“I’ll be back,” he said, “but I need to check something out first.”
I nodded mechanically, my eyes glazed. I waited for his smile, but I missed it. He’d turned away when I heard it in his voice.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Jane.”
I sighed and glared at him even though he couldn’t see. I slumped into the chair in the living room, contemplating getting up to eat something, hoping it would stop the knotting in my stomach. I heard the knock come at the door. That was fast!
I opened the door, but it wasn’t Aidan. Silly of me to think he’d actually use the door. I turned and walked away. He closed the door and followed.
“Are you alone?”
“He’s coming back, Rudy,” I snarled. “I wouldn’t stay if I were you.”
He sighed and stood beside me by the kitchen sink. “Why don’t you let me take you out?”
“What?” I cried overdramatically.
“C’mon. Just dinner. You’re obviously hungry.”
I shook my head and closed the cupboard. “Aidan is coming back.”
I turned away, but he grasped my arm. I turned back toward him, trying as hard as I could to strip every bit of expression from my face. He let my arm loose then placed his hands on my waist.
“Rudy…?”
“You know he isn’t good for you.”
“What?” I finally processed what he was doing, what he was there for. I flung his hands off me.
“You know it, Jane!”
“Rudy, it isn’t like that.”
“But it is, and everybody knows it. Just let me show you once.”
“Show me what?”
“That I can be better for you.” Despite my angry tone, he remained calm.
“No, Rudy. Please just leave.” I pointed toward the door and heard Aidan’s car. “That’s him. Go.”
“Not even two minutes,” he hissed. “Are you ever without him?” He mumbled something and stormed out, shoving past Aidan, who was at that point at the door. He looked at me, confused at first and let out a dry half laugh.
“Don’t start,” I said acidly.
“Oh, come on, Jane,” he said too cheerfully.
“It’s not funny!”
“Don’t you like him at all?”
“Yes,” I said automatically. “When he’s not being his ridiculous self.”
He smiled. “I think he’s in love with you.”
“Eew!” I smacked his arm.
He leaned against the counter on his elbows. He had his dark eyebrows raised and a smirk on his face.
“Oh, please, Aidan.”
I put the box of cereal back in the cupboard and headed to my room. He followed as if I were leading him there.
“You know, I’m not mad.”
“You probably shouldn’t be,” I answered.
I felt a little guilty for how I had acted. Rudy was a good guy, just fatally jealous, but he was a good friend to me, someone I could trust.
Aidan sat beside me on my bed. I leaned against him, and he automatically put his arm around me. I had already completely forgotten about Rudy.
“I don’t want you to be afraid,” he said, his voice soft and serious.
“How could I not be?”
“If you had any conception at all of how much you mean to me, you would know that I would never let anybody hurt you.”
“Don’t promise me that, Aidan. You said yourself Abraham is smarter and stronger than you are.”
“Yes, that’s true. But I have my moments. If I’m doing it for you, it’s enough to give me strength.”
“I’m not sure I understand exactly what you mean.”
“I simply mean that my loyalty to you will kill me before anything bad happens to you.”
“That’s supposed to comfort me?”
“Just don’t worry.”
“I’ll get right on that,” I muttered.
He didn’t answer. He pulled me into his hard chest, and I concentrated on feeling the true strength of his arms. What did it mean for me to truly admire his strength and the broad build of his shoulders? I wanted him more than I realized. I couldn’t lie to myself when he was this close to me—not when I felt the feverish warmth of his skin when his desire for me heightened. Not now that I needed him for my survival as well. He wanted me to need him in return, and against what I would have chosen if the option were given to me, I did. I did need him, more now than ever.
“No matter what happens, Jane—I love you.”
It was the first time he told me he loved me without me saying something first. I felt the blood rush to my face. How could somebody so perfect find me irresistible? How could Aidan Summers love me? I believed him even though he had lied to me before. Even if he was a member of The Sevren, I loved him. I didn’t care anymore who or what he was. It was unconditional.
“I want to tell Becky so badly,” I whispered.
“I know,” he replied without advising me not to.
“I don’t mean about what’s happening but at least about us.”
I could hear the smile in his voice as he tucked my head beneath his chin. “She already knows.”
“Still,” I muttered. “I wish I could tell her.”
“Jane, do we really have to do this?”
“Aidan!” I hissed. “Of course. She’s my best friend. You have no idea how much this play means to her.”
He groaned.
“You know, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
He gave me a sour look. “I do, Jane. I hardly feel comfortable leaving you alone in your own home. I’m not letting you do this alone.”
“Do you really think something bad is going to happen here at the school?”
He shook his head. “Actually, no, I don’t. But I won’t be able to relax until I know you’re home safe, so that’s why I’m coming with you.”
I nodded. “No more complaining, please.”
“Okay, okay.” He smiled at me, forcing me to smile back.
“I’m guessing you want to drive?”
“You guess right,” I answered. “I know my way to school at least.”
