Veil of Lies

by Nicky Charles

  She rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly. “Okay. You’re here. You can see that I’m fine. Mission accomplished. Now you can go on your way.”

  “No.” He looked away, a muscle working in his jaw before he swung his gaze back to her. “I want to know why you didn’t return. You said you had no future in Stump River yet, before you left, I kissed you.”

  In shock, she stared at him. She hadn’t expected him to bring that up. “Yes, you did.”

  “My interest in you didn’t matter?” He sat up straight.

  “Your interest in me?” She blinked. Hadn’t he placed her in the friend category a minute ago?

  His accent thickened. “For years you teased me, yet when I… How do you say?... succumbed—”

  “Succumbed? It was one kiss! A damned good kiss mind you but—”

  He scowled. “I was finally showing my intentions.”

  Finally? That word caught her attention. “You’re right about one thing at least. It was finally. After years of you pushing me away, you expected me to come running back just because you finally decided to kiss me? Out of the blue I might add, with no explanation either before or after.”

  “I—”

  “You asked me what I meant about having no future in Stump River and that’s exactly what I was talking about!” She rose to her feet and glared down at him. “I waited for you, but you never showed a bit of interest. The way things were going I’d spend the rest of my life alone if I stayed. I was tired of waiting for you.”

  He stood up. “And I was tired of waiting for you to decide.”

  “Decide what?”

  “If you were ready to settle down or if you would keep chasing your pretty boys.”

  “Settle down?” She felt her mouth drop open and quickly snapped it shut.

  He looked away and shrugged.

  “Why would you assume that I wouldn’t want to settle down? All I was waiting for was the right man to ask me.”

  “And you felt I was the right man? It didn’t seem that way to me.”

  “Armand St. John, are you as thick as a brick?” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “I tried to hit on you more times than I can remember.”

  “I wanted you to be sure, to be willing to make a commitment.”

  “And how was I supposed to be sure, if I never even got a sample?”

  “Sometimes you need to trust your choice without sampling.”

  “Like a piece of pie on the counter at Ruth’s diner?” She rolled her eyes.

  He crossed his arms and scowled. “I’ve never regretted my choices at the diner, yet I don’t go around poking my finger in each baked good to taste it.”

  “Yes, well, we’re not pieces of dessert.”

  “Our kiss was as sweet as one.”

  The rough poetry of his words caught her off guard and she wasn’t sure what to say.

  “While you were gone…supposedly dead…I did a great deal of thinking. I came to realize my strategy was flawed. Now that I have a second chance, I’ll try something new.”

  “Something new?”

  “Yes.” He walked towards her.

  The look in his eye made her nervous. She began to back up, suddenly very aware of how big he was and the fact that they were alone in the apartment.

  Armand kept advancing, stalking her until her back was pressed against the wall. “I want you, Lucy. I’ve wanted you for a very long time.” He reached out and cupped her face in his palms, his fingers curling around towards her neck and then into her hair so she couldn’t move.

  She stared up at him, her heart pounding as he studied her, his thumb teasing her lower lip. When he slowly dipped his head, her mouth seemed to go dry. His lips touched hers. Teasing. Testing. Tingles of awareness spread through her and she gasped, opening to him. He accepted her invitation, delving into her warmth, kissing her deeply.

  Her arms slid around him, pulling him closer. It had been so long since she’d kissed him, kissed anyone for that matter. She trailed her hands over his broad back loving the feel of him, the taste of him, the sensations he was arousing.

  Holding nothing back she responded as she’d always longed to do, years of waiting and wanting had her straining closer, urging him onward. When he cupped her rear and lifted her, she locked her legs around his waist. He pressed her against the wall, the kiss becoming hotter by the minute. As he moved against her, she moaned her desire.

  “Armand…” She breathed his name against his neck and lightly raked her teeth over his flesh, enjoying the saltiness of his skin.

  He shuddered in response, his grip on her tightened and then he was releasing her, letting her body slide down his before he stepped away.

  “If you had returned, that is what you would have had waiting for you.” He was breathing hard, his words coming out as a deep rumble.

  She blinked up at him, trying to process what he was saying.

  “Think about it. I’ll return in three hours to take you to dinner.” He turned and let himself out of the apartment, not waiting for her reply.

  As the door clicked shut behind him, she slowly reached up and touched her lips, dazed by the intensity of the passion between them. He’d felt it just as she had, his body had declared its response in an undeniable way and yet, after getting her all hot and bothered, he’d left. Payback for her not returning to Stump River?

  No. Armand wasn’t like that.

  Or at least he never used to be.

  Somewhere in Chicago…

  “Well?”

  “It was there, just like you said it would be.” A confirming nod was given.

  “Good. Hand it over and I’ll make the delivery.”

  Lips tightened. “I don’t have it.”

  “What? That was the whole reason for—”

  “I know what I was supposed to do but—”

  “Then why the hell didn’t you do your job?”

  “If you’d shut the fuck up, I’d tell you.”

  The statement was met with an angry glare then silence before arms were folded and a reply was given in clipped tones. “Fine. Tell me. I’m listening.”

