before knocking on Fiona’s door. She didn’t know he was coming, but she’d been in her apartment all day. He hadn’t needed to keep watch on her.
Donal had shown him an app on Declan’s phone which would keep track of Fiona’s whereabouts. This certainly made his job easier as he was helping his brother set up the business. He didn’t have to find excuses to be with Fiona. If she left her apartment, he could have followed her.
He figured since she was home, he’d drop in. Before he could launch himself off of the building, Fiona walked out her front door. And into a car. One of those Uber cars he guessed. So Fiona had plans tonight.
“She’s on the move,” Declan said in his mind.
“You need help?” Donal asked.
“No. I think I can keep her in my sights. I haven’t seen a goblin around. Nor have I smelled one. I think she’ll be okay.”
“If there is anything we can do, let us know,” Sean said.
He liked that he could reach out to his brothers telepathically, but he doubted he would ever call on them for help. No, he was the youngest and the rebel. He would do it on his own.
Declan flew from building to building keeping up with the car that was slowed down by city traffic. For once he thanked the heavy traffic or he would have lost sight of Fiona. The vehicle stopped and Fiona stepped out.
This block had better lighting than around here her apartment building. She wore a dress and heels and her hair was pulled up. She glanced up at the sky, but he knew she couldn’t see him. Could she sense his presence? He doubted that she would this soon.
The restaurant was on the fourth floor of the building and Fiona greeted a man who rose when she approached. He didn’t kiss her, but held out her chair for her. Perched on the building across the street, Declan would be able to watch the whole date. Assuming that’s what it was.
He wasn’t sure he liked that idea.
Until the familiar stink hit him. Declan looked closer at the man. His heart sped up. It was a goblin and he assumed it was the goblin that was going to hurt Fiona. He thought about reaching out to his brother, then didn’t.
He would have to prove to them he was as capable as they were. He doubted the goblin would do anything in a public place. Too many witnesses. Declan would step in if the man and Fiona went somewhere else.
Settling onto his haunches, he waited for the date to be over. He didn’t want to stare, seeing Fiona laugh at another man’s humor. He couldn’t tear away his gaze. He was unable to make himself stop looking.
Fiona was his. At least his to protect, he had to remind himself. She hadn’t shown any interest in him, except when she was drunk. Some part of him wanted to storm over there and take care of this goblin now. Declan didn’t relish the idea of making a scene in public, either, so he stayed put.
He’d have to step up his timeline for telling Fiona about who she was. And who he was. He hadn’t rehearsed what to say and both of his brothers told him that she wouldn’t believe him at first. Fiona had a good imagination. She was an artist. Would that make her more open to the idea that she was fairy?
He hoped. There would be no pretty words. He would have to tell her the truth straight out.
He sighed then settled into watching the date.
***
Fiona had had the sense someone had been watching her all evening. She glanced out the window, but she didn’t see anyone. The feeling had niggled at her as soon as she left her apartment. Having no idea why anyone would be following her or watching her, she had tried to shrug off the feeling.
It hadn’t gone away. Even when she’d looked to the sky between the tall buildings, there had been no one there. She felt foolish as soon as she did it. Who would be watching her from above? That made no sense.
Brent poured some more wine into Fiona’s glass. She smiled. “Thanks, but I’m good.”
“Not a wine drinker?”
“This is a business meeting. I want to keep a clear head.”
“It doesn’t have to be all business, Fiona.”
She studied him. His nails were manicured and his suit was tailored for him. He had money and a lot of it. His silver hair was slicked back from his face and his chin sported what would have been a five o’clock shadow if the whiskers hadn’t been white.
What was he talking about? This was only business in her mind. “Can we get down to what you want from me?”
He leaned back in his chair, his gray eyes looking as if they were memorizing her features. “Business first.”
“Business, Brent. I don’t mix that with anything else. I’m a serious artist and if you’re serious about your offer, I want to know exactly what it is.”
He snagged his wine glass then swirled it in his hand. A wry grin creased his face. “I like you, Fiona. You know what you want.”
“I do and if you aren’t my means to that then I need to move on and not waste either of our times.”
She glanced out the window again. They sat at a table for two and the streetlights were below them, illuminating the sidewalk. Fiona didn’t notice anyone lingering. The building across the street was dark, but she couldn’t see on the roof. When had she become paranoid?
