Alluring Promises Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Josie Bordeaux

  I WAS HAVING this weird dream. I was stuck in a dark building with nothing but hallways. Thick, humid air made it tough to breathe and around every corner, it felt like someone was watching me. Something brushed up against my leg and I jumped.

  My eyes sprang open. Breathing heavy, my heart raced furiously and I tried to catch my breath as I stared at the ceiling. That sense that someone was there kept surrounding me. I blinked, still staring at the ceiling with my heart pounding out of my chest. I inhaled deeply and shook my head, thankful to be in my room and relieved that was just a dream.

  I lowered my eyes and began to scan the room as my breathing finally leveled out. I still had that weird feeling that someone was watching me. My eyes filtered through the room and I squinted when I swore I could have seen a shadow outlined by the moonlight filtered through my blinds.

  I bolted to my knees. Sheer panic flooded me and I threw my arm up to protect myself. Adrenaline pumped hard and I was ready to beat the shit out of whatever was in my room.

  “It’s just me,” Aub whispered, her voice cut through the silence and shot goosebumps all over my skin. The fact that someone really was in my room shot a new wave of fear through my body, even if it really was just Aub. I squinted my eyes to see a shadow of her sitting crossed legged on the corner of my bed.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” I yelled at her, making her jump up to standing. I quickly clicked on my bedside light. Who the fuck does that? She was just sitting there. Doing what?

  “I…I’m sorry” Her voice quivered as she seemed to try to make up some stupid excuse. Her eyes darted around the room and she shifted her weight back and forth. Was she nervous that she’d been caught? “I guess I should have warned you when we moved in together. Vanessa was always used to it, so it never crossed my mind to talk to you about it.”

  She had to be lying. Who the hell doesn’t think it’s odd to stare at someone while they slept? My heart was still pounding. My chest seemed to be completely out of control because I couldn’t catch my breath. Hell, even my hands were shaking. She’s a fucking psycho. I have a psycho for a roommate? Fucking hell! And this girl was awesome in bed and I’ve been trying to fuck her again? Screw that.

  “You’re fucking nuts,” I yelled as I grabbed my boxers off the edge of the bed, rushing to put them on under the sheet.

  She started to walk around the bed toward me. “No, no. I’m really not. I mean, sort of. I guess I am. I…I wasn’t going to hurt you.” Now she was standing at the foot of my bed, almost begging me to understand whatever it was she was trying to tell me.

  I still had so much adrenaline firing through my blood that I couldn’t concentrate. I stood up now that I had something protecting my manhood. I wasn’t about to have the crazy woman try to get on the bed with me. That was something I never thought I’d think about Aub.

  “Then what the fuck were you doing?” I couldn’t help my arms flailing around. I was pissed from being woken up and, shit, from her watching me.

  “I was just…I.” She took a deep breath as I stood there staring at her in the middle of the night. “I just like…watching others…sleep,” She finally sputtered out her explanation; a lame one at that.

  “You sneak into my fucking room and just watch me sleep? No wonder I’ve been sleeping like shit. Jesus, Aub!”

  She whispered, “I’m sorry. I know it sounds weird.”

  “Weird?” I shouted at her. “You sound fucking deranged.” She nodded and I caught a shimmer from the corner of her eye. She turned quick and darted out of my room.

  I was still trying to catch my breath as I began to pace. “Fucking watching me sleep. What the fuck?” I muttered out loud to no one. Or was there someone else in my room? I looked around quickly just to make sure, then shook my head. Fucking crazy bitch. I agreed to her moving in with me. Willingly. Of course, willingly. I reminded myself how badly I want to drill her again.

  I heard sobs from the other room. Shit. I’m not going to feel guilty. She was watching me sleep. Who the hell does that? A crazy ass bitch, that’s who.

  More sobbing echoed through the apartment.

  Shit. I walked out to the living room and realized she was in her room. I’m not going in there. She was watching me sleep. Why wouldn’t I yell at her? Who does that?

  More sobbing.