  “I was being watched.”

  “So? You should’ve grabbed it and run. We don’t have time to waste, you know.”

  “If you don’t like how I operate then maybe you should be the one to get it back.”

  There was no response. Just a tightening of lips and narrowed eyes while fingers drummed on the table.

  Chapter 8

  Armand stood in the hallway thinking about what had just happened. He wasn’t aware of the faded paint on the wall or the slight electric drone of the overhead light bulb. Nor was he noticing the cobwebs that hung in the corner near the ceiling or the scent of the dinner being prepared in an apartment down the hallway. No, all those things only registered on a subliminal level while his mind obsessed over one fact and one fact only.

  He’d kissed Lucy.

  Again.

  What was it about her that made his self-control snap?

  It is because she is meant to be ours, his bear pointed out, rolling its eyes as if to say ‘duh’.

  Yes, when a bear met its true mate, they often knew immediately or at least sensed a strong pull towards the other person but he needed a sign from her, something that let him know she felt the same, that he wasn’t a passing fancy. Like all shifters, bears were cautious about revealing themselves to humans, only disclosing their existence to those who could be completely trusted.

  Two years ago, when she’d told him she was leaving on a vacation with Melody to Chicago, he’d kissed her, letting her know he wanted her for his own. But she’d made no declaration of love, hadn’t cancelled her trip, had in fact looked at him with a stunned expression before walking away. He’d assumed that meant she wasn’t interested but maybe he should have said something, called her back, insisted she stay except…he hadn’t.

  Should have, could have… His bear gave him an impatient glare.

  Was he expecting t
oo much? Wanting her to reveal her feelings while guarding his own? It would be a hard habit to break. Even after all these years, it was hard to forget his training; that an emotional response could lead to deadly error.

  We have a second chance now. We must not make the same mistake again.

  Correct. He wasn’t good with words, but he would definitely show her his feelings. This time Lucy would have no doubt of his desire for her.

  A few hours later, Lou was in front of her bedroom mirror fixing her hair.

  “Whatcha doin’?”

  She looked over her shoulder at her roommate who was standing in the doorway behind her. “Getting ready to go out.”

  “It looks more like you’re cleaning out your closet.” Roxi glanced at the clothing strewn all over the bed.

  Lucy followed the direction of her gaze. The bed was covered with a good deal of her wardrobe, garment after garment tossed aside as she’d tried to decide what to wear. It wasn’t like she had to impress Armand; they’d known each other for years, yet indecisiveness had plagued her when she’d begun to dress.

  Maybe it was the fact he was taking her out for dinner. Yes, they’d had dinners together before; casual meals eaten at the Broken Antler before the bar had opened, or late-night snacks after closing when they would share tales of the funny events that happened that evening. However, they’d never gone to a restaurant before.

  What kind of place would he take her to? Someplace casual like a fast food joint or one of those fancy restaurants at the top of a high-rise? Not knowing what to expect, she tried on several outfits before finally settling on a simple white and blue cotton dress. It wasn’t expensive, but it made her feel good and she needed all the confidence she could get tonight.

  “Well?” Roxi prompted her. “C’mon, spill the beans. Tell me about Mr. No One who came looking for you today.”

  She hesitated, covering her silence by applying lipstick, all the while deciding what she could safely share. Finally, she went with the bare basics. “His name is Armand.”

  “And…?”

  She shrugged. “I used to work for him ages ago. He’s an old friend.”

  “Just a friend? So, if I was interested in him…” Roxi let her voice trail off and then laughed when she scowled. “Sorry. You don’t have to worry. He’s hot but not my type. Too outdoorsy for me.”

  “Armand isn’t the kind you play around with.” She issued the warning just in case, while adding a touch of mascara to the tips of her lashes; not too much, just enough to brighten her eyes. “He’s different. I’ve known him for years and I’ve never even seen him go out with anyone.”

  “So what’s his deal?”

  She put away the mascara while considering the question. “Well, I guess that’s the problem. I don’t know.” She turned to face Roxi. “I’m not even sure why he’s here. I had a thing for him for years, but he never showed the least bit of interest in me, at least not until…”

  “Until…?” Roxi wandered over to the bed and pushed the pile of clothes over so she could sit down.

  She traced a pattern on her dress as she recalled the day she left Stump River. “Just before I…um…moved away, he kissed me.”

  “And that was it? He didn’t ask you to stay? Or call you? Or anything?”

  “Nope.”

  “So why didn’t you call him?”

  “I decided to make a clean break, to start over again. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses.”

  “So when he appeared today…?”

  “I wasn’t expecting him. It was a complete shock when he showed up at the King’s Plate after all this time.”

  “Ah-ha! That’s why you came home sick.”

  She nodded. “I didn’t know what to do. I sort of freaked and slipped out the back. He must’ve followed me.”

  “It sounds to me like he’s interested.”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “All I know is that he’s going to be here soon.” She put on her glasses and then turned this way and that, examining herself in the mirror. “How do I look?”

  “Amazing.”

