Stolen Skye (Book One, The Skye Trilogy)

by Nina Loard

  “What goes on in bare knuckle boxing? What are the rules?” I asked nervously.

  She looked at me intently before she answered, “Well, you can’t hit below the belt. If someone goes down flat out or falls to their knees, you can’t hit them. You can only do a hold above the waist. And, they each need someone in their corner. Other than that, there are no rules.” She looked back toward the ring to understand what was happening over the din of the crowd. Finn stood over in Ari’s corner. Luca took his place with a man I didn’t know by his side. A couple of men helped Uncle Gheorghe into the ring, and he made his way to the center to address the crowd.

  “Friends, welcome and thank you for coming tonight. This has been a successful year for many of us and we have much to celebrate.” The crowd clapped and Uncle Gheorghe quieted them down before continuing. “Tonight, as tradition dictates, we have our current champion facing an opponent selected by the elders amongst us. Please join me in celebrating the strength and passion of our people. I present my two nephews, Ari Cameron and Luca Rudari. Gentlemen, give us a fair fight.” Uncle Gheorghe shook both their hands and stepped out of the ring with help from the crowd. Ari and Luca shook hands and then retreated to their corners.

  After a couple minutes, another gentleman rang a bell and they were off like a shot, circling each other with lethal prowess. The crowd’s enthusiasm multiplied. Raven joined us and we three stood together silently. Luca threw the first punch right into Ari’s bruised side and I cringed along with him. Rather than fearing he had hurt Ari, he looked grossly satisfied with himself as he danced around him to his other side.

  Ari recovered quickly and reengaged Luca, making some jabs at his face and throwing him off balance. Luca countered with another blow to Ari’s side. Ari was slower to straighten this time. Finn edged closer to him. Before Luca could land another shot, Ari threw a right hook and knocked him clear back toward the ropes. Luca was stunned and had to shake off the hit. The bell rang, signifying the end of the first round. Finn grabbed Ari around the back of his neck and brought him down to him to whisper something in his ear. Ari drank some water and poured some on his knuckles, toweling them off. The runoff of water was pink from the blood, making me feel sick.

  “How does someone win this?” I turned to Bounce, desperate to understand what to look for.

  “House rules are that you win when the opponent goes down for a ten count.” She showed some worry on her face as well. Raven had been animated like the rest of the crowd, yelling excitedly at the ring. It barely surprised me she was cheering for Luca.

  The bell rang out clearly and the two fighters stepped back to the center, taking their positions. Luca came out fighting quickly and Ari was immediately put on the defensive. After being peppered with a series of blows, he began fighting back; getting one solid punch through Luca’s onslaught and knocking him back toward his corner. Luca straightened and rushed him, getting an arm around him. He began hitting him repeatedly in his side. Finn began to step into the ring, but Ari got out of the hold and knocked Luca twice to the chin, causing him to fall to his knees. His man in the corner came out and began counting down from ten. Slowly, Luca got up and that was the end of round two.

  “I don’t think I can watch any more of this. I’m going to wait upstairs with the bartenders.” Raven tried to convince me to stay as the dreaded bell announced round three. I broke free of her and started making my way through the crowd. I heard the sound of flesh striking flesh and then a body hit the mat. I had to look. I stepped up two stairs to see clearly over the crowd. Ari was on the mat with Finn counting him down, growing more concerned with each number. Ari struggled to get up and once he was on one knee, Finn turned to go back to his corner. Before Ari was completely upright, Luca punched him hard in his side one more time.

  Enraged, Finn leapt from his corner and lashed out at Luca, knocking him to the ground with a solid punch that echoed through the room. The man from Luca’s corner attacked Finn and the bell started going off repeatedly as Uncle Gheorghe pulled himself back into the ring, putting a stop to the struggle. Both Ari and Luca slowly got up.

  “Everyone. Everyone, quiet down. Back to your corners, both of you.” He gestured angrily to Finn and Luca’s partner. “Luca’s hit was fair. Ari had come up off both knees. With Fintan’s interference, I name Luca this year’s champion.” He held up Luca’s hand and the crowd roared with both approval and anger. After basking in the glory, with no glance toward Ari, Luca went over to his corner and took a long drink of water, pouring some over himself and toweling off his tanned, sweaty physique.

