Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2)

by Garcia, Amy Lynn

  I don’t even have to ask again before Isaac begins. “Mia, there are people here in Milan who have no idea Evan has lost his memory, we worried about one of them learning of our presence tonight and as it turns out they were well founded concerns. I’m so sorry I left you alone. I had to make sure you were safe from them and I didn’t have time to separate the two of you. Mr. Saint was following two men and Lizbeth and Carmen went after three others. I...I...didn’t think. Fuck I can’t believe the horrible timing, I’ve failed you twice and that’s inexcusable.”

  I turn my attention to Evan who is staring out the window at the city flying by, elbow propped on the door molding with his chin resting on the back of his hand he is lost in thought. “Evan?” I timidly reach out to bring him back from wherever he is. Turning to me dazed with glassy eyes brimming with tears a little piece of me dies inside. As afraid and apprehensive as I am I realize he is suffering equally. “What happened?” I whisper. “I don’t know Mia, I swear I blacked out and when I realized what was going on I must have…God Mia, I don’t know what I did…will you ever be able to forgive me?” “Yes.” I answer with no sign of hesitation.

  He raises his eyes to mine. “What did you say?” “I said yes, although there is nothing to forgive you for, it wasn’t you in that room, and I fainted, I don’t even know what happened.” “Nothing happened Mia.” Isaac interjects sharply, “I found him when he had just finished tying you up. We fought until something shifted and he realized what he’d done.” Evan reaches to touch my shoulder and I do all I can not to flinch at his touch. “Evan, how is your vision?”

  The shoulder touch was directly linked to his loss of vision before and I’m struck with the realization that he may be backsliding again. “Why?” “Just tell me, are you seeing clearly?” A long pause follows the question and I lace my fingers with his on the seat between us to encourage him to answer. “It’s dim, no peripheral vision.” He admits. I reach deep down to the reserves of my ability to clinically and not emotionally assess situations and I begin to voice my summary of the night.

  “So we were in danger just showing our faces tonight. And we were almost attacked. Evan you had a set back with your vision and another personality change or black out, whatever. The threat was frightened away and Isaac, you fought with your boss and best friend, knocked some sense back into him and I lost my underwear. Does that sum it up? I alternate looking at the two surprised men. The shock was received exactly the way I had intended it. We need to move away from the seriousness for a minute so I can regroup. “Right?” I say. “Uh...yea, right.” Isaac responds. “Yes, that’s it.” Evan repeats. “Ok then, no harm done, we’re all in one piece and going home.

  You have some serious explaining to do about that club Mr. Lawson.” I turn my attention from him to Isaac, “And if he can’t remember you will fill in the holes, got it?” “Yes Ma’am.” “Ok then. Good.” Evan pinches the bridge of his nose between his eyes and sighs deeply. “You’re amazing.” he mutters. “I know.” I respond, relaxing into the leather seat preparing for the long ride home.

  The dark countryside that I missed seeing on our way to Milan blurs by as we travel back to the house on Lake Como. I keep trying to remember what happened back there. How the hell have I gone from my normal simple life as a single woman and professional nurse, working shifts and relaxing with my friends and family to being autographed head to toe, tied up spread eagle naked and passed out in a sex club in Italy? Fuck, this is insane, I absentmindedly begin to run my hands over my body checking for injuries. Nope nothing out of order but the action doesn’t go unnoticed and I feel two sets of eyes on me.

  The facade I’ve been keeping up is cracking and if I don’t play this right I’ll lose all credibility. I know being strong for Evan is essential to convincing him that he needs treatment and I’m so close I can’t lose my grip now. “Did I hurt you?” I turn to him and his usually sharp green eyes are dark and encompassed in pain. As always, when I see him suffering my heart constricts. “No, of course not.” “You were checking though…” Tiny familiar frown lines appear across his forehead and he reaches for my hand, I grab on tightly. “I was chilly, that’s all.” I’m the shittiest liar. His frown deepens and he obviously doesn’t believe that line of crap but he pulls me close wrapping me in a blanket of pure Evan, his smell, his touch, his warm breath in my ear.

