“No. Leave, Drake. You’re not the man I thought you were.”
Those words gutted him even more than having her think he didn’t care. No one knew him like Antonia. He’d shared himself with her as much as he could. There were people in his life he didn’t trust anywhere near the way he trusted her. Only Ben and Kent knew him better but they’d been with him for more years than Antonia’s age. “Please let me explain.”
“I can’t. Not right now.” She pointed at the door and this time tears tracked silently down her face.
Drake brushed a thumb over one and she flinched. Despite his growing anger and fear, he accepted her wishes for him to leave. He couldn’t handle Antonia crying. He wanted to fix it. Assure her that he’d planned to tell her about his identity and much more but she wasn’t in any shape to listen.
Drake grabbed up his shirt, jamming his arms in the sleeves. He picked up his boots but stopped and turned at the door. “I’ll leave, sweetheart but we will talk about this later.”
She could bet on it.
Chapter 12
It was difficult but Toni forced herself to go out on another sight seeing excursion. This was her vacation and she couldn’t let the fall out from Drake ruin the trip for her. The residents of Magic seemed to all sense her mood. It was nice to be greeted by friendly smiles when she reached the lobby of the inn, warm hellos when she hit the front outside and enthusiastic waves from everyone she passed on the street.
Distracted, her steps led her to the ever changing statue in front of the library at the center of town. Today, the statue posed in a squat, one hand braced on his hip and the other palm to the ground as if maintaining his balance. Toni studied it in bemusement and wondered how the artist managed the trick. The life-sized man coated in bronze appeared lifelike and she had visible proof in the form of pictures on her cell to the changing positions.
Her phone dinged and after a brief hesitation, Toni pulled it out of her purse. Seeing Chrissy’s name, she answered. “Hey, Chrissy.”
“Do you need help burying the body?”
Toni snickered and took a seat on a small concrete bench set to the side but in full view of the main entrance to the library. “No deaths occurred during or after your reveal.”
“Jokes aside, I’m sorry to spring the news on you. I thought you had to know and maybe you were pulling my leg when you sent the picture and didn’t add any comment.”
If only. “Don’t worry. I’m not mad at you at all, Chrissy. I guess I’m still stuck on the fact that he never told me and there was time before we…I mean you know.”
“You did sleep with him!”
Even amidst her misery Chrissy left her smiling. “Well, I don’t know if what we did would count as only sleeping per se.”
Chrissy squealed and Toni had to pull the phone away from her ear grinning. “You’re forgetting that he kept his identity a secret.”
“Oh right, Booooo! But seriously, scale of one to ten. Give me a bone. And not the one Drake gave you.”
Toni rolled her eyes. “That right there is why I shouldn’t answer. Have you no consideration for my feelings right now?”
“You know I do, Toni but its Drake freaking Winston. Come on. Share a little,” her friend wheedled.
Toni gave in. “Fine. He’s a twelve.”
“I die.”
Reluctantly, Toni chuckled then jerked. “What the hell?”
Chrissy’s voice became instantly serious. “What’s wrong?”
Toni stared. “I think the town statue just tipped its chin at me and smirked.”
Squinting, Toni would place money that the look on the statue’s face had been one of deep contemplation earlier. Now it smirked. Was she seeing things?
“That makes no sense at all, Toni and let’s me know you’ve been out in the desert too long or Drake’s sex was so good it fried your brain.”
“You don’t understand.” How could she? Toni didn’t want to believe it. “There is something really weird about this town. The other day a lady joked that she lived here to keep her son safe because he’s a vampire like his daddy.”
Chrissy exhaled loudly. Toni could practically see the typical Chrissy look of disbelief. “Please tell me you’re not drinking the water.”
“Okay, it sounds strange but that’s exactly what I’m talking about. There’s a statue in front of the library and everyday it’s in a different position.”
“You are drinking the water.”
Toni stood and pulled on her hair. “Fine, it’s crazy. Might make for an interesting book one day.”
Chrissy made a non-committal noise. “When are you coming back? I miss you.”
Originally Toni planned to stay for two weeks but that was before Drake dragged her heart through the ringer. In hindsight, she could understand his need to be secretive but she’d shared so much of herself with him. Trusted him with details of her daily life without hesitation when she thought they had a true friendship. To find out he didn’t extend her the same courtesy hurt and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise no matter how silly that made her sound.
“Maybe sooner. It might be best to cut my trip short and use the rest of my vacation lounging at home and stuffing my face with ice cream and a candy bar or two.” Maybe five if they were the minis.
“In solidarity of the sisterhood, I support whatever you decide as long as I’m invited to the food-fest.”
Toni hugged the phone to her ear. “Thanks for being a great friend, Chrissy. I mean it.”
“You’d do the same. Now no more sappy talk.”
They chatted and laughed more though Toni refused to give Chrissy additional details about Drake for what she called her spank reel.
***
In his room, Drake flung his boots to the floor and checked his wards at the door. As he thought, they hadn’t been touched. Not the slightest sign of gummy texture or stickiness. He frowned, unable to figure out the missing piece. Why here? Why now?
