Eternal Hearts (17 page)

Panic squeezed icy fingers around her already aching heart. Had she done something wrong? Had she said something she shouldn’t have? Oh God, had she hurt him without even realizing it?

Toni froze as Drake reached up and brushed his warm fingertips across her cheek. “In two minutes we’ll be in the lobby.” His voice was quiet but not at all steady. “There’s no bed in here. No threat that we’ll do something we can’t take back. Just two minutes we’ll probably never have again…two minutes where we can both stop pretending the scars we can see are the only ones we have.”

When he slowly leaned down and claimed her lips with a soft, soul stealing kiss that sent tears streaming down her cheeks, she tilted her head and gave him full access to her mouth. And she did so, because she’d never wanted a man more.

She kissed him back with everything she had, every shred of pain, every sliver of regret, and every ounce of hope that someday she’d find a way to be more than she was now. That someday the wounds still festering deep inside her would heal as well as the ones on her skin, and that maybe then she’d truly deserve to be in the arms of a man like him.

He matched each of her emotions as his tongue caressed hers. He told her a silent story of loss, of betrayal, and of self hatred in ways she never thought possible. And he showed her with every gentle graze of his lips that he understood, more than anything, what it was to want for something you knew could never have again.

Together, for just the briefest of moments, they were lost in the same shadowy place…but neither knew how to find the other or how to escape.

Toni broke from Drake’s mouth and gazed up into his haunted blue eyes just as the elevator bell chimed their arrival at the lobby. In the space of two precious but fleeting minutes, she’d learned more about the beautiful man standing in front of her than she had since they’d met.

And all she could do now was pray that when she hurt him, because she knew she would, whatever wounds she caused scarred the outside of his body…not the inside.

Chapter 8

Drake willed the mystical veil back into place over his eyes just as the elevator doors slid open. Exactly why he’d dropped the shield, he still wasn’t sure, but something about the desperate note in Toni’s voice when she’d alluded to not being the person
he
thought
she
was…

He ground his teeth together as the tugging sensation usually reserved for the end of his contracts rippled across the top of his spine. Plainly put, he’d never felt more guilty in his entire life. And considering he couldn’t just come out and tell her that he was the one with ulterior motives, he’d given her the only truth the situation would allow.

Of course, kissing her really wasn’t a necessary component of the display. Standing in front of her for two full minutes without his eyes veiled probably would have done the trick, but he’d never claimed to be any less selfish than any other vampire out there.

After all, he had a set of fangs, too.

Drake’s thoughts derailed when he stepped out of the elevator and realized Toni hadn’t moved more than a foot from the doors. Her feet were glued to the marble floor yet again, and he could only assume she was staring out at the large crowd of formally dressed people milling about the lobby. And a few of those uptight blowhards even had the nerve to sneer back at her.

Dressed in their designer tuxedos and slinky evening gowns, a small clique of debutantes and future CEOs clucked in hushed tones while their disapproving eyes moved over her body. He’d intended to ignore the idiots, but when one little blonde locked on Toni and made a rather loud comment about needing a new maid, Drake focused hard on the snooty bitch.

He grinned wide when the blonde’s eyes fluttered closed and she fell forward, spilling her dark red beverage all over her companions. The other girls in the group squealed and one even burst into tears while they frantically wiped at their ruined dresses. The guys did nothing but scowl as the blonde sank to the floor in a crumpled heap. No one even bothered to check on their fallen comrade, at least not until each of them had made sure that they were all right first.

Oh, the humanity.
Drake chuckled at the thought as he moved to stand at Toni’s side then rested a hand on her shoulder. “Gee, I sure hope she’ll be okay.”

She shot him an accusing glare. “What did you do?”

“Me?” He gasped and clutched a hand to his chest. “What makes you think I did anything?
I
was just standing here with you. Must be that damn Narcolepsy going around Chicago
again.
I hear it’s contagious.”

Toni pressed her lips together, so hard, the skin around her mouth turned white. “That was just evil.”

“Oh, please. I don’t know about you, but I think she got what she deserved. Tell me I’m wrong. Do it. I dare you. Tell me you weren’t hoping a meteor would fall out of the sky at that exact moment and blow her snobby ass to smithereens.”

“For your information, I was not hoping a meteor would land on her.” The incredible smile she’d been so rudely keeping from him finally broke free. “I was hoping she’d step outside and get run over by a bus…and a cheap bus at that.”

“I could make that happen for you. Really, it wouldn’t be any trouble at all.”

“Well I hope you’re proud of yourself,” a familiar voice scolded.

As Drake shifted his gaze from Toni’s smiling face to the million
dollar
, black on black silk tuxedo moving to stand in front of them, alarm bells clanged a frantic warning in his mind. The air directly around them thickened in a matter of seconds, charging with the powerful allure of an Ancient vampire who was up to no good.

Of all the places in Chicago for Derek Ballard to be, why did he have to be there? And why the hell was he blinding Toni with one of his signature come-home-with-me-right-now smiles?

Drake forcefully cleared his throat. “What do you want, Derek?”

The bastard paid him no mind as he flashed his overrated dimples at Toni. “I was hoping I’d catch you down here before you headed out for the evening. How are you, Beautiful?”

Caught up in Derek’s unnecessary and completely unnatural magnetism, Toni swayed towards him and let out a very feminine sigh. “Hi…I’m, um…
good
. Yeah, you’re…wow.”