“Pragmatic as well as beautiful.”
“Seriously Brent. This isn’t a date. You don’t need to flatter me. You know I have no job and you have the upper hand. Let’s get to what we need to discuss.”
He chuckled as he put down his wine glass. “Okay.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’m willing to sponsor your art.”
“What are the conditions?” she asked.
“You can’t work for anyone else.”
She leaned forward. “There would have to be a lot of money on the table for me to accept that. And I get paid whether I’m creating or not. Like a retainer.”
There was no way Brent would accept that, but she wasn’t going to get herself in a bad contract again. Before she signed anything, she’d have Colleen look at it.
Brent pursed his lips. “A retainer.”
“Yes. If you want me to create on demand, you need to make it worth my while and I don’t want to have to worry about paying my bills.”
“I see. Fair enough. I think the money I will pay you monthly will more than make up for being exclusive to me.”
“What if I make something and you reject it?”
“What do you want to happen?”
“I want to be able to sell that piece somewhere else. Since I haven’t asked for expenses, just a stipend, I think I should be able to make a profit off of anything I’ve spent time on. Even if you don’t want it.”
Her heart raced in her chest. Would he take the conditions? She didn’t have any other options, but she didn’t want to be held to an impossible contract. Working for Damien had shown her that.
Brent picked up his wine glass again, his gaze on it. After a brief pause, he responded.
“Okay. I’ll accept your terms.”
Chapter Nine
Declan saw Fiona leave the restaurant.
Alone.
She didn’t wait for a car, she just marched down the street. He wanted to talk to her. He had to find out who that person had been. Who was the goblin threatening his fairy? The goblin called a cab and went in a different direction. There was no threat at the moment, but Declan knew he needed to talk to Fiona.
He needed to convince her that she was a fairy and that he was a gargoyle there to protect her. And to avoid the man she had dinner with. Now what was his story for being in this part of town? He couldn’t admit following her. Not until she knew what he was and why he would be following her.
He was tempted to just blurt it out. That was his way with everything. If he couldn’t avoid the situation and have someone else clean it up, he usually took the tactless approach. Not wanting to do that this time, he pondered his options as he flew from building to building keeping up with Fiona.
She only had five more blocks before she would be home. He glanced around, but neither saw nor smelled the goblin so it was probably safe. He flew ahead, then landed in the alley next to her building. As far as he could tell, no one saw him. He was back in human form and sitting on her stoop when she walked up.
“Hi,” she said.
He stood. “Hi.”
“You waiting for me?” she said.
As if she didn’t know that. “Aye, lass.”
“You could have called me. I would have told you I was out.”
He shrugged. “I’m an old-fashioned guy.”
“You’re lucky no one called the cops on you,” she said as she unlocked the lobby door.
A chuckle rumbles through him. “I might be the least scary thing around here tonight. Which leads me to ask you if you should be walking alone at night here?”
She shoved the door open then looked over her shoulder. “I’m a big girl, Declan. I can take care of myself.”
He put up his hands. “I’m just saying. Friend to friend. It doesn’t look safe here.”
He followed her up the steps trying not to stare at her butt. It was a nice one. Round and would fit in his hands. She unlocked her door then moved aside to drop her keys in a bowl. He entered her apartment. “Why are you here?”
He swiveled to look at her. “I just wanted to see how you were.”
She studied him briefly, then shrugged. “I’m fine.”
They stood by her front door. He couldn’t admit he knew where she’d been. Nor could he ask her that. It would sound jealous. That was something he’d never been in his life. Even if that green-eyed monster was trying to get him to demand to know where she was tonight. “I’m glad you’re fine. Not hungover?”
She brushed past him. “No. Not hungover. “You want some wine?”
He blinked. Her tone had changed. It was lighter now and there was a spark in her eye. Did her date go well? “Sure.”
She pulled out two glasses from the cabinet then placed them on the counter. As she did that, she bit her lip and studied him, her head cocked. “I have something to say that you aren’t going to like.”
He shifted onto a stool on the other side of her counter. “Oh?”
She poured both of them generous glasses of wine. She sipped some, but he just left it on the counter. Was she about to tell him who she was out with? “Go ahead.”
