Dark Kiss (The Two sides of me Book 1) (18 page)

“You’re right Lilly.” No other way to get her to leave it alone, I have to agree with her to shut her up.

“Damn right I’m right, so when ya gonna make up the girls night out? You bailed after one drink, we need to get out there and shake some ass!”

“Let me figure this thing out with Evan and I’ll let you know when I’m available.”

“Shit, that’ll be the twelfth of never girl. He’s got it bad for you, I bet he won’t let you outta his sight.” For some reason that gets my blood pumping a little, nobody tells me what to do.

“We like each other Lilly, but he doesn’t control me. I’m still my own independent self.” “Yea whatever, you bolted from girls night, ignored calls from your family and friends, quit your job, moved in with him and never leave his side, sounds really
independent.”
She’s right, he
is
controlling me, it’s hard to see when you’re in the eye of the storm but when your best friend puts it out there like that, it becomes crystal clear.

“You have a point.”

“Of course I do. I’m not saying it’s wrong or anything, he’s sweeping ya off your feet, and that’s cool. Just don’t let him swallow you whole.”

“Thanks Lilly.” Maybe I did need Lilly’s advice after all.

“You’re welcome, now I gotta get back to work before I get fired, some of us still have a
real
job!” She erupts into laughter, but that comment cements my decision. I’m going back to work, to
my
real
job. We say our goodbyes and I promise to call more often. I lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes for a second but I get the weird sensation someone’s watching me. When I open my eyes I look left and a couple cars down, a women with crazy eyes and whacked out hair sits in a car staring at me through several cars worth of windows. She knows I see her but she doesn’t look away, she’s looking at me HARD, it’s freaking me out. I look around through the windows of the Ferrari to confirm she isn’t glaring at someone else..nope…it’s defiantly me. I imagine her getting out of the car and jumping across the hoods of the cars between us and breaking the glass of my window to get at me. Shit, my imagination goes into hyper drive in weird situations! I look away to break the freaky contact, and search a way to lock my doors- this damned car is so complicated! I’m trembling and I start to feel faint, tunnel vision settling in and my hearing going out; damn it, I can’t pass out until I find the locks! Fumbling with my phone to call Evan, I risk another look and the car is gone, and the women with it. Looking out all the windows wildly, I breathe a little easier and my head feels clearer. I’m still not getting out of this car alone though, no fucking way! That woman was looking at
me
with those crazy eyes.

Trembling, I find Evan’s number on my phone and press it he answers after about a half a ring. “What’s wrong Mia?” he says with urgency, like he knows some crazy bitch is out here stalking me.

“Um...can you send someone out to the parking lot to walk me back inside?” “What…why?”

“I just had a super creepy stare-down with a woman in a car a few down from yours, she’s gone, but I’m a little worked up.” I attempt to downplay the situation, I know he has the potential to go postal on people when he’s upset.

“Lock the doors, button on the right, I’ll send someone right out. Don’t move, stay in the car.” Before he even finishes, a muscle-bound man with a goatee comes barreling out the back door toward the car.

“Ah…a big man with a goatee is coming toward the car.”

“That’s Marco, I sent him, let him bring you inside.”

“Ok.” I unlock the doors that I just took five minutes to figure out how to lock and shut off the car. Marco opens the door for me without a word he begins scanning the parking lot around us. He sure seems like he knows what he’s doing; I wonder how many guys like Marco are on Evan’s bankroll? Marco gently, for such a mammoth man, tucks me under his arm and leads me back to Dominus without a word. Evan has made his way to the door by now and is waiting just inside for me, grabbing me as soon as I’m within his reach.

“You ok?”

“Yea, just freaked out is all.”

“You’re shaking, let’s get you back to my office.” We return with Marco in tow, who magically produces a blanket and a soda, motioning for me to sit on the couch, and setting the drink on the coffee table. I welcome the blanket and wrap up tight while Evan moves the drink over to sit in front of me on the coffee table. “What happened?”

“I was just sitting there talking to Lilly, we hung up and I felt like somebody was watching me. When I looked over, this crazy-looking woman was sitting in a car three or four down, glaring at me, and she wouldn’t look away. I couldn’t find the locks, thought I was gonna pass out, I couldn’t dial your number…I…. I…”

“Calm down Mia, breathe- you’re ok, she’s gone, I’m here and nobody is going to hurt you baby ok? Got it?” he soothes quietly, softly and I take deep breaths in through my nose and out my mouth until I’m calmer. “What did she look like, can you describe her to me?”

“Um, yea brown skin, kinda wacked-out black hair all over the place and creepy eyes, she looked thin, like her face was sunken in at the cheeks.” Man I can’t believe I remembered that much about her so quickly.

“I’m sorry to have to ask you, but you will remember more right now than if I wait until later, it’s all fresh in your mind.”

“It’s ok, I think I’m ok now. It’s just having someone stare me down in a parking lot…. behind your restaurant…it’s just too much like that night in the alley.”

“Come here.” He pulls me forward, hugging me, and holding my face, he kisses me softly. “You’re all right now, she was probably picking somebody up and saw my gorgeous lady in my fabulous car, got jealous and gave you a dirty look, you’re safe now.”

