by J. J. Sorel
“Except what?” I asked.
Something about the mischievous squint in his sleepy blue eyes told me that he was about to be lewd.
He shook his head. “I forgot I am in the company of a gracious, refined lady.”
I placed my hands on my hips. “Are you mocking me?”
His brow tightened. “I’d never do that. I meant it. You’re a unique beauty, Clarissa. A Renaissance woman.”
I was about to respond when Aidan stepped in. “And what is a Renaissance woman?”
“A woman of the world. Open to all possibilities.”
Joining us, Aidan kissed me on the cheek. “She is that, and more.”
“No more,” I protested with a laugh. All the sudden adulation made me uncomfortable.
Chris regarded Aidan, nodding with approval. “You look dashing.”
“Doesn’t he just?” I said. Undoing some buttons of his cream-colored linen shirt, I straightened the burgundy silk cravat. “He looks good enough to eat.”
Aidan tilted his head with an awkward grin, while Chris nodded. “That he does.”
Noticing my brow crease slightly, Chris added, “Don’t worry, I’m a vagitarian.”
When I noticed Aidan’s grin widening, I broke out and laughed.
Chris went to his backpack and pulled out a large-lensed camera. He looked about the room. “The chaise lounge, I take it?”
I nodded. “How did you guess?”
“It’s a natural fit.”
“It’s so nice of you to come here and do this.” I thought of his latest commission, our love portrait, that I wouldn’t mind waking up to daily.
“As much as I enjoy painting beautiful people and you and Aidan are that plus more.”—He raised a brow— “I’m here purely for mercenary reasons.”
“Still, we couldn’t have a better artist on hand. And I’m glad you suggested it,” responded Aidan.
Chris nodded with a hint of a smile.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
The blinding diamond sitting on my finger was a cogent reminder that I wasn’t dreaming. As I leaned against Aidan, I caught a whiff of subtle cologne making my body loose and warm, as I melded into him.
Chris snapped lots of photos of us.
“Like that,” instructed Chris. “Mm… that’s seriously sexy,” he rasped.
Aidan’s eyes narrowed. I hugged and kissed him gently on the cheek, making his body relax in my arms.
It must have been thirsty work, because Chris managed to empty the fridge of beer. Aidan had to call Susana to bring more.
Having been driven to the estate by Evan, Chris took advantage of the endless supply and drank to his heart’s delight. He was one of those rare creatures who could drink a lot and still manage to hold an intelligent conversation.
When Susana made her grand entry, wiggling her way around the room, Chris charmed the pants off her. I’m sure that left alone, they would have devoured one another.
Chris put his camera down. “I’ve got plenty to work with.”
I undid myself from Aidan’s warm, hard body.
While I smoothed down my dress, Aidan said, “Perhaps Chris would like to look at some of the art here on the estate.”
My face lit up. “Great idea.” I regarded Chris, and he nodded in his usual sheepish fashion.
Aidan poured me a glass of wine and grabbed two bottles of beer for himself and Chris.
“Are you ready for a little tour?” Aidan handed Chris the bottle.
“Show the way.” Chris stretched out his arm.
I led the way to the Brueghel.
Chris’s normally somnolent features sparked up as he rested his trained eye on the still life. “The Flemish were an impressive if not dark bunch. I personally love his symbolism works in the school of Hieronymus Bosch. You know the ones?”
“I sure do,” I said.
Aidan squeezed my waist.
Chris leaned in close to the painting. “But this is fucking incredible. The pigments are still so vibrant. Like many poisonous substances, they had this forbidden beauty about them.”
“It wreaked havoc for many artists,” I said.
“Long life is overrated. What counts is creating something that is unique and immortal.” He pointed to the frame. “Like this.”
I nodded slowly. What could I say to that? I cast a glance at Aidan and noticed his eyes had gone remote and dark. Hm.
“Let me show you something more modern,” I said in an upbeat tone.
They followed me along. I’d unwittingly become the tour guide, it seemed.
