Unfaithful (45 page)

“Or we could spend some time alone,” I put in, instantly alarmed by his suggestion. I wanted to stay as far from their place as possible. What was even more important was to make sure Drake was far enough away when I told Evan. I honestly couldn’t imagine how he would take it. Deep in my heart, I hoped to find a way to make the confession less bitter. I didn’t want Evan to be mad at his brother forever, and Drake’s presence wouldn’t help the situation.

Evan smiled at my proposal, once again misunderstanding my intentions. This time, though, I went along with it.

Immersed in my private nightmare, I hadn’t realized Evan had already pulled into his driveway. I squirmed in my seat. “I thought we’d decided to be alone.” I tried to hide my nervousness but there was a hint of reproach in my voice.

Evan leaned toward me, his lips curved in a pleased smile. “I just need to get a few things,” he whispered, kissing me before I could reply. “If you can hold out.” He got out of the car and opened my door.

“I’ll—I’ll wait here,” I stammered sheepishly. I didn’t want reality to come crashing down on me because I’d probably end up crushed. I wasn’t ready yet.

“Don’t be silly,” he said.

I got out of the car and immediately went into panic mode. My breath grew short as we walked, my heartbeat accelerating as the distance to the front door lessened. I heaved a sigh of relief when I found the living room empty and silent. Still, with them you could never tell when they’d turn up. I hoped Evan would be quick. I tapped my foot, enduring the nerve-racking wait. Drake might appear at any moment—or maybe he was already there and I didn’t know it. I waited for Evan in the kitchen, anxiously peering around the empty room.

Ginevra came up behind me with feline stealth, making me jump out of my shoes. “Hey! You scared me half to death!” I accused her.

“Or maybe you’re just a little on edge?” she asked, her glacial eyes trained on mine. I half closed my eyes under her searching gaze. Aware that she was probing me, I desperately tried to raise a wall between our minds. “What?! You haven’t told him yet?”

“Told me what?” Evan appeared behind her, looking puzzled.

My heart skipped a beat. My eyelids fluttered from the strain and I felt myself being dragged down into a dark vortex from which there would be no escape. I felt Evan’s impatient gaze on me but didn’t have the courage to face him.

“What’s she supposed to tell me?” Evan repeated.

Ginevra sensed my hesitation and looked him straight in the eye. “That Drake kissed her.”

The words struck me in the chest like an arrow shot straight at my heart.

Evan’s eyes, as gray as a stormy sky, sliced through me. For a moment I felt like a ghost of ice, invisible to his gaze. A shudder ran down my spine.

“Evan,” I murmured. He stood paralyzed in front of me.

Ginevra clearly hadn’t expected this reaction from him because she suddenly looked alarmed. “Evan, calm down,” she whispered.

His expression was indecipherable to me but she knew exactly what was going through his mind. I would have given anything to be in her place right now. No—actually, I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know.

“There’s no need for that, Evan!” his sister said, her voice turning loud and harsh. My heart beat wildly. Without saying a word, Evan rolled his hands into fists and clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing to menacing slits.

The only one privy to his intentions, Ginevra continued to beg him to calm down but her voice had grown faint in my ears, drowned out by the deafening panic that threatened to crush me. Abruptly, she fell silent.

Evan was furious. His implacable rage frightened me. He seemed as hard as ice and ready to kill. All at once he vanished, leaving us in the silence of the kitchen. Ginevra and I looked at each other and for a moment I thought I saw my panic reflected in her eyes.

“What’s going on?!” I cried in alarm.

“Simon!” she shouted into the empty room.

A second later Simon appeared beside us. “You told him,” he guessed, looking nervous.

“It’s worse than I imagined,” she said.

“Would you mind telling me what’s going on?” I wanted to shout, but all that came out of my mouth was a hysterical noise.
It’s worse than you imagined?
What the hell did that mean?

Ginevra’s gaze sliced through me and she said the last thing I wanted to hear: “He went to find Drake.” My body froze from head to toe.

“We’ve got to hurry,” Simon spoke up, heading for the door.

Moments later the wheels of his car were skidding through the gravel. I was terrified and in shock. I wanted to be mad at Ginevra for telling Evan the truth so abruptly, because I hadn’t been ready to face his reaction, but deep down I was relieved she’d lifted the burden from my heart.

