Black 21: (Golden Hills Legacy of Black 21 Book 1)

by Nancy Glynn

  “God help them.”

  William snapped. “We don’t talk about God here, so stop referencing that shit.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot. Okay, Jack help them. They’ll only have to give them their souls. No biggie,” he said, shrugging his shoulder.

  William stared at his son, causing the men to squirm in their seats. Christian stared back with equal reprisal.

  Christian finally broke the silence. “Are we done here, Father?”

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you, son. Daisy will be at the ball as well, on the arm of Eric Wessington,” he said with immense pleasure.

  “Oh, really? That’ll be nice seeing them again. We’ll get to catch up on old times. Thanks for informing me." He stood, enjoying his father’s disappointment.

  Christian pulled the door closed behind him and shut his eyes. Daisy would be there. He didn’t care if it was with Eric. He just wanted to see her again.

  He zipped through the restaurant, nearly skipping.

  “What’re you grinning about, Christian Stone?” Marianne asked. “It looks good on you, should do it more often,” she said, winking.

  “That’s the plan, Mare.”

  He clicked his alarm pad to turn the truck on and ran in the hot August sun.

  Not even Charlotte could bring him down now. And he never once thought about using black magic on Daisy to manipulate her feelings. He left her alone with her own thoughts out of respect.

  The thought of Daisy...being there on Eric’s arm? It drove him crazy with jealousy. Why was she still with him? It didn’t sink in until now sitting in his truck. Did she love him? There was no way. But if she did, he would have to respect that. He would know once he saw her, would see it in her eyes.

  If he had to, he would grab her and leave Golden Hills forever before he officially turned twenty-one. He didn’t care anymore. She was in his blood.

  To hell with the town, with his father, with Jack. He knew there was the kind of good in Daisy that could defeat Jack Red. She just had to believe in it.

  ***

  Daisy had gotten up early the next day and decided to search for a local church. This need arose in her to find strength in what was ahead.

  Eric had already left, probably to go visit Jessica. She came to terms with that during the night. They were good friends, nothing more.

  The church that she discovered came with a lovely story, with its second time being built after The Great Chicago Fire destroyed the first. She loved what it represented, and mimicked her in a way. It gave her hope and encouragement that nothing can destroy you, not even a fire.

  Even though it was a Presbyterian church with slightly different views from what she was secretly taught by a neighbor about being Catholic, it all went in the same direction, to God. That’s all that mattered to her.

  She remembered Karen bringing her to church with her, and feeling so much love. Karen had also given her a Rosary that she lost while in college. She smelled Gloria on that one.

  This church carried a beautiful Victorian Gothic look purposely designed that way in 1912. She read up on it when researching churches and fell in love. It whispered to her heart.

  She gasped as she stood outside of its awe-inspiring structure. It wasn’t as big as St. Mary’s, but equally striking. As she walked in, she inhaled its beauty, the complete opposite of the decadent feel of Golden Hills Worship.

  A few people sat in some of the pews with bowed heads. She slowly walked past, not wanting to disturb them, and found a pew far ahead of them. When she sat down, her gaze fixated on the high arch above the light brown wooden altar, and the cross carved into the wood. She closed her eyes and folded her hands.

  She asked for forgiveness of allowing Jack to have any possession of her, vowing to not allow it ever happen again. A feeling of warm, white light flooded her soul, transferring down through the top of her head.

  A flash of Christian picking out his tuxedo for his birthday popped into her head. He was happy and smiling, even humming. She grimaced in pain to the vision. This told her he was happy with Charlotte. She lost him forever. Maybe it was time to really let go of him. She just needed to tell her heart that.

  Happiness was all she wanted for him. If Charlotte gave him that, then she would respect that. She blinked away the tears and took a deep breath. Closing her eyes to see any other visions, Eric formed in her mind. He was sitting with a pretty blonde girl, Jessica, she presumed, and laughing.

  She focused more on hearing their words. “Don’t give up on her then. Fight for her if you love her,” Jessica said to him. He shook his head and responded. “But she loves someone else. I can’t compete with him, and I’m not really in that position. You see, I was paid to bring her here, not something I’m particularly proud of, Jess.”

  An ache stabbed her chest. But who? Surely not Jack? Eric would never allow that to happen. She strained to hear more, but the voices became mute, could only see their mouths moving.

  Bowing her head in silence, she prayed for grace to do the right thing.

  ***

  “Son, what was that all about back there?” William asked Christian as he walked through the front door.

  “What’s that, Dad?” he asked with a hint of a smile in his eyes.

