by Angel Lawson
Chapter 31
Grant
I looked up from my computer monitor just as Elijah entered my office. I'd heard him downstairs and even in heavy boots he managed the two flights of stairs quiet as a mouse. He was dressed to fight in all-black pants, military style, lined with deep pockets.
"Are you ready?" I asked, foolishly. Elijah was always ready. And strategically prepared. I think he missed his calling as a Boy Scout.
He eased into the chair across from me, stretching out his legs. "Yes. Everyone is arranged for tonight. We each have our positions between the Biltmore House and where the shifters take over. Basically we have this entire area of the state of North Carolina covered. You and Amelia should be able to attend the event without concern."
Elijah and I went over the plan again mentally, discussing how they would approach the night. The coven would travel in pairs, each having a specific job. During the charity event Ryan and Sebastian would stick close to the Biltmore Estate. Elijah and Olivia would patrol the expansive grounds, which included a winery. The desolate stretch between Black Mountain and Asheville fell to Miles, Genevieve and the Melungeon.
The situation with Caleb was my fault and I should be the one to take care of it. But the others had insisted we shouldn’t waste the high profile opportunity. Amelia and Joyce had made certain that news outlets heavily promoted my expected attendance at the fundraiser. I wanted Caleb to know where I would be. We all felt this was the perfect opportunity for Caleb or one of his men to show themselves. I had a suspicion Caleb wouldn’t be able to handle my night in the spotlight without raising a little chaos.
I wasn’t willing to use Amelia as bait, but I certainly would offer myself.
“I wanted to thank you for allowing Olivia the chance to get to know Amelia. It’s been really good for her.”
I rolled my eyes. “As though I have any control over your wife.”
“Whatever. You and I both know Olivia loves me but she worships you. Ever since the day you found her and brought her to the family.”
“We’ll it’s been 50 years. She should probably give it a rest.” I gave him a tight smile, hoping he’d drop the subject. “Do you think the girls are about ready?”
Olivia had insisted that she help Amelia get ready for the fundraiser. It was some sort of pre-event rite-of-passage they were both very excited about. Well, Olivia was excited. Amelia seemed to be humoring her. Regardless of the cause, I missed her being near me and I itched to get back in her presence. I consoled myself with the idea we would have the entire night together.
“So about tonight? Are you ready” he said. Something about his tone made me look up from my work on the desk to see his eyebrow quirked suggestively. I narrowed my eyes at Elijah trying to figure out what kind of shenanigans he was up to.
I sighed, fearful of whatever he was going to bring up. "Go ahead. Just say it."
"You and Amelia tainted the art room, you know."
Ah, there it was. I knew that would come back to haunt me.
“I think you’ll survive," I shot back.
Elijah shifted comfortably in his seat, crossing one of his legs lazily over the other before continuing his harassment. "Genevieve had to repair the couch. Although, I admit, she wasn't nearly as angry as I expected."
"Because I'm her favorite," I declared and felt a grin tug at my mouth at the thought of me, Amelia, and the art room.
Amelia had changed me that day in Asheville. She helped me realize so many things were possible. I had a life and a woman I adored. One who adored me in return. My family and I were separate and this was a good thing. A normal thing. We could exist apart and together all the same. That was how a normal family worked. I spent all those years running from everyone and everything. Pushing them away and isolating myself. I had behaved like a child and therefore they treated me like one in return.
That night, on the chaise lounge in my family home, Amelia taught me that I could overcome anything. That I could work through my fears, and with her caring and patience, all things were possible.
I brought my attention back to Elijah, who still had the trace of an annoying smirk on his face. There had to be more to his comment than talking about me and Amelia breaking furniture. I saw him swiftly reach into his pocket and he flung something in my direction. My hand instinctively popped up and caught the soft, square package in the air. Flipping my hand over, I looked at what he had thrown.
"A condom, Elijah?" I rolled my eyes in an attempt to hide my discomfort. This was useless of course, since I was trying to hide it from our resident empath. "Are you trying to get me to kick your ass?"