  “Don’t lie to me baby, I know you. Sometimes I like to give you the opportunity to be honest. I may not have control of what’s going on in my mind but in yours I stroll effortlessly down your quaint cobbled paths feeling and experiencing exactly what you do.” I don’t respond but let that seed be planted and as it grows it dawns on me that changing anything about Evan’s mind could sever the invisible connection between us. Not only could his old personality return but he could forget me, the magnet could be reversed. His ability to read my mind could be stripped away with the tumor. “You’re worrying again, relax.” He begins to massage my shoulders and I’m instantly limp, my chin falling to my chest I moan forgetting Isaac and Mr. Saint are in the car.

  I close my eyes while his strong fingers dig into my neck and shoulders. This would feel so much better if he were actually touching my skin instead of the sequin covered gown I’m wearing but it is better that I’m covered. When our skin meets my control goes out the window and I’m not sure I’d even care about Isaac or Saint being in the close quarters of this car. “That’s better baby.” he whispers into one ear and then the other “Don’t ever leave me.” “I couldn’t if I wanted to, my life is fed by yours, and without you I’d starve to death.”

  Silence falls between us during the trip home, he finishes my neck rub and I cuddle into his side dozing off and on until we pull into the drive of the Lawson Estate. I’m gathered onto Evan’s lap, he swiftly exits the car cradling me in his arms. The cold night air takes my breath away and I think of the beautiful coat I left behind at Dominus. “The coat was real, you wouldn’t want it back. I lied. You looked so beautiful in it though I couldn’t resist.” he admits and pecks me on the forehead smiling while we cross the threshold of the front doors.

  “What? I wore poor innocent little animals that were murdered to make a coat?!” I screech. He tightens his embrace and smiles down at me shaking his head. “The things you put up with and are exposed to because of me and this is what you choose to be upset about?” He’s right, in the scheme of things this is really not important. “Well I’m glad we left it then.” I pout and slide my fingers around his neck and up his nape into the soft thick waves of his hair. I drop my head back exposing my throat fully aware of where this will lead us.

  In this moment I forget about people out to get us, the black outs, the sex clubs and brain tumors. I need what I need, and right now I need Evan to take me away to our land of private ecstasy where nothing can touch us and no one else exists. Standing in the foyer he gazes down at me while our shadows file in behind us and close the door against the cold. Keeping his eyes locked with mine Evan begins to exit the room, still carrying me he orders the men to lock down the estate and under no circumstance should they disturb us. Easily we move through the house but not toward the bedroom, in fact I have no idea where he’s taking me.

  I think of questioning him but remember the lesson Evan taught me about anticipation and taking our time, it’s important and so much more fulfilling that way. We move down a hall toward the rear of the house and begin to descend a stair case. I smell chlorine about half way down, the pool. He’s such an athlete but I’ve not gotten to experience this side of him with all we have been dealing with since...well since always. “Swimming, you do swim yes?” he asks. I smile, “Of course I swim, and I’m surprised you don’t know that.” “Why?” “You seem to know everything else about me.” “True, I do. I never came across any history of swimming lessons in my investigating so I wasn’t sure.” “Investigating? You’ve been stalking me Mr. Lawson?” “Well, I’d hardly call it stalking Mia, research is a better word tha
n investigating I suppose.”

  We enter a spacious room with stone walls and beautiful mosaic tile flooring, the chemical smell of chlorine assaults my nose now and the warm heavy moist air is almost difficult to breathe. He hasn’t even broken a sweat, not out of breath in the least, he sits me on the end of a chaise lounge covered in blue striped cushions and squats directly in front of me sliding his hands inside the slit of my gown onto my thighs. I inhale sharply and for some reason a smidge of panic surges through me. “Why no purple here?” I blurt without thinking and look around the room at the mostly blue decor. “I, ah I don’t remember.” He shakes his head and pulls the corner of his bottom lip between his teeth in one of his rare displays of insecurity.

