OBTAINED (Book One)

by Williams, Shanora

  “Oh, that’s great! I love art,” I say. Now we’re getting somewhere.

  “You do?” He raises his usual eyebrow. “I should take you to a few of his art shows. He’s a great painter.”

  “That would be lovely.” I grin with him. He leans in closer and studies my eyes. He examines me again and that’s obviously something that he loves to do because he’s been doing it all day. But suddenly his eyes aren’t on me anymore. They are looking outside at the busy street. I tilt my head then look out with him but nothing new is out there—just a bunch of busy people walking by with their large coats or business suits on.

  But then I spot someone that I am not expecting to see. He has on his usual black leather jacket and a few loose strands of hair are hanging over his pale face and the weird thing about seeing him is that he’s staring inside of the coffee shop, right at me. “Do you know him?” Felix asks, still staring out of the window with narrowed eyes.

  My head wobbles, saying both yes and no. I’m not sure if I should answer because I don’t know anything about him except that maybe he isn’t human.

  “Is that a yes?” Felix asks, chuckling. I sigh as I try to look away from Jules who is still standing on the other side of the road, looking at me. His head is tilted but his eyes aren’t soft like they usually are at Think Coffee. He looks upset, betrayed even. He finally tears his gaze away and rushes down the street and I watch until he disappears. What the hell?

  “Sorry,” I mutter, reaching for my cappuccino to take a sip and to purposely avoid looking into Felix’s eyes.

  “Sorry for what?”

  I shrug and smile it off. “I guess for staring.”

  “Did you know him?”

  “He comes to my job a lot when I’m there but I don’t know him personally.”

  I finally take a peek at Felix who is nodding. “Mmhmm,” he says, smirking.

  “What?” I ask quickly, a little too defensively.

  “Sounds like a crush to me,” he teases.

  I give him a bitter laugh, settling my nerves again. “From that guy? I highly doubt it,” I say with a shake of my head but as soon as I say that, the door of the coffee shop swings open and a something-bad-is-about-to-happen cringe sweeps over me.

  I glance over my shoulder but he is already marching towards me with brown eyes so deadly and cheeks so flushed, I gasp. “Alexandria, can I speak with you for a moment?” Jules asks, breathlessly.

  MEMORY LOSS

  My eyes are wide, still disbelieving that Jules has actually come up to me or has even bothered to speak. It isn’t like him. “I um . . .” I trail off, unsure of how to respond. I glance at Felix who is staring at Jules with icy hazel eyes. He isn’t being the gentleman that I had been used to all day. Most gentlemen introduce themselves but there is a dark glare in his eyes that I don’t quite understand. The closest word that it could be compared to is hatred.

  “Please, Alexandria,” Jules begs softly. His voice is still deep, still utterly sexy—especially with that accent. How can I say no to that?

  “Felix?” I turn to look into his eyes.

  Felix holds his hand up, as if approving. I nod and begin to stand but Jules reaches for my hand and my jacket in a flash before dragging me out of the coffee shop. He rushes down the sidewalk, pushing past a few other people that are walking in the opposite direction of us, before he finally decides to step aside. “Put this on. It’s cold,” he demands as he hands me my jacket. He tucks a lock of hair behind his ear as he watches me slide into it.

  “I was kind of in the middle of something,” I say while zipping it.

  “I don’t care,” he retorts, his voice filled with a tad bit of acidity.

  I tilt my head with a frown. “I don’t think I’m comfortable with speaking to you alone.”

  “But you are comfortable throwing yourself at a man that you hardly even know?” he counters.

  “I hardly know you!” I exclaim with a scowl. And I’m not throwing myself at Felix . . . am I?

  His face hardens as he continues to look into my eyes. He isn’t happy with me at all. He shakes his head while pressing his lips together. “This isn’t like you, Alexandria,” he mutters beneath his breath,

  I grimace. “Not to be rude, but you know nothing about me, Jules.” I cross my arms and take a step back as he blinks repetitively. He wasn’t expecting that but he is being really off and I have no choice but to stand my ground. He knows nothing about me and I know nothing of him except the fact that he can make his hands and eyes spark. I don’t even know his last name.

