Fate (The Edge of Forever) (18 page)

I set the alarm on my phone for ten minutes before sunset. I wanted to make sure Anton had no idea what I was up to. I began reading. Most of it was simple rules. Kill discretely, if at all. A sire is responsible for their fledgling, until it can be determined they have an understanding of their new life. Things of that nature. I was only a few pages in when my alarm sounded. Noting where I was in the book, I rearranged everything so no one could tell I had been there. I sped back to my room and waited to be summoned.

At eight on the dot, I heard a rap at my door. It was time to suck it up and put my big girl panties on. Anton was dressed in a white button up shirt and black slacks. I hated to say it, but he looked nice.
 

“You look ravishing, Gabriella.” He took my hand, raising it to his lips, he kissed my knuckles. I tried to hide my uneasiness, but was pretty sure I failed. Anton didn’t seem to notice. “Shall we?”

We took a taxi. Anton would not tell me where we were going. All he’d say was, “It is a surprise.” I really wasn’t up for surprises tonight. The car came to a stop. Stepping outside, it took a minute to understand what I was seeing. Bright lights, colorful signs, outdoor arena. He had taken me out to play miniature golf. I know. Crazy! Scary, master vampire trying to shoot a golf ball at a windmill. 

“I figured the situation was less than ideal for you, so why not do something amusing instead of the traditional.” I couldn’t have agreed more.

The evening had been amusing. Anton was pretty awful at the game. “How is it that you’ve been around for four hundred years and have never played putt-putt before?” I asked while he lined up his shot. 

“And who says I have never played before?” He tapped his putter against the ball missing the shot completely. I tilted my head to the side, my eyebrows raised. “Alright, yes. I have never played before. I never needed to.”

“It’s not about needing to.” I spoke, sinking my ball in the hole in one shot. “It’s about enjoying yourself and wanting to.”

“And are you enjoying yourself this evening Gabriella?” I looked over at Anton leaning against the wall surrounding the hole we were on.

“I’m not miserable, but I’m still being forced to be here.” I said softly.

“You can’t even admit that you might be having a nice time with me,” he stated shaking his head.

“Let’s just go on to the next hole.”

Later that evening, Anton walked me to my bedroom door, which I didn’t like. He grabbed my hand pulling it to his mouth. He inhaled my scent deeply and a smile spread across his face. He placed a chaste kiss over my knuckles, just like earlier.
 

“I had a wonderful time tonight, Gabriella, so do Monday’s work for you?” he asked, as if forcing me into it was some insignificant thing.

I let out a long sigh, “You’re really not going to let this go, are you?”

“No,” he responded, simply.

“Mondays don’t work. I have too much work to do after the weekend.”

“Alright, what day then?”

I sighed again, hoping he’d catch my annoyance in his persistence, “Thursdays?” 

“Thursday it is, then,” he spoke before speeding away. As amusing a time as I had, it changed nothing on how I felt toward Anton. He was still a bat shit crazy vamp and the world would be a lot better off if he tripped and fell on a stake. The night with Anton just made me miss Grayson more. Things with him had just been easy. It felt natural, not forced.

“And here I almost believed you when you told me you had no interest in my master.” I turned to see Ava coming down the hall.

“Are you stalking me now, Ava?”

She didn’t answer me. “Why can you not admit you desire him?”

“Because I don’t.” Gosh, why did no one believe me?
Grayson believed you.
A voice whispered in my head. “Look Ava, Anton has manipulated the situation between him and me. He’s using some old law to force me to date him.”

“He’s forcing you to court him?” I nodded. “Then it is over for me.” She dropped her head in a heartbreaking gesture.

“What are you talking about? I don’t want him.”

“It does not matter.”

“Look Ava, I really don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Please don’t give up on him. I really
do
want you two to be together. Do what you need to do to win him over.”

Her gaze shot to my face, there was something in that look that I really didn’t like. “I believe you are right, Gabriella. I should do whatever I can to convince the master to choose me.” Not knowing what else to do, I simply nodded. She smiled wickedly before she turned and left. I didn’t know what Ava was planning, but by the look on her face, I didn’t think I would like it.

***

“OMG! Gaby! I’m so sorry. I would have answered but, you know, I was knocked the hell out. I just came to this morning.” Shawn and I where at Starbucks discussing my current Anton situation before I had to be at work.
 

“There has to be some kind of loophole Shawn. I mean, I can’t go on dating him forever.”

“I’m sure there is, baby girl. You just have to keep going through those books. Maybe if you can sneak out one at a time, I can help you search. I mean Anton is one sexy man, but he has to be crazier than a bunch of squirrels fighting over a chestnut if he thinks forcing you to date him is going to make you suddenly grow feelings for him.”

“I know, but you should have heard Ava. She seemed distraught when she found out what Anton was doing. She said that ‘It was over for her’. And then I have Grayson forcing me to be his party planner and managing the whole opening. I just can’t seem to win with these men,” I explained.

“When do you see him again?” Shawn asked.

“Which one?” I muttered, taking a drink of my coffee.

He chuckled, “Point taken. Both I guess.”

I sighed, “I see Grayson, tomorrow during his interview. They now want to record it to post it on their website, as well. Something about people not reading magazines very much lately, so they’re extending their horizons.” I swirled my white mocha latte trying to focus my anxiety in the gesture.

“And Anton?”

“Next Thursday,” I huffed.

“Well, Gabs,” Shawn started, sliding his finger through his hair. I knew his next comment wasn’t going to make me happy, “maybe you should let Grayson in on what’s going on and run away with him.”

I couldn’t help but glare at him. “Yeah, Shawn. Great idea. Let me run away all the way to Madison Avenue,” I spat shaking my head. “He has a life here too, Shawn. Even if I did choose to be with him, it’s not like we could pick up and leave.”