"Maybe," he answered cockily, always looking for a match. "But Ryan asked me to give that to you."
"Asshole."
Elijah laughed. "Right? Obviously it’s useless but it’s his way of telling you to be safe." He stood up and pulled a long strip of the shiny gold packets of out of his pocket and tossed them on the desk.
If I could blush, I'm sure I would have been the color of tomatoes, but this didn't matter as Elijah gave me a sympathetic glance. "I’m playing it safe. We both are."
“Did Sebastian tell you he’d leave if I stayed with Amelia?”
“I heard him and Ryan fighting about it,” he said.
“What do you think?”
“I think Sebastian has his own demons to overcome—something that you and Amelia have triggered to the surface.”
“She’s the one,” I said, feeling it in my heart.
"I know," he said sincerely. "You love her. And you desire her. But there is the powerful part inside of you that wants to drain her and you and I both know it’s a possibility. You can’t blame Sebastian for being concerned.”
“I’m going to do everything I can to maintain her humanity.” I pushed back in my seat, rubbing a hand over my face.
“You truly are stronger than the rest of us, Grant.”
"Olivia hasn't seen anything has she?" I asked, wondering him bringing this up was really a forewarning of some kind.
"No. She's consumed with Caleb and the fact they keep sending her false images. Other than watching for Amelia's safety, she's leaving you alone-like you asked."
Relieved, I gathered the condoms off the desk and shoved them in a drawer. "Okay, I need to get dressed.”
“Olivia said to wear the Armani,” Elijah said as he lifted himself out of the chair.
“I know. She sent me three texts and left a note in my dressing area. I just hope she remembers not to tell Amelia about the risks tonight. I just want her to have a good time.”
“I think that’s what she wants, too.”
"Please be careful tonight. This is not a game," I warned, still worried about not being there to assist. "Caleb has been quiet too long. I expect he’s growing weary of the cat and mouse of it all."
“We know. Do your job, take care of Amelia, and we'll handle the rest.”
Playfully I shoved him in the head and gave him a wide grin. I suspected this was going to be a big night for all of us.
Chapter 32
Amelia
A waft of steam evaporated from the back of my head. Olivia stood behind me, styling wand in her hand, meticulously straightening each strand of my hair.
"I smell burnt hair," I complained as I tried to catch her eye in the bathroom mirror. "Are you burning it?"
"No," she sighed in response. I wasn't being completely cooperative. It was pretty obvious both Drew and Olivia were getting tired of my behavior. It had been a long day and I had hours to go before it was all over.
When I woke up this morning, my nose was pressed to Grant's firm chest. I briefly wondered how long we had been this way, exactly when had I burrowed my way into his arms. I'd decided this was the best way to wake up in the morning and planned to continue it for as long as possible.
Realizing I was awake, Grant traced a pattern down the backs of my arms and allowed his fingers to hover near the hem of my shirt, occasionally grazing the s
kin with his fingers. Arching my back like a cat, I stretched and finally opened my eyes.
"Good morning," I whispered, my voice cracking with sleep.
"It is," he replied, blessing me with a smile so gorgeous if I had been standing my knees would have gone weak.
He was perfect. And I was perfectly ready to show him how I felt about him when the doorbell buzzed. In a matter of seconds, Olivia was outside the bedroom door.
“Really?” I grumbled.
“Impeccable timing,” he agreed.
Before we could protest, she pulled a shirtless, positively horrified Grant out of the bed, and dragged me out of the house to get ready for the night.
She took me to my apartment, which was currently unused by me or Drew. He was still staying at Jess', while I was at Grant’s, but it was nice to be back at our place even for just the day. In the bathroom I was scrubbed, plucked, tweezed, and painted. Now, hours later, hair and clothing were the only things left.
"No one is burning your hair,” Olivia said. "Drew laid out your dress and your shoes. I also …" She stopped, her eyes widening at the scowl on my face. "What is that about?"
