Sometimes wishes take a long time to come true and then again, sometimes they never do…but not tonight. Immediately, my wish is granted from the sweetest words I could ever imagine coming from her mouth.
“Teach me to love, Lucas. Please, teach me to love again.”
I love you, my angel. You will love again.
Hugging her closer to me, we both fall asleep holding each other under the glittering sky that brought us together tonight.
Sebastian
I hated coming back home to Austin, but sometimes I had no other choice when it came to taking care of my company’s business. I’ve spent the past months as far away from this town as humanly possible. Just like Skylar, I ran when I had the chance and have not looked back.
My life is a fucking joke. All I do is work from hotel suites as I travel abroad on business. Women throw themselves at me everywhere I go and I refuse them at every whim. Sure, it would be easy to go back to using them to forget her, but that’ll never happen. I will never forget her. Every part of me belongs to her and that will remain the same until the day I die.
I carry her ring around everywhere I go. Some part of me fantasizes that I’ll bump into her and we can go back to the way things were . . . to the way they’re supposed to be. We should be happily married as husband and wife now. I should be talking her into having the houseful of babies that she joked so much about having.
I take a deep breath and enter my penthouse apartment. Slowly, I turn on the light and look around the open space. She’s still everywhere I turn. I haven’t even allowed the housekeeper in here since she left. I can’t risk for her touch to be removed from any surface here. I pick up her blanket off the couch and inhale. Her fragrance is still there, but is so faint now, that I have to inhale several times to catch a hint of it. I collapse into the soft cushions and stare over at her smiling picture next to me.
Oh baby, please come back to me. I can’t live without you.
Lucas
We’ve been in Austin for almost a week now and I’ve watched her heal more and more every day. Kylie stopped by this morning at my place to visit her and take her out to lunch. She doesn’t go out much for fear that she’ll see Sebastian. Honestly, I want her to see him. I want her to realize that she doesn’t need him. I want her to come back into my arms and know that I’ll love her forever. I want her to choose me. I still don’t know what it is that he had done to her, but I want her to understand that I’ll never hurt her like he had. Never.
This past week has not been easy for me. Living with her right down the hall from me is a torturous heaven. Seeing her in my home is something I can never grow tired of. I want her here with me always.
There were many nights that I’d fall asleep just holding her. Nightmares of her past still occasionally haunt her sleep and I’d awaken to her screaming. It’s pure hell lying next to someone you want more than life itself, and knowing that they aren’t ready for that yet.
Sometimes I kiss away her tears. And often, our kissing becomes too heated, and I have to pull myself together in order to not do something that I’ll later regret doing. Right now, this is about so much more than sex. This is about loving her through all of the pain of her past. This is about one day having my beautiful angel loving me back. This is about a forever love.
Skylar
As Kylie and I walk into the downtown restaurant, I can’t help but look over my shoulder. Everywhere I go, I’m in panic of seeing Sebastian. It’s like he’s nowhere yet everywhere all at the same time.
“Will you calm down? I told you that Nik said that Sebastian isn’t even in town. He rarely flies back in on business here and when he does, he never even lets Nik know until he’s already gone,” Kylie tries to calm me.
“I know, I know. You’re right,” I say and she smiles back at me. I love my best friend so much, even though she gloats when she’s right. She talks and talks more about Nik. Love seeps from her pores in every word about him and I’m so happy to see her this way. She deserves it so much, especially after fighting to care about someone for so long. Maybe I need to take my own words to heart.
After an hour and a half long lunch that involved splitting two desserts, we’re giggling like teenagers again. Gosh, how I’ve missed this.
I listen to all kinds of graphic knowledge that my friend reveals. She doesn’t hold anything back when she talks about the new love in her life, and by “anything,” I think you know what I am referring to. “ . . . and Nik can do the most FUCKING A-M-A-Z-I-N-G things with his tongue babe. I swear the man is making me wet my panties here just thinking about him,” Kylie says a little too loudly when our waiter returns with our refills, causing him to almost spill them on the table.
