by C. L. Quinn
Home. Not in New York City. Not at Claude’s mercy. Not at Lucky’s bar. And there would be no Margot here.
“Koen, explain to me, where I am, what happened. I have no frame of reference, no timeline, no idea what I’m doin’.”
“It’s wild, brother. Relax, just take your time, and we’ll get there. Breathe, brother.”
“It’s hard to do. I know who I am, and yet, there’s somethin’, another life, other feelin’s… What am I to make of this?”
He aimed the questions at Tamesine and she answered in a quiet strong voice. Xavier was shocked at how much he trusted her.
“It will all become clear as you sort through the memories and feelings that separate your choices and life before your brain damage and after. Xavier, in New York, you were quite a different man without a thousand years of memories muddying up your life. I think you’ll like him. More important, I think you’ll like some of the things that particular man brought into that new life.”
“The woman.”
“Yes, the woman, and how you were with her. Don’t rush it, though. Let yourself absorb it all organically and you’ll work through it naturally. You can make new decisions based on how you feel then. Xavier, I’m excited for you.”
“I’m terrified for me. I had enough difficulty figurin’ out the mess of me when I wasn’t a splintered man.”
“You’re a good man. That’s the end of it. And you’ll make all the right choices in the end. You should stay here tonight, then when you go home, just take it easy, do things you love and let those moments in New York just become part of you. They’ll merge and be nothing more than normal memories soon.”
“What do I do about this woman? I think I’m obsessed with her. Did she care about me? What the hell, Tamesine?”
“Don’t try to figure anything out yet. Don’t rush this. Seriously, relax!”
Koen refilled Xavier’s glass. “Let’s watch the sun rise, eh, Brother?”
Stepping around Koen, Tamesine went to her knees in front of Xavier. “You’re going to be better than ever, Xavier, trust me. Let Koen help you through this.”
She stood. “I’m heading back up. It’s time to put the kids to bed and I’m exhausted. Beat the daylight, boys. Goodnight.”
Once she was gone, Koen ruffled Xavier’s hair until it stood up like a bad Mohawk.
“What the fuck, bro’?”
“I thought you needed a shake-up tonight.”
“I think I already got it.”
“Aye. More whisky?”
TWO WEEKS LATER
“That was an outstandin’ meal, Karl. Perhaps one of yer bests. I like yer new cookbook.”
Karl lowered his head in an appreciative nod. The boss had always been easy to work for, but the past week or so, he could almost be accused of being too friendly. It was a nice change.
“Thank you, sir,” he replied.
“Karl, ye’ve worked for me for what, thirty years now?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ye can cut the sir. Just call me Xavier.”
“Thank you, sir. Xavier.”
Karl headed quickly back into the kitchen and leaned against one of several enormous refrigerators. How difficult was that going to be after three decades?
Xavier smacked his filled belly as he headed to his bedroom. Second meal was usually smaller than first meal, but tonight, his chef had outdone himself. That, and the fact that he seemed to have a greater appreciation for everything these past weeks, had left him smiling a lot.
It was apparent that his blood-bonds had noticed it too, which was fine. They were good men and women, and he was well aware that he’d never really thanked them enough for all they’d done for decades to make his life easier.
It was the new Xavier infusing the old Xavier with this sense of simple gratitude for the things and people that meant the most to him.
Reaching for the door to his bedchambers, he saw Josephine and Natalia coming around the corner of the long hallway. They’d followed him from the dining room. He turned to greet them.
“Good evenin’ ladies.”
Their arms around each other, they smiled back.
“We were wondering if you wanted company tonight.”
Hesitating, because he knew they would be hurt, he shook his head. “Not tonight.”
Josephine huffed. “Xavier, you haven’t taken us to your bed for two weeks. Did we do something wrong?”
Walking over to them, he looked into their confused eyes, placed a hand on each of their cheeks, and shook his head again. “Never. Ye’ve always been a delight. And I don’t have to tell ya how good yer skills are in the boudoir. But I’ve things to work through. Ye can see I’m unsettled.”