  “This dress, is it okay?” She tugged at the neckline wondering if it showed too much cleavage, then smoothed her hands over her hips. Not so long ago, she’d have been more concerned about not showing off enough. How things had changed.

  Roxi pushed away from the doorframe. “It’s great. You look great.”

  “Right.” She agreed even while giving herself a doubtful look and poking at her hair so more of her scar was covered. At least the blue in her dress went well with her eyes and drew attention away from the unsightly mark. Of course, if she wore the pink... Before she could change her clothes again, there was a knock on the door.

  “That must be him.” Roxi hurried to answer the summons.

  She followed more slowly, a hand pressed to her stomach where butterflies were doing a frenzied flamenco. Armand’s behaviour this afternoon had thrown her for a loop and she wasn’t sure what to expect from the evening.

  “Lulu, your date is here.” Roxi’s singsong voice drifted down the hallway.

  She would have liked to have said it wasn’t a date, but she didn’t really know. Taking a deep breath, she pinned a casual, friendly smile to her face and went to greet him. Armand stood in the middle of the room, his size dominating the small space.

  “Hi Armand.”

  “Hello Lucy.” His eyes swept over her. “You look very nice.”

  “Thanks.” She took in his dress pants, neatly buttoned shirt and tie. It was a far cry from the jeans and plaid he normally wore while working at the Broken Antler. “You look pretty good, too.”

  From her spot leaning on the breakfast counter, Roxi smirked. “Don’t you two make the cutest couple.”

  She shot her roommate a dirty look.

  Armand inclined his head towards Roxi. “Merci. It’s kind of you to say so.” He then turned his attention back to her and extended his arm in an old-world gesture. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Sure.” She grabbed her purse from where it sat on the table near the door and then took his arm.

  “Don’t stay out too late,” Roxi called after them. “Behave. And be home by midnight!”

  Lucy pulled the apartment door firmly shut. “Sorry. She likes to tease.”

  “She cares about you. You need someone to watch out for you in a place like this.”

  She stifled a snort of disbelief at the idea of Roxi taking care of her; it was more the other way around. Of course, Armand wouldn’t know that. He still thought of her as the person she’d been. But if that was the case… “This afternoon, you said it was because I’m a woman. Now it’s the place that’s the problem?”

  “Chicago is a big city.”

  “A big city is just filled with people and buildings like a small town is. The only difference is there are more of them.”

  “You were mugged.” He made a face as if the words left a bad taste in his mouth. “That wouldn’t have happened back home.”

  “Maybe not, but there were still lots of occasions when I had to take care of myself working at the Broken Antler.” She began to list some of the more common incidents. “Drunken men making passes, the rowdy crowds on hockey nights, poker games that turned nasty...dozens of times.”

  “True.” He slowly nodded. “You kept them in line by threatening to cut off their supply of beer.”

  “Damn right, I would. And if there was a bar fight, I was pretty good at using my serving platter to whack anyone who got too close to me.”

  Armand chuckled. “The men were afraid of that serving platter.”

  She laughed, enjoying the shared memories.

  He held the door open for her as they exited the apartment building, helped her into the waiting taxi and gave the driver the address. As they pulled into traffic, he nodded towards the window. “Tell me about this city you live in.”

  She turned her attention to the scenery, acting as a tour guide, explaining various points of interes
t.

  “There are too many buildings,” he grumbled, “and not enough trees.”

  “It’s a city. You expect all these people to live and work in tree houses?”

  He made a disparaging sound as they inched along through the traffic. “And there are cars everywhere.”

  “Stump River has cars.”

  “Not this many.”

  She sighed. “Is there anything about Chicago that you like?”

  He slid a glance her way. “You.”

  His answer caught her by surprise and she fumbled over what to say, finally replying as she would have to a customer she was serving. “Aren’t you the sweetest thing.” She accompanied the words with a wink and a pat on his arm.

  He opened his mouth to respond but her cellphone rang and when she checked the number, she swore softly. She’d completely forgotten she was scheduled to help at the drop-in centre!

  She gave Armand an apologetic look before pressing her phone to her ear. “Hi Neil.”

  “Neil?” Armand bristled beside her. “Who is he?”

  She waved her hand to shush him. “Neil, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot I was scheduled to help you today. I left work early because I…um…wasn’t feeling well.” Her eyes flicked towards Armand as Neil spoke. “No, I’m fine now. Just a passing thing. If you need me—”

  A car beside them honked its horn loudly as another vehicle cut in front of it.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say? … Oh, I’m in a taxi. An old friend stopped by and he’s taking me out to dinner … Are you sure you can manage without me? I could stop by and help and then go out afterward.”

  The look Armand gave her had her wincing but thankfully Neil said they weren’t that busy and would make do without her. She apologized again and ended the call.

  “That was Neil.”

  “So you said.” Armand folded his arms and turned to look out the window.

  “I volunteer at a drop-in centre and forgot I was supposed to be there today. Neil was worried about me.”

  “How very…kind of him.”

  “Yes. He’s a very nice man.” She cringed at her own words. “We’re just friends though.” Why had she felt the need to explain that?