“You are shameless, girl!” I say giggling as the waiter darts away.
“You don’t know just how shameless I am, babe! Nik and I . . . ” I cut her off before she continues.
“Girl! My ears can’t take hearing any more about you two and your sexcapades.”
“Oh, shut it! Like you and Mr. Drake haven’t been burning up the sheets.”
My face remains serious and I shake my head. I watch her mouth drop open. Did I mention that I love to shock the hell out of my best friend?
“You mean to tell me that you two have been around each other for almost five months now and haven’t fucked yet?” She asks, again too loudly, and the table of ladies next to us gapes over in our direction. I shake my head at my friend and ignore the looks they’re still giving us.
“No, Kyles. We haven’t. Lucas and I are not that way. Not yet anyway,” I add.
“Uh . . . and why the hell not?”
“He doesn’t think I’m ready yet. He’s right. I’m still not ready for something like that.”
“Not ready for sex? Oh give me a break! That vagina of yours needs some major attention and no man can resist a willing vagina for that long,” she says, again just in time for the waiter to hear as he takes our plates away.
“You’re going to get us banned from here, you know?” I tease her and she tosses her long hair back and laughs.
“Psssh! Like Nik would ever let that happen!” She says and I smile. Yes, love looks good on my friend. Damn good.
Just as we’re leaving, Kylie remembers that she left her phone on the table. I stay and wait for the attendant to bring Kylie’s new Camaro around to the front. Seems Nikolas loves his lady a lot and wants her to ride around in style.
Just as the attendant stops the car, I feel it. The air crackles with such a charge, I literally gasp for my lost breath. No. No. I challenge myself to look ahead and when I do I lock eyes with the one person I had feared seeing more than anything. Sebastian. I fight like hell to look away, but I can’t. I want to run to him. I want to feel him against me. He looks horrible and delicious at the same time. A small smile grows on one side of his mouth, and hope fills his sad eyes. What am I doing? The inner voice inside me screams at me, “He destroyed your life—don’t you remember?”
Kylie returns just as I’m turning to run back in the restaurant and I smack right into her, nearly knocking her over in the process. She steadies me and her eyes immediately become wide with concern.
“What the hell? Sky? What’s wrong?” She asks and I hold onto her trying to catch the breath that seeing him knocked out of me. Oh God! I can’t breathe!
“Sebastian . . . I just saw—” I gasp and then darkness finds me.
Sebastian
Everywhere I go, I see her. Skylar’s face is in every crowd. I even see her in my sleep. Now, I welcome the nightmares that had haunted me for years. At least in my dreams, I can steal a glimpse of her, even if it’s only for a brief moment. I’ve come accustomed to imagining her, but this time it isn’t my imagination. This time she’s real.
I had felt her immediately as I walked out of the restaurant from my business lunch. That bolt of energy literally zapped me backwards. When I see her, she knocks the breath out of my chest. I’m too afraid to move and ev
en more afraid to blink. What if she’s a dream? What if it really isn’t her after all?
She turns and looks up. I know she feels our connection. I know she’s being drawn to look up to me. When our eyes lock, everything in me seems to come life again. My heart finally feels like it’s beating. I can feel the life returning in my soul. My lips turn up into a hesitant smile and then she turns and bolts back toward the restaurant. I see Kylie talking to her and then I see Skylar drop to the ground.
Immediately I step forward and cross the busy street to get to her.
“Skylar! Someone call an ambulance! Skylar!” Kylie yells as I kneel down desperately to be near her.
“What happened? Skylar! Wake up baby! “ I beg as I continue calling her name. Kylie blocks my view of her and gives me a hateful look.
“This is all your fault, you fucking bastard. Get the fuck away from her before I call the police!” She yells but I refuse to move until I know she’s okay.
“Come on, girl, wake up!” She yells and I can see Skylar start to come around. Thank heavens!