"Nothing," I mumbled, pushing the thought of half-naked Grant out of my head and bringing my focus back on the present.
Olivia ignored my mood swings. "I also put the most beautiful cashmere wrap on the bed and I found this gorgeous beaded bag for you to carry."
"You didn't have to do all this Olivia—the dress was enough," I told her, embarrassed by the attention. Drew sat on a chair beside us watching us banter back and forth. He wasn’t really into all the girly-stuff going on but he and I hadn’t seen each other in a while. Plus, it was past time for him to meet Olivia.
Olivia was a tornado of movement. Flitting from place to place, adjusting makeup and hair pins or running to the other room to make sure my outfit was in order. "I do have to do this. Not only are you representing The Palmer Foundation tonight, you are representing my cousin, who has never been seen publicly in the company of a woman before." She paused, brushing her red hair over her shoulder. "Trust me, people are going to notice and I want you to look amazing." I nodded, pretending to understand the world of high society. I noticed a sharp grin on her face and she admitted, “I also want to make sure you rub it in those girl's faces from the office."
I groaned thinking about them. "For real. They’re the worst.”
“Oh, I left something in the car. I’ll be back,” Olivia said and abruptly left the room.
"I thought she’d never leave,” Drew said. “Obviously things have moved past a working relationship. Does he make you call him Mr. Palmer when you're together?"
"Drew! No!" I shouted, laughter attempting to escape again. "He's sweet. Leave him alone."
He smiled wickedly. "Come on Amelia. A guy that looks like that has to be more than sweet. What is really going on with him?"
In the mirror I saw my smile waver and I quickly glanced away. I wished I could tell him the truth about Grant and who he really was and the insanely complicated nature of our relationship. Instead I confessed, "I really like him. He treats me like a queen. I spend every moment of the day wishing I could be closer to him even when I'm with him. I can't get enough."
I saw Drew's eyes flick towards the door, looking for Olivia. He had no idea, of course, that Olivia could not only hear our entire conversation, but probably had seen it coming, which was why she left the room in the first place.
"Do you love him?" Drew asked in a casual voice.
Before I answered, I looked at my best friend in the mirror. He was so genuine and supportive. There was never a doubt he had my best interest at heart. I caught his eye and nodded. "I do. God, Drew, I had no idea what I was missing before he came in my life."
He raised an eyebrow. "Does he love you?"
I felt the blush run up my neck. Did Grant love me? He hadn't said so but I knew he did. He had risked himself over and over for my life. He showed me his past, including the pain. He revealed himself in so many ways, in his touch and gestures. I knew he loved me. I shrugged said the only thing I could. "I think so."
"Really?" he asked, a wide smile gracing his face. "So he's the one then?"
Again, I felt my smile falter. "Yes, he's the one. But don’t get your best man outfit ready yet. I'm not sure if it will last."
"What do you mean? Is this because of money or status? Because seriously, I don’t care how many muscles he has, I will kick his ass, Amelia."
"No! God, no. Nothing like that. I can't explain it but I just feel like I just need to be thankful for my time with him.” I said the words I had been thinking for some time and instead of relief it felt like a sharp knife twisting in my chest.
Drew’s jaw tensed and he said, "He needs to be thankful for every day you are in his life."
"Don't worry. He is. More than you both could know," Olivia said from behind us, making us both jump in surprise. She gave me a quick smile. "Now, let's get you dressed."
The beautiful pale greenish-blue dress was draped across the bed. It was floor length with a low v in the front and a deeper one in the back. Wispy fabric formed straps over the shoulders. She handed me a small bag with French wording on the outside. I peeked inside and the saw slick satin lingerie in the same color.
“Wow,” I said.
“Yeah. Don’t waste it.”
I grabbed her and gave her a quick hug. I leaned into her ear and said in a low voice, "Thank you. For everything."
“Oh I have one more thing,” she said, holding a small wooden box in her hands.
“What’s this?”
“Let’s just call it a good luck charm.”