  Nope. Not going in there, I tried to convince myself. I paced back and forth trying to put this together. How many nights had she done that? I remembered how tired I’ve been and couldn’t figure out why. Well, shit. Now I know why. Fucking psycho, “no double dip” was stalking me during the night.

  I walked back into my room to escape hearing her bawling. Pacing the floor again, I heard the front door open and close. I wasn’t going to feel guilty about this, but somehow my gut was reacting differently.

  She watches people sleep. She always works out. That phone call to her guy last night where she was talking about two other guys. It’s gotta be an orgy thing. But she doesn’t sleep and watches people.

  What if she’s a vampire? That’s why she doesn’t double dip. So no one would find out her secret. I pulled out my laptop to start doing some research since I couldn’t go back to sleep now. I might as well find out if she was a vampire. Or something else.

  “YOU YELLED AT HER?” Vanessa screamed at me.

  It was the next morning and after making sure my door was locked, I’d fallen asleep researching vampires. When I came out this morning, Aub’s door was open and she was gone. I knew she was headed to her boyfriend’s today. I wondered if she watches him sleep too. Or maybe he’s a vampire too and they just sit around staring at each other all night. Now I sound paranoid.

  I came over to Matt and Vanessa’s so I could ask if she knew about this too. No one warned me. You’d think someone would warn the new roommate about something so fucking weird.

  “Of course I did! Why wouldn’t I? Who the hell stares at people when they’re sleeping, except crazy people?” I yelled back at her. I tried to be calm about it all, but if she knew about this and didn’t tell me, it really annoyed the hell out of me.

  The glare Vanessa shot me would normally make me back down; however, not this time. She was protecting her crazy friend and knew about this. And didn’t tell me! “She just needs…”

  “So she used to do that to you too? You didn’t think it was crazy? You didn’t think to warn me?”

  She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together as if she were trying to calm down. “No. I…well, I admit it’s a little odd, but…”

  “Odd? Walking around with your shirt on backwards is odd. This? This is fucking nuts. Explain it to me. Because I feel like it’s nuts.”

  “Wait a minute,” Matt chimed in. He pulled in his brows and questioned her sanity. “She used to watch you? Has she watched us sleep?”

  “Oh God,” she exclaimed as she rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Would you two just calm down. It’s not that big of a deal. And no, she never watched us. She used to come in and watch me, or lay down next to me. It just helps calm her. I don’t know why. She’s never opened up to me, but something happened to her and she gets nightmares. Really bad ones. For some reason, seeing someone peacefully sleep helps her after she’s had a nightmare.”

  “She’s a vampire. I’m convinced of it,” I blurted out. Both looked at me like I was crazy, but that was the only real explanation. “People who have nightmares do not go around staring at people while they sleep. Vampires do.” I looked at both of them knowing I had to be right. “Think about it. She barely eats. She works out all the time. She’s sexy as hell.” I turned to Matt, knowing he’d support me on this one. “I mean, vampires are hot, right?” He was smiling, nodding his head in agreement. How can you not?

  “You’re an idiot. A serious idiot. That’s what you come up with? A vampire?” Vanessa was staring at me. It was that same hateful look she always gives me. Whatever. She’s the one who’d been living with a vampire all these years.

  �
��Wait a minute. Go back. Did you say that she used to lay down with you? Like in bed?” Matt was smiling huge now. I know he wants to see Vanessa and Aub together. What guy wouldn’t?

  “No. It’s not at all what you think. I actually used to fall back asleep. She just…stares.”

  “How the hell do you go back to sleep when someone is staring at you? I’ve been restless since she moved in and no wonder why!”

  “Can we talk about Aubrey maybe sleeping with us? I mean, if it helps her sleep, I’m all about helping out a friend,” Matt insisted.

  Vanessa rolled her eyes and smacked Matt on the arm. Walking toward the kitchen she yelled back, “You’re both ridiculous!”

