He smiled. “Then that’s where we’ll start. I think we need to get away for a while. Your lessons will be here when you return.”
For the first time she agreed with him. Her lessons would be there. She could take a break and return to her education. “What about your job?”
“That’s the glory of being the boss. I can leave whenever I want. Tomorrow, after the funeral, we’ll run away, just the two of us. And we won’t stop until the ocean’s at our toes.”
Something warm unfurled inside of her. Maybe it was love. Maybe it was hope. But it was comforting and exciting and big. It was the tingle she felt in her heart whenever she was around Lucian.
***
It seemed appropriate that it rained the day Evelyn said good-bye to her mother. Tears from heaven clung to the tinted glass of the limo as they drove out of the city. Evelyn hadn’t asked where they were going. She hadn’t said much of anything since waking up that morning.
Funerals were something she’d only seen from afar, cars snaking through crowded city streets, people dressed in colors of mourning. She wasn’t sure why people celebrated death, or perhaps they were celebrating life. Pearl hadn’t lived a life of greatness and she hoped it would all be over soon.
Lucian seemed to think this was something she needed. Maybe he was right. Her world was small, filled with only a handful of people. Pearl had been there from the beginning, and losing her was like saying good-bye to a part of herself.
When they arrived at the estate, Evelyn was confused. Lucian didn’t offer explanations. He simply held her hand and gave her a comforting squeeze from time to time.
Dugan parked the car and greeted them with a somber nod. Other cars lined the long drive, and she hesitated when she realized they wouldn’t be alone. Lucian’s strength enveloped her as he guided her into the house.
Lucy, dressed in her maid’s uniform, but with a black armband, opened the door and softly whispered her condolences. Evelyn’s shoes clicked over the marble tile and the silence struck her as odd. She knew they weren’t alone.
Beneath her sleeveless black wrap dress, her skin prickled. She didn’t want to see Pearl again. Her mother’s lifeless eyes had haunted her for days, and Evelyn just wanted to forget. They approached a set of French pocket doors that led to another den, and Lucian turned to her.
“Are you ready?”
She hadn’t known what to expect so there was no way to prepare. She nodded and he slid the doors open; the soft whisper of aged wood and gears wasn’t loud enough to bring her back to earth.
She turned and sucked in a breath. In front of the large paned window was a polished coffin. The wood was dark and glossy. Brushed pewter rails ran along the trim. Her eyes devoured the detail of the casket so as not to see the body lying inside. There was no one else in the room.
He took her hand and helped her cross the threshold. With each step, her world closed in. The walls fell away and her vision shimmered. Where was Pearl?
They stopped walking and she realized it was because she was crying. Lucian gave her a few moments and then, drawn, like a butterfly to a bloom, she stepped closer to see the woman before her. No, it was not Pearl. It was her mother.
Gone were the lines of time and marks of tension in her face. Her skin appeared slightly flushed, vibrant in a way that Evelyn didn’t recognize. Her hair was done and her lips held a serene pose. Her fingers were clean, and wrapped in her palm was a beaded crucifix more valuable than anything her mother had ever held.
Evelyn’s lips parted as she took in this image of the woman who raised her. She was dressed in a divine pink suit. An ivory blanket covered her feet. She looked like a sleeping angel. She looked . . . peaceful.
Her fingers trembled as she slowly reached to touch her. A gasp echoed in her ears as the coldness beneath her fingers penetrated her foggy mind. She looked so young. This was how she should have appeared in life, Evelyn decided. It was astounding, how happy seeing her mother this way made her. Never before had she seen Pearl at rest, she realized.
For as difficult as Evelyn’s life had been, Pearl’s was as well. She’d fought every day against a monster no one else could see. The monster had won, but perhaps this was Pearl’s victory. Rest. Eternal, uninterrupted rest.
“There is an ancient Chinese belief,” Lucian said quietly. “That when dragons collide, pearls fall from the sky.”