“That’s the thing, Xavier,” Natalia commented. “You’re not. You seem more calm than I’ve ever seen you. I like how you’ve been, sir.”
“I do too. But don’t take anythin’ personally here, I’ve just a lot to consider right now. If ya need entertainment, I know the boys in the security rooms are always available.”
Pouting, Natalia shook her head. “They’re not you.”
Taking Natalia’s arm, Josephine pulled on her. “Let’s go, Nati. He will let us know when he needs us. You will, won’t you?”
“Aye.”
Xavier closed the doors, walked to the bed, and dropped his clothes on the big chair beside it. Before he lay down, he sat on the edge and massaged his cock, which slowly filled.
He wouldn’t be needing them. His memories of Margot had returned, full on, and he knew what he needed to do. Tomorrow night, he would be on a plane to New York City.
THREE NIGHTS LATER…NEW YORK CITY
“Gopher! Hi, kid!”
“Quit that. You’re at most ten years my senior.”
“Ha. I just held up well. What can I do for you tonight? I’m on my way out. Jonathan has a special dinner planned. I don’t know what the hell it means, but that man does special very, very well.”
“Multiple millions of dollars can do that for you.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” Margot closed off her computer and walked around the desk. “You look really good, Robert. I think you’re even more buff than the last time I saw you.”
“Yeah. I may change my major to Physical Fitness Instructor.”
“No, you’re going to make an amazing attorney someday. Anyway, what do you need?”
Reaching into the closet beside her desk, Margot pulled out a white furry coat.
“Holy shit, batman! What the hell is that?”
Laughing, Margot pulled it on. “Crazy, isn’t it? I look like a fashion model polar bear. You don’t want to see the hat that goes with it. I think it has a baby seal dangling from it. Jonathan bought it for me. I told him I hated these cold days, and he knows I would never wear real fur, so he bought this fluffy monstrosity. It was sweet of him, and it is really warm, so I wear it to please him.”
“Damn, that’s love, lady.”
Margot didn’t say anything as she ran her hand along the satiny soft faux fur. Was it? Was she in love with Jonathan? She really couldn’t answer that.
“Anyway, I’ll be quick. I need a check for Danielle’s tuition.”
“That’s due again already? All right, I’ll have Freddie prepare it in the morning. How’s she doing?”
“Really well. I’m still struggling to get her to stop calling herself Cheeky and offering to show me a good time. My mother says she’s a model house guest.”
“I’m glad. We’ve given her a chance at a good life after all that she’s been through.”
“Jonathan was very generous to pay for her education since Lipnicki’s abuse. She’s incredibly bright, Margot.”
“I’m glad. And Robert, you know why she keeps offering to show you a good time, right?”
“Old habits?”
“No. Pay attention. Danielle has a mega crush on you. She has from that first moment.”
“I’m too old for her.”
Marg
ot smiled. “We’ll see. Okay, Goph, gotta meet Jonathan. He’s taking me to the new rotating restaurant on the top of the Orion Building.”
“Ooh, I hear it’s incredible. The views are supposed to be astral. The man knows how to treat his woman.”
“He takes good care of me.”
“No one deserves it more. Have a good time, boss.”
Glancing around, Margot spied her satchel and followed Robert out of the office.
When she walked out of the elevator, Margot felt a moment of vertigo. Beyond all-glass walls, low lighting in the expansive round room showcased breathtaking images of the city far below. A transparent podium stood just outside the elevator door, and a tuxedoed woman smiled warmly.
“A little unsettling the first time, isn’t it? Welcome to Orion’s Belt. Hi, I’m your hostess, Marina. Are you meeting someone?”
“Yes, Jonathan Lanager.”
“Ah, he has you on the east balcony. It’s our most beautiful spot, even this time of year when it’s enclosed to provide a warm environment. Please, come with me.”