The silence hung between them. His heart sped up a little. Was she going to lie to him? Finally she set down her wine glass. “I went to meet the man who wanted to sponsor me as an artist.”
***
Fiona held her breath. Why did his opinion matter? She’d just met him, but he had seemed concerned about her from the beginning. Genuinely. Not that fake concern to get into her bed. She picked up her wine glass again to have something to hold.
“I see. Did you at least meet him in a public place?”
She responded with a tilt of her head. “I’m a single girl living in the city. I’m not stupid.”
He picked up his wine glass and leaned back. Staring at her over the glass, he sipped. “The one I warned you against.”
“Yes. You’re not my keeper, Declan. I can do what I want.”
“Even if it puts you in danger?”
She rolled her eyes at him then let out a breath. “Declan. You’re so dramatic. He’s a nice man who just likes art.” And maybe me a little bit, but Brent would get past that. “You aren’t my brother or a boyfriend. You have no say.”
He nodded then sipped. After putting down the wine glass, he placed his hands on the counter. “I have something I need to tell you.”
“You aren’t going to give me a hard time about seeing Brent.”
“Brent? The guy?”
She nodded. “The guy. Brent Houseman, not that it is any of your business.”
Declan ran a hand through his black hair. His green eyes seemed even sharper than normal. She could see his visage carved in stone it was so full of planes and angles. She waited for him to say what he had to say. Then he could go if he was going to argue with her. Right now, she had few options and having Brent pay for her art with the best one on the table.
At least she wouldn’t have to go back to working at a coffee shop.
“I don’t know how to say this without sounding crazy,” he said finally.
“Then don’t say it. I’m not sure I’m open to crazy right now.”
“You just had dinner with a stranger.”
“How do you know I had dinner with him?”
He didn’t flinch. She wasn’t catching him in a lie she guessed.
“Lucky guess.”
She wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t know how he could have that knowledge. There was no way to get from the restaurant to her apartment unless he’d taken a car. She hadn’t noticed one, but then again, she had been deep in thought. Not a good way to walk the streets of a city.
She eyed him, but she couldn’t catch him in a lie. “Go ahead. Tell me what you need to tell me.”
He stood then paced away. “I’m a simple man so I’m going to say this simply. You’re a fairy.”
She waited for the laugh or even a smirk. Nothing. Declan stared at her as if he’d just told her she was an artist. Instead, he’d just said she was a fairy. A fairy? Her m
ind tried to conjure up why he would be playing a game like this. What purpose did it have? To get her off-balance. Get her to question herself? She couldn’t see it.
Damien had been more subtle than this. She was on the defensive now with Declan because of his statement. She laughed. Fiona couldn’t do anything else. “A fairy?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that. I’m just out of a relationship with someone who tried to decimate my self-esteem.”
His brows creased. “I don’t need trickery to get you into bed. This isn’t what this is about.”
What an ego. “Then what is this about?”
He strode back to the table. “Have you ever wished for something good for someone else and they received it? Almost right away.”
She searched her brain. “Sure. Hasn’t everyone?”
“No, it only happens to fairies.”
“You think I’m some woodland creature? Where are my wings?”
“You are a beach fairy. As for your wings, I don’t know what has happened since you are human, too. Maybe that has an effect.”
She blinked a few times. Was he truly sticking with this farce? “A fairy. I can’t figure out what your game is, but I’m done with it. Declan.” She marched to the door then opened it. “Leave.”
He screwed up his face. “You don’t believe me.”
“No, I don’t and I don’t know how you think that would get you into my bed.”
“I’m not trying to get into your bed, luv.”
He was back to charming Declan. His face sported a full smile. She wasn’t falling for it. She had sworn off men and she wasn’t backing down. “Go.”
“I’m serious, Fiona. You’re a fairy and you’re in danger.”
“From what? A witch? A troll?”
“A goblin.”
Her hands flapping, her face red, she shouted, “Out!”
Chapter Ten
Where had he gone wrong? He wasn’t one to mince words so he’d just come out with it. The direct approach had always worked when he wanted something from a woman. Too bad Fiona thought he was angling for a night with her when he just wanted to warn her.
When Garogyles Love Trilogy Page 20