  “Now, as is tradition, Luca, please tell us who you would like to heal you this night.” Uncle Gheorghe waited for Luca to make his way back over to him. I noticed Luca begin scanning the crowd as he wiped his face one more time and threw down the towel. Ari had made his way over to Finn, clearly favoring his side. Luca caught my eye and released a lecherous grin, moving in closer to Gheorghe. I was frozen to the step. “No, please… do not say it,” I pleaded quietly.

  “I choose Evelyn. She could bring me back from the dead.” He laughed and pointed at me. Ari and Finn both shot him looks that could kill, but the most deadly came from Raven. The crowd began chanting and cheering me on. Two men took my hands and walked me over to the ring. Finn looked like he was going to throw another punch, while Ari stared at the floor. Uncle Gheorghe held his hand out to pull me into the ring as the other men hoisted me up. I just stood there, not sure what it was that I was there to do.

  Before I had time to say anything, Luca grabbed me with commitment and crushed his lips to mine. I was startled, but that was my only response. There was no passion in me for him. After an infinite moment passed and the crowd’s cheering waned, he pulled back from me and searched my eyes for any potential fire. Seeing none, he stepped away and pretended he was healed, staggering with his hand over his heart, entertaining the crowd once again. Ari took my hand and brought me over by him and Finn. Uncle Gheorghe eyed our trio with strong curiosity. The match was over and people began retiring upstairs as the band struck up the music.

  “Are you okay?” I turned to look more closely at Ari. He was battered and bruised, but his knuckles concerned me most. They were so swollen it looked like his hands could be broken. He assured me they weren’t as he tried to put on a smile. Bounce, Raven, and Brinks joined us over in his corner.

  “Finn, nice right hook,” Brinks exclaimed, slapping him on the back.

  “He deserved it. Sorry I cost you the fight, Ari.” He looked at him with true apology in his eyes.

  “Finn, don’t ever apologize for having my back.” He bowed his head to him in thanks and the rest of us looked at each other with some hope.

  “Now, Luca’s a dead man.” Finn was off to challenge him now that the crowd was thinning. He pushed at his shoulder. “Luca, so good to see you again. I would have expected dirty fighting from Marko, but you? How disappointing.” Luca’s friend stepped between them, keeping them separated.

  Luca only smiled at first and finished a long pull from his water. “Yes, well, I believe the punch to my chin communicated your opinion of my performance well enough. Evelyn, thank you for the kiss, it was… rousing.” Finn did his best to get closer to Luca, but Raven grabbed his arm, pulling him back to our corner.

  Raven whispered, “No, Finn, leave him to me.” Her pride was hurt and that was going to cost Luca someday, I thought. I tentatively placed my hand on Finn as well, and he quieted. With a huff, he went to help Ari.

  I turned to Raven, feeling badly for upsetting her. “Raven, I’m so sorry. I probably just caught his eye by being on the staircase.” I tried to gloss over why Luca would have chosen me. Clearly, it was an attempt to toy with Finn. It had worked well.

  “Oh, Evelyn, Luca will probably kiss ten women before he lays his head down for the night. He hasn’t been taught any better. It isn’t your fault.” She waved her hand like she did when a topic was over, but she never took her eyes off him. Wi
th Finn’s help, Ari left the ring and climbed the stairs to the bedrooms, while we joined the rest of the crowd on the main floor. With the party in full swing, he was expected to make an appearance, showing everyone he was okay. Soon, Finn came back down and got some ice out of the freezer. We just looked on with concern as he went back upstairs to tend to his friend.

  “Well, one good thing has come out of Ari getting his ass handed to him repeatedly this week — he and Finn seem on the mend,” Bounce laughed. Honestly, it was good to see an improvement in their relationship. Nobody likes to be the reason friends turn from each other, and I had felt like I had been one for the majority of my stay. Raven continued to pout, despite the throngs of men that gathered around her by the dessert table. I did not see Luca anywhere, which suited me just fine.

  When Ari came back down, with Finn at his side, the group cheered over the music. Brinks circled the room, handling various amounts of money. I thought to myself that next year, I would stick by the buffet during the fight portion of the evening. It didn’t bother me when I caught myself making plans to be with my new friends in the future. I couldn’t explain it, but it felt like I belonged with them, and it had been a long time since I felt that I belonged anywhere.