The elegant hostess took her coat, then threaded Margot through widely spaced tables, much of the room lit by candles, and out to a spacious balcony that held only four tables cleverly placed for limited privacy.
As she approached the table, Jonathan looked up from a glass of wine he’d just poured, and smiled. No, beamed was a better word. After picking up the glass, he stood to welcome Margot. Dressed impeccably as usual, his blonde hair so light it was nearly platinum, he held the wine out to her as she arrived at the table.
This man was the prize of a lifetime. Gentle, gorgeous, a considerate lover, he adored Margot. She adored him right back. After spending the first seventeen years of her adult life distrusting relationships, she thought she’d finally found the man for her.
“My evening star has arrived,” Jonathan whispered in Margot’s ear as he kissed her on the cheek.
“Hi, handsome.” Pulling her chair out, he helped her in and slid the chair back for her, an old-fashioned, chauvinistic behavior that really only meant he treasured her.
Taking his seat again, he lifted his glass. “Long day, love?”
Jonathan was from London, the term love nothing more than a common address, so she smiled.
“Long day. I came in at 7 this morning, so I’m topping out at over 12 hours.”
“Sorry, but you’re free now for the next three weeks.”
“I am. Are you still not going to tell me where you’re taking me?”
“A man reserves the right to take his best girl somewhere special and to keep it a surprise.”
“God, Jonathan, I hope it’s somewhere warm. Winter is only midway through and I’m already tired of freezing.”
“Love, you are going to be thrilled, then.”
Margot moaned. “You’re after my heart, buddy.”
It was a general comment, but she noticed he seemed a little intense.
“That’s the idea,” he commented, his eyes on hers.
She didn’t have a response, well aware that he was ready to make this relationship more serious.
And she was too. Right? He was absolutely the right man for her. Wasn’t he? Of course he was.
Freddie had just left the office building, and, waiting for a cab, glanced up as a huge man neared. Was that the uber-masculine Scotsman that Margot had a few nights of sexual pleasure with a few months ago? Oh, hell, yes, it was.
He stopped as he recognized her. “Freddie, right?”
“Right. You remembered me. That’s impressive.”
Xavier was surprised at the comment. Did she remember him? She shouldn’t have. Ah, when Tamesine purged Freddie, she must not have purged the memory of when Xavier came to the office that first time. She wouldn’t have known about it. Well, it would make this easier.
“Of course I do. I’m a bit late arrivin’ tonight. I just got back into town and went to Margot’s apartment, but she isn’t there. I thought she might still be workin.’”
“I’m sorry, but you missed her. She had a dinner date.”
“Dinner date?”
“Yeah, you know, where you meet someone and eat? Look, I hate to tell you this, but she’s kind of seeing someone now, and it’s pretty serious.”
“It’s a romantic date.”
“Yeah, it is. Too bad, too, I remember you well. Sometimes it’s not meant to be. Fate and all that.”
“Aye. Sometimes, though, fate needs a helpin’ hand. Ya have such pretty eyes. Can you look at mine? Thank ya, lovely lady. Now, where can I find her?”
“She’s at a new restaurant just three blocks from here at the top of the Orion Building. But you need a reservation to even get in there.”
“Not a problem. Have a nice night, Freddie.”
Xavier placed her in the next cab that pulled up and flagged down another.
She was with a man. His heart stilled when her associate told him that. Okay, that was not unexpected, she was a beautiful woman and he’d told her to find love.
So he would do exactly what he promised himself he would do. He would go see her, watch her with this man, assess if she was happy, and if she was, he would leave her to her life. It was the right thing to do. He cared about Margot more than he wanted to admit to anyone, even himself, so the important thing here was what was best for her. And that’s what he would do.
Yes, that’s why he’d come. To check on her. Confirm that she was happy and well. That was all.
Keep tellin’ yerself that, vampire. He wanted her under him, that was why he came. Tonight, she was with another man and he knew that he would have to control himself.