He nodded and got in the passenger’s seat. The drive to school was almost completely silent, which made me uncomfortable, made me wonder what he was thinking.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He turned and gave me a weak smile. “I’m fine. Just a little bit anxious. I can’t stop being angry with myself for not having enough self-control to leave you alone.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I tried to stay positive. “I trust you. I know you’ll figure this out.”
The school was already flooded with students when we got there, and we had to wait in line at the little window next to the theatre entrance. Aidan paid in cash, and he followed me when I rushed inside to the center of the front row to make sure I had the best view. I was surprised at how excited I was. Shakespeare was always one of my favorites, but Romeo and Juliette definitely seemed overdone. Either way, Becky would be fantastic. I heard someone call my name and turned to see Aaron.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He chuckled. He stared at Aidan for a moment and took the seat next to me, ignoring Aidan as best he could.
“Hello, Aaron.”
“Um...hi,” Aaron stammered.
The tension was almost unbearable. I wanted to say something but couldn’t find any words that would be helpful. I sighed and looked at Aidan. He shrugged his shoulders and looked straight ahead.
The stage was high off the ground, and I was getting impatient for the red curtain to finally move aside so I could watch Becky. The lights dimmed, the narrator, played by someone I didn’t know, recited his lines perfectly, and the curtain finally came up.
I noticed Aaron wringing his hands together every time Becky’s part called for her to kiss Jonathan Peirce. It made me laugh. I didn’t realize what “I kind of like her” really meant.
Becky raced over to us after the curtain closed. “I saw you the second I stepped onto the stage,” she shrieked out. “It was so awesome seeing you right in front of me.”
I laughed. “Becky, you were so great!” I hugged her, and she hopped up and down all excited and proud of herself.
“You did do really great,” Aaron added and hugged her without a second’s hesitation.
Aidan smiled at her. “Sorry to say we don’t have any flowers for you.”
Aaron thrust his hand to his forehead. “You know what? I actually do, and I left them in my car.”
Becky smiled. “I’ll come with you to get them if you want,” she sang.
She skipped out to the parking lot with Aaron, and I just followed behind. Aidan grasped my hand as we walked to my car, and I let him. I waved to Becky, deciding to leave her alone with Aaron for a bit. I was so glad to see they liked each other.
“I have something I need to do once we get back to your place,” Aidan said.
“Okay…”
“It’s important, okay?”
I just nodded. I drove us back to my house, and Aidan got in his car. “You’re coming with me,” he said.
“Oh…I didn’t realize I needed to.”
“You do. I got you involved rightly or wrongly.”
I started feeling extremely paranoid, and I just stood there beside the car, unmoving.
“Jane, are you okay?”
I didn’t answer, just stared at him. He got out of the car and walked toward me. I felt him grasp my hand.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Please trust me. It isn’t a big deal. I just need to take care of something. I’m not going to hurt you.”
Not going to hurt you. That was what I was waiting to hear. I nodded and hesitantly got in the car, still feeling anxious and suspicious.
“You cannot turn around!” he snapped. He was more than testy; he sounded terrified. I held on to the door of the car as he skidded and sped all over the wet road.
“Aidan, what are you doing?” I yelled. “You’re driving like a lunatic. You trying to kill me?”
“Contrary, Jane. Be quiet.”
He advised me not to turn around, so I glanced in the side view mirror. Nothing but the road lined with trees—an empty road. Had he lost his mind?
“Where are we going?”
“I need to talk to Luna,” he said. “That’s where we’re going.”
I didn’t say a word, but we were driving the opposite direction of Aidan’s house. We pulled into the driveway of a very small house secluded off the road through a dirt trail, almost in the middle of the woods.
“Why are you so nervous?” he asked me. His tension had vanished.
“What do you mean?”
He touched my wrist, and I realized I was wringing my hands together. “Don’t worry,” he said.
“What if…what if she doesn’t like me?”
He chuckled, and his eyes brightened. “You make me laugh, Jane.”
He stepped up to the door and took my hand. He knocked lightly, and I inhaled. A woman opened the door; I could only guess it was Luna. She had beaming blue eyes and the most extraordinary hair I had ever seen. It was red, the color of blood, and reached her waist in silken waves. She matched Aidan’s description flawlessly. She was beautiful, but that didn’t put me at ease. In fact, it made me even more uncomfortable. She smiled, and my anxiety lowered. She seemed very warm and welcoming.
The house was beautiful from what I could see. The front room was spacious with old-fashioned, upholstered furniture—a couch, loveseat, and chair—which all appeared to be from the mid-1800s. Most of it was framed with redwood and covered with floral patterns. It was amazing. The light was dim but not uncomfortably. There was a china cabinet to the left of the redwood door, filled with elegant artwork. I tried concentrating on the gorgeous room to keep my thoughts away from apprehension.
“Come in,” she said, her voice young and feminine.
“He’s in North Bend,” Aidan said, stepping inside.
I turned my attention back to him.
“How do you know?” Luna asked.