“How do we find them?” I asked, torn with anxiety.

“He went to Roomer’s,” Simon replied.

“The night club? How do you know?” I asked, my nervousness growing.

“That’s where Drake is.”

“But I can’t go in there!” I said in alarm. “I’m underage.”

Simon’s eyes narrowed in the rearview mirror. “Consider it one of the advantages of being with us,” he said, flashing me a charming smile.

The car sideslipped on the asphalt, cutting the curves in half, as I chewed the inside of my cheek.

“He’s there,” Ginevra said, clearly picking up on Evan’s thoughts through the distance.

Simon slammed on the brakes. “He’s angry. My God, he’s absolutely enraged. But I don’t sense Drake.”

“What do we do?” I said timidly, my nerves on edge.

Once again, it was Simon who answered. “Gemma, come with me. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” His face was grave.

When Ginevra opened the passenger door, Simon turned and glowered at her. “Stay here,” he ordered, his face set. I’d never heard him speak to her so sternly before.

“Simon, the place is full of people. He’s not going to do anything stupid,” she said.

“He’s dangerous. I can feel his energy and I don’t know if he’ll be able to control it. You need to stay here,” he growled.

Following my impulse to rush toward the door, I left them behind. A bouncer stood there staring at me. I was afraid he was about to stop me, but he unexpectedly stepped aside and let me through. I turned around. Simon was a few steps behind me, his eyes locked on the bouncer’s. The door opened just in time for me to see Drake standing by the pool tables and Evan charging him with unrestrained violence.

I shouted Evan’s name, but he seemed to see nothing except Drake. My shout did, however, draw the attention of everyone else in the club. They turned to watch the scene as Evan shoved Drake against the wall, which cracked beneath the blow. A murmur spread through the room.

I sensed Simon’s tension. He stood at my side as still as a statue. His hopes that Evan might stop if I was there had gone up in smoke and he clearly didn’t know what to do. There were too many people there to intervene. Suddenly he stepped between the two, struggling to hold Evan back. “Evan!” he shouted, attempting to get his attention, but he was entirely focused on Drake. “Evan, you’ve got to calm down. Now!” he ordered firmly. “Look around you.” Simon’s eyes burned into his brother’s. “We’re not alone,” he whispered. At this point Evan’s gaze shifted to Simon’s and he seemed to see him for the first time.

I was still trembling. For a moment no one in the club moved, as if they were all holding their breath. Drake stood there, his back pressed against the wall as Evan’s eyes shot back to him. He was still irate, but he seemed to have snapped out of it. Evan leaned in and Simon moved his shoulder aside to let him. Drake’s eyes were glued to Evan’s, their faces inches apart. “I never want to see you again,” Evan said between clenched teeth, his expression murderous.

His brother tilted his head in an unspoken challenge, never taking his eyes off Evan, who turned and walked out without even looking at me. It hit me straight in the heart.

He was mad at me too.

Simon and I exchanged worried glances. He slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out a big wad of bills, and rested it on the bar before the owner’s surprised face. “For the damages,” he added, looking him steadily in the eye. “This should cover it.”

The man reached over and picked up the money without saying a word. I was sure that soon no one in the club would remember anything of what had happened.

I came out of the club just in time to see Evan get behind the wheel of the BMW. I walked up to the car and he glanced at me through the window, then nodded for me to get in. I searched Simon and Ginevra’s faces for their approval.

“He wants to be alone with you,” Ginevra said encouragingly. “See you later.” I hesitated a moment, staring at Evan in the driver’s seat waiting for me, then opened the car door and got in, fearing the worst. The BMW left Lake Placid as the failing light around us magnified our silence. For a while, neither of us so much as breathed.

“So that’s why,” Evan said, his tone grave and his eyes on the road.

I looked down to gather my thoughts. “I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t want to ruin what you two have between you.”

“Ruin what we have between us?” he said bitterly, turning my words around on me. My heartbeat faltered when I heard the resentment in his tone. “I thought we had a deal: no secrets,” he growled, his anger superseded now by disappointment.