The real question now was…could he? No.
Yes. If she’d found love, if the man was right for her, if Xavier saw that she was happy, truly happy, he would walk away. It would kill him, but he would walk away. He didn’t have the right to steal the life she wanted from her.
As the taxi pulled to the curb in front of the tall building, he threw a fifty dollar bill to the driver and headed to the stairs. He sprinted up each step to release built-up adrenaline and calm his mind. It worked; by the time he hit the top floor, he’d lowered his heartrate and had control of his breathing.
Stopping at a wide mirror before he continued, he looked at his image. He was a mess, his long hair uncut for months, loose and unkempt around his head. He’d worn a nice shirt and snug jeans, but there was little else he could do with his appearance.
Xavier grinned. He looked better naked anyway. The grin widened. So did she.
Continuing, he walked out of the narrow corridor into a hallway carefully lit to look like twilight. Beyond the hallway, the entire level appeared to be one large room that looked like it was encased in a glass bubble. This kind of architecture still astounded Xavier. Brilliant minds designed and built these skyscrapers that looked like they came from magic itself, they were nearly inconceivable.
A very pretty redhead wearing a man’s fancy suit smiled at him.
“Hello,” she said, her voice friendly. “Welcome to Orion’s Belt. Are you meeting someone?”
“Nay. Aye.”
“I would imagine so. Who are you looking for tonight?”
“Her name’s Margot. She’s a stunnin’ blonde.”
“Oh. She’s dining with a client in a private area sir. I can’t let you disturb them.”
“Lass, I’m goin’ past ya now. Where did ya say they were?”
“Um, on the balcony, all the way to the left and through the glass doors.”
“Thank ya.”
Not for the first time Xavier thought how inconvenient it would be to have to navigate this world without compulsion. He followed the girl’s instruction and saw Margot, distant, through the glass, laughing at a man across the table from her. He’d assess the man sometime tonight, but for now…he couldn’t take his eyes off her. God, memory was fallible! Or it couldn’t contain her true beauty. He admitted something to himself, out loud, for the first ti
me since he’d gotten his life back.
“I’m in love with ya, lass. I want ya in my life, now and forever.”
His hand on the glass door handle, he stopped for just a moment to promise himself one more time to do only what was best for Margot, and then he pushed outward.
Scanning the balcony, only four tables spread over the generous area, he chose one two tables away from hers, and leaned over to the attractive couple dining there.
“Are ya havin’ a nice time?”
“Um, yes, we are,” the pretty woman said. “Are you our new waiter?”
The man across from her started to stand, but Xavier caught both their gazes.
“Nay. You two like each other, do ya?”
The young woman answered, compulsion forcing the truth. “Yeah, we do, we’ve been dating for three weeks. I wish he’d make a move, but he’s such a freaking gentleman.”
“My mother said you’re not that kind of girl. She told me to wait a while,” the man explained.
Xavier rolled his eyes. “Ye’re both too polite. Leave now, find a nice place, and fuck all night if ya want to.”
He watched smiles spread on both faces.
“Off with ya, then,” Xavier said, and as they left, he took the woman’s seat, which faced Margot’s table. Now, he had an excellent vantage point.
Leaning back, he pulled both plates closer and began grazing on the delectable food left behind. His enjoyment didn’t distract him, his eyes didn’t leave Margot.
She was more beautiful than ever. Smiling, he watched her tuck a piece of bread into her mouth and reach for a glass of red wine. Her eyes sparkled, her body relaxed, her manner confident and comfortable, he had to admit, she looked happy.
Moving his perusal to the man across from her, Xavier tried to remain detached and just appraise him. Human, of course, attractive, seemed warm, his manner just as relaxed, his eyes just as engaged as Margot’s. Xavier thought he could be forgiven for deciding that the man looked weak. But one thing shone through all assessments he made…the man was in love with her.