“Why not?”

“He has a company to run and a life here. It all comes back to the same thing, Shawn. If I give him the option and he chooses the same one I’d choose for him, it would break my heart more than just choosing it for him.”

“You got some issues, baby girl.”

“Tell me about it.”

***

Wednesday, Rachel and I were busy preparing for Grayson’s interview. Right after lunch I would have to head over to his building. He wanted to ride over to the interview together to discuss it. I was going to make sure it stayed strictly business by taking Rachel with me. I had tried to arrange the interview for him at his office but the magazine explained it was not possible. They would have to move over all their film equipment and set it up which would take hours for them to pull off, and Grayson couldn’t be locked out of his office that long.
 

At twelve thirty, Rachel and I pulled up outside of Alexander Holding Incorporated. “So is the tension going to be as bad as last time?” Rachel joked. I had mentioned how awkward it had been when I had come here with Carol.

“God, I hope not,” I mumbled.

We made it to the top floor in record time. Stepping out of the elevator we were greeted by Grayson’s secretary. “Miss Carmichael, Mr. Alexander is expecting you.” The elderly woman behind the desk motioned for us to pass. His office door was open so we entered without knocking. Grayson’s eyes immediately locked on me. He sat at his desk not looking away. His stare ignited things inside me. Lust. Thirst. It had been too long I was forgetting what he felt like. What he tasted like.
 

“Yup. No tension.” Rachel’s sarcasm blasted through my trance.
 

“Mr. Alexander, we should be going. Your interview starts at one thirty.” I spoke while looking at my watch, noting the time.

“I see we have no time for pleasantries, Miss Carmichael.” Standing, Grayson slipped his jacket back on. I stood in shock. I knew that suit. It was the one he was wearing the first time we met. 

“Shall I hail a cab?” Rachel asked.

I spoke, “yes,” just as Grayson spoke, “no.” I glanced at him. He could see the confusion on my face. “I have a car waiting for us down stairs. Shall we?” He gestured toward the door. I nodded, following Rachel back to the elevators. I jolted slightly when I felt Grayson’s hand on the small of my back. Part of me wanted to turn around and yell at him. The other part wanted to lean into him absorbing the comfort he expelled. I did neither. I simply walked to the elevator as if nothing was wrong, even though I felt my restraint diminishing. 

The whole way down, Grayson’s hand did not leave my back. It was complete torture and yet I reveled in it. The ride down seemed to take so much longer than the ride up. Rachel stood in front of us, doing her best to ignore us and the tension mounting. The doors opened and I was out as quickly as I could without it seeming obvious. I waited by the glass doors for Rachel and Grayson to catch up. I glanced over my shoulder to see Grayson talking quietly to Rachel. Rachel nodded as they approached.
 

“This way, ladies.”
 

Outside on the curb sat a black sedan I recognized from the few times Grayson had John, his driver, take us somewhere.
 

“It’s good to see you again, John,” I said politely to Grayson’s driver.

He smiled at me. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Carmichael.” 

Grayson waved off John, opening the door himself. I slid in all the way to the opposite side. I turned as I felt the weight of the next person. My heart began pounding in my chest when I saw it was Grayson. My eyes shot forward watching Rachel get into the front passenger seat. I could not believe this! Had that been what they were whispering about? If not, what else could it have been?

Unlike the ride in the elevator, Grayson kept his hands to himself and I couldn’t help but be disappointed. Soon, we arrived at the home of the CEO of America Magazine. We were ushered inside. Grayson was swooped away into a room with large glass window while Rachel and I were forced outside. I watched as they set him up and felt a twinge of excitement being allowed to watch him and it be acceptable. It almost looked like he was giving a television appearance instead of a magazine interview. 

“I’m sorry about the car ride, Gaby.” I turned to Rachel while she spoke. “He said he was nervous about the interview and that sitting by you would help calm him. I couldn’t say no.”

Her words melted my heart. “It’s alright,” I sighed. Of course she couldn’t say no to him. Neither could I, and therein laid the problem with trying to stay out of a relationship with him when that’s all we both wanted.

“So, Mr. Alexander, do you mind if I call you Grayson?” The interviewer asked.

“Grayson’s fine.”

“You are the CEO of Alexander Holding Incorporated.”

“That’s right,” Grayson agreed.

“You are now branching out into your first hotel.” Grayson nodded. “Tell me a little bit about that.” God, please have let him read over the notes I emailed.

“I am building a luxury-based hotel. The first in hopefully a long chain,” Grayson explained. 

“Here in New York?”

“That’s correct.”

“Why hotels? Why now?” The interviewer questioned.

“Why not?”

“Is this going to affect your other businesses in any way?”

“That’s difficult to say. If it does it would only affect them in the most positive way.”

The questions continued on. The interviewer was very thorough, landing on several areas of Grayson’s businesses. Then, the tone changed.

“You are one of New York’s most eligible bachelors.”

“I don’t know about that.” Grayson cut in.

“Tell me Grayson, a rich good looking man like yourself, is there anyone special out there?”

Grayson’s gray eyes fell on me. A soft smile broke across his lips. He nodded. “Yes, and I’m madly in love with her.”

“Wedding bells in the future?”

“I definitely hope so,” he whispered.

I took a deep breath, stepping away from the window. I couldn’t listen to anymore. How could he still have so much hope for us? Wedding bells? Really? We weren’t together and he hoped we’d be married someday? Even if we were to be together, I was immortal, he was human. I’m not even sure how that marriage would be legal. But just hearing him say it made me want it, almost to the point of not caring about the consequences. This was becoming too dangerous.