  “I was just getting used to everything being one color scheme and now… all this blue.” I motion around us and recall his bedroom is completely decorated in blues as well. “Like I said, I don’t know.” And he genuinely seems not to have a clue. The water moves in gentle swirls from the pumps circulating it through a filter and the gentle sound is hypnotic. The pool is very long but only three lanes wide, tropical plants surround several clusters of similar chairs and there is a table kiddy corner to us across the room. The lighting is dim, the brightest coming from inside the pool where both ends are lit with a large bulb under the water. A large photograph hangs at the opposite end of the lengthy pool and I squint in an attempt to make out what or who the subject is.

  Evan has his back to it and takes my chin between his thumb and finger returning my eyes to his. “I want to show you something. Do you promise not to…overreact?” Uh…hell no I don’t, he can’t just say that to me and he knows it. I sit up more erect and move his hand from my face. “Why? And no I won’t promise, you know better than to ask me that.” “You’re right, it’s nothing bad. In fact it’s my favorite possession next to you. Come.” He rises and pulls me to my feet. “Loose the shoes.” I step out of my stilettos and am instantly dwarfed standing next to his six foot four frame. Taking my hand and turning it over he presses a soft kiss to my palm that would have normally melted me on the spot but I’m buzzing with curiosity about whatever it is he thinks I may overreact to.

  We begin a lazy stroll toward the other end of the pool, my dress too long now, swishing against the tile and making it mildly difficult to walk so I step carefully. He’s leading me toward the photo I was trying to decipher and every step closer it becomes clearer. It’s a woman with her head thrown back…a few steps closer I stop abruptly…it’s not just any woman, it’s me!

  Larger than life my hair wild and hanging down behind me with tendrils sticking to my forehead and jaw with sweat from obvious exertion. Large familiar hands cover my shoulders, Evan’s hands. Three steps closer and I’m standing at the foot of an enormous portrait of me mid orgasm! Oh my god! I whip my eyes to him but he’s not looking at me he’s gazing with utter awe and adoration at the monstrous photograph. I look back, my heart pounding in my chest, breath coming quick I drop my mouth open and try to make sense if it all. “It’s stunning isn’t it?” he says, voice hushed and reverent. I can’t speak, I just stare.

  Narrowing my eyes and leaning forward I examine the fantastic detail of the photo, every thread of the sheets, every pour of our skin and drop of perspiration can be seen. Incredible emotion and desire are captured in a moment of unbridled love between Evan and me. It is beautiful, but it’s me! I step forward dropping his hand. “How?” I breathe reaching out to touch a portion of my own hair on the wall and I realize it’s encased in a thin glass.

  “The humidity in here…it needed to be protected.” “Not that how! How was this taken, by whom, when, where?” The questions tumble out now that I’ve finally realized why he was worried that I may overreact. Hell yea! Somebody took my fucking picture when I was having sex, climaxing, unbeknownst to me! “Shhhh Mia. No one was taking your picture but me. The video from the cameras that monitor the house can be stilled and the photo was taken from a piece of footage from my bed, in Seattle, a month ago.

  A copy hangs in the same place at home.” He’s looking at me now, our magnet pulling stronger than is imaginable. This, all be it strange but lascivious picture is another way he claims me. I’m starting to understand this irrational trait and with that understanding I calm and take a deep breath before I set him at ease. “It’s…breathtaking.” Stepping to me he turns my body to face him and begins to back me toward the wall next to his symbol of ultimate adoration and connection. I’m pressed against the cool stone, he places his hands on either side of my head and touches his forehead to mine. “I want to see your face like that again and again…and again.”

  Chapter 28

  “Adore You”

  Miley Cirus

  Eyes closed I let myself be taken away. His lips softly press against mine, he alternates agonizing control with quick moments of frantic need. It makes me think of an EKG reading, steady with small leaps away from the baseline followed by abrupt peaks and then back to the steady line. Just when I think we’ve passed the point of foreplay he reigns it back in and we begin again, it’s maddening. “You. Are. My. Queen.” He breathes heavily into my ear, pausing between each word as he turns me to face the wall and slowly unzips my dress. I grip two jutting pieces of stone and hold on, savoring the experience of being adored by my soul mate. Every inch of skin that is exposed he traces with his finger until my back is bare. “Not even a smudge.” He’s talking about his artwork from this afternoon scrawled all over my back.