It was more than I could bear. “Evan, I wanted to tell you and I would have! It was just so difficult. You’ve got to believe me!” He shot me a glance. “It all happened so unexpectedly. He caught me off guard.” I stopped short, realizing that if I kept defending myself like this I would only be making things worse for Drake. “You saw how nervous I was. I could never have kept it a secret from you. And I didn’t intend to.”

Again, silence. It was even harder to bear.

“Say something, please?” I begged.

His expression was stony. It was dark out now, but as I looked out the window I recognized the small, steep road Evan turned onto. A moment later, the car stopped.

“Why are we here?” I looked around, confused. Now that darkness had fallen, the long, arid field where we’d been the day before made me shiver. As I got out of the car, Evan, who was already at my side, sensed my tension and squeezed my hand. The warmth of his skin eased my nerves.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered, his face serious.

I’d missed his sweet, protective tone of voice. For a second tears of relief filled my eyes. I’d been worried this would go miserably, but maybe he wasn’t so mad at me after all.

I followed him into the hangar. A faint light flickered on as we entered. We passed the plane and I lingered by its tail, looking straight into Evan’s eyes. “You need to tell me what you’re thinking,” I said. It was an order, but it came out as a plea.

Evan stifled a humorless chuckle. Disappointment was plain on his face, and no matter how self-centered the thought was, I hoped his resentment was directed only at Drake. “What do you imagine I’m thinking?” he said bitterly.

“Still angry?” I asked warily.

“Angry? I’m beyond angry.” His eyes burned. “But not with you,” he added. His tone softened, as did his face.

“I’m sorry. I would never have wanted something like this to happen, but I’m sure you’ll manage to forgive Drake and everything will go back to normal,” I promised, but it was only my hope talking.

“Nothing will ever go back to normal. Drake is out for good,” he said sternly.

“You can’t be serious,” I said, though in his eyes I could see the reflection of the proud warrior Ginevra had talked about.

“Why can’t I?” he shot back.

“He did something stupid, that’s true, but try to imagine what he’s going through. You have me, and Simon has Ginevra. Drake, on the other hand, lost the person he loved forever! Don’t you think that’s a lot for him to deal with? Besides, everyone deserves a second chance,” I said decisively.

“You’re too good a person, Gemma.” His tone made it sound almost like a rebuke, but then his voice softened. He came up and wrapped his arms around my waist. “But I don’t care about anyone but you.”

“Not even your brother?”

Evan tensed. “No. Not even him. He made his decision. And every decision entails a sacrifice.” His tone was cold.

I couldn’t stand to see this rupture separate them forever, not if I was the cause. And yet, no matter how hard Evan tried to appear stoic, I could see a glimmer of pain in his eyes that he was clearly struggling to force down. Yes, with time Evan would forgive Drake. I would do everything in my power to make that happen.

“There’s just one thing I need to ask you.” His eyes studied me intensely as he stroked my cheek with his thumb. I looked at him, puzzled by his afflicted expression. “I already know what you’re going to say but I need to hear you say it,” he whispered warily.

“What?” I lowered my head at the touch of his fingers so he would caress me a second time. It was good to feel him so close again. Actually, he always had been—I was the one who’d raised a wall between us.

“When Drake—when he kissed you,” he began, forcing out the words, “what did you feel?”

I exhaled all the air I’d been holding in my lungs.
Evan was jealous.
Was he actually worried I’d felt even the slightest thing for Drake? I found the very thought ridiculous. Of course, he couldn’t know that. He couldn’t read what I had in my head or my heart. He couldn’t know he would always be the only one to make it beat. The sight of him right now, his eyes glued to mine, anxious to hear my answer, filled my heart with tenderness.

As he waited for my answer, perfectly still, I leaned in and brushed my lips against his. I couldn’t think of a better reply. I rubbed his nose gently with my own and shot him a mischievous glance. “Let me get this straight,” I whispered slowly, a fraction of an inch from his mouth. “You want to know if I felt the same heat that burns my skin when
you’re
near me?” I stared at his mouth and looked into his eyes again. “If I felt the electricity that runs through my body when your mouth”—I stroked his lip with my finger—“is on mine?” I kissed him.