  The band leader, dressed in what I assumed was more traditional Roma attire, asked us all to quiet down for a solo performance. An older woman dressed in black with a short veil that covered her face, stood at a microphone as violinists circled her. She began singing in a rhythmic language I couldn’t understand. The rise and fall of the sweet music and the emotion in her voice combined into a powerful performance. I didn’t know the words, but, as she escalated to a crescendo, I felt like crying. As I surveyed the room, I watched others become equally affected.

  Ari was the only person who turned to look at me, emotion flooding his bottomless green eyes. As he gazed at me, I saw defeat in them as well, like he had given up a long, arduous fight. It was more than the loss of a boxing match. His whole demeanor toward me had changed. Ari had changed. He turned from me, moving closer to the stage. I looked down to gather my thoughts, clapping as loudly as everyone when the song was over.

  Helena, Ari’s aunt, stepped to the microphone and was joined by Uncle Gheorghe and another couple I hadn’t met. After some private discussion, Uncle Gheorghe spoke first with obvious pride. “Friends, tonight I am honored to announce that Mirela Ursari, beloved daughter of Niko and Drina, has agreed to wed my nephew, Ari Cameron. Please raise a glass as we end this evening, and pray for a blessed union for them.” The crowd applauded as Ari stepped beside Mirela, bending to kiss her hand as she smiled up at him. I recognized her as one of the young girls who had been by his side earlier in the evening. Stunned, I immediately looked to Finn and the rest of them to see if they had been aware this was going to happen. Their expressions showed that they were as surprised as I was. Finn looked to each of us and then glowered at the aunt.

  “She’s been trying to marry him off for years. He doesn’t want this.” He turned to each of us, trying to communicate the injustice of it. Aunt Helena was beaming with satisfaction. Ari looked in our direction briefly, giving a subdued smile, and then continued to thank his well-wishers. Mirela was surrounded by elated friends. Clearly, outside of the five of us, the whole room thought this to be an excellent match. She was a beautiful, petite girl, much younger than Ari, dressed in a chartreuse cocktail dress and very high satin heels. Her brown hair hung unadorned down her back. Her cherry pink lipstick stood out against her dark skin, making her look like she might be more at home on glamorous South Beach. She didn’t look like she belonged with Ari, but then again, I was the last person who could admit to knowing him at all. He continued to be a mystery to me.

  Slowly, people began leaving in groups, and the band packed up into the small tour bus. According to those who stopped to bid Ari and Mirela farewell, the party and the engagement were huge successes. A few men asked Raven for her phone number, which was tradition at the end of the evening, according to Brinks. He was not as amused when Bounce was asked for her number by one of the musicians. I was content to stand by Finn and take it all in. How would Ari’s engagement affect them? Obviously, Ari had chosen to do this while considering the job in Paris. He must not be getting married right away, I thought, or be that worried about Mirela’s opinion of his profession. I couldn’t remember a party that was more eventful.

  Ari shook Finn’s hand as they had a silent conversation with their eyes. Mirela smiled politely as the rest of us offered our best wishes. She turned from us when her parents called her over to another group of people. Ari thanked us for attending and let us know he would talk to us tomorrow. It wasn’t the best time to question his motives. We told him we’d be back in the morning to help with the clean-up and left without another word. After saying goodbye to the others on the front lawn, Finn escorted me to his SUV.

  “So, you don’t think he loves her?” I took Finn’s earlier comment to mean he was being pushed into this marriage.

  “People in their culture marry, and marry early. Ari’s mother was almost shunned when she had Ari out of wedlock. I’m sure Gheorghe and Helena have been bothered for years that he’s still single. Since he lost both his parents, they watch over him like a son, and they are quite traditional. It just looks like Ari gave in, leaving it in their hands. I think it’s ridiculous.” Finn drove us back to the hotel, clearly annoyed.

  “What’s Luca’s story?” His audacity continued to bother me. At least I had avoided seeing him again.

  “He played dirty. I’d love to get him in the ring alone. Then, he picks you. I’ve never liked him, but the women seem to.” He drifted off, almost like he was testing the water to see how warm my response might be.