  Gathering my hair he wraps it around his wrist and loops it into a messy fat knot, draping it over my shoulder then he pushes my dress forward off of my shoulders. It’s not that easy though to remove skin tight sequins that extend to my wrists but he manages, slipping his fingers under the material, letting it bunch along the tops of his hands. I pull away from the wall and drop my head back onto his shoulder. A moan echoes around the room bouncing off of the walls causing a pang of desire to hit me between my legs. Bending my arms and shoving the dress from my fingertips there is nothing left holding it to me and it slinks to my feet. I slide one hand back behind Evan’s neck and he wraps one of his around my throat gently and caresses my breast with the other, pulling and teasing, sliding it between his fingers and finally pinching it causing a whimper to escape my lips.

  He turns me suddenly to face him, drawing me close he lifts me off of my feet, kissing and walking toward the edge of the pool. Too soon for my liking he sets me down at the edge of the pool turning me toward the water. “Sit.” I lower my bare ass to the tile and ease my legs into the warm heated water. I’m thankful for the warm water I hate the cold and I didn’t want to look like a baby easing into the pool.

  As always with Evan I feel at home in my nakedness and lean back on my hands kicking my feet in the water lazily while I watch him undress, god I love watching him undress. Toeing off his shoes and socks while simultaneously sliding off his tuxedo coat, I take it all in, every graceful movement, every serious look. Button after button my hungry eyes eat him up until he slips his shirt off and ambles to a nearby table where he drops his cuff links and buttons clinking against the glass.

  His chiseled chest and abdominal muscles are exquisite, nothing short of a perfect male body. Next his belt is unbuckled, zipper lowered and I’m finally satisfied seeing every inch of him, every muscle, scar, perfection and flaw, I delight in them all, especially the steely length of his cock pointing straight at me. My unsteady heart lurches into my throat as he unabashedly advances and takes me by surprise diving into the pool in a perfect arch disappearing into the blue water. Seconds later he emerges and shakes the droplets of water from his hair and face, shooting me down with his one sided smirk.

  I sit up and lean forward holding the edge of the pool. “Stay there gorgeous.” And I wait while he sinks under the water reappearing between my legs smiling up at me. He watches as his hands caress from my feet to my knees, ink blurring and smearing all over my skin, glancing up at me once but returning his f
ocus to my body. My skin burns under his gaze, screaming to be touched everywhere at once I can hardly be still, in fact I can’t, I fidget which earns me another smirk.

  “Open your legs, scoot to the edge.” No problem, I’m there in an instant eager to have his hands and mouth on me. My ass perched on the very edge of the pool, Evans body sways in the water between my legs as he begins the tormenting ritual of rubbing his name from my skin, cupping water in his hands, pouring it onto a specific area and removing the ink. I’m going to die if he won’t move it along and forget about cleaning me up.

  “Evan…” I try to speak. “Shhhhh Mia, let me undo what I’ve done.” His words are intentionally loaded, he knows nothing will undo what he’s done to me, but he’s thinking of the negative and I think only of the positive. He has lit a fire in me that is not extinguishable, there is nothing that can make me stop cherishing every aspect of him, even the bad ones. I accept him, every fucked up crazy molecule that makes up Evan Nathaniel Lawson is loved. I try to behave but I’m getting very impatient. Finally, no ink is visible on my legs and he looks up at me through his thick long eyelashes, only a thin ring of green surrounds his large dark pupils and I know now what “bedroom eyes” are.

  Laying his cheek against the inside of my thigh he moans softly and moves until I feel his breath against my wet core. His arm snakes from the water and wraps around my ass pulling me even further to the edge as he slides his tongue along the outside of my slit. I arch my back, my body begging for more and reach to tangle my fingers in his hair. At the same time, he slides a long finger down my center and inside of me and begins circling my clit with his tongue. I’m launched into another galaxy writhing under his expert hands and mouth, the initial contact causes me to yell out and every stroke thereafter coaxes another gasp until I’m not sure I can’t breathe anymore.