A dragon had destroyed her mother, and now she looked like a fallen angel. “Thank you for doing this for me,” she whispered through tears.
He squeezed her hand. “If you’re ready, the others will join us.”
Again, she wasn’t sure what to expect. She nodded silently.
Lucian left her with her mother and opened the pocket doors. Isadora was the first to enter. She stepped into the room with ethereal grace and came to Evelyn’s side. Her kiss was soft upon her cheek and her hands warm.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Evelyn.”
Evelyn nodded. Isadora’s perfect long fingers grazed Pearl’s hands, and she watched in awe as Lucian’s sister shut her eyes as though praying for a woman she never met. It was strange, seeing someone mourn for Pearl, but that is what they all did.
One by one, guests entered the den and paid their condolences. Toni, Jamie, Parker, Nick, the girls from the salon . . . it was surreal to see these people in Lucian’s private home. There were no rivalries or politics in those moments, only grace.
After everyone came through to offer his or her sympathy, Isadora returned. She whispered to Lucian and then came up to Evelyn and smiled sadly. “When you’re ready, I’ll be waiting in the hall.”
Ready for what? Evelyn looked to Lucian as Isadora turned away and quietly shut the doors. “It’s time to say good-bye,” he said softly.
Something protested inside her. It was a little girl waiting for her mom, the one who never gave up hoping she’d someday come around. Blinking back tears, she soothed the child who lived in her heart and finally admitted this was how it had to be.
Leaning over the casket, her lips pressed into her mother’s cool cheek. “I love you, Momma. I always will.”
Lucian walked her to the doors and Isadora waited quietly. “I’ll be with you soon. Go with my sister,” he said.
She didn’t want to part from him, but allowed Isadora to take her hand and lead her away. They walked through the house and came to the back door, facing the gardens and pool.
“Here, put these on,” Isadora said, handing her a pair of dainty black flats.
Evelyn did as she was told and followed Lucian’s sister out into the balmy air. The rain had stopped and the sun gave breath to the ground as it steamed. The earth was soggy beneath her feet as they stepped off the cobblestone path.
In the distance, over a knoll of emerald blades of grass, she spotted the silhouettes of people waiting. There was a willow tree luffing in the stiff breeze, and the heavy scent of lilacs filled the air. Isadora held her hand as they climbed the hill.
When they reached the top, she realized where they were. Beneath the tree stood a stone carved with angels. She couldn’t read the engraved writing, but knew the grave belonged to Lucian’s mother. This was where Pearl would forever rest.
The somber faces of those who’d come into the den smiled softly, but not everyone was there. The men were all absent except for one she didn’t recognize. From somewhere in the distance pipes began to play, and her heart raced with unsure expectancy.
Cresting the hill, several figures came into view, suited black silhouettes of strength. She breathed a sigh of relief when she spotted Lucian. Behind him were Shamus, Parker, Nick, and Slade. They were carrying her mother’s casket.
When they reached the top, the casket was placed within a nest of flowers, and Lucian relieved Isadora of her duties. His hand curled around hers as he stepped close. The man she hadn’t recognized began to speak.
“God our Father, Your power brings us birth, Your providence guides our lives, and by Your command, we return to dust . . .”
Evelyn listened but did not hear what was being said. The sense of losing someone she never had was peculiar and difficult to comprehend. Relief that this was where she would always be, only a short walk away from where she sometimes slept, struck her like an unfamiliar comfort that eased the unending search her life had been conditioned to perform. She’d be safe, blanketed in the belly of the earth, a garden for flowers to grow. There’d be no time, only peace. And for the first time ever, Evelyn let her worries for her mother go.
A rose was placed in her hand. Lucian led her to the casket. She could read the word engraved in the plaque. It simply said Pearl. There was a solitary white mollusk embedded in the pewter above her name. It was breathtaking.
