Whether a person was into these fights or not, it was impossible not to get caught up in the whole excitement of everything. The exhilaration could be felt zapping through the air as spectators triumphed with their pick. My brother had obviously been the favorite.
“Wanna just meet at the place up the street?” Gabby asked.
“Sounds good to me.” I climbed in my car and turned on the overhead light to look at the envelope once again. There were so many things about it that bothered me. I didn’t even know what to be most concerned about: the fact that it had gotten through the prison screeners, or the possibility that it had never been mailed from behind the bars in the first place. Not to mention the content of the letter. How did he know I was going to Paris? I shoved the envelope into my purse and turned off the overhead light. I spotted Lily, Ayden and Mason leaving the building and waited for them to pile into their cars. The trepidation flowing through my veins was exactly what I’d been running from ever since the accident. I’d done a really good job of hiding it from everyone, including myself, and now with this six-word sentence, my bubble was threatened, and my fear was that escaping clear across the globe wasn’t enough.
Pulling behind Mason’s car, I followed him in a trance of uncertainty to the place we were all meeting. It felt like I was on autopilot as I pulled into the lot and parked. I watched them all pile into the bar and gave myself a few extra minutes. I needed to calm myself down. I felt so alone without Aaron here. He’d been the one who helped me cope this entire time. It wasn’t until he was gone that I realized how much support he’d lent over the last few months. I drew in a deep breath and glanced around the lot. Even though it was almost nine o’clock in the evening, the sun still hadn’t set, which made me feel marginally safer. I swung open the door and made my way inside the bar.
Lily and Ayden were already huddled in a large booth in the far corner. Gabby and Jason were still standing at the edge of the booth gabbing, and I scoped the place for Mason, spotting him at the bar ordering a round of victory shots. I made my way toward my friends and brother and felt immensely better. No more being alone with my thoughts.
“Was that intense or what?” Lily said, shaking her head. “He’s certainly got that skill down.” She looked up at Ayden admiringly, and he flashed a grin. There was nothing more satisfying than seeing Lily with Ayden. They were meant to be. There was no denying it.
I laughed and slid into the booth next to Lily. Gabby and Jason slid in across the table and I nodded. “He certainly does know how to get the job done.”
“Now spill the beans, knucklehead. What are you hiding?” Ayden said, and Lily pressed her body to the back of the booth, looking somewhat like a robot, so that Ayden’s gaze landed on mine.
I let out a sigh. “Mason already blabbed?” I asked.
“He didn’t have to,” Ayden said. “I could tell the moment I saw you. And by the way, I didn’t buy your story.”
“I didn’t know I was that transparent.”
Gabby chuckled and shook her head. “Seriously? We can read what’s on your face before you ever open that mouth of yours.”
I shot her a dirty look and grinned.
“I knew you were crushing on my brother from the beginning,” she teased.
“You did not.”
She flashed a wicked grin, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I was so lucky to have such an amazing group of friends.
Mason walked over with a tray full of shots and placed them on the table. He snatched a chair from an empty table and spun it around, placing it at the head of the table, and took a seat.
“To victory,” Mason said, as we all reached for a shot.
“To victory,” we all sang back and slammed the shot.
The sourness trickled down my throat, and my lips puckered as I shook my head in protest. “No more of whatever that was.”
I saw Ayden slam another shot and noticed Lily beaming as he chugged on her behalf.
Curious.
“Let’s have it. What’s going on?” Mason asked, as a round of waters arrived.
“Well, I picked up the mail today and didn’t bother looking at it until right before the fight.” I opened my purse and dug out the grey envelope. “This came to me. It looks like it’s from Derek, but he’s still behind bars awaiting the trial.”
I flipped the envelope around and looked at the postmark.
“So it got through the screening at the prison?” Gabby asked.
I shook my head.
“The zip code doesn’t match where he’s at,” I sighed.
“Maybe they take all the mail to a different sorting facility,” Ayden replied.
“I hope so. The alternative isn’t a pleasant thought.” My body shuddered at the idea of another person connected with Derek on the outside. It was something that had occurred to me off and on, but I refused to go there.
“What was inside?” Mason asked.
I let out a deep breath and pressed my lips together before speaking. It was like I was buying myself a few more seconds of peace before my brothers came unglued. “Have a nice time in Paris.”
Lily gasped, and Gabby bumped her water glass, but Jason caught it before much liquid was spilled onto the table.
“How is that possible?” Ayden asked. His hands were fisted, and his body was completely tense as the information soaked into us all.
“I’ve been racking my brain and can’t figure it out. I mean, it isn’t a secret that Aaron’s sculptures will be appearing in Paris, but I’d imagine it’s only a select few who know about it. It’s hard to believe that someone in prison would be running in the same circles.”
“I don’t like this one bit,” Lily said, shaking her head. “Not one bit.”
“I don’t either, but I’m headed out of town, and hopefully this whole thing will blow over. I honestly don’t have time for it.”
“It’s too late for that,” Mason said. “You have to make time for it. You need to let the authorities know, and you need to let Aaron in on everything.”
