Shades of Amber (11 page)

“
For the same reason you
are.”

“
Why
am
I dressed up?”

“
We’re going to a ball,”
he whispered as his lips lingered at the base of my
throat.

“
Why would we do that?” I
shivered as he smiled against my collarbone. My hands lingered on
his chest until I found the strength to push him away. I grabbed
the water glass from the dresser and sipped until I tasted the salt
from my tears.

It would be so easy to cry
and fall into his arms, but I couldn’t. I had to get angry, so I’d
have the strength to get out.

“
What’s the matter, Jade?”
His tone was soft, almost compassionate. “We can finally be
together. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

I turned around, still
gripping the glass. “I want you to take me back to my
house.”

“
No can do,
cher.”

My temper was rising. “Why
do you call me cher? I used to think it was some kind of
endearment, but you can’t love me. You only know how to torture
me.”

“
My experience with
affection may be lacking, but I do love you.”

“
You don’t!” I threw the
glass at his head. “If you loved me, you’d let me go.”

It hit the wall, raining
shards on the carpet as he seized my wrists. “Look at
me.”

“
No.”

When he lifted my chin, I
focused on his mouth until he bent down so that we were eye to
eye.

“
Stop fighting it,
Jade.”

“
Never.” I yelled as his
arms came around me. The tension between us was terrifying. I had
to do something, but the more I wriggled, the tighter he held me
until my body was plastered against his. My chest heaved as he
lowered his head and caught my lips.

My nails dug into his
shoulders in an attempt to prove that I was unwilling, but my heart
was overpowering my need for self-preservation. All the fight
drained from my body when his tongue touched mine.

I was losing myself in
him, but how could I trust someone who faked his own
death?

He squeezed my hand. “It’s
time to go.”

I nodded. It wouldn’t hurt
to play along for a bit. “Give me a second,” I replied as he dug
the key from his pocket.

“
Watch the glass. I’ll
have someone clean it up while we’re out.”

“
Okay.” I studied my
reflection and then looked for his. My breath came quick and
shallow as I clutched the mirror for support. I blinked once,
twice, but there was only my reflection and a door that opened by
itself. I spun around and found Troy with his hand on the
knob.

He raised an eyebrow.
“What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“
Nothing.” I sounded
nervous, but he didn’t comment. Instead, he offered his
arm.

When he said that bit
about his reflection yesterday, I thought he was just being
facetious. I stole a glance at him from the corner of my
eye.

What happened to
you?

He watched me as we
descended the grand staircase; heading toward what I assumed was
the ballroom. As we reached the middle of the stairs, he smiled.
“You have no idea.”

I was so caught off guard
that I missed a step. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and
pulled me closer. My jaw dropped as I took in the sights. The cream
walls held portraits depicting handsome men with haunting eyes. A
chill ran up my spine as I looked from one to the next.

Where were we?

The minute we entered the
ballroom, everyone paused to stare at us. It reminded me of the
masquerade a few years ago—except this time, all eyes were on me.
Troy led me halfway across the room to a regal couple dressed in
pale apricot. The woman’s gown matched perfectly with the man’s
tuxedo. Compared to them, I saw how truly rich my dark gown looked
as the beads sparkled in the light.

The woman smiled, and I
couldn’t help but smile back. She appeared to be in her late
thirties, but had knowing eyes. She smiled as Troy placed my hand
in hers.

“
This is the girl I told
you about, Mom.”

I tried to hide my shock,
but it was clearly written on my face. She looked too young. Troy
laughed and kissed me on the cheek.

“
It’s so nice to meet you,
Jade. I’m Alexandra.” She smiled even wider and shook my hand. “I’m
sure you’ll love our Amber Palace.”

My smile cracked at the
long-term implication. I shook my head. “I can’t stay; I have to go
back….”

“
She’s joking mother,”
Troy glared at me, but I refused to say otherwise.

Three pairs of eyes looked
at me as though they sensed my fight or flight thoughts. I gulped
and tried to breathe as the man I assumed was Troy’s father shook
my hand. He looked distinguished with his cropped hair and
moustache, giving me a glimpse of what Troy might look like later
in life.

To keep my hand from
shaking, I focused on the details. His suit complimented his brown
skin nicely. Next to Troy’s mother, his father looked as if he was
in his early forties.

He smiled. “You are even
more beautiful than Troy described. Call me Richard.”

I could only smile. These
were the parents he’d mentioned that day, years ago when I’d tagged
along to mail that letter, which meant I was very far from
home.

Troy hugged me and kissed
my hair. “I said she’s indescribably beautiful, Father.” He smiled,
but since it didn’t reach his eyes, he was probably angry at one of
us.

I looked around, trying to
spot an escape, but there was only a room full of
people.

Troy’s mother smiled as
she linked her arm through mine. “If you boys don’t mind, I’m going
to take Jade to mingle.”

Troy began to protest
until she cut him off. He pulled me to him and brushed his lips
against my ear. “I’m watching you, Jade. And just so you know,
we
will
talk
later.”

I pushed away from him,
silently thanking his mom.

Alexandra grasped my
hands. “Once a woman has a baby, she dreams of the day when she’ll
meet the person who makes that child fall in love.”

I forced a smile, even
though my heart was aching. I
had
loved him, but he still had no idea what the word
meant. If he did, he wouldn’t be forcing me to stay. I gave Troy
one last glance before his mother whisked me toward a couple two
feet away. I surveyed the man and woman, but my mind was focused on
Troy’s heated discussion with his father. I strained to hear the
subject, but could only make out a few words.

