Nolan's Evolution (60 page)

He growled deep in his chest. “Maybe I will let you out now and then with the girls but there will be no other…guy allowed your time. Do we have that straight Aelan?” His eyes twinkled with amusement.

“What about Thanatos and Jonathan?”

“Allowable.”

“And Joseph?”

“He can steal you now and then.”

“Michael?”

“When we are out with Melinda.”

“Maxim?”

He shrugged. “Obviously in the matters of your protection…”

“He’s a friend, Nolan.”

“He’s safe,” he agreed.

“Bradley?”

“He was here before me technically. I’m okay with him.”

She smiled. “So I do get to keep my guy friends?”

Nolan sighed. “Yes. As long as I can keep my girlfriends.” His silver eyes twinkled with mischief.

“If names other than Emily, Melinda, Arabella or Donna come up you can forget it, buster,” she growled. She again tugged his hair roughly.

He winced, but not because it hurt. “Jealous much?”

“Very.”

He lifted her up on the counter and hugged her close. “What has you worried about Thanatos?”

She looked up at him and sighed. “Has he told you what his wedding gift is?”

Nolan shook his head slowly.

“Me either, but Arabella is very concerned with her gift to deduce, it makes me very concerned too.” She bit her lip.

He ran a finger down her cheek. “You aren’t afraid of him…”

“Never!” She shook her head and gave a short laugh. “I will never fear him again. I only fear for him.”

He squeezed her gently. “With all that is going on with the she devil though…I wouldn’t worry about him doing something too crazy. He is very preoccupied watching her.”

She shrugged. “Maybe that’s what he wants us to believe. So he can surprise us with whatever.”

Nolan chuckled. “All this concern over a gift, Aelan?”

“I know it sounds silly,” she pouted. “But if you could have just seen Ara’s face or heard her voice. She has me convinced…he’s up to something.” Raina leaned into him and rested her head against his chest.

“Something else has you concerned about this date though,” he said softly. “Not just the gift. She told you something else.” He leaned her back and looked into her eyes. “Tell me the truth.”

Raina bit her lip. “It’s nothing.”

The silvers darkened.

“Nolan…”

“Do you think I am going to get angry with you? With Thanatos?”

“You already know.”

“Are you surprised?” His voice was soft and low.

Raina shook her head and tugged on the front of his shirt. “She spoke to you…didn’t she?”

He trailed his fingers up her spine. “I asked her to tell you.”

“How long have you known?”

“That he loved you?”

Raina lowered her gaze.

He lifted her face back up. “From the beginning.”

“And you trust him?”

He smiled. “I do.” He leaned in and set a very soft, very tender, very sweet kiss on her lips. “And I trust your love for me.”

She smiled and tugged him back so she could have another kiss. “Could you be more perfect?” she whispered against his mouth.

“I thought I was too protective?” he growled.

“Well there’s that,” she sighed.

He growled again and kissed her. “I will never be too protective of you.”

“I’m pretty strong Nolan,” she argued softly.

“Strong?” He flexed his arms and rendered her immobile.

She didn’t fight too hard to free herself. “I’ve saved your ass before.” She hooked her heels behind his back possessively.

He chuckled and lifted her in his arms. “Yes…yes you have.” He smiled a smile that if she’d been on her feet would have made her weak in the knees. “Now quit talking. I gave Maxim a half hour.”

She giggled. “There’s a lot we can do with a half hour Gregor.”

He chuckled. “Why don’t you kiss me with that smart mouth of yours instead of talking Aelan?”

And she did.

“You are far too serious, beautiful,” Thanatos sighed. He set his salad fork down and sat back in his chair. “How about you just tell me what you brought me here to tell me.” He seemed irritated.

Raina tilted her head and set down her fork too, leaving her salad untouched. “Are you mad at me?”

He shrugged and crossed his arms. “Well, at first I thought I was getting to have some time with you before the wedding… all special like…friend stuff. And now that we are here I feel like I’m getting ready to be read my rights.” He rolled his shoulders. “Why don’t you just tell me why you brought me here.”

Raina looked at the troubled greens and knew Arabella had been right about him hiding something. He was up to something and he was blocking her. She took a sip of her water. “Why do you think you are here?”

He barked a laugh. “Are we playing games?”

She shook her head, picked up her fork and stirred her salad again.

“Really Raina…I could be filling my time with other awkward moments.”

She frowned at him. “Don’t treat me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like, I don’t know. Like I’m…like I’m ordinary to you! You just aren’t treating me like you usually do!”

He rolled his eyes. “Like you’re made of glass? I thought you hated that! Thought you wanted to be treated like one of the guys?” He rolled his shoulders again and worried his lip. “So?”

The frown hadn’t left her face. “You’re hiding things,” she said softly. “That’s why you are acting as you are.”

“I am?”

“Yes, you are. I don’t know what it’s all about but I need to know what’s bothering you!” She shook her head. “I just don’t want you to close yourself off to me.”

He leaned in and lifted his brows. “And you want me to open my heart up wide and spill all too sweet little Raina, don’t you?” He sneered. “You just love that don’t you? That people fall over themselves to be touched by your kindness?”

She gasped softly. “That was mean.”

He shrugged. “Have you met me?”

She met his glare and shook her head. “You aren’t going to put me off! I’m going to get some answers out of you. Reverting to old Thanatos is not going to work! I’ve dealt with him before…remember?”