They placed their flowers on the casket and walked away in silence. The scent of lilacs imprinted on her mind. They were Lucian’s mother’s favorite, and every year her mother would now share in their beauty, as they’d come to bloom. Strange that Pearl had been gifted the same standard of rest as a woman like Mrs. Patras.
The guests didn’t return to the house with them. Evelyn had no concept of time. A meal was set for only the two of them on the terrace in the gardens. Her fingers picked at her food, but no taste touched her tongue. Lucian watched her but said very little.
He was right. She needed this closure and embraced the sad peace that came in its wake. Losing Pearl was like breaking away from who she had always been. She was a tired balloon cut from its string, floating on to places untold. But Lucian would be there with her, always, making sure she never floated alone.
***
The limo pulled onto the airstrip, and Evelyn’s face went numb. The jet was the size of a two-story house. “This is yours?”
He smirked as he gazed at his oversized toy. “All mine.”
Her stomach flipped and continued to teeter. He wasn’t kidding when he said he would be showing her many firsts. In a few minutes she would be leaving earth and rocketing through the sky at God knew how many miles an hour.
As they stepped onto the tarmac, the pavement was hot beneath her sandals. Dugan loaded their luggage on a cart, and Lucian clasped her hand. “Ready?”
Evelyn hesitated. Birds flew. People walked. These were the facts of life. “Um . . .”
Taking her other hand, he drew her close and kissed her softly. “It will be fine, Evelyn. My pilot has over thirty years’ experience under his belt, and I not only trust him with my life, I trust him with yours.”
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so intimidating if it weren’t so large of a jet. How did a thousand tons of metal just float through the air? She licked her lips nervously. She could do this. This was her first big step—well, more of a leap—in her plan to experience new things. The world was her oyster. Whatever that meant.
They climbed the steep set of stairs jutting out of the belly of the plane, and she gaped at the luxury awaiting them on the inside. Butter-colored leather and polished wood dominated the cylindrical space. Windows were adorned with dainty navy blue curtains. Seats were arranged aesthetically for conversation or dining.
Cool air pumped into the cabin. She’d seen the inside of an airplane on television. This was not a plane. This was a flying mansion.
“Our room’s back here,” Lucian said, carrying their smaller bags through the door.
She followed him. Yup, it was an actual bedroom. Against a wall, the king-size bed was made up with soft accent pillows. Two swivel chairs sat adjacent on the other wall, with a small glass table in between.
“Watch this,” he said, smirking like a young boy. He really did love his toys. He typed in a code on a small hidden panel, and the wall began to move. She jumped back and stared in awe as blue sky came into view.
The wall literally extended and lowered, forming a balcony on the side of the plane. Great. A plane with collapsible walls. It didn’t make her feel safer.
“Come see,” he said, taking her hand.
Reluctantly she followed. It was disorienting, being so high. The limo seemed to have shrunk. She stepped back in the plane and he chuckled.
“Can you close it back up now?”
He sighed at having his fun spoiled. After pressing a few buttons, gears shifted and the wall rose, locking back into place.
“Is it locked?” she asked nervously.
“Yes, Evelyn. Relax. Let’s have a drink.”
They returned to the main area of the plane, and a flight attendant waited behind the bar. “Good afternoon, Mr. Patras. Can I get you a drink before takeoff?”
As Lucian ordered their beverages, Evelyn settled into a large upholstered chair. There was a long couch, but the chair seemed safer. Her fingers located the seat belt and buckled it, pulling the strap as tight as it would go.
Lucian tsked as he handed her a cool glass of something pink and fruity. “Are you planning on staying buckled the entire flight?”
“No,” she sassed. “Only for the parts when we’re in the air.”
He shook his head, but a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Drink your cocktail. It will calm your nerves.”
The alcohol went right to her head, and soon they were speeding down the runway. Her heart dropped into her ass as they left the ground, and she may have whimpered a few times. She also may have punctured the leather armrest with her fingernails. The sense of hurtling upward eventually evened out and she breathed again. Captain Hertkorn’s voice announced they were traveling at speeds Evelyn didn’t want to contemplate, and Lucian unbuckled his belt.