Derek beamed an appreciative smile before he finally acknowledged Drake. “Drake, how are you this evening?” he asked, extending a hand.

Drake accepted Derek’s hand but couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jam his thumb into the flesh between Derek’s thumb and index finger. “I’m doing just fine, Derek.
You?”

“Oh, I’m great,” Derek half growled as he tightened his own grip. “But I’m even better now that the gorgeous Miss Tutoro is here. She’s absolutely stunning, wouldn’t you agree? And such a natural beauty, I’m surprised you can keep your big paws to yourself.”

Drake squeezed Derek’s fingers until he felt a very gratifying crunch. “Turn it off, Derek.”

“Piss off, Drake. Last I checked –
I
don’t take orders from
you
.” He ripped his hand away then turned to face the leering crowd. “Ladies and Gentlemen, if you’d like to adjourn to the ballroom, I promise I’ll be with you shortly.”

When everyone, including the blonde who’d finally managed to regain some semblance of consciousness, began meandering towards the huge double doors leading to the ballroom, Drake cast a glance to Toni, who was still staring up at Derek as though he was the only man in the entire room.

He eyed Derek again. “I said turn that shit off.”

Derek didn’t listen. Instead, he flashed the same devious grin Drake had seen countless times before. He knew exactly what Derek was about to do, and he didn’t dare do a damn thing to stop him. He couldn’t risk anyone, especially Derek, knowing he’d gotten a little attached to the woman standing between them.

He knew he should turn away, but when Derek wrapped one arm around Toni’s waist, turned her sideways, and then leaned her back, he couldn’t do anything but watch.

She stiffened and squeaked as Derek plunged his tongue into her mouth while he pulled her knee against the side of his hip. Whether he moaned purely for her enjoyment or just the general torture of the few people left in the lobby, Drake wasn’t sure, but he absolutely despised it when Derek kissed women movie style.

Drake fisted his hands. Leave it to Derek to stick his mouth where it didn’t belong. He’d definitely punch him for that later. He cleared his throat again in an attempt to get Derek’s attention, but the fucker only tightened his arm around Toni’s waist then slid the hand holding her knee up the back of her thigh in response. She gave a muffled squeal and her eyes flew open when Derek tautly grabbed a handful of her ass.

Derek barely pulled his lips away from hers before he smiled. “You’re a very good kisser,” he whispered, then bit and tugged on her bottom lip.

Toni blinked her glazed eyes a few times and then did something Drake would’ve never believed if he hadn’t seen it himself…

She scowled up at Derek. “Let me go.”

Derek’s face reflected the same shock Drake felt. “What?”

“If you don’t let me go,” she growled between clenched teeth, “you’re not gonna like the next place my knee goes.”

The second Derek set Toni on her feet, she wrenched free of his hold and reassumed her place next to Drake. She curled her cool fingers around his hand and lowered her eyes to the floor. “I’m so sorry, Drake.”

Time seemed to stand still as Drake stared into Derek’s narrowed blue eyes. Half of him wanted to roar in all out victory because Toni had chosen him, and she’d done so in a way that Derek’s old ass would probably never forget. But the other half of him, the other half knew if he didn’t choose his next set of words and actions just right, he’d find himself in a world of trouble.

He tightened his grip on Toni’s hand but kept his eyes locked on Derek. “I know if there’s a beautiful woman within ten feet of you that you’ll find a way to touch her somehow, but I think this one would prefer you didn’t.
At least, not unless you ask first.”

“What?” Derek asked as he shrugged and gave a piss poor rendition of an innocent but completely false smile. “Did I do something wrong? Is there something going on between you two that I should know about?”

Icy panic flooded Drake’s body but he refused to let it show. “There’s nothing going on between us that you don’t already know about.” He looked to Toni as he inclined his head towards Derek. “Toni, meet Derek Ballard, the Billionaire Playboy of Ballard Industries, and Lord Locke’s very,
very
touchy Elder.”

Her mouth dropped open as she slowly raised her head. “
You’re
an Elder Trump, like Christian? I knew you, um…” She paused as her eyes scanned the lobby but then lowered her voice, “owned Ballard Industries and all, but a Trump…really?”

The look of pure disgust that
spread across Derek’s face almost made Drake forget
about punching him.
Almost.

“I’m an
Ancient
Trump, thank you very much. And I’ll have you know I was stalking the night well before that little English snot Locke was ever born.” He scrunched up his face. “But what’s with the familial slur? Was the kiss really that bad?”

Drake offered a hesitant smile when Toni looked up at him. Her clear brown eyes seemed to search his face for a long moment before she focused back on Derek. “I’m sorry, Mr. Ballard. I don’t really know any other name for your family.” She squeezed Drake’s hand tight. “And it wasn’t that the kiss was bad, actually, it was great. I guess you just caught me off guard. I’m sorry if my reaction offended you.”

“Oh, on the contrary, Miss Tutoro,” Derek said as he carefully smoothed the unblemished sleeve of his tuxedo jacket. “Your reaction told me exactly what I wanted to know.”

Her eyes slowly narrowed on Derek while she assumed the rigid, defensive posture she’d taken when confronted by Lord Locke the night before.
“Yeah.
Smooth as I’m sure you think you are and all, it’s pretty obvious you were trying to get some kind of rise out of Drake. Did you get what you needed? Can we go now? Because, I mean, I don’t know about you and your flashy ego, but I’ve got a lot better things to do than stand here with some pompous Trump who clearly thinks he’s God’s gift to women everywhere.”