There was a flicker in the green eyes and he deflated. He stared down at his hands.

“What is going on with you?” Her voice was soft now, all severity gone.

“I…I’m not at liberty to talk about it.”

“Thanatos…”

“It’s a serious matter and I am handling it my way.”

“Elenora?”

He shook his head. “That is a whole other matter. There is something to be done and can’t drag everyone into it. I’m getting it done.”

“By yourself?”

He gave a nod.

“Arabella was right,” she murmured.

“Wait…she talked to you about me?”

Raina jumped a mile when his hand slammed on the table. So did many at tables surrounding them for that matter. She set her hand over his to calm him but he jerked his away in irritation.

“You two are talking about me now?”

Raina rolled her eyes.

“If I wanted the two of you meddling in my life I would tell you! What did she say to you?” His eyes were dark now, unkind.

“She’s concerned over you.” She reached for his hand. “Why are you so upset? She came to me thinking you had gotten into something dangerous.”

“What did she say to you?”

Raina blinked.

“I have had many a heart to heart with Arabella…I don’t need all my business laid bare…what did she say to you?”

She bit her lip and sat back just shaking her head. “Nothing hurtful, Thanatos or damaging about you. She is just afraid that what you are doing is unsafe. She’s concerned for you and that is as far as…as it went.” She tried to keep her eyes level with his. She didn’t want to lie but telling the guy she knew he was in love with her just didn’t seem right to bring up at this moment.

“Yeah, that’s all she said?”

Raina lowered her eyes.

“That’s what I thought,” he growled and slammed his fingers through his hair.

“I…I’m not sure I believe all she said…she isn’t sure herself.”

He held up his hand to stop her.

“Thanatos we just want you safe!”

He studied her. “And what is it that I’m doing that is so unsafe?”

“We don’t know. She was hoping I could find out.”

“That’s why I’m here? To scratch an itch? To ease curiosity?”

“To make sure you are okay,” she growled.

“As you can see I’m okay.”

Raina bit her lip.

“Did you want to talk about the other thing she told you? I know it was only a matter of time before it came out. All those nice chats on the phone…thinking I found a friend and she tells you all in a heartbeat.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Raina whispered, swallowing hard on the lie.

He tossed his napkin in his plate and rose to his feet, pulling out his wallet.

“We haven’t even had our meal,” she said in shock.

He threw a few bills on the table. “I’m not hungry anymore.”

“Thanatos!”

“You can get a ride home can’t you?”

Raina’s mouth dropped open. “You are leaving me?”

He grabbed his coat from the chair next to it. “It would seem.” He started striding away.

Raina grabbed her coat and was on his heels. “Where are you going?”

“Do you want me to call Nolan?” He barely gave her a glance as they reached the doorway, He pulled on his coat and she followed suit.

“Where are you going?” she repeated, grabbing his arm.

The manager walked up to them. “Is everything okay?”

Thanatos used his gift and they were soon standing at the door alone again. He lifted his phone and Raina knew what he was doing. She grabbed his arm and took the phone.

“You aren’t calling Nolan because you aren’t leaving me, and you’re going to talk to me.” Her blue eyes blinked back tears. “How could you walk away from me?” She shoved the phone in her coat pocket.

“I can’t do this Raina.” He powered through the door and out into the falling snow.

She stuck to him, nearly falling on the slick sidewalk. “Can’t do what?”

“I have to go.”

She slid to a halt when he turned to her. “Go where?”

Flakes were gathering in his blonde hair and on the shoulders of his dark coat, but he ignored them. “Away…for now.”

She shook her head. “Is that supposed to be my wedding present?”

He half laughed. “No, Raina, that was not supposed to be your present.”

“Arabella seems to think that is why you are not safe…the gift you intend to give.” He began walking away again. “Thanatos stop,” she cried.

He did, but didn’t turn to her.

“What have I done wrong? I care about you! I just want to be sure you are safe…just like you keep me safe! Why are you upset with me?”

He shrugged and started walking.

Raina hurried after him but that only resulted with her slipping on the ice. She landed with a thud and an oof on her backside, catching most of the impact with her hands. She sighed and slapped the cold pavement and then winced.

He was there, lifting her up easily and brushing snow from her coat gently. He didn’t say a word. He turned her hands over slowly and examined them for scrapes. His thumbs brushed over her palms tenderly.

Raina watched him minister to her, felt the care. She closed her eyes, as his forehead came to rest against hers. She breathed in deeply as she felt his struggle.

“Why are you leaving?” she finally whispered.

“I have to leave you be,” he murmured.

“No, you…you don’t we can figure all of this out.”

“Figure what out?” His voice was tortured. “The truth is the truth.”

Raina started to cry then. “I can’t lose you. We can’t lose you. Why now? Why all of a sudden is it an issue? We were doing so well…and things will change….”

“They won’t,” he whispered.

“And now you are leaving because Arabella and I spoke of our concern together?”

He drew in a breath and pressed closer to her. “Before she spoke to you, Raina…my feelings for you were just an idea in your head. And now you know they are the truth. I can’t be around knowing you know…”

“I know nothing,” she whispered frantically. “Just stay here with us. I will never bring it up I can pretend…”

He lifted her face and met her stare. “Raina, I love you. I love you with everything I am,” he said clearly and calmly. “You have known that for a long time now.”

Tears rolled down her face and felt like fire as they froze on her cheeks.