Embrace, Entice, Emblaze (19 page)

the past six months, she’d been collecting invites to formals from all the nearby schools. She called it a hobby. Needless to say, her wardrobe had expanded greatly and I suspected that had been the driving motivation. Th is wasn’t the fi rst time I would benefi t as a result.

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After setting aside the dress she was planning to wear, she laid out the rest for me to pick from. The choice was easy when I saw she had included the black strapless one I had been eyeing for months.

I had tried to fight it in the past— mix it up, wear colors— but the fact was, I liked black and black liked me. The dress was simple, but I knew that with my curves and the sharp slit up the side, I would look about as hot as I could manage. When Steph dangled

a pair of strappy black Jimmy Choos in my face, I said a prayer of thanks we were the same shoe size.

Steph’s father was constantly away on work, and one of the

perks was that he always had his PA arrange gifts for her and Jase on his return. Steph was now great friends with her dad’s PA. She basically supplied her with a shopping list of designer clothes and shoes and presto: packages laced with this season’s best would

arrive on her doorstep.

“Are you sure you don’t mind if I wear these?” I asked, even

though I had no intention of giving them up.

“No problem!” Steph called out from the bathroom, where she

was applying her final touches of makeup.

“Thanks. So how are things going with you and Marcus?” I asked, feeling guilty I hadn’t been paying more attention to what had been going on in Steph’s life. It was time to start being a better friend.

She came whirling out of the bathroom into my room. “Great!

What else do you expect? He’s gorgeous, smart, sexy, and going

places. Not to mention his family is about as high up as you can get.” Her tone was so matter- of- fact, I couldn’t help but laugh.

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“Okay, but I meant more along the lines of, do you care about

him?”

She looked at me like I was missing the point completely.

“Violet, honey, I just said he’s hot, smart, and full of potential.

What more is there to make me feel all warm and gooey inside?”

I couldn’t argue there.

“Anyway, enough about me. What’s going on with you and

Mr. Catch- a- damsel- in- distress?”

I prepared myself again to tell her everything. I wanted to be

able to confide in her, but like before, when I actually tried to physically tell her, I couldn’t muster the words.

“We’re
friends
,” I said finally, sitting on my bed, buckling my shoes.

“Uh- huh.”

“We are.”

“So you’re telling me you haven’t had any warm, tingly feelings when you’re around him?”

“No. Okay, yes…maybe.” I shook my head, as much at myself

as at Steph. “I’m not looking for that kind of thing anyway.”

“Yeah, well, want it or not, you got something,” Steph said.

I gave a moan, dropping my face into my hands.

“Vi, it’s okay if you like him. Why don’t you just try having a bit of fun? It won’t kill you.”

“Yeah, maybe. I just can’t stop thinking about…” I couldn’t

even bear saying his name.

“Then it’s probably a good thing you’re going to see him tonight.

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You’ve just built Lincoln up in your mind, like he’s some god, but he’s not, Vi. When you see him tonight, you’ll see.”

Yeah
…
that’s exactly the way it’s going to go.

I sucked it up and put on a brave face. “You’re right. I can do this.”

“Yes, you can. Plus, with
you
in
that
dress, he’ll probably fall flat on his face when he sees you.” She stood in front of me and sprayed me with perfume a couple of times. “It’s marginally annoying that you look better in my own dress than I do.”

I looked in the mirror. She wasn’t lying; the dress definitely

highlighted my assets. Steph was thin and beautiful with rich olive skin and shoulder- length blond hair, always perfectly styled and edgy. But she had nothing up top. She always joked about it, but I knew she envied my curves.

“And,” she continued in her scheming voice, “if all else fails, you’ll have Phoenix there as the perfect jealous accessory.”

I hadn’t thought of that angle. I didn’t know if that was a

good thing or not, but I couldn’t deny I liked the idea of having extra ammo.

Phoenix picked us up at seven on the dot. He was annoyingly

punctual. When we walked into the lobby of Dad’s building, it was like walking into a wonderland. The entire place had been draped with millions of tiny white fairy lights. They blanketed the ceiling and shimmered down toward the ground like stalactites raining

down on the crowd. There was a band playing in the corner with

a woman vocalist singing in a husky, sweet voice. Waiters glided around the room in white tuxedos, balancing tray upon tray of

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champagne. A sea of glamorous people filled the room, covering

the entire ground floor and spilling out onto the terraces, which had been opened up for the night. All the guests were dressed in way too much of everything. I had a flash of self- consciousness and hoped I had dressed up enough, feeling a little bare with no jewelry and my hair down.

As if on cue, Phoenix whispered in my ear, “You’re so sexy, I’m struggling to keep my hands still.”

I stopped fidgeting and smiled. The whole reading- my- emotions thing did have its benefits, I guess.

Steph fit right in, wearing a stunning emerald green silk dress that floated around her olive skin. The fact that she had an elaborate string of pearls around her neck made her stand out even more.

Phoenix looked hot dressed entirely in black. No tie or jacket, but he still managed a cool elegance. The outfit accentuated his hair and made it look incredible— the deepest plum, almost black, with splices of dazzling silver.

Wherever he walked, women turned their heads, blinded by his

otherworldliness. It was like he left a lingering aura behind him that attracted them. He was aware of it, but seemed unimpressed— and while he paid Steph and me all the right compliments, his eyes

never left me.

We mingled and Phoenix brought us a glass of champagne each.

Dad found us not long after we arrived. After a quick hello to

Steph and barely a nod to Phoenix, he dragged me off to meet and greet all the people he’d wanted me there to see. It didn’t take long 157

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for the formalities to be over and I was free to return to Steph and Phoenix. I considered just grabbing them and leaving, but I knew Dad would probably want me for a second sweep of the room later.