As soon as we entered the office, Chris rushed over to the Kandinsky and expelled a long-winded sigh.
I flashed a side glance to Aidan and noticed his lips curl. I was instantly relieved that he’d left intensity behind.
Chris shook his head. “Holy shit. Will you look at that? There’s so much going on. I could stare at this for fucking hours.”
“I have,” I said, flashing an awkward smile at Aidan. I wasn’t sure if I should admit that, considering he’d originally employed me to work and not ogle paintings.
Chris looked at Aidan. “Did you ever hang the pieces you bought from my last show?”
Aidan nodded.
“They’re in his music room, and they look great,” I chimed in.
Looking impressed, Chris asked, “Music room? You have one of those?”
“We have everything here. Even a library,” said Aidan with a note of pride.
We had to walk past the library to get to Aidan’s music studio. Since the door was open, Chris stopped to look. “Can I have a quick peak?”
“Of course,” said Aidan.
He was about to head for the shelves of hardbacks when he stopped abruptly at the glass table encasement. I noticed his eyes moisten at the sight of the elaborate Celtic scroll dancing off the page.
“Fuck,” he said. “This is enough to make a grown man cry.”
“It was my reaction, too,” I said.
“You can open it up if you like,” said Aidan.
“I’d need gloves for that wouldn’t I?”
I nodded. “It’s imperative, Aidan. The pages are seriously fragile.”
“It’s cool. No need. This page is enough.” Chris looked about the room, sniffing the air. “Mm… it’s got that old-book smell.”
Aidan clapped his hands. “Music room, then.”
A few rooms on, we entered Aidan’s playroom. Chris’s face lit up when he saw his seascapes alongside the studies of my face in a room laden with guitars.
Chris pointed to a guitar on a stand. “Do you mind if I have a quick pluck?”
“No, not at all. Do you play?” Aidan’s voice reflected my own surprise.
He nodded. “A little.”
He strummed tunefully and proved to be rather adept around the guitar.
“That sounds good, Chris. When did you start?” Aidan asked.
“I was pretty young, I suppose. You know, misspent youth.” He rasped a chuckle.
“There’s worst things one can do as a boy,” said Aidan. “Are you hungry?”
Chris nodded slowly. “Yeah, kind of.”
“Good, you can stay for dinner and then after, if you like, we can have a little jam.”
“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” said Chris, looking at me as if to see if I approved. I nodded encouragingly.
Chris flirted disgracefully with Susana, who of course was smitten by our unusual guest’s slurry, cheeky remarks.
Still, it was amusing for Aidan and me, at least, as we watched with subtle grins etched on our lips. In truth, it had been entertaining having Chris there, and I could see that Aidan had warmed to him. Especially after it was established that Chris played the guitar.
After dinner, they headed back to the music room to play.
There was nothing I loved more than seeing Aidan relax with his guitar in his arms, ripping out screeching, electrifying cries. He was a natural and in his element. All his intensity seemed
to ring through the guitar. And although he was the more gifted of the two, together they managed some really cool, heartfelt blues. When Chris heard Aidan’s singing voice, he looked over at me with a rare wide-eyed gape. “Shit, Aidan, you’re a potential superstar, man.”
Aidan, who cast his gaze on me, shrugged it off. “Not interested. Just love making music. Don’t need an audience.”
“Ah… how refreshingly unambitious,” said Chris, stroking the acoustic guitar. With his scraggy, long blond hair falling over his face as he concentrated on plucking the strings, I was once more reminded of Chris’s resemblance to a certain famous musician.
“Chris, do you like Nirvana?”
He looked up at me, and a half smile formed on his face. “I love them. Why?”
Aidan and I looked at each other and smiled.
“If you ever give up painting, which I hope you never do, you could always start a tribute band,” I said, joining in with Aidan’s infectious laugh.