“Many ways. The stone has been used, and I destroyed my clean slate, Luna. Forgive me.”
“A bird?”
He nodded. “It was like he was inside of me. Like he had invaded my mind and controlled me.” He sounded like he was suppressing tears.
Luna nodded and embraced him. “For a long time, you believed in the power of blood,” she said. “When you feel lost…lonely—”
He shook his head. “I was frightened. I was a coward. I did it because I was afraid to not believe anymore.”
“Never be afraid to be who you are, James.”
The name made me uneasy. James? There was no way I could ever look at him and see him as anyone but Aidan Summers.
“I’m sorry, Jane,” he whispered, turning toward me, “for making you a part of my problems.”
“I’d stand by you no matter what,” I said, “even if you tried to run from me.”
He smiled that smile he only gave to me. “I know.”
Luna stared at me until I broke my gaze. “You look terrified.”
I brought my eyes back to hers. “I’m all right.”
She nodded but didn’t look convinced.
Aidan kissed my cheek. “Do me a favor, Jane,” he whispered, pulling me into a hug, “and don’t fight me.”
“What?”
“I’m doing this for you.”
I felt Luna remove my hands from around Aidan’s shoulders and pull them behind my back. She was strong but tender at the same time. I tried to move away, but Aidan’s arms were too strong and held me prisoner in his embrace. For the first time, I felt that freezing stab of betrayal. My eyes filled with tears.
“I love you, Jane.”
His face was rock hard, and Luna handcuffed me and dragged me away from him. I instantly started scrambling toward him, trying to reach him as if he were going to save me, but I wasn’t strong enough against Luna.
“We really aren’t the bad guys, Miss Callahan,” she sang. “He really does love you. This is just his way of doing what he needs to do.”
She pulled me into another room, and now that Aidan couldn’t see, I let the tears spill over. What should I have expected? He warned me, and I broke my own rules. I can’t expect honesty and loyalty from anybody, and yet I had trusted him. I was so stupid!
“Please don’t cry,” Luna coaxed, still sounding sweet. “He is only trying to protect us all.”
She handcuffed me to the post of a beautiful bed. The sheets matched the floral patterns on the furniture in the front room. There was a bookshelf to my left, stuffed full of classic works and philosophy. I tried to struggle and even tried squeezing my hand from the cuff, but it only tore through the flesh of my wrist. I cried uncontrollably, feeling more defeated and deceived than I ever thought possible.
I eventually exhausted myself and fell asleep. I didn’t sleep for long. I was kept awake almost all night by disturbing nightmares. What was in Aidan’s head? What was he thinking? I knew there was something more going on, something he couldn’t tell me about. I tried to tell myself that Luna was being honest, that Aidan was doing this out of love. But how could I be sure? How could I be sure of anything? After all the lies and now this, it was like I truly didn’t know him at all, which is exactly what I feared from the very beginning.
I wasn’t aware I had fallen asleep, but I must have because I was awakened by the sounds of unfamiliar voices. When I opened my eyes, I met a white face and big, round eyes staring at me. I tried to scream, but before any sound had escaped, he had his hand over my mouth, and I lost consciousness again.
When I came to, I heard muffled voices. I wasn’t sure at first if they were speaking to me or someone else.
“You did what?” a deep voice bellowed.
; “I had to,” a young and warm sounding one replied.
“Had to?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” the older voice hissed. It sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth.
“Luna had her.”
“You can’t just go kidnapping girls,” the older voice said.
“She can help us.”
“Help us? How?”
“I’m not sure yet, but…”
“But what?”
“She’s in love with James West.”
There was a maddening pause, and then the older voice replied. “In love?”
I strained to keep listening, but it was almost impossible. I was slipping out of consciousness again, and I still couldn’t open my eyes. I heard the sound of a door squeaking open, and I tried with every bit of strength I had to open my eyes. The first thing I saw was a young, charming face. He must have been the kind voice outside the door. The room I was in looked completely normal. There was a large bed with a floral mattress and white lace curtains. There was a wooden bookshelf and a nightstand with a little white lamp shaped like a lily. Nothing about the room was even the slightest bit odd, and the entire situation called for something a lot stranger.
“Are you Jane?” that kind voice whispered.
I didn’t answer.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he said.
He was wearing a red baseball cap and had solid blue eyes. Tears began to form in my eyes; he looked like Danny, and I suddenly felt enraged.
“Who are you?” I bellowed. “And why the hell am I here?”
“Please,” he pleaded. “I’m not here to hurt you. I promise.”
I ignored him and clenched my hands into fists. I wanted to tear him apart.
“Relax,” he whispered. “I’m here to help you.”
I remembered the conversation I had heard. “Or am I here to help you?”
He smiled and nodded. “Fair enough. Forgive the…um—”
“Kidnapping!”
He chuckled quietly. “I wouldn’t say ‘kidnap.’”
I sighed and shook my head, trying to calm my anger.
“You know James.”
Summers' Deceit (Hunters Trilogy Book 1) Page 14