“Would you like another drink?”
She glanced at her glass, about to decline, and was shocked to see it was empty. “Okay.”
He pressed a button and the flight attendant returned. Where had she gone? Their drinks were replenished, and as Evelyn sipped her second fruity cocktail, she embraced its settling effects.
Lucian’s fingers traced over the back of her hand. “Come in the back with me.”
Her eyes widened. That would require unbuckling her seat belt. “I’d rather stay here.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
“Lucian, I’m a turbulent sneeze away from wetting myself. I suggest you let me stay in my seat.”
He reached over and clicked the button on her buckle. Her breath caught. Leaning in, he swept her hair off of her shoulder and slowly kissed her neck. “Nothing will go wrong. The captain will let us know if things are going to get bumpy. Now, come with me. I have great plans for the next hour, great, distracting plans.”
She rose on shaky legs and he led her to the bedroom. Her eyes immediately darted to the fall-away wall. Safety hazard! She jumped when his palm settled on her shoulders, tickling her skin beneath the straps of her tank top. His casted arm banded around her waist and tugged her close. He was already hard.
Warm kisses poured over her shoulders. He cupped her breasts through her shirt and slowly reached lower to undo the buttons of her jean skirt. “Your legs look amazing in this skirt. I’m going to start at your feet and kiss all the way to your sweet, pink pussy.”
Before her skirt fell to the ground, he clasped his palm over the denim and gripped the V of her sex. Her heart raced. She leaned her backside into his arousal and he growled in her ear. It didn’t take long for her to be thoroughly distracted.
***
Evelyn rolled to her back and sucked in a deep breath. Her body tingled from coming so many times. Lucian, who had indeed kissed every square inch of her legs and then some, toyed with her bare breasts. It was the first time they’d slept together since the accident, and they both seemed to have some pent-up energy to get out. The edge, at least, was off.
He reached to the floor and found his pocket watch. She laughed. “Are you timing yourself?”
He pi
nched her nipple. “No, smartass. I want to show you something.”
“Please don’t let it be another collapsible wall.”
He rolled to his side. When he grunted, likely from putting too much pressure on his ribs, she quickly sat up.
“I’m fine.” He eased off the bed and she had the urge to check his injuries, but he stayed her with an arrogant look that claimed he was invincible. “Here, put this on.”
He handed her a robe and she drew back, her face scrunching up in revulsion. “Why do you have two robes?”
He frowned and glanced at the robe, then back at her. Making a sound in the back of his throat, he said, “Because I ordered this one for you. Don’t be ridiculous, Evelyn. I have people who handle my planning to the last detail. This trip’s for you, for us. Nothing I give you will ever be secondhand.”
She relaxed, chastising herself for letting jealousy get the best of her for a moment. Her arms slipped into the wide kimono silk sleeves, and she tied the band under her breasts, then helped Lucian tie his since the cast kept getting in his way. He was impatient with his injuries. It was going to be a long few weeks.
He led her to the cabin and pointed to a small window. “Look.”
She hesitated, trying very hard to forget she was in a glorified tin can careening through the clouds. He gave her a stern look, telling her to just do it, and she eased toward the little window.
Between wisps of cotton candy clouds she saw a floor of cerulean blue and gasped. “Is that—”
“The ocean.”
“It’s so . . . blue.”
“The closer to the Caribbean, the more blue it gets. Next time you see it, your toes will be in it.”
Her face split with a genuine smile. She turned and kissed him, hugging him hard enough to make him grunt. “Sorry. I keep forgetting about your ribs.”
***
The landing was a little rough, but Lucian argued it was smooth. Bottom line, she was a terrible air traveler and hoped they wouldn’t be flying too much on their trip.
A limo awaited them, and she suffered a bit of homesickness for Dugan. The chauffeur, a tall man with skin the color of molasses, took their carry-on bags and introduced himself as Clarence.
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