“Yeah, I get it, ha ha ha… Kurt Cobain. I’ve been told a few times,” Chris said with a little chuckle.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Aidan had left early that morning for the week. I was running late for a breakfast with Tabitha. She wanted to meet me in the Artists’ District for some reason. I’d suggested Sammy’s, our traditional hangout, but Tabitha asked to meet elsewhere. I could tell something was wrong by the tremor in her voice. It explained her need for discretion, given her brother was working at Sammy’s.
It felt good to drive for once. Aidan would be annoyed. But it had been a spur-of-the moment call, and I didn’t want to bother James. Nor did I have the time to wait. Tabi needed me, then and there.
Since that frightening encounter with Bryce, Aidan had been ridiculously protective of me. But the fact remained that I liked driving the electric car. And although James doubled as my security guard, I reasoned that Tabitha’s presence was protective enough. She was like a tiger. Her father, a keen boxer, had had her punching into bags when she was a little girl, a skill she used one day at school, when she knocked out a boy for harassing me.
In any case, we hadn’t heard from Bryce. Despite him being free on bail, Aidan speculated that Bryce would not risk being locked up. Being a PTSD sufferer, he would not be able to handle confined spaces. Nevertheless, I dreaded the court hearing so much that I suggested we drop the charges in order to avoid the media circus. But Aidan was adamant. He had a point. And although I hadn’t admitted it to Aidan, I was still haunted by Bryce’s greasy smirk.
I sat at the table waiting for my friend. It was unlike Tabitha to be late, especially as she was the one who had to see me urgently. I was on my second coffee when she came racing in. Her eyes had a glint of confusion in them. There was something wrong. My normally bouncy friend had brought in a dark cloud.
Tabitha’s hair was out and tousled. Her face flushed. Those large green eyes had a searching, confused glint.
She bent down and kissed me. “Sorry, Clary, I got caught up in something.”
Although the day was warm, she was wearing a long-sleeved blouse with a higher-than-normal neckline.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
She looked about and beckoned the waiter, who came over straight away. “A latte, thanks.” She glanced at my cup. “Do you want another?”
I looked to the waiter. “I’ll have a juice, thanks, apple and beetroot.”
When he left, I asked. “What’s up?”
She cast me a half smile. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Oh, shit, Tabs, please don’t tell me you’ve left Evan?”
Biting her bottom lip, Tabitha stared down at her hands. I knew that look well. I’d lost count of the boyfriends she’d left.
“Tabi, why?” The waiter turned up with our orders. I waited until he left and again implored, “Why?”
“I’ve met someone else.”
My brows knitted furiously. “Ha? But I thought Evan was the love of your life.”
Tabitha lifted her glass of coffee with a trembling hand.
I touched her hand, regretting my severe tone. But it was exasperating considering how certain she had been about Evan. “Tabs, tell me what’s wrong. Has he done something to you?”
Her big green eyes pooled. The last time I had seen Tabitha distraught had been over Steve, the cheating husband. But this was different. I’d never seen her hands shake before.
“Has Evan done something to you?” I repeated.
She nodded slowly.
I touched her hand. “What, Tabs? Tell me.”
“He’s become really dominating. And yesterday he hit me.”
“He hit you?”
Wide eyed and dazed, she nodded.
“How? I mean, I know that you were taking his lashes. But you told me you liked it.”
She looked at me with a grim smile. “It was a novelty. But not anymore. He’s become heavy handed, Clary. I can’t be with him.”
“You’re moving out today. You can stay in the cottage.”
Color returned to her cheeks. “Oh, Clary, that would be amazing. Can I, really?” She held my hand and was back to being excitable Tabitha.
I was suspicious. There was something else going on. As I pondered that, her phone vibrated. She reached into her bag. I noticed her face crack into a huge, sunny smile. “Sorry, Clary, I just want to take this, okay?”
“Sure.” I took a sip of my juice. Something sat weirdly in my stomach. I knew my friend well. And seeing her face all expressive, flushed with that aroused little twinkle she got in her pretty eyes, I sensed that was a new love interest she was purring to.
“Yeah, I want to as well. I’ll call you later.” Her voice sounded breathy and sexy.