  I leaned in knowing Vanessa couldn’t see us from the kitchen. “I’m really serious, Matt. I think she might be a vampire. She’s gotta be.” Raising my hand to my chin I scratched my scruff. “There’s gotta be a way to find out what she’s really up to. What if her boyfriend is really some Vampire lord or something?”

  Matt started laughing and flopped down onto the couch. He picked up the remote and began flicking through channels. “Go visit Alex. She’s in the same city. See if you can follow her around or something. While you’re there, find out more about this guy she’s seeing. Vanessa’s worried about her.”

  I nodded. “That fits in with her being a vampire.” The fantasies started rolling in. Aub in a sexy tight dress, strolling through a dark club with the bass thumping loud; her hips swaying as she walked through tons of hot vampires dry humping each other on the dance floor. Man, she would be perfect for that.

  “Clark!” Vanessa yelled snapping my mind from that fantasy. Dammit. It was good too.

  “What?”

  “Don’t let her know you’re following her, but I do want to know who she’s seeing.” I nodded, noting the worry on Vanessa’s face about her friend. My intent was to prove I wasn’t crazy for thinking Aub is a vampire.

  A sexy fucking vampire.

  Yeah, I’d tuck that little fantasy away for later.

  I LEFT their apartment and shot a text to Alex to see if he’d mind me coming down for the weekend. He replied that it’d be great to hang out together again. I didn’t mention my real reason. I had enough people thinking I’m crazy. I would just go down and hang out for the weekend and say I was visiting a friend when I wanted to search for her.

  I was a little excited about this. It would be like detective work. I always wanted to be a private investigator when I was little—clearly that desire was me wanting to find out where my mom ran off to. I dismissed that thought and refocused. Sneaking around and finding out stuff about other people would be really cool. I couldn’t wait to find out what Aub is really up to. Maybe she really is a vampire.

  I went to work and started asking my co-workers if they think vampires exist, hoping someone would have studied them since all those vampire movies came out. Unfortunately, no one researched vampires or believed they existed. Chelsea was convinced Aub just has insomnia. Figures. A womanly excuse. They all stick together.

  How was I going to figure out where her boyfriend lives? She never gave me any hints.

  After work, I went into her room and started snooping just like a PI would. There were bank statements on her desk with her name and some other guy’s name on it. Gregory DuBois of DuBois Acquisitions. That name struck a bell and I tried to remember where I’ve seen it before. I’d Google it later.

  I stared at the bank account’s balance. Wow. She’s going straight for a rich one, I thought to myself. Close to five hundred G’s. I whistled out loud and then quickly looked around to make sure no one was here. Ever since I caught Aub staring at me sleeping, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched.

  I grabbed the statement and started to walk over to Matt and Vanessa’s apartment, but stopped short. For some reason, Aub didn’t want to tell Vanessa anything about her new guy. I wasn’t sure why she didn’t want her to know, so for now I’d continue to keep her little secret.

  I walked back into our apartment and put the bank statement back where I found it, taking a picture of the address for Gregory DuBois. It was probably his business address, but at least it was somewhere to start.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Aubrey

  I ARRIVED at Gregory’s apartment filled with anxiety. Not only did my fight with Clark remind me how crazy I am, but Gregory was going to see my new “look” and I wasn’t sure if he would approve. With my nightmares returning in full force and an entire weekend with Gregory looming over me, I was on edge. Add in meeting his parents on Sunday, and I was a complete basket case.

  I looked down at my hand and realized I forgot to put my ring back on. I reached into my clutch and pulled out the gorgeous ring. The beautiful emerald cut, with large baguettes on each side, was not really something I would have chosen for myself; however, the fact that Gregory had picked it out for me meant the world to me. As I slipped it onto my finger, I watched the rays of light glitter through the room. I tilted my hand back and forth like a little girl would to see the light reflect onto the walls. I pressed my finger over the emerald cut diamond and rubbed the smooth surface, which caused a surge of happiness within me. I’m engaged. I’m engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors in this city. So what if it wasn’t out of love? It could still happen. Gregory could fall in love with me at any time.

  And then what?