“Kylie?” Skylar moans and I stand. “It can’t be him. It hurts,” she continues and I look down at her.
“Where do you hurt babe?” Kylie asks her.
“My heart . . . it’s broken,” she manages to say and I feel the words stab into me. I look at an enraged Kylie and then I stand up. I put one foot in front of the other and I walk away. She is terrified of me. She hates me. She’ll never forgive me. I’m the darkness that fills her soul.
But even darkness craves the light. I will forever crave her.
Somehow . . . someway, I’ll step out of the darkness and into her light again.
Lucas
I’m just finishing up a conference call when I get a chill. I can’t explain it, but it had been just a feeling of uneasiness. I dig out my cellphone and call Skylar just to check in on her and to see if everything is all right. I try three times, but always end up getting her voicemail. On my fourth attempt, I reach a frantic Kylie.
“Lucas, I’m driving her back to your place now. She passed out at the restaurant,” she says and my stomach drops.
“Is she alright? I’m on my way right now,” I say grabbing my keys out of my pocket and heading for the parking garage.
“She’s fine, Lucas. She doesn’t want to worry you,” she says.
“Why did she pass out? She needs to see a doctor, Kylie,” I demand.
“Lucas, I already insisted that she see one, but she declined the paramedics attempts to take her to the hospital,” Kylie continues.
“Paramedics? You mean an ambulance was called and she didn’t go on to the hospital?”
“Lucas, there is a large reason to her passing out. She spotted Sebastian while we were leaving and got so upset she just dropped into my arms.”
Anger overtakes me and I kick the wall nearest to me in the parking garage.
“I’m on my way, Kylie. I’ll meet you at my place,” I announce and end the call.
When I walk in the door, Skylar is sitting up on the couch with Kylie sitting beside her. She smiles at me when I walk in and drops her head down in embarrassment. I toss my keys on the nearby table and take a seat beside her.
“I’m sorry you rushed home on my account, Lucas. I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting to see him there.” Her words are filled with embarrassment and she avoids my eyes.
I kiss her on the forehead and Kylie looks at me with worry in her dark eyes.
“I’m going to be heading back home now, sweetie. If you need me, you call me, understand? I don’t care what time it is…if you need anything, you call me!” Kylie says and Skylar nods indicating that she understands.
Kylie leans in and gives her a long hug and then leaves. I’m not sure how to approach the subject of Sebastian, so I don’t. I’ll wait for her to mention it.
“I don’t want to talk about today anymore, alright? He doesn’t deserve any of the energy I’ve wasted already on him today,” she says with a defeated tone. I try to cheer her up by changing the subject to my news.
“I got a call from my mom today. She’s throwing a party at their house this Saturday and she wants us to come up and spend the weekend. Do you remember when I told you a long time ago that I wanted to show you something near the lake?”
“Yes,” she replies and forces a smile.
“Well, I really want you to come with me this weekend. Will you?” I plead.
“Do you really want me to come? I mean it’s your parent’s party. They might not . . . ” I interrupt her.
“Skylar, nothing would make me prouder than you being there with me. I want you to finally meet my family.”
She smiles shyly at me and then nods her head in agreement. “If you want me to come, then yes, I’ll be happy to come with you.”
I smile widely on the outside, but inside worry fills me. I only hope my sister won’t be joining us. She is a nasty brat when she chooses to be.
Skylar
The warm evening summer wind blows through my long dark hair as we make our way down the winding country road. Lush green fields and beautiful countryside is all around us. Sometimes when you’re in the city too much, you forget what’s just a few miles down the road.
Lucas sits behind the wheel of his beloved Aston Martin looking magnificent sporting his aviator glasses and St. Louis Cardinals hat. He turns and beams his killer smile at me and then mischievously slaps down the bill of my matching Cardinals hat. Lucas throws his head back against his leather headrest and laughs hysterically when he sees just how far down he had shoved the hat onto my head.
I love his laugh so much.