  “I know a lot more than you think.” I shake my head at him disappointedly before turning around. I don’t have time for his stalker games. The guy is obviously crazy and just because he’s saved me from being attacked (which I wanted to thank him for but refuse to do now) he feels like he knows me? “Alexandria,” he calls, his fingers wrapping around my arm gently. I pull away from him. I don’t want those hands that I’ve witnessed glowing to touch me. I just want to forget about them . . . and him.

  “Please, just don’t touch me.”

  His brown eyes grow wider now. He’s baffled, eluded. His eyes become glossy before he blinks again. “I see that this has been a complete waste of time,” he sighs. He swallows as he looks away from me, his eyes growing distant. “I’ve warned you, Alexandria. If you go back in there with him, you will not be satisfied with your decision.”

  “What decision, Jules? It’s just a date! I’ve just met him!”

  “In his eyes, it isn’t just a date,” he mutters with a sway of his head.

  “In his eyes? You don’t even know him! Who are you to judge?” He really has me frustrated now. The anger is tunneling its way out of me. I’ve never in my life felt so annoyed or confused.

  “Don’t be angry with me,” he murmurs as he steps in. I back away. His face depresses and I feel a pang of guilt but I’m more frightened by him than sorry. He is not okay. He’s not even human.

  “I don’t know what you are or what you may be trying to do to me but I’m going back now,” I spit then spin around. I march off with my arms folded but I can still feel his eyes on me.

  “I know about your memory loss, Alexandria.”

  I come to a halt but I don’t turn to face him. My heart pauses on the next beat as my eyes grow wider, broadening with bewilderment. How could he know that? Maybe he really is stalking me. Maybe he really is a creep. No one knows anything about my memory loss except Liam and he doesn’t even know the real reason of what happened. He thinks I stumbled off somewhere and hit my head too hard but he doesn’t know for sure because nothing came up. I was completely unharmed. I turn around slowly to face Jules again. His face is soft and he looks defeated, as if he didn’t want to say it but had to if he wanted to get my full attention.

  “How do you know about that?” I ask, narrowing my eyes as I step forward.

  “I know lots of things, Alexandria,” he sighs. “And I know that if you go back in there with him, you will regret it. Please don’t do it.”

  “I’m not worried about Felix, Jules. How do you know that I lost my memory? Are you watching me?”

  “I don’t watch people, Alexandria. I know what happened. I was there.” Okay, now he really has me—and now I am beyond freaked out. How in the hell could he have been there? Liam told me that no one was there. He says that I was lucky to have been picked up from the side of the road by a complete stranger the next morning and taken to the nearest police station.

  “I’m leaving now.” I turn around to rush for the coffee shop. I can still feel Jules’ eyes on me and I know that he isn’t pleased with my decision but I would much rather be with a nice, wealthy gentleman than a crazy, non-human creep like him.

  ****

  Felix is casually smiling at me as I step back inside. I meet up to the table but he stands before I can sit.

  “Sorry,” I mutter, reaching for my chair.

  “What was that about?” he asks.

&
nbsp; “Nothing major,” I say with a slight roll of my eyes. He nods then reaches for his coat.

  “Would you like to get out of here? You seem upset.”

  “I’m okay.” I smile but it isn’t a sure one—at least not to Felix.

  He smiles smoothly as he slides into his jacket. “I think we should get you back home,” he says then reaches for my hand. He leads me out of the door before I can say anything but the truth of the matter is that I don’t want to say anything. I don’t want to think about what has just happened or what Jules has just told me. I really wish he wasn’t a freak. I really wish that he was just normal and that I wasn’t so scared of him. But he isn’t and there is nothing that I can do about that. What I saw in that alley was real and running into him today has just proved me right.

  POST DATE

  “Are you coming in?” I ask as Felix parks in front of my complex before turning his car off.

  “Would you like me to?” he asks, looking into my eyes. He leans in closer and the nervousness spills throughout my entire body.