When she finished the call, I asked, “Who was that? Have you met someone else?”
She looked down awkwardly at her fingers and nodded.
“Tabs, are you vilifying Evan as an excuse?”
Without saying a word, she proceeded to unbutton her shirt. Thinking she was about to strip, I was about to stop her. But I noticed she had a singlet on underneath. She winced as she shrugged out of her shirt.
Her arms were black with bruises. She stood and lifted her singlet at the back, and there were welts all over her.
A mixture of fury and disbelief sent blood coursing through me. “Holy shit, Tabitha, he did that to you?”
She fell back into the chair and put her shirt back on, grimacing from the pain.
“Is there any damage? I mean, have you seen a doctor?”
“No, it’s okay, really. It was painful in bed last night.”
“Hell. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to move out, today. Thanks to your kind offer.”
“You bet you are. Is he there now?”
“No, he’s not. He won’t get back until five.”
“Then, let’s go now and get everything.” I stood up, and Tabitha fell into my arms.
“Clary, thanks a million for this. I really owe you. I know I was keen about the submissive thing. You know me, I love kinky shit. But he got increasingly aggressive and heavy. And he was so jealous that he made up all kinds of paranoid claims and reasons to hit me.”
“God, Tabs.”
“I’m okay. My best friend has come to my rescue,” she said, kissing me on the cheek.
I paid the bill, and we were off.
I was glad that I’d chosen to drive. At least that way, James, who was a buddy of Evan, wouldn’t ask questions. Still, I needed to tell Aidan. Evan was a monster.
Having parked the car around the block, we had to traipse along the main boulevard to get there. Tabitha had her arm linked in mine as we almost skipped along. Or at least, that was Tabi’s doing. In typical form, unable to stay in one emotional setting for too long, Tabitha was back to her positive, can’t-wait-to- embrace life mode.
The pavement was busy as always. People clambered along while others pushed through impatiently.
; A couple passed, almost colliding into us. Our shoulders brushed. I could only see their backs. A shiver went through me. They looked awfully familiar.
Even though it was a matter of seconds, all motion slowed. Tabitha sniggered. I had to stop my fiery friend from yelling something at them.
The woman turned around and threw me a spine-chilling stare. I turned to ice.
When I realized who it was, my legs buckled beneath me, so much so that Tabitha took my weight.
Jessica Mansfield’s lips twisted into a smarmy acknowledgement before tossing her head back. The chunky-built guy she was holding tightly was Bryce. I’d forgotten to breathe as I watched them walk ahead. I don’t think Bryce noticed me. Or if he did, he kept his distance.
“What’s wrong, Clary? Do you know her?”
“Yeah, that’s Jessica.”
“Oh.” She stopped walking. “Shit. Aidan’s ex?”
I nodded. “Ah-huh. And she’s with Bryce. I’m sure they're cooking up something.”
“Fuck. That Bryce. Oh my God, Clary. She had an evil look about her, that’s for sure.” She watched Jessica sashay off. She was wearing a bodycon dress, so her assets were on full display. “God, her butt is very Rio. Do think she’s had implants?”
I shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me.” I let out a tense sigh.
“Are you okay, sweetie? They’re not going to hurt you. Not while I’m around.”
I smiled faintly. “No, I guess not. But still…”
From that point on, I was like a ghost walking. Jessica’s cold eyes kept flashing before me. Although it was a warm day, I held onto my shivering frame.
Taking me by the hand, Tabitha led me along. “Come on Clary. It will be okay. Aidan is a force. He can crack thunder in the sky.”
I stopped walking and laughed. Ah… now that’s what a good friend’s for to make ridiculous distracting comments. “Crack thunder?”
“Yeah, you know, like Thor. Aidan has that Viking god energy about him.”
I reflected on that for a moment and found myself nodding and smiling at the same time.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
By the time we got to the estate, Tabitha had already taken two calls from her mysterious new lover. I was itching to know who he was.
