INK: Fine Lines (Book 1) (15 page)

“Nothing new, other than we can’t get the injunction against the cover.” Eli sounds a bit shaken. Fuck, I hope he can lay off the booze long enough to focus on this.

“Shit, that is not good. That guy is a total scumbag. Why the hell did you let her go to work for him?” I would not have let something like that happen.

“Aiden, let’s try and focus on what's happening now.” Eli is trying not to seem condescending, but I still hear it in his voice. “Keep her close. Don’t let her leave the room by herself. There are some serious threats coming in, and I’m worried.”

“She’s safe with me. I just want to get this thing over with. We’ve got the signing tomorrow and the party the next night, and then we’re on the way home.” I recite the itinerary, pausing for a moment. “Hey, what the hell happened with that Jorge guy?”

Eli expels a sigh. “That was rough. He was really into her work. He commissioned a few pieces from her. They used to take lunch together. He had a wife and two kids. She really seemed to start liking the idea of having a family. She would come home talking about settling down…” Eli trailed off.

I need to snap him back to the present—settling down with Shay isn’t in his future if I have anything to say about it. “Does anyone know why he lost it?”

“No, he seemed liked he had everything in life you could ever want. A great job, beautiful wife, great kids; then one day he just went crazy. It really hit Shay hard, she was still dealing with what happened with Elise and her mom was so sick. It really broke her.” Eli’s tone is heavy with the memory. “I couldn’t reach her, and the nightmares and sleepwalking got really bad.”

“What did you do?” I know what I would have done. I would have figured out a way to make it better, not break up with her like a douchebag.

“What could I do? She stopped talking about it when I suggested she see a grief counselor. She acted like I was calling her crazy.” Eli starts to relive the emotion of that time with her. “It was really rough.”

“Well, it seems like it’s about to get rougher.” I hate that I missed so much, I hate that I really did let her down by being gone again. Who’s the douchebag now?

“Where are you guys staying?”

Opening the back door to the truck, I nearly drop my phone so it comes out urgent. “The Marriott.”

“Which one?” Eli sounds sad.

“On the harbor, why?” What the fuck does he care?

“Harry wants to know.” Eli just lied to me. He’s probably planning to come and crash; make sure we both behave.

“Tell Harry she’s safe with me. I think she wants to go to Ybor tonight. I know how much she loves it there. It’ll be good for her to let loose a little.” He needs to know I have this under control. He can just stay over there, away from us and out of my way.

“No, you need to stay in. She needs to keep a low profile right now. She shouldn’t be out partying.” Eli reprimands.

“Okay, well I guess we’ll have to come up with something to occupy our time in the hotel room.” I can’t help myself; I have to goad him.

“Yeah, I really don’t think this is a good time to be confusing her with false emotions.” Eli comes across just like an attorney, stating the unemotional facts. How the fuck does he know how I feel?

“I gotta run, I’m getting our luggage and need both hands.” I start putting bags on the cart. “Hey, since your house is going to be clear tonight I hope you have fun with 
Sparkles
.” How’s that for false emotions?

“Yeah, well Jerry may be having fun with her tonight. I wouldn’t touch her with your dick.” With that Eli hangs up the phone.

Oh shit, he’s taking the rap for Jerry’s whore? That sucks for him. Pulling the other Blood-Borne backpack out the truck, I look at it. I know what I have to do. Eli’s not the only one that’s going to be keeping her out of jail. The difference is I don’t need credit for this.

Shay

The sun feels warm on my face, it’s comforting and soft. The smell of the salty ocean air lets me know I’m at the beach. I close my eyes to bask in the peace of it all. The gentle breeze glides across my face as though it were cradling me and pulling all of my worry away.

“Hello beautiful.” A deep voice rumbles from behind. I turn around to see Gabriel. I’m instantly put at ease. He sits next to me in the sand.

“Gabriel!” I lean over to wrap my arms around him. He winces from pain. “You’re hurt.”