The idea of seeing Lincoln dominated my every thought. My

head turned at the smallest sound. Every time I heard a man laugh or felt someone walk behind me, I spun to look. I hated that I was vulnerable and hated even more that he would be able to see right through me.

Just when I thought maybe Dad had been right, maybe Lincoln

wouldn’t turn up, I saw him. A group of people beside us started to move away, clearing the path that led straight to him. He was barely ten feet away from me.

My legs almost gave way right then and there. It was like seeing him for the first time, and my breath caught in my throat. Even after everything that had happened, he was still simply the most beautiful person I had ever laid eyes on.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, crisp white shirt, open collar, black pants and jacket. Leaning against one of the polished concrete pylons in the center of the room, hands in pockets, he looked incredible. But also different. Even from a distance I could see that his face was a little gaunt and his eyes seemed tired, like he hadn’t slept in days.

My body started moving instinctively toward him, like one

magnet being pulled toward another. But as the rest of the crowd parted, I froze in my tracks.

Lincoln was not alone.

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A woman was with him. As I watched, she leaned in close and

brushed the top of his shoulder, tidying him up, as if she were the person in his life who could assume this role.

I hated her.

Lincoln looked over through the space now open between us

and saw me. I stopped breathing. He straightened.

I felt emotion surge through me— jealousy and something else I

couldn’t be sure of. All I knew was that it was very intense— and it wasn’t mine. I glanced at Phoenix still standing beside me. I wanted to reassure him, but my eyes darted back to Lincoln. I stared as he too looked at Phoenix and then back to me. He said something to the woman he was with and then started to walk over. My heart

was pounding so hard I could feel it thundering through my body.

Phoenix inched a little closer. I tried to block out the emotion he was leaking into me.

I expected Lincoln to be business like. Actually, I don’t know

what I expected, but I thought it would be awkward. But when

he neared me, he just kept coming through the polite personal

boundaries I’d expected him to maintain. He grabbed my hand,

pulling me into him, hugging me tight. In surprise, my natural

instincts took over and my body melted. For the first time in weeks, I exhaled completely and I hugged him back. He pulled me tighter until I couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t care.

Oh
God, just this moment. I need this. I can’t let go. Not yet.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered in my ear. Tingles ran down

my spine. I wanted to get closer, hold tighter, never let go. Then I 159

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remembered— grabbed some semblance of my mind and remem-

bered the pain. I stepped back and he let me go.

Phoenix took my hand. It wasn’t the hand I wanted, though I

tried hard to hide it.

Lincoln straightened and visibly composed himself, tugging

slightly at his jacket. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I’m being rude,” he said formally, looking at Phoenix through narrowed eyes.

“I’m Lincoln. I believe we met briefly on Violet’s birthday.”

Shit.

I’d forgotten about that.

“Phoenix.”

Lincoln put out his hand in offer to shake. When he extended

his arm, the sleeve of his jacket pulled back, revealing the silver band secured snugly around his wrist.

Phoenix remained still. He saw it too. I got the distinct impression that was what Lincoln had intended.

“I’d rather not,” Phoenix said.

Lincoln’s eyes darted from Phoenix to me. “I knew it! Violet,

he’s— ”

I cut him off. “I know what he is. He never lied to me about

who he was, Lincoln.”

I looked him in the eye, the first of my uncooperative emotions threatening to spill over. Steph shot me a questioning look. I just shook my head; I couldn’t deal with her questions right now.

Lincoln turned his attention to Phoenix. “What are you doing

with her? Why are you so hard to sense? Is this a game for you?” 160

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Lincoln’s whole demeanor had changed; his presence was now

strong, threatening.

Phoenix tightened his grip on my hand. “It’s no game. Violet

needed someone to help her through this time. I’m sure you’re

aware she’s more powerful than most. Were you not concerned for her safety?” I could feel his anger rising.

Lincoln returned it with interest. “Of course I was concerned!

But I respected her right to be left alone until she was ready.” People were starting to look.

“You were careless. She’s like a walking neon sign. You weren’t there for her. I was.” Phoenix tried for matter- of- fact, but none of us missed the territorial testosterone oozing from his words.

Lincoln laughed. “And she’s supposed to feel safe with
you
? What?

You have a crush on her? She’d
never
be with someone like you!” Phoenix didn’t say anything for a moment; he just looked

straight at Lincoln, a dangerous smirk creeping onto his face. He swung the hand that was holding mine in the air a couple of times and shrugged.

“And yet…” He tilted his head, looking at our joined hands.

Lincoln’s jaw was clenched so tight it looked like he was about to pop a vein.

“Stop!” I almost yelled. Things were getting way too heated way too fast. It was a bad idea putting these two in a room together.

“Look.” I took my hand from Phoenix. “I don’t need a hero

protector, so you can both just stop!”

Steph, who was still standing silently on my other side, stepped 161

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in. “Umm, guys, I hate to break up the testosterone- fueled

stand off, but people are starting to stare.” She looked at Lincoln.

“And by the way, nice to see you too, Lincoln.” She gave him a

tight- lipped smile.

“Hi, Steph. Sorry,” Lincoln said, looking ashamed. So he should be. Then again, he hadn’t been the only one puffing out his chest.

“Yeah, yeah,” Steph continued. “Clearly, I have no idea what is actually going on here.” She shot me an accusing look. I had a lot of explaining ahead of me. “
Clearly
, I’m out of the loop, but here’s the thing. There are two of you and only one of Violet and, bless her, she just wasn’t built to handle two guys at once.”