Elysium

by Thea Landen

  “True.” I smiled and brushed her hair away from her face. “But are you sure about taking this big step so soon?”

  She kissed my cheek. “Life moves quickly, and I don’t want it to pass us by. We know this is right, so why wait?”

  I thought of all the stories of regret I’d heard since opening Elysium’s doors and realized she spoke the truth. Caressing her cheek, I brushed my lips across hers and leaned our foreheads together. “Then it’s settled. As soon as you’re ready, we can start waking up every morning in each other’s arms.”

  Epilogue

  Janie wandered around the apartment, peeking her head into the various rooms. “Very cute.” Her high heels clicked on the hardwood floors. “I like this place a lot.”

  “Me too.” I hung up my coat in the closet and shut the door. “I’m glad you were finally able to come up and see it.”

  She winked at me. “Hey, just because you moved an hour away doesn’t mean I won’t be checking up on you anymore.”

  “It’s good to know some things will never change.”

  Once she completed her tour, she circled back to the kitchen and leaned against the counter. “Really, April, your home looks great. You look great, and I couldn’t be happier for you.”

  I kicked at the tile floor. “Thanks,” I mumbled.

  “Oh, shut up and take the compliment.” She glanced at the clock on the stove behind her. “So what time do you think Drew will be back?”

  “He’s pretty good at standing up and walking away from work to be home for dinner.”

  She laughed. “I should take a few tips from him.”

  “Always another client, always another case?” I smiled with her.

  “It never ends.” She straightened and retrieved her purse from where she’d dropped it on the table. “Speaking of which, I shouldn’t stay too much longer, as I have a mountain of paperwork waiting for me at home. Tell Drew I’m sorry I missed him and we’ll all have to get together again sometime soon.”

  I nodded. “Will do.”

  Janie hugged me good-bye and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone in the apartment. I exhaled and turned in a slow circle. She was right, it did seem like my home now, where I belonged.

  Leaving Bridgeport hadn’t been easy. I knew I wasn’t going to stay there forever, but that little apartment held so many memories and unfulfilled dreams. Everything important came with me, though, from physical belongings to thoughts of happier times spent there.

  I entered the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the green striped bedspread I’d brought with me. Not every day in the newest chapter of my life progressed perfectly. Sometimes a burst of sadness or a melancholy mood crept up on me out of nowhere. As I moved forward and Kevin stayed frozen in the past, I acknowledged and accepted that tiny ache would never go away completely.

  A stack of photographs lay tucked away in the back of the nightstand, the same ones I had sent to Elysium. I opened the drawer and pulled one out. The picture displayed Kevin’s charming smile and me in that yellow sundress. Instead of wincing at the reminder of the tragedy I had faced, I could now reflect upon how all the circumstances and events shaped me into the woman I’d become. Throughout the entire journey, I never had to explain anything to Drew, as he’d already supported me through my best and my worst, the shining moments and darkest places. Both of us knew all too well never to take our love for granted.

  I placed the photograph back in the drawer and returned to the living room until dinnertime to read over the notes from the college courses I’d enrolled in. Elysium remained a symbol of vast imagination and limitless wonder. Within its walls, Drew had taught me my heart’s capacity was not finite, and it was okay to miss one man while falling wildly in love with another. Across all universes, planes, and dimensions, nothing would extinguish that love for as long as we lived and beyond.

  ~A Letter from Thea~

  Dear Readers,

  As someone who will likely never live long enough to get through all the books on her “to-read” list, I thank you for taking the time to pick up this book, especially if you’re taking a chance and this is the first of my works you’ve read. Followers of my blog know that it’s filled with introspection, honesty, and self-deprecating humor, and I’ll be the first one to say when something I’ve written is mediocre.

  This story is not. All my projects have their own special place in my heart for different reasons, but like anyone who practices a craft, I’m always looking to improve. I can sincerely say that Elysium is the best book I’ve written in my career as an author, and I’m beyond excited to be able to take this journey with you.

  I set out to write a beautiful, sensual, poignant love story, and I hope I hit all the right chords. I also hope you grow to love the characters as much as I do and that their tale is a memorable one. So here’s to life and death, love and loss, and the infinite possibilities of the world of Elysium.

  ~ Thea

  thealanden@gmail.com

  Second Skin by Thea Landen

  Sonia Wallace.