“Can we go home?”

“Yes. We can go home, drink.” he says handing me the soda and I do.

“I’d rather take you somewhere first though if that’s ok, just one stop?”

“Shopping?”

“Yes. Shopping, let’s go.” Marco hovers outside the office door, following us outside and climbing into some sort of SUV that sags with the weight of all that muscle.

“Marco going home?” 

“No, Marco is following us, for a while, just a precaution.”

“Really Evan it’s not necessary, it was probably nothing, I just let my imagination get away with me.”

“No Mia, Marco is our shadow for a while so get used to it, period,” he says, with his particular kind of finality. 

“Ok, but just know I feel guilty having you pay a bodyguard because I freaked out.” “Marco gets paid anyway, he’s just getting to drive around and get paid now- think of it as a promotion, he’s not cooped up in the club at Dominus for a while.”

“Promotion huh? Ok, I can accept that.” Our little caravan pulls out of the parking lot, on our way to go
shopping
great…. I can only imagine what we are shopping for….

Chapter 27

“Love Story” by Maria Carey

“Can’t Buy Me Love” by The Beatles 

Music plays in the car, but it’s not the radio station from earlier. This must be something of Evan’s, he has an eclectic taste in music, and he knows the words to a current song like
Stay
by Rihanna but listens to modern classical pieces and eerie, chanting arrangements as well. Evan keeps eyeing me while he directs me wherever it is we’re going, and I sense him trying to test my mood, whether he’s looking for apprehension, anxiety, or fear I don’t know, but I feel him. I also feel stupid for getting worked up over nothing, just a nutty lady looking me in a parking lot right? I hope that’s all it is, but my intuition tells me otherwise.

“I wanted to drive you here blindfolded. I’m really sick of this damn cast.” 

“Blindfolded?” I ask, a little surprised.

“Mmmhmm, maybe later.” Eyebrows high, I keep my eyes straight ahead but my heart picks up its pace; if he’s thinking about a blindfold in the bedroom I may have to go into the details of my attack a little more, and I don’t look forward to that at all. Sex has been phenomenal with Evan, and I trust him, I’m just not sure how a blindfold will make me feel. “Turn here.” I make the turn into the Pacific Mall parking lot.

“We’re really going shopping, like at the mall?”

“Yes, like at the mall,” he answers sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

“You should have a handicap hanger on your rear view mirror, we could park right up front,” I tease, knowing he hates being disabled, if only temporarily. I risk taking my eyes off the wheel for a split second to see his reaction, which for some reason is hilarious to me. I break out in a fit of giggles at his deep frown and tight set jaw. My laughter instantly relaxes the muscles in his face and I can see his expression changing. He’s now gazing lovingly at me when I peek out of the corner of my eye.

“Mia you confound me, no one I’ve ever known has smarted off to me like you do. If I weren’t in this cast I’d put you over my lap and spank you.”

I pull the car into a spot, turn it off and face him in my seat, he may talk a good game but his eyes are smiling. “You
love
it, you know you do.”

“I will not dignify that with an answer Ms. Galloway, now get out of the car,” he orders, but I know he’s not mad.

“Where are we going?”

“I haven’t told you for a reason, just help me out of the damn car.” I help him out of the car and we start toward the entrance, I can sense Marco following, just far enough behind to give us privacy but close enough to be of assistance if necessary. I’m wondering why I’m not allowed to know our destination, a little part of me suspects it’s because he knows there’s a good chance I won’t accept whatever he’s planning on giving to me. After a little maneuvering through the mall I spot it, Tiffany’s; fuck no! If that’s where we are going he was smart to keep it secret, there’s no way I’m taking jewelry from this man. I know him well enough to know he won’t be looking for anything that I would deem affordable or reasonable.

“Uh…Evan I’m not stepping foot in Tiffany’s if that’s what you’re planning,” I say, stopping dead in my tracks.

“Yes you are, you won’t deny me the satisfaction of spoiling you.”

“Wrong, I will most certainly deny you the satisfaction Evan, I’m a nurse, I don’t wear jewelry or fancy things that come from a place like that. It’s just not me, I can’t accept any more from you.” And the face-off begins, he stands there leaning on his crutches, staring at me for what seems like forever, waiting, although for what I have no idea. Finally breaking the silence he informs me, “I’ll stand here all day Mia, until you say you will go into that store and you will accept my gift and you will love it.”

“You’re gonna get mighty tired standing there all night on crutches Mr. Lawson.”

“Maybe so, but you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing my stamina, I’m not fucking around Mia, I’ll stand here forever.” Oh. My. God. I know he’s serious, and he’s right- he always gets what he wants and he’s always right. I’m stubborn though, and continue to stand my ground, I see Marco in the distance, settled on a leather couch scanning the area. I wonder if he knows what’s going on and if he took a seat anticipating it would be a long wait. We face each other, people walking around us, some of them looking at us trying to figure out what’s going on.  Evan keeps his eyes trained on me but I look around avoiding direct contact, if I look at him I’ll give in. I’m sure he knows that too, and I’m sure that’s why he keeps it up. I think we’ve been standing here for a good thirty minutes, not long really, but I’m in heels and he’s on crutches. I’m sick of this game.