His laughter is contagious and I can’t help but join him as I begin adjusting the hat back into place. I turn and playfully stick my tongue out at him before reaching over and twisting his hat around backwards allowing part of his long sandy blonde hair to peek out the front hole. He surprises me by leaving the hat alone and grabbing for my hand. He lifts it up to his mouth and gently kisses it before rewarding me with another heart melting smile.
Damn, he looks hot!
He’s trying to distract me because he knows all too well that I’m nervous about meeting his family for the first time. I admit he helped me get my mind off it for a few minutes with his playful antics, but I’m still shaking like a leaf right now. Glancing over at Lucas, I can’t help but admire his carefree nature and I wished so much that I had the confidence he does. He never seems to worry about anything and takes life as it comes. I’d give anything to be able to just relax right now and enjoy this weekend getaway.
“We’re here,” he says pointing to the massive stone house on top of the rolling green field. I’m sure my mouth is gaping wide open as I take in the spectacular sight in front of me. By the time we make it up the winding driveway to the house, my nerves have hit overload. We’re supposed to be eating dinner soon and I’m afraid I’m going to throw up in this perfect house.
Why did he even bring me here? I don’t fit into this world. When is he ever going to realize this?
Lucas had talked me into coming along to a family event his parents were hosting this weekend. Now sitting in his car staring up at the massive mansion before me, I start wishing myself back to Lucas’ apartment with a tub of chocolate chip ice cream. Sensing my nerves, Lucas puts a hand on mine and squeezes.
“Relax gorgeous. I promise I won’t let them bite you on the first visit. Now as for me . . . ” he jokes and wiggles his eyes up and down, before leaning in to kiss my forehead. Lucas lifts our bags out of the back of his little silver car and heads around the front where a man who takes the bags from him meets us.
“Thank you, Robert,” Lucas says as he takes my hand and leads me up the steps. A beautiful woman to whom Lucas bears a striking resemblance greets us in the foyer with a huge beaming smile.
“Oh, sweetheart! I’m so glad you made it,” she says as she runs to hug Lucas’ neck. He laughs as he embraces her and winks back at me over his mom�
��s shoulder.
“Okay, Mom. You’re choking me,” he laughs and pretends to be gasping for air. She releases him and swats him on the back of the head.
“It serves you right for not coming to see your poor momma more often!” He chuckles as he rubs his head and I can’t help but laugh at the two of them.
“Skylar, I’d like you to meet my sweet abusive mother, Rebecca Drake,” Lucas proudly introduces his mom. Her eyes turn to me and her face ignites with a huge smile. There is no doubt where Lucas’ fabulous smile comes from.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Drake. Thank you so very much for having me this weekend,” I say shyly to her. As if she senses my uneasiness, she steps toward me and cups my cheeks gently and her green eyes brighten with revelation.
“My goodness! My son is right. Just look at you! Lucas, she’s simply stunning!” She says as she grabs my hands in hers.
“Thank you, Mrs. Drake,” I reply.
“Please, call me Rebecca, sweetheart. My son has spoken so much about you that I feel as if I already know you,” she says sweetly before wrapping her arms around me and squeezing tightly. Lucas is off to the side studying our interaction closely with a quiet smile on his face. I notice that his hypnotic eyes are out of focus. It’s as if he’s completely lost in his thoughts.
“I had them prepare your old room, Lucas. And Skylar, my dear, you’re in the guest room just across the hall from him. Everyone is outside on the patio if you’d like to join us after you get settled in. I just checked in on dinner and Connie says that it should be ready soon,” she informs us.
“We’re so glad you’re here with us, Skylar,” she says as she brings me in for another hug.
“You’re so good for him, sweetheart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy before,” she whispers in my ear and I feel my face begin to blush. She gently pats my cheek and walks out toward the patio door. Lucas smiles warmly at me and I try to compose myself. Tenderly, he takes my hand into his and entwines his fingers with mine as leads me up the beautiful wooden stairway and down the long hallway.
Thorneless (Rose of Thorne Series) Page 7