  Katarina Volkova.

  Maria Milano.

  The list of names cycled through Anna’s mind as she stared out the window of the airplane. One week earlier, she’d spent hours rifling through her folder of dossiers. Though keeping the paper files in her apartment posed a risk, she preferred it to any of the electronic alternatives as her locked safe was less prone to hacking than phones and computers. Each name evoked a different reaction and series of memories. But one name kept grabbing her attention.

  Samantha Coburn.

  Anna had easily memorized the list of details accompanying Samantha’s photograph long ago—height, weight, last known address, place of employment, and so on. Anna’s own brown eyes stared out at her, full lips pressed into a straight line. Brilliant financial analyst Samantha Coburn worked alongside many powerful people, yet kept her own name out of the spotlight. Polished and professional, she had access to considerable monetary funds without being a flashy or noteworthy character. Whatever influence she possessed, she wielded it from the shadows behind bigger figures.

  She would be perfect.

  Anna leaned back in her first-class seat and sipped her drink, alleviating her dry throat and some of her anxiety. Earlier in the month, her superior at the CIA had strongly suggested she take her accumulated vacation time, more of an order than a suggestion, given his tone of voice. He’d made a reasonable request. Operatives high in the ranks were at risk of burning out. But, despite the dangers, she loved her job enough to want to keep it for as long as possible.

  In the quiet cabin, the names rang through her head loud and clear, each representing a different alias she’d taken in her career. Some, like Samantha, felt as effortless and comfortable as the old hooded sweatshirt she wore on the flight to ward off the chill of the air conditioning. Others were best forgotten. In the high-stakes world of international espionage, she switched personas faster than some women changed their shoes. Anna had ceased to exist nine years earlier in the eyes of the United States government. And with the sudden amount of downtime she had faced, the matter of who or what to be eluded her.

  After spending her first few days off lounging around in her pajamas, watching streaming episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras and every incarnation of the Real Housewives in series-long marathons, she’d grown bored enough to venture out of her apartment and hit the shopping malls to update her casual wardrobe. Those activities lasted less than a week before the tedium suffocated her.

  She glanced down at the small tablet computer on the tray in front of her and traced the edge with her finger. Following her more mindless endeavors, she’d considered what she really wanted while on vacation. Companionship. Male companionship. Intimate male companionship.

  In the past, work assignments sometimes involved seduction and sex. They didn’t count as fulfilling any sort of emotional need. After years of superficial relationships, part of her yearned for a deeper connection. Unfortunatel
y, her true self remained off limits for someone else to connect to.

  Left with the next best option, she’d assumed the façade of yet another character. Once past her initial dejection, she made some casual inquiries to her associates at the CIA. One of them passed along the contact information for a business called 1Night Stand, assuring her the owner valued confidentiality.

  Anna activated the tablet and fumbled with entering the password, hoping no one nearby paid any attention to her. Logging on to the Samantha Coburn account, she pulled up a copy of the email she sent to Madame Eve, the sole proprietor of the exclusive matchmaking service. It began with a brief mention of her government job, outlining simple details about Samantha’s backstory, and reiterated her need for privacy and discretion, making sure to pepper in some compliments regarding Madame Eve’s experience with such matters. Per her colleagues’ instructions, Anna had concluded the email by listing her preferences for her ideal date. Balancing between confessing her true cravings and protecting her identity proved more difficult than she’d expected.

  I’ve been with rich, powerful men who commanded their own empires. I’ve been with dangerous men, the type who send a thrill down your spine just by being in the same room as them. I’ve been with charming, suave men on six continents who would put the most famous poets to shame as they showered me with provocative words and expensive gifts. And I’m tired of it all.

  I want a ‘regular guy’ who appreciates the value of that once-in-a-lifetime true love. He can be a hardworking man, formerly the boy next door, as long as he’s not afraid of some fine romance. He should cherish and respect the woman in his life, and not shy away from showing his feelings and devotion toward her.

  I am confident you will be able to find just the man for me, and I anticipate your response.

  Very truly yours,

  Samantha Coburn

  Though they were the sincerest words she’d written in a long time, it worried her that she might have exposed too much. She’d made up her mind to follow through with the arranged encounter. Swallowing back her apprehension, Anna switched off the tablet and gulped the rest of her beverage. She’d done everything possible to cover her tracks.