“It’s not like I have to worry about this in Paris,” I said, knowing that wasn’t the case, but it made me feel better.
“You can’t count on that,” Ayden said. He cleared his throat and brought in a deep breath. “You really can’t. I’d like to believe it’s only Derek, but this has me worried. We need to let mom know about it.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. Speaking with detectives wasn’t how I wanted to spend my last night in Seattle, but it was the right thing to do.
“Well, I was hoping you guys would hand it over to the police for me, but I’m guessing…” I smiled.
Mason already had his cell in his hand. “Not gonna happen.”
“Lily and I will stay with you tonight,” Ayden replied. “We can take you to the airport tomorrow so Gabby doesn’t have to run back and forth.”
“I don’t mind,” Gabby said. Her voice was tipping on the verge of panic and my chest sank. This wasn’t how I’d envisioned my bon voyage party.
“Nah. We got it,” Lily said.
Gabby nodded and smiled, but the sadness in her eyes told me everything. She was as disturbed as I was about this development.
Mason was already on the phone with mom, and before I had a chance to take a breath, he shoved his phone in front of me. I twisted my lips in frustration and took the phone.
“Hey, mom.”
“Honey, what’s going on?”
“I got a letter in the mail that read have a nice time in Paris. I’m assuming it’s from Derek, but I don’t have time to deal with this. I’m leaving for Paris in the morning.” Fear had now been replaced with anger, and my mom seemed to be feeling the same emotion. “But I know someone needs to see it.”
“That creep will never see the light of day,” my mother replied. “Listen, I’ll call the prosecuting attorney and explain the situation. I’ll call you back in a few minutes. My guess is that you’ll have to meet with him and a detective tonight.”
“Good. And Brandy put your brother back on the phone. I don’t want you alone.”
“Ayden already called dibs on spending the night,” I half-chuckled.
“Great, but put Mason on.”
“Okay. Love you, mom.”
“Love you too. We’ll get this taken care of, and you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your summer.”
I knew there was more than she was telling me, but I honestly didn’t care to know. I’d never been one to hide in the shadows or not deal with reality, but this one time, I was willing to bury my head in the sand until I arrived in Paris. I needed to feel safe and a faraway location was my only salvation at the moment.
“Thanks.”
I handed the phone back to my brother and a chill crawled up my spine. I looked around the bar, but it didn’t look as if anyone was paying attention to us. I definitely needed to leave the states. The paranoia was already settling in. The bar in the middle of the floor had several couples sitting at it, along with a few singles, but everyone looked completely content either watching the flat screen televisions or chatting it up with the bartenders.
“You doing okay?” Lily whispered.
I shook my head. “No. Not this time. I don’t think I am.”
My phone buzzed and a tingle of delight pulsed through me at the thought of this new chapter in my life. I glanced down at my cell as the endless texts from Aaron flooded my screen from the flight over. The plane had just landed in Paris, and we were allowed to turn on our devices. Aaron had surprised me with a first class upgrade and the extra room was sensational. I pulled my bag out from under the seat in front of me, careful not to elbow the guy next to me. He’d been a perfect row companion for this flight. He didn’t speak English so I didn’t feel any sort of obligation for small chat.
I’d managed to meet with the authorities before I’d left Seattle, and they assured me they’d get to the bottom of things, but what made me feel the most at ease was walking through the terminal and onto this plane. Poor Aaron only got snippets of what was going on before I got on my flight, and my hunch was that my brothers and Gabby managed to worry him the rest of the time as I was blissfully unaware at thirty-five thousand feet.
But now, none of it mattered.
I was in Paris!
Paris!
The door of the plane opened, and everyone crowded into the aisle. Passengers lifted their bags out of the overhead bins, plopping them on the floor, and quickly rolled them down the aisle out to freedom. My heart literally sped up at the thought of getting to see Aaron. It had been far too long. The man next to me rolled his bag away as I hoisted my weekender bag onto his empty seat. I managed to pull my heavy carryon out of the overhead bin, and it landed with a thud behind me. I quickly brought up the handles and snatched up my other bag, hoisting it over my shoulder, as I wheeled myself out of the plane and onto the jet bridge.
I don’t know what I expected when I reached the terminal, but it looked like every other airport I’d been in, except everything was in French. I’d planned on stopping at the restroom and touching up my makeup and hair, but I didn’t care any longer. I just wanted to get to Aaron. I followed the signs with the arrows pointing toward the baggage claim, hoping I wouldn’t get lost. I kept scanning the crowds around me, mostly hearing English, as I kept moving toward the baggage claim. I spotted a few BuY PARIS duty-free shops and my heart skipped a beat. Being in Paris didn’t feel real. I guess I still had to wrap my head around the fact that I would be living in Paris. For several months, this city would be my home.
I glanced at the signs leading me to the correct baggage carousel. As I wheeled through the crowd of people, I heard his voice.
“Brandy, over here,” Aaron’s voice was like a lightning rod to my soul. I swear I could power the entire city off the excitement I was feeling.
I looked through the crowd and saw Aaron walking quickly toward me. His stride was so long, it took him only a few steps to reach me. He looked amazing. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, which showcased the tautness of his body. His dark hair was cut a little shorter and stubble traced along his jawline. To say he looked sensational was putting it mildly.