“I’m fine, just a little sore.” He rubs the back of his neck then brings his arm down behind me. “It’s okay though. I’m here with you, so I’m feeling better already.”

The events of our last time together come flooding back to me. “Gabriel, I’m so sorry I left you last time. I was so worried. I didn’t mean to run out on you.”

Gabriel shakes his head. “No worries, love. I wanted you to get out of there.”

“But I just left you, I left you for dead. He could have...” I shudder at the thought of Gabriel being hung by his ankles.

“I’m okay. That’s what matters. I wanted you to be safe.” He puts his hand under my chin, gently tilting my head up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, a little shaken still. I’m better now that I know you’re okay.” I don’t know whether I should mention everything that’s happening in the real world. I really just want to enjoy my time here. It isn’t like there’s something he can really do. He is, after all, just a very delicious figment of my imagination. Those I’m-so-bad-for-you gray eyes that own me when I’m with him and melt me at the thought of him.

“Hmm, interesting.” He turns to look at me. His gaze smooths me over me in a way that washes away the prickly day. A smile spreads across his lips. His hand caresses my cheek, then strokes my hair back out of my face. “So beautiful, so deep.”

“Deep?” I look at him, puzzled. I know better than to question the beautiful bit. I don’t believe it for a second, but I’m not looking for an argument.

“Yes, deep. There is so much in that soul of yours. I want to know all of it. I want to bathe in who you are. Know you more intimately than anyone ever could. I want to paint your portrait a thousand times, tell your story like no other.” His hand rests on the back of my neck, drawing me in for a long, passionate kiss. I lean back with him in the sand, feeling safe and wanted. I let his lips consume me to the point where I can’t hear the ocean, I can’t feel the wind on my skin—only his hands moving up my thigh to my belly. I’m helpless under his weight, I can only let him drink me in and reciprocate with tender kisses.

Gabriel’s hand finds its way under my shirt, his hands soft on my breast gently holding me, loving me. He pushes his knee between my legs, spreading them apart. He whispers in my ear, needy, “I want you. I want to feel you take me in.”

A moan rumbles from deep within me. Usually stolen kisses and innocent strolls on the boardwalk are all my mind will allow. There’s never this kind of passion. His eyes say he wants more, but something in me has never been willing to let go like this. I part my thighs as an invitation.

He leans back to take all of me in; there is a hint of surprise. “You want this?” His whisper is desperate for me to say yes.

I answer by wrapping my legs around his back and pulling him close, begging for him with my body. My fingers lock behind his neck, and I pull him to my lips, pushing my tongue into his mouth, darting and playing with his. The bulge in his jeans is dancing up against me, reacting to the warmth of our bodies pressed together.

He pulls back from me with a blank expression. His eyes close, seemingly in defeat. “Soon, my love,” he whispers.

Shay

I’m startled awake by the sound of a heavy door slamming. I squeeze my eyes closed, trying to recapture the dream to see where it might go.

“Shay?” Aiden calls from the other room.

My body protests being pulled from slumber. “In here.”

Loaded down with suitcases, Aiden comes in the room. When he sees me a smile immediately rises to his lips. “Headlights are on. I didn’t realize it was that cold in here.”

“Nice, Aiden.” I cross my arms over my chest. This is more like the Aiden I know; remember to be careful what you wish for.

He lies back on the bed next to me, looking at me expectantly. “You doin’ okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m trying not to think of Gary and Alice; it’s so sad. How they died was really awful. It’s all so scary.” I shudder, thinking of them dying how the people in my dream died, and how I could possibly have a connection to that.

“It really 
is
 awful.” He intertwines our fingers. “You know I’m here for you if you want to talk about it.”

“Thanks.” I squeeze his hands and force a half-smile. “There isn’t much to talk about.” I lay flat back on the bed.

We hold hands in silence, staring at the ceiling for a long time. It’s comfortable and unassuming. It feels good to have a break from the madness. Aiden takes in a purposeful breath before finally speaking. “Shay?”