  “It would be nice.”

  He gaze travels down to my lips and by the look in his eyes, he looks as if he’s going to kiss me. By the way he’s staring at them—so captivatingly— I believe that he will . . . but he doesn’t. Instead, he reaches to unbuckle my seatbelt and then climbs out of the car. He shuts his door behind him but I sigh, baffled. What the hell was that?

  He opens my door and holds his hand out for me to grab. We make our way up two flights of stairs before we reach my apartment door. Welcoming heat swarms out as soon as I swing the door open and step in. Felix shrugs out of his jacket and I take it to hang it on the coat rack.

  “Just make yourself comfortable,” I say before rounding the corner to get to my bedroom. I sigh as I unzip my leather jacket and toss it on my bed. I press my face into the palms of my hands and rub up and down, frustrated. Why am I letting Jules get to me? No one outside of Liam has ever known anything about me or my memory loss and to hear him say that has really freaked me out. Maybe he isn’t the only one that knows. Maybe there is more to it that I should know. I don’t want to think that Jules is watching me, stalking me. I don’t want him to be that crazy. It would be a complete waste of a beautiful man.

  “You alright?”

  My heart somewhat stops beating as I look towards the entrance of my door and spot Felix leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. How long has he been standing there? And why does he have to look so damn good right now? “I’m fine,” I mumble, turning to face him with a slight nod.

  He raises an eyebrow. “I can’t really tell. You seem a bit distracted. What did he say to make you upset?” He takes a step into my room. Oh, no. He’s in my bedroom—he can’t be in my bedroom. Not today. I step around him and carry myself to the living room, knowing that he’ll follow me out.

  I slump down on the sofa and he sits beside me but leans forward to rest his elbows on his thighs, his hypnotic hazel eyes still on me. “You’re a busy body,” he chuckles.

  I smile. “I don’t really like to be still.”

  “I see.”

  There is a still silence between us before he sighs and sits back. He rubs his palms against the thigh of his suit pants and I feel terribly sorry for being so boring. This particular situation is new and has never happened to me before. I’ve never been alone with a hot guy before. Never.

  “So, what do you like to do?” he asks.

  “Um, lots of things.” I smile but he smiles harder.

  He adjusts himself to give me his undivided attention. “Like?”

  I pause. I don’t really have anything that I like to do. I have to admit that I am a boring person. Liam told me that I used to love to draw and paint before my accident but I can’t picture myself drawing anymore. When I think of drawing now, I want to throw up. Drawing reminds me of Jules the Creep. “I don’t really do anything except work,” I admit.

  He leans forward with a confused glare. “Nothing? No hobbies?”

  I shrug. “Nope.”

  He chuckles as he leans back again. “You know, I can tell that you’ve never dated before, Alexandria.” The way he says my name is to die for. He makes it sound so exotic, so unique.

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because you’re jittery and your leg won’t stop shaking.” He glances down at my right leg. I look with him and he’s right. My leg is bouncing up and down anxiously, nervously. How did I not realize?

  “Sorry,” I say softly while trying to control my nerves.

  “Don’t be.” He looks into my eyes as he moves in closer. Our eyes lock and I don’t want to look anywhere else. “You are so beautiful,” he breathes, reaching for my cheek. He strokes it, caresses it, and a frenzy of butterflies prance around in the pit of my stomach. How can he do this to me? How can he make me feel so adored, so special? He inches closer; the heat of his lips is growing nearer. He smells so delightful, looks so delectable. He stares at my lips as he tilts his head. Is he going to kiss me? By the way I was raised, I was told that it’s not good to kiss on the first date. It makes you seem easy and I don’t want to be like Easy Mindy that will kiss and maybe even do more on the first date out of free will.

  I pull away softly and so does he. He studies my face, his eyes confused as he removes his hand from my cheek. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs, still studying my eyes.

  “It’s fine. I just have to get used to this,” I say through a forced laugh.