And why the hell did Antonia have to find out who he was now? The hurt on her face was too much to take in. He had no one to blame but himself. He’d known from the beginning she wasn’t like the women in his past. Nothing about Antonia mirrored those spoiled gold diggers. At Simon’s he’d made the decision to tell her everything. He also fully intended to let her know he wanted her for far more than a vacation night together. Unfortunately, someone revealed the news of his identity before he could.
His phone buzzed as Drake crossed to the window and checked the wards there as well. “Winston.”
“Not much longer and you’ll be back where you belong.” Ben sounded pleased and irritated at the same time.
Not addressing the comment, Drake outlined the bright flare of red magic and said, “Get Kent to go underground and comb the sites. I want to know if there’s anything pinging on me.”
Ben’s voice shifted into a serious tone, giving Drake his full attention. “I’ll message him now. What’s going on?”
The window wards checked out fine. “I’m not sure. Trying to figure out how someone found me here in Magic, New Mexico.”
“Impossible,” Ben countered without hesitation. “It’s the last place anyone would think of for you.”
That’s what Drake had thought at one point but his senses weren’t mistaken. A rare otherworld being was on his trail and he needed to know how and why. “Trust me when I tell you I’m not wrong on this, Ben.”
The muttered curse was filthy and a throwback to a long ago century. “You need to come back to New York. With your magic unstable you’re at risk.”
Drake gritted his teeth and stepped away from the window. “I can protect myself, Ben.”
“In the past—yes. If your magic wasn’t fucked to hell and back—yes. Right now—no.” A heavy pause followed by another curse. “I should fly out.”
Just what he needed—an over protective Berserker loose in the small town scrutinizing everyone as if they were out to harm Drake. “No. I’m only here another
day or two and then I’ll be back.”
“Are your wards still holding at least?”
Drake shoved a hand through his hair. “Yes and before you ask I think my magic is settling.”
Power stirred beneath his skin but instead of the erratic pulses of recent weeks, it felt familiar, balanced. Drake clenched his fingers tight. Another rush of magic filled his veins. More than he’d felt in the last month and a half.
“Settling as in working? Consistently? I don’t need to tell you how dangerous it is for you to stay away where Kent and I can’t reach you quickly if something happens.”
“Just let me know what your brother finds.” Drake ended the call, not interested in Ben’s worries. He had enough of his own.
The next call Drake decided to make was to Simon. He might need the werewolf’s help. Then he needed to convince Antonia to give him a chance to make things right.
Chapter 13
After Toni had time to think, she decided she’d overreacted. Drake had every right to protect himself. He should have disclosed his identity before they’d had sex but maybe if she was in his position she would have hesitated to reveal such important information too.
She read tabloids and visited the social sites following celebrities as much as the next person. It was interesting in a train wreck sort of way to know about the inner workings of the rich and famous. She’d never seen pictures of the Drake Winston having no interest in the financial business world but she heard things. His company was too huge for her to be oblivious.
Which brought her back to an undeniable fact. He could have any gorgeous woman he wanted and probably had. Toni pushed at her hair and yanked the length into a pony tail. But that wasn’t the Drake she knew. At no point did he ever make Toni feel less during their chats and in the last two days he’d made her feel beautiful. Desirable.
All of that pointed to at least listening to his explanation. The possibility of something more developing between them might no longer be an option but she wouldn’t throw away their friendship so quickly. Thinking about it made her breath catch in her throat. This trip had been needed for many reasons but none more important than meeting her wicked gamer in person for the first time. Toni swallowed. In some ways he was everything she’d imagined. Her phone buzzed before she became too maudlin.
She didn’t recognize the number on the screen of her phone but decided to answer anyway. “Hello?”
Static followed a prolonged silence. She paused and checked the screen to make sure the call was still connected. “Drake?”
Nothing and then the call died. Next a text from the same number flashed.
‘Something’s wrong with my phone. I wanted to meet and talk. Please.’
She didn’t have his number since they always chatted through a message program. Her shoulders eased and her thumbs flew as she responded. ‘I didn’t recognize the number, Drake. Why didn’t you use our chat window?’
‘Can you meet me in the lobby?’
She frowned, not expecting the abrupt response. ‘Is this your way of apologizing?’
The curser blinked and Toni waited with baited breath. What was taking him so long? One word popped up.
‘Yes.’
She chewed her bottom lip then after a slight hesitation responded. ‘Okay.’
‘I’ll be there in 15.’
Toni made it downstairs in ten, fully prepared to hear him out. Her initial outrage had faded and now she wanted to talk it out and salvage their friendship. She sent Chrissy a text while she waited and received a frowny face emoticon.
Antonia sat in the lobby wearing denim capri pants that made her calves look athletic. Her multicolored four inch heels added a pop of color and the scooped neck top in white completed the casual but cute look she was going for. Patrons walked in and out but Drake never showed for their meet.
He had stood her up.
She tried not to let it bother her. Maybe something came up. Maybe he got distracted by his work but she checked her phone and didn’t have any cancellation messages from him. He was online though. The blinking name in the corner of the chat window showed that wicked gamer was plugged in.