“I want to go home.”

“I want to give you a gift,” he responds, matter-of-factly.

“Evan.” I stomp my foot, shit I didn’t mean to do that.

“Mia,” he says with warning.

“Come on, I really want to go home,” I whine.

“No, but you can stomp your tiny little foot again, I really think that’s adorable, and hot.” Ahh, he’s pissing me off, and he knows it, not necessarily the most clever way to convince me to change my mind. We stand there another fifteen minutes with me steaming, alternating my weight from foot to foot in heels and him occasionally smiling and rocking around on his crutches. Well shit, he’ll probably stand here forever, I humph and turn toward Tiffany’s, submitting to the most pig headed man on earth. He knows better than to say anything though, and follows me with a huge smile spread across his smug face. The second we pass through the doors, a woman dressed impeccably in a white pantsuit approaches Evan.

“Angela,” he addresses her simply, blandly by her first name.

“Mr. Lawson, so good to see you, I have your package all ready for you.”

“This is Mia Galloway,” he introduces me and I politely extend my hand. I’ll play nice with her; she doesn’t know we just had a forty-five minute showdown in the middle of the mall.

“So nice to meet you Mia.”

“You too, Angela is it?”

“Yes, Evan has spoken highly of you Mia, you must be very special.” Angela is gushing embarrassingly, Evan doesn’t like it, although I don’t know how I know, I just do. And what has he been saying to a Tiffany’s employee about me?

“We need to sit Angela.” Evan announces with irritation in his voice. I knew it.

“Oh of course, I’m so sorry, this way.” She steers us to an area in the rear of the store where we take a seat. Angela looks a little unnerved, and I begin to wonder how long she’s known Evan, she responds to him like everyone else I’ve met that knew him before his accident, with apprehension and fear.

“I’ll just get the box.” She jumps nervously, smoothing the front of her jacket at the waist. “Good idea, we’d like to get home.” He’s so rude sometimes, I feel sorry for her, yet at the same time I’m glad for his directness, I want to go home too. Marco stands just inside the door and I notice no sales person is approaching him.

“Do they know Marco is with us?” I ask.

“Yes they do, I’ve been here before.”

I bristle, I’ve never been jealous of anybody for anything in my life but right now, I am. “Really, so this is your hot spot to buy all your girlfriends gifts?” Why don’t I think before I speak, he frowns deeply at me, his lips going into a straight line and I can see he’s controlling his annoyance, just barely.

“This is
not
my
hot spot,
Mia. They sell a variety of things here; I do wear cuff links and a watch. And for your information I’ve never bought a woman anything here or anywhere, you are the first.”

“Oh…” He’s succeeded at shaming me, so I shut up and wait patiently next to him on a plush, soft Tiffany’s blue colored couch. Feeling the heat of his thigh against mine, the magnetism is never lost, even when we drive each other nuts. Looking around I notice we’re the only people shopping. That’s weird, or maybe not, what do I know, I’ve never shopped in a place like this. Angela returns with a signature blue Tiffany’s box, presenting it to Evan and leaving us alone. Turning to me on the couch, Evan holds the box in his hands, looking at it and not me for a moment.

Looking up and capturing me with his trademark, shocking green eyes he begins, “Mia, I thought my life was finished before you, everything I’d ever strived toward was mine, there was nothing left to yearn for, to want, I thought I had all that I could ever have. And then there was you. I had no idea how much I was missing, and if it took a car accident, near drowning and a coma for me to find you, it was all worth it. For the first time in my life I feel a calm in my heart. I’ve told you you’re my savior Mia and I mean it. I want you to have this, it makes me happy to spoil you, so let me, please.”

I dissolve into the couch right there, all of my stubbornness evaporated, and something I think must be love fills and overflows my heart. I accept the box with hot tears flooding my eyes. Inside is a wide-cuff bracelet, covered with diamonds and sapphires in a tiny, delicate scallop pattern. It’s exquisite; I’ve never seen anything like it. I gasp and hold my breath, my tummy feels a little weird and my hearing starts to fade again, shit not now, not again!

“Mia, breathe baby, you’re going to pass out. Shit you have the strangest reaction to excitement!” The sound of blood rushing in my ears I take a deep breath, my head begins to right itself and I can finally respond.

“Oh…Evan…it’s so…there aren’t words really, it’s amazing. I love it, so, so much, thank you.” Taking the cuff from the box, he places it on my wrist and holds my hands in his. “Don’t ever take it off….please.”  Looking up at him beaming at me, I launch myself into his lap and cover his mouth with mine, forgetting about the employees, the cast on his leg and Marco. As much as I don’t want to accept such extravagant gifts from him, that speech had slain me. If this makes him happy then I must accept it. It’s going to take time to get used to being spoiled this way, I’ve worked hard all my life for everything I have and I’m not used to this, but for him I’ll do anything. He’s captured my heart and locked it away inside of his, I belong to him, and every molecule of me is his.