  “After what he did to Ari and planting that kiss, I could’ve punched him myself. I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance,” I said.

  Finn broke into a large smile. “I’d like to see that, now that you mention it.”

  “Do you think Ari will go through with the wedding?” It was hard for me to wrap my head around. He had no signs of a man in love or even like. Could he really just be marrying someone because his aunt and uncle chose her?

  “I don’t know. I’m going to talk to him tomorrow. Now that it’s announced, Ari will have a more difficult time getting out of it. Sometimes I am very thankful to be an orphan. Family can be dangerous.” Shortly, we were at my hotel. “So, tomorrow is your last day. What would you like to do with it?” His playful smile was gone while he waited for my answer. His passion burned so brightly that his choice of pastime was clear.

  “Please, first… no running. Will you call Raven and tell her to stand down? She won’t listen to me. Call me later in the morning. We can make a plan.” Now that I was back on my feet, I began to feel extremely tired. Finn walked me to the door and kissed me on the cheek, lingering for just a second. On instinct, I began to bend in closer to him, turning my head. Perhaps I wasn’t as tired as I thought. He smiled ruefully and said goodnight, kissing the other cheek. He was certainly keeping his word to not push me romantically. As I walked to the elevator, I shook my head, wondering if I still really wanted him to.

  The ringing of my new cell phone woke me around 9 AM. I had gotten up earlier, but chosen to go back to bed when 7 AM arrived with no Raven. I figured Finn was calling to see what I felt like doing for the day.

  “Thank you for this morning, it was incredible to sleep in after last night.” I spoke groggily into the phone, still under the covers.

  “Evelyn, this is Ari.” He cleared his throat and waited for me to collect myself.

  “Oh, good morning. Sorry, I thought you were Finn.”

  “Yes, well, I would like to meet with you privately this morning. Is there a way I could send the car for you soon before the others arrive?” He spoke in the aloof manner I was all too familiar with, but there was some urgency as well.

  “Sure, I can be ready in a half hour.”

  “Thank you. I�
�ll have Derek wait for you out front.” Before leaving the hotel, I stopped by the front desk to let them know I would be departing in the morning. Upon my request, he printed an invoice for my room. Though I didn’t make a big deal out of it when I arrived, I certainly wasn’t going to let them pay for my whole stay. In glancing over the statement, I realized it couldn’t be correct. “There are no charges listed?” I looked to the desk agent for more clarification. He pulled my account back up on his screen.

  “Yes, all charges are to Mr. Ari Cameron, at his request.” He waited patiently for his next instruction.

  “How much was the total for the suite?”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Green. It instructs me not to divulge any other information on the account. My apologies.” I thanked him and walked out to greet Derek. The day was sunny again, but quite cold. Derek waited with the door open for me, nodding his good morning as I climbed in. We made our way silently to Ari’s house as I watched the teeming streets go by. Soon, we pulled up to the front of the house. The only evidence a party had occurred were the markings on the winter lawn from the tour bus. Ari stepped out to meet us, opening my door.

  “Good morning. Thank you for coming.” He stepped back from me and smiled up at the sun. He didn’t look like he had slept much. Dark circles had formed under his eyes. He was freshly showered with partially damp, tousled hair, but he still looked tired. He wore a white T-shirt under a camel-colored button down and broken-in jeans, giving him the most casual look I’d seen him sport since I arrived. He followed me into the house.

  “Do you have a housekeeping staff you keep hidden somewhere?” The place was immaculate, just as before.

  “No, I have a service that comes in every few days. They got here very early this morning, though I wish I had asked them to come later.” He chuckled lightly, guiding me into the library, one of the smaller rooms on the main floor. Colorful books lined the walls, looking like they were there by design rather than desire. There were paintings in this room, which I had noticed before, but one I hadn’t. To the side of one armchair was a small easel with a framed charcoal of a woman sitting on a stone ledge, turned toward the artist. She had long hair that curled up at the ends as if captured by the wind. Her long legs were crossed at the ankles and she wore a simple dress with ruffles at the end of cap sleeves. She wasn’t smiling, but her eyes had a softness to them that even charcoal could capture. She was lovely.