  He nods then inhales deeply with gleaming eyes. Damn it. I hope I didn’t make him mad. He flicks his wrist to check his Rolex watch before eyeing me again. “I have a meeting at five. I should get out of here,” he says with a slight smile. Damn. I guess I did make him upset because now he wants to leave.

  “Of course.” He stands, does his casual smile, and then does something that I don’t expect: he reaches down to scoop me up by my waist. It’s one swift gesture and I am stunned by how strong and quick he is. He pulls me into him, leaving me with no choice but to soften and sink with his body. We lock eyes again and now I want him to kiss me. I want him to sweep me off of my feet and stay for the rest of the day—maybe even the rest of the night, especially if it will get my mind off of Jules.

  “Don’t worry. I’m a patient man,” he whispers. “But once I have you, I have you.” His eyes are still soft but I know that he means it. “I’ll see you soon, Alexandria,” he whispers. A soothing chill pours through me, like warm syrup on pancakes, and I nod like a little girl with a bucket-load of candy. “Goodness you have the prettiest green eyes I have ever seen,” he murmurs, lowering his arm and staring into my irises. “It’s like I’m looking through green glass.”

  That’s not the first time I’ve heard that but the heat and blood still rushes to my cheeks.

  “I should get going. I’ve had a fine time with you.”

  “I did too,” I breathe. He smiles then releases his hold from around me. I watch as he trails off but before he makes his way around the corner, he stops to look back at me.

  “Don’t be surprised if you receive a little gift from me tomorrow.” I tilt my head with dumbstruck eyes. What could that possibly mean? I fix my mouth to ask but he has already disappeared around the corner and the door has clicked shut.

  THE CROSS

  It’s three in the afternoon and the coffee shop is pretty busy. After helping the last customer in line, I finally feel like I can take a breather. I sigh as I lean against the counter but as I do, Chris steps out of his office.

  “Alexandria, there’s something here for you,” he says, looking from me to the small black jewelry box that is sitting in the palm of his hand. I frown as I spot the box but then I remember what Felix had told me last night: “Don’t be surprised if you receive a little gift from me tomorrow.”

  Now that I think back on it, I am surprised. How does he know where I work? I meet up with Chris and his eyes don’t drift away from me. “Don’t tell me,” he starts with a broad g
rin. “You’ve gone on a date with that hot guy?” I press my lips together as I reach for the tiny box.

  “Well, the guy that I went out with was hot, but it wasn’t Jules,” I say with a faint shrug.

  Chris frowns. “Geesh, Alexandria, I said you were beautiful but I wasn’t expecting you to get a swelled head.” He folds his arms.

  “Chris, it’s not like that. I don’t think that guy was that interested in me,” I lie.

  “I sure couldn’t tell,” he mutters. “He had his eyes all over you. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he were to kiss you.” I roll my eyes then reach for the small silver card that is attached to the box.

  Alexandria, I had a lovely evening with you yesterday.

  I hope for many more to come. And to show my appreciation, I got you a little something.

  - Felix

  Chris gasps while peeking over my shoulder. “Felix? Who is Felix?” he asks, narrowing his blue eyes.

  “Just a guy,” I say shyly but my attention doesn’t drift from the box. I begin to open it and I can pretty much feel Chris breathing down my neck. Man he can be such a nosey bother. I finally take the lid off of the tiny jewelry box and inside of it is the prettiest necklace that I have ever seen. The chain is silver and hooked to it is a finger-length cross that is engraved with sapphire red and black jewels. I pull the necklace out of the box completely, tossing the box on the counter behind me as Chris lets out an exaggerated gasp.

  “It’s beautiful!” he chimes as he watches me examine it. “What did you do, give him some ass on the first date?”

  I spin around quickly to face Chris while biting back on a laugh. “Chris, I am not like that!” I say, shocked by his remark. “I guess he just really likes me.”

  He purses his lips. “Yeah, tell it to someone who hasn’t seen it all,” he scoffs while folding his arms and rolling his eyes again. I giggle as I return my attention to the necklace. It really is beautiful. I wonder why he chose a cross of all things, though. I smile gleefully then hand it to Chris.