“Yeah?”

He turns on his side and tugs at my hip for me to face him. I lean up on one elbow. “I need to ask you something and you have to hear me out before you give me an answer or freak out.”

“Okay.” I’m intrigued, but I’m sure he’s going to ask me about last night on the beach. I’ve been dreading this conversation.

“Promise me you’ll hear me out.” His honey-colored eyes plead with me.

“I said okay.” There’s a hint of annoyance in my voice.

“No, say ‘I promise.’” He gives my hand a little shake.

“I promise.” I roll my eyes. “What is it?”

“Okay.” Pushing a lock of stray hair back behind his ear, he inhales deeply in preparation for his speech. “You know I love you?”

“I guess.” To say my answer is halfhearted would be an understatement. I look away from him, trying to anticipate what’s coming next. But I’m done second-guessing his motives and when the next flight leaves to Bora Bora.

“I want to ask you do something for me...for you....for us.” Here he is again, tripping over his own tongue. Weird Aiden is making a comeback, great. I just look at him and motion for him to move it along.

“We need to get married.” He just blurts it out.

My laughter bounces off the walls. He’s screwing with me; I can cope with this. Once I catch my breath and dab the tears from my eyes I notice the seriousness in his gaze. That’s just like him, to drag out the joke. “That’s grand. So we need to 
get married
, huh? What, are you pregnant?”

He shakes his head in disapproval and his eyes close for a moment. “Shay, this isn’t a joke. We need to get married, tomorrow.”

Holy shit. I jerk my hand away from his. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” He reaches for my hand with his head hung low.

Sliding to the opposite side of the bed, I realize that’s not far enough away. I stand up. “I hate to play the role of the jilted lover here, but I really do have good reason to be concerned.” He opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off. “I’ve told you that you do NOT need to stick around. I can handle this on my own. I would rather have you with me, but I don’t need you.” My arms encircle me as though they can protect me from his hurt.

“This isn’t about me staying or going, this about protecting you.” He stands to meet me.

“I fail to see how us getting married protects me?” I counter, with anger fuming from my eyes.

“Because if we’re married they can’t make me testify against you.” His gaze falls to the floor. He can’t look me in the eye.

“Aiden, I seriously doubt you have anything to say about me that could be more damaging than us having a fake marriage.” He’s really pushing my patience to the limit with this bullshit. What the hell is wrong with him?

Aiden turns and walks away from me a few paces, mumbling something.

“I can’t hear you.” I hate mumbling.

He pulls something from his pocket. He meets me back where I’m standing and says, almost forcefully commanding my glare. “It would be real to me.” He picks up my hand to try to slide a ring on my finger.

I jump back, taking my hand with me. “No way, Aiden. I’m not doing this with you. We don’t have to get married, and that could quite possibly be the worst idea that anyone has ever had. Besides, I can’t imagine how hard it would be to have divorce papers served to someone on the Dry Tortugas.”

“I’m not leaving, and I’m willing to make this sacrifice for you because I love you!” he pleads with me.

“Sacrifice?” He did 
not
 just say ‘sacrifice.’ “Well, I’m sure everyone is very impressed with your chivalry, but trust me when I tell you this is a 
sacrifice
 you won’t be making.” I go the living room and plop down on the couch.

He follows me. “That’s not what I meant, what I mean is…” He’s exasperated. He turns to face me head-on. “I wanted our wedding to be special. I wanted the fairy tale for us. I wanted to sweep you off your feet.” He pauses for a moment, looking away. He breaks the silence with a whisper. “I wanted ours to be the love story romance writers wish they could write.”

I notice a single tear glide down his cheek. I’m shocked. Aiden doesn’t actually cry. In all of our years together he’s come close to crying once or twice, but he has never let one tear escape, not one. I feel like I might just cave. I’m thankful for my inability to respond. Otherwise I may have said something really stupid, like “yes.”