Perhaps they were arguing
about the morals of kidnapping.

When a woman in her
twenties approached us, the couple took their leave. The pretty
brunette was animated and cheerful, so I listened as intently as
one can to two conversations. Unfortunately, I missed bits of both.
Troy seemed to be demanding something that his father was against,
and I was practically dying from the suspense. I hoped Richard was
telling his son to send me back to Chattanooga, but I doubted I
could be so lucky.

Troy’s mother gave me a
look, and hustled me toward another group halfway across the room.
I groaned as she patted my hand.

“
Boys will be boys. It’s
best to let them work things out on their own.”

¤¤¤¤

…
Troy…

“
Does she know?” I
followed my father’s gaze as he eyed Jade and my mother. They were
supposed to be speaking with a couple a few feet away, but Jade’s
head kept turning in my direction. I winked, but she looked away as
soon as our eyes met. She had everyone’s attention with her
brilliant smile and mesmerizing gown, and even though I’d tossed
her into this, she held herself with the poise and elegance of a
queen. My cold heart warmed at the knowledge that I wouldn’t have
to give her up again.

My father cleared his
throat. “Well?”

“
She can’t handle it, yet.
I need her to accept this.” I spread my hand to encompass the
room.

He shook his head. “You’re
asking an awful lot of that girl, son.”

“
She can handle it, she’s
a fighter.”

My father laughed as we
watched my mother guide Jade to the patio. “How do you know she
won’t fight
you
?”

I smiled. “Oh, she’ll try,
but she loves me. Soon she won’t be able to resist.”

¤¤¤¤

Jade

My lips couldn’t lie
anymore, I was miserable. I studied his mother’s profile as she
mingled with her guests. She was as stunning as a Monet, but she
had an underlying strength that made her as dangerous as a
lightning bolt.

She smiled and led me to
the terrace. “It really does take more muscles to frown, you know.
You look flushed, dear. Are you feeling well?”

I tried to inhale the cool
air, but started sobbing. “I can’t be here. I don’t
belong.”

The moonlight fell on her
as she placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. “You do belong
here, and you’re doing fine.”

The decorative lanterns
twinkled over the fountain as I pulled away. “I can’t imagine why
Troy would claim he didn’t have experience with love.”

She took a seat on the
wooden bench, and tapped the spot next to her. “Perhaps he meant
loving someone.”

“
He’s trying to make me
become something I’m not,” I whispered as I plopped
down.

“
Who?”

The calming sound of
trickling water drowned some of my anger.

I was an adult. Not a
child complaining to the mother of the boy who broke her crayons.
What could Alexandra do?

“
Who is upsetting you,
Jade?”

I took a deep breath.
“Your son.”

“
My son can be
overwhelming at times.”

I looked at the moon.
“Yes.”

“
So, you didn’t have a
choice in coming here.”

“
No, I’m not even sure
where I am, exactly.”

“
You’re in….” She stopped
when a twig snapped. “I should get back to the party before my
husband gets worried.” Her warm hand covered mine. “You should let
Troy answer your questions, dear.”

I sighed. “He never tells
the truth. I can’t…” I rubbed my arms.

“
You can’t what, Jade?” My
heart skipped when I heard his voice.

He was right behind
me.

“
You two should
talk.”

I started to follow her,
but Troy grabbed my arm. He bit his lip as he brushed his knuckles
against my cheek.

“
My mother is growing
quite fond of you. I wish that you would stop trying to distance
yourself from us.”

I stepped back, but he was
still holding my arm. “Us?”

“
I know you don’t want to
be here.” I looked at his face and for a second, I got lost in his
eyes.

How could one man’s gaze
hold so many secrets?

I shivered as I
contemplated all the things he was hiding. “If you know I don’t
want to be here, then why keep me?”

His smile was sexy, but
his words were disturbing. “I keep you because I want you with
me.”

A blush creeped its way up
my neck and face. “I won’t let you.”

He chuckled. “You don’t
have a choice, cher.”

I stomped his foot, but
slippers didn’t do as much damage as a nice pair of boots. “Where
am I?” I pounded his chest, trying to make him realize how angry I
was.

The variety of accents was
unexpected, but I was positive we were in Louisiana. I just needed
enough information for a cab or something.

“
Let’s not worry about
that just now.” Troy waited until I wheezed and slumped against him
before dragging me back to the ballroom. “We should dance and enjoy
the people who came to celebrate us.” He steered me onto the dance
floor as if I weren’t glaring at him with murderous eyes, and then
it hit me. If he lacked a reflection, I probably couldn’t kill him
anyway.

After a few twirls, his
words hit me like an avalanche. “What do you mean ‘they’re here to
celebrate us’?”

He pressed me closer as we
continued to glide over the floor, and when he finally told me, I
thought I would keel over right there. His amber ring sparkled as
he put my hands on his shoulders and touched my cheek. “I’ve chosen
to be with you, so they’re here for the celebration.”

I gaped at him until he
pushed my jaw shut with his finger. “You’ve chosen to b-be with me?
What do you mean?”

“
When the time comes, I
will tell you everything.”

“
No. You can’t choose
someone without their consent.”

He smirked. “You bound
yourself to me that day at the picnic table.”

I sat on the big bed in
‘my’ room, but I was not floating on a cloud like the day I first
agreed to be his girlfriend.