I jumped on my toes and released my suitcase, which dropped to the ground. He grabbed me in his arms and hugged me tightly, as he somehow kicked my suitcase in between us. Being in his embrace made all my worries drift away. This was where I belonged.
“You look gorgeous,” he whispered. “Absolutely gorgeous.”
His mouth curled slightly as he touched my cheek and drew my lips to his. It was like I hadn’t a care in the world being in his arms. The warmth of his mouth, and the tenderness of his touch pulsed such pleasurable sensations through me that I almost lost my bearings. As I savored everything about Aaron, my fingers tangled through his hair, and our kisses deepened. The hustle and bustle of the airport stilled in our small corner of the world, and it didn’t matter that I was in Paris. It only mattered that I was in the arms of the man I loved.
He took a step back, still holding me, and I looked into his dark eyes, smiling sheepishly as I glanced around the airport.
“That was a nice welcome,” I whispered, wishing I was still tasting his lips.
“There’s plenty more where that came from.” He smirked, and the adorable grin that always got me in trouble rattled my insides. He picked up the suitcase and slipped his free hand into mine. “It finally feels like home now that you’re here.”
His statement swirled the emotions I’d already bottled up for him, and all I wanted to do was get to the apartment and show him my appreciation.
“I’m so happy to be here,” I whispered, looking into his eyes. “The last forty-eight hours didn’t go as planned.”
Aaron let out a sigh as we walked toward the carousel that had started moving baggage along the wide metal conveyer.
“No kidding. I still can’t believe it. It just makes me so angry,” he said, as we stood in front of the carousel. “I swear to God if he was in front of me I don’t know what I’d do.”
I flashed him a grin because I knew exactly what he’d do to him and it was flattering. “Me too. I thought I’d moved past it all.”
He bit his lip and shook his head as his body rocked back and forth. “If we need to stay here longer, we can.”
I shook my head. “Thanks. I don’t know what to do or make of it.”
He nodded. “I know and there’s no rush.”
Searching for my two bags, I nodded and watched the carousel intently. Catching a familiar gleam in Aaron’s eyes, my stomach flip-flopped at the thought of being alone with him again. Three weeks had been far too long. If anything could help get my mind off things, it would be spending some quality time with him alone in an apartment in Paris. I was so busy daydreaming, I didn’t even notice the first bag until he said something.
“Suitcase one,” he said, reaching over and hauling the large, brown suitcase off the belt. It hit the floor with a thud as I spied the next suitcase rounding the corner.
“And suitcase two,” I said, pointing.
He picked it off the carousel and positioned my carryon bag on top of one of the large suitcases, wrapping it with a strap.
“I can take one of those,” I said.
“You’ve got enough to worry about. Just keep an eye on your purse and other bag. Keep them in front of you and zipped until we reach the car. There are a lot of greedy little hands willing to dig right into our bags and pockets.”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Seriously. I actually got to meet one of the friendly thieves as she was reaching her fingers into my pocket as I walked into the airport this afternoon.” He shook his head and adjusted the bags before taking a step.
“She? No way. What did you do?”
“She ran away as soon as I grabbed for her hand, but from what everyone’s told me,
that’s just how it is. It’s even worse around the tourist traps and on the Metro.”
“That’s not exactly what I imagined.” I followed him out of the airport and to a waiting car. The driver jumped out of the sedan and took the bags from Aaron, securing them in the trunk.
I looked around the busy terminal, hearing the honks of horns and yelling as I stepped inside the vehicle, which he’d filled with white roses.
Aaron followed behind. “Welcome to Paris.”
My entire body warmed as I took a seat next to one of the large, wrapped bouquets. The air was filled with the glorious scent of roses, and the electricity charging between us was filled with hunger for one another.
“This is quite the welcome,” I whispered, buckling in.
Aaron skirted a finger along my arm and leaned in as the driver got us on our way. “You look even more sensational than I remembered,” Aaron murmured.
My entire body sprang to life as the spark between us renewed.
“You’re not looking so bad yourself,” I teased. “Paris has been good to you.”
He shrugged and sat back in the seat, taking my hand in his. “It’s been interesting. I’ve been trying to get as much work done as I could before you got here so I wouldn’t be completely buried when you arrived.”
“You’re here for work. That comes first,” I said, nestling my head on his shoulder. It felt so good to be back in his arms.
“You come first,” he corrected. “But I think I’ve got some great things planned for us. Unfortunately, tonight won’t be one of them.”
“What’s going on tonight?” I asked.
“The owner of the gallery is holding a dinner that we’ve been invited to.”
“That sounds fun.”
“I know what would be more fun.” He smiled and squeezed my hand.
“Who’s to say we can’t do both?” My brow arched, and he swept a kiss along my cheek giving a low chuckle in return.
I watched the scenery go by as we drove down the highway. Surprised by the amount of graffiti tagged on different buildings and walls, I pointed and Aaron laughed.
“For some reason, I assumed Paris was immune to graffiti artists,” I said.
Beyond Chance Page 3