Toni considered sending a teasing message in case he’d forgotten but something held her back. Twenty minutes passed, then thirty.
“Are you waiting for someone, dear?”
Toni looked up into a kind face. She’d been waiting for an hour. Her eyes burned and she had to swallow twice to get past the lump in her throat when the woman with a darling little girl asked the question.
“No. No, I’m fine, thanks.”
Humiliated and sick at heart, Antonia made her way back to her room. She came up with a dozen excuses and reasons for why Drake didn’t show. Magic wasn’t exactly a big place and they were staying in the same inn but pride kept her from pushing or searching for his room. Her thoughts churned. She’d been a fool to think someone like Drake would actually want to spend time with someone like her.
He was a high powered businessman and she was a lowly University employee. He lived in New York and she lived in Florida. They were worlds apart. And he’d gotten what he wanted. Sex. But why did he text to meet and talk?
Toni thought back over their dinner, the shared lunch. He’d taken her to meet his friends. He was the one who pushed for each of their times together. He knew she was going to Magic for a two week vacation. Drake stated he was going too. She’d instigated the initial invite thinking of nothing more than meeting. Antonia had been excited. Thrilled.
Of course seeing her in person was a lot different. Maybe he asked her out because he’d felt guilty. In his mind had he envisioned her as a sexy slip of a woman who wore suits to work and sipped wine over meals? If so, she didn’t live up to the image. Toni loved jeans and a good glass of iced tea.
Then there was the sex. He’d pursued her. Could he fake the passion between them? She couldn’t, wouldn’t accept that. Her phone chimed and Toni realized she gripped the device tightly between her fingers. Hoping for a message from Drake? A quick glance dispelled the notion.
“Hey, Chrissy,” she said.
Music blared in the background before cutting off abruptly. “It’s evening time in New Mexico, tell me everything. How did it go? Did he beg your forgiveness and get naked to wrestle you to the bed?”
Toni’s chuckle broke on a sob in the middle. “N-no.”
“Toni, what happened? Do you need me to come out?”
And that was the sign of a real friend. Chrissy didn’t have the money for airfare to New Mexico but she’d charge a ticket to her credit card so fast if she thought Toni needed her.
Swiping a hand beneath her tearing eyes, Toni kicked off her stunning shoes from a clearance sale and sat on the edge of the bed. “No. Just got a little weepy because Drake didn’t show after saying he wanted to talk about everything. Nothing to make a big deal over really.”
Although, Toni was making a very big deal over it.
“It is a big deal. He lied to you, Toni. I know you liked him but sometimes these things don’t work out. People pretend to be one way online and then you meet them and they’re total douches.”
Toni snickered and flopped back on the bed. “It’s my fault anyway. I think I built him up in my head to be some heroic figure. I liked him a lot and when we met and things clicked it was as if all my dreams came true.”
The amazing sex didn’t hurt either. Too bad her feelings seemed to be one sided.
“Well, at least you’re away from creepy Tommy.”
Toni groaned. She’d forgotten about him. “Thomas. He likes to be called Thomas.”
“Who cares what he likes? The guy’s a freak. Who stalks a girl after three dates?”
Toni bit her bottom lip. All true. She didn’t want to think about Thomas though. Only Drake and his failure to show occupied her mind. “You’d think I’d be used to it.”
“What, honey? Use to what? You’re officially worrying me,” Chrissy said, her voice rising.
> “Being stood up. I mean it happened a lot in college and even when I did those online dating services. Sometimes guys just didn’t show but…but I didn’t expect that from Drake. I thought we were friends,” Toni blubbered as she broke down.
“You’re beautiful, Toni and he’s a jerk if he can’t tell.” Chrissy’s panic translated through the line but her use of the same compliment as Drake made Toni cry harder.
The wretched tears lasted another five minutes as Toni acknowledged a deep seated truth. She’d wanted Drake to like her when they met. She’d hoped he’d be as taken with her as she was with him. Having sex with him and the powerful attraction they couldn’t deny had been the icing on a very sweet cake to her. Then she’d discovered his lies and been willing to forgive him only to have him prove to be even more of a liar. How could she have been so wrong about someone?
“Thanks for listening, Chrissy.” Toni sniffed and pulled herself together. “I think I’m going to soak in the tub, have a glass of wine or three and then go to sleep.”
***
Drake returned to the inn feeling better and more secure about keeping Antonia safe if he had to return to New York. After his last minute visit to Simon, his friend promised to use his considerable resources and see if any of Drake’s business competitors were using magical means to come after him. Between Ben, Kent and Simon whoever thought to sneak up on him would be very surprised.
His steps slowed as he neared Antonia’s door. Their rooms were located around the corner from one another which he’d discovered when they slept together the first time. He raised his hand to knock and paused. It was late. What if she was asleep? The driving need to see her and fix whatever misconception she had about them decided him. He knocked on the door and waited.
Footsteps from inside whispered across the floor and her voice came to him crystal clear on the other side of the wood barrier. “Hello?”
At least she didn’t open it without checking. “Antonia, it’s me. We need to talk.”
“Go away, Drake.”
Taste of Wicked Page 8