I laughed darkly. “Yeah, we could use a little of that around here.”
I opened the box and found a twisted blood-red stone inside.
“Oh,” I said, lifting the pendant with a finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a Melungeon heart stone,” she said. “I thought maybe you’d like something to remind you of Laurel.”
I smiled and Olivia plucked the necklace from the box. She hung it around my neck and I was surprised at how warm the stone felt against my chest.
“Thank you.”
“Keep it on,” she said. “The Melungeon think it brings luck and protection. Can’t hurt, right?”
“No, it certainly can’t.”
She fussed with a piece of hair next to my ear. "Amelia, you're going to knock them out. And I know you're worried, but I have a feeling things will work out in the end."
I stood in the middle of the room, clutching the expensive bra and panty and let her words sink in. It made me wonder, not for the first time, if there were other options out there for me and Grant. So far we had met every challenge we had faced. I wondered if there were choices that I should possibly consider and if Grant had considered them as well. Frozen in the middle of my room, I thought about my dream, the one where I sacrificed myself for him and how it felt so right. I wondered if presented with the opportunity what would I do?
"Amelia, are you okay?" Drew asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded, glancing quickly at Olivia. Her face betrayed nothing, but the glossy look in her eye made me think she’d been privy to the decision I’d just made. I didn’t mind her knowing, but one thing did scare me. What would happen if she told Grant?
~*~
A cool finger ran up the slit in my dress. Fighting a more inappropriate response, I halted the roaming fingers with my hand and hissed, "Stop."
He stopped, but didn't remove it. Instead he leaned closer and placed his lips on my neck, causing a rush of goose bumps to shiver down my back. "Grant! Ryan can hear you. Us. Stop!"
“I paid him a hundred dollars and access to my weapon closet if he’d give us some privacy.”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly.”
He’d been like this all night, ever since he’d arrived at my apartment. When he took my hand and escorted me to the parking lot,
I shifted my purse nervously. The pendant wasn’t the only gift from Olivia that night. She’d slipped a knife, coated in vampire numbing poison in my bag. “Just in case,” she whispered.
I didn’t question her further. Honestly I didn’t want to know.
“What’s this?” I asked, pointing to the sleek, black car. I’d expected one of Grant’s vehicles.
“It’s customary to be driven to this type of event.” He gestured to Ryan sitting in the front seat. “He lost the coin toss.”
Although Ryan didn’t open the door for us, he gaped at me from the front seat once I was inside. He whistled low and wolfish. “Holy shit, Amelia…”
“Language,” Grant said, moving to close the partition.
I couldn’t help but smile and Grant gave me a intrigued look. “You like that?”
“I like you,” I replied and suddenly found myself alone with one very handsy vampire.
What I didn’t say was that Grant the most gorgeous man I'd ever laid eyes on. Black suit, crisp shirt, dark tie. He looked like a runway model and he watched me like nothing else existed. I was rendered helpless in his presence and once again the idea of sacrificing it all for him didn't seem unreasonable. In fact, it seemed like the best idea I’d ever had.
"You know he's listening, at least a little." But he only shook his head and let his fingers wander further up my skirt. My heart skipped a beat at his continued touch, as if daring him to proceed. I caught his eye and noticed the warm purple implying he was well fed, but there was also an unmistakable darkness rimming the edge.
Desire.
This time though, instead of stopping him I let him continue, enjoying the way his fingers stroked my thigh. I reached for his face, found his lips and licked the bottom one. "Okay, fine, if you say so..." I breathed, letting my hands wander across his starched shirt.
He stopped suddenly and groaned. "You're right we need to stop. But not because of Ryan or because, and I sincerely mean this, I want to, because God, I do not want to. If we walk out of this car wrinkled and half-dressed, it will be on the cover of the paper tomorrow. Every paper. And as much as I want the entire world to know you’re mine, Olivia would never forgive me." He kissed me once more, softer, smoothing out my hair and dress as he did it.