  My mind drifted back to Clark yelling at me about being a freak. What if Gregory and I start sleeping together and he caught me watching him? I guess if we were in bed together, it wouldn’t be so weird. Or noticeable. I’d have to advance our relationship to the next level just to be able to watch him sleep. If I slept with him, it wouldn’t be so apparent, right?

  I laughed at how odd that sounded—being engaged but not sleeping together.

  “Hello!” I called out, unsure if Gregory was home or not. I startled when his office door flew open and a very attractive man came stalking out. The man seemed to be on a warpath and my heart beat fast as he continued toward me. My eyes flicked passed the man when Gregory appeared in the door frame, obviously upset with whatever their discussion was. The man brushed passed me, his expensive cologne filled my nostrils before he walked into the open elevator. I turned just as the doors closed and noticed the man’s eyes burned with anger.

  Snapping my head back to Gregory, the look of disappointment and frustration was obvious on his face. I couldn’t help but wonder who that man was as his overpowering scent lingered in the air. Gregory’s expression changed as his eyes took me in from head to toe. A small smile formed in approval making my heart soar instead of beating out of fear.

  “Wow,” he said as he walked toward me. “You looked amazing before, but…” In the wake of the man and all my questions, I completely forgot about my new hairstyle. Gregory seemed to be at a loss for words, which made me blush and smile at the same time.

  “Thank you.” I placed a lock of hair behind my ear. “I was hoping you’d approve.”

  “Approve?” He stood in front of me as he ran his hands under my new long locks. “I wish you had done this before our engagement pictures.” My smile fell. Crap. I’d picked the wrong time to do this. “No, it’s okay. You look great. I’m thinking we should have our pictures done over again, if I can get the photographer over here soon. Maybe we’ll have them redone with my parents or something.”

  The nervousness returned just as quick as it had left. The mention of meeting his parents made my heart drop and the anxiety I had on the drive over returned. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to his office. The feel of his large hand clutching mine gave me comfort. His scent followed him and quickly replaced the obnoxious one the stranger had left just moments ago.

  Standing in this luxurious room made me feel like a little girl because it was so overwhelming. Wood was everywhere. Beautiful dark, rich wood bookcases lined the walls with leather bound books. A huge desk took up most of the space with an equally impressive high-back leather c
hair. I glanced over to the Merlot colored leather couch where we had our pictures done after he proposed. Well, he hadn’t really proposed, he actually just handed me the ring.

  “Here. This is the one that will be submitted to the papers with our engagement announcement.” He handed me the eight by ten photo. He was right about that dress. The lace floor length black gown he had talked me into wearing was even more beautiful from this angle. The lace fabric was open, showcasing my bare back with me looking toward the photographer. My leg showed just the right amount to look tastefully sexy. The smile that stared back at me in the photo showed exactly how I felt that day. I studied the photo and noticed Gregory didn’t hold the same happiness. Maybe it was just in my mind. I mean, he is supposed to look very business-like. Perhaps that was the look he was going for.

  “Where are the other ones?” I felt the need to see if his eyes told the same story in all the photos. He reached for a file and handed it to me. I placed it on his desk and began to sift through them. In every one of the photos, he held the same stern expression. His eyes stared back at me, lifeless and unhappy.

  “They’re good, aren’t they?” He asked while smiling at me. I nodded in agreement and dismissed my thoughts. Taking them from my hand, he placed them back on his desk. Then he did something he never does. He placed his hands on my arms and began rubbing them up and down while looking me in the eye. Such a simple movement, but it seemed so intimate. Just the same as Clark had done outside of Allure the night I was cold. This time it was Gregory who gave me the chills.

  I swallowed as I looked up to meet his eyes. His affection stopped and then his hands gently squeezed. His thumb strummed my arm and I licked my lips in anticipation, hoping that this little bit of intimacy was enough for him to kiss me.

  “Ready for tonight?” His cocoa eyes were lit up with excitement and all my senses burned with a tingling sensation.

  “More than ready,” I teased. He shook his head and chuckled.