  “You know what I’m talking about. Listen, I know we have our differences, but that was a little disrespectful. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  “I would agree. I learned from the best. You decided to play God...oops, I mean Devil’s advocate, and control my life. I want nothing to do with Charlotte or running this town. All I ever wanted was Daisy, and you talk of her as if she was a fling to me.”

  “What about before Daisy came here? Did you still not want any part of this town?”

  His voice softened, knowing what this town meant to his father. “I honestly don’t know what I felt. I think I was just going along with it to make everyone happy, and felt numb. I was never asked what I wanted. But then Daisy came into my life...again, and I just wanted her. She made me believe I could be happy here as long as I had her by my side.”

  “So you really do love her?” his father’s voice softened.

  Christian nodded. “I do. Always will. But I had to let her go. She was changing, her soul turning black just to be with me. I couldn’t let that happen,” his voice cracked.

  William put his hand on his shoulder. “The same way I felt about your mother. When I first met her, she had no idea of who I was. Came here from Pennsylvania with her parents who, of course, wanted her to marry me. Jack had gotten to them and snared their souls.

  “Your mother was like an angel. I loved her the moment I saw her. After she fell for me, I told her the truth and she cried,” his voice faded as he stared off.

  “But she married you anyway.”

  William’s gaze returned to his. “Yes. She loved me that much. I was selfish, unlike you. I wanted her anyway, knowing how much God meant to her. I didn’t care as long as I had my Lana. And she tried. Even after what happened to our other son, Leon. When she had you, she could endure anything, at least I thought.”

  “You mean when she started going to a church of God?”

  “Yes. That’s when I started to lose her. God took her away from me. I’ll never forgive that,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “Well, I would never forgive myself if I did that to Daisy. She’s special.”

  “Oh, yes. I know how she’s special. A priest for a father with special gifts passed down to him from his witch of a mother.”

  Christian nodded. “I wished I would have told her. She has no idea. I wish I never knew.”

  His father’s voice lowered. “You know about Eric living with Daisy, right?”

  “What?" His breath caught in his chest.

  He hesitated before he continued. “Sorry to tell you, son, but yeah...not sure what their arrangements are, but I know it’s in some fancy hotel on Lake Michigan,” he said, patting his arm.

  “No, I didn’t know. I haven’t s
een him, but never thought he went with her,” he stared at the floor, his jaw hardening.

  “Get some rest, son. Charlotte’s out shopping again, and will be back to try to change your mind. I really don’t know how a healthy, hot-blooded, American boy can turn her down,” he said, chuckling.

  “It’s not as easy as you might think. The battle rages in me. I sometimes want to just take her and pretend it’s Daisy. Just close my eyes and see green eyes and red hair." Now that he knew about Eric and Daisy, he didn’t know what to do. “I can’t accept she loves him. I know what she felt for me, Dad.”

  William sighed and shrugged. “Do what you have to do then. Sexual tension is like poison. You need to release it. Just close your eyes and pretend." He clapped him on the back and walked back to the library.

  Christian digested his father’s words and climbed the stairs to his room to wait for Charlotte.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  After walking along the beach across from the hotel, she decided to go back. Eric should still be out. At least she hoped. Hotel guests were checking in. Bell boys pushed carts with luggage. It was busy for a Thursday afternoon.

  When she entered their room, she found Eric lying on the couch with his eyes closed. She wanted to go to him, hold him, and yet strangle him at the same time. She took his glasses off and set them on the table. His arm snaked out and grabbed her.

  She jumped. “Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb you. Close your eyes again.”

  “Sit with me. What did you do today? I missed you this morning." He sat and made room for her.

  Still standing, she crossed her arms in front of her. “Why? Are you paid to miss me, too?”

  His eyes bugged out. “What? Sit and talk to me. What’d you mean by that?" Concern set in.

  She shook her head. “Let’s just say I know these things. I heard you say you were being paid to be here with me.”

  Fear briefly flickered in his blue gaze. He pulled her down next to him and held her hands. He seemed in conflict with himself of what to say to her.

  “Well?”

  “It was William Stone. He didn’t want you to be with his son, so he’s paying for all this." His left eye twitched.

  A coldness came through his hands. She stared at him, and for the first time didn’t trust him. “Why would William do that? He wanted me for his son to begin with.”

  He shrugged. “I think he really wants Charlotte for Christian now. She would help them run the town, and he, well, likes her. I’m sorry, honey. I wanted to tell you, but I was warned not to. I hate lying to you. You must believe that." He pulled her to him.

  That was the truth. She knew he did hate lying to her and continued to do so. But why? She had to play along. “It’s okay, Eric. I believe you. I know it must have been hard to lie to me. You’re my best friend. Truth is important in friendship,” she whispered in his ear and felt him nod against her face.

  “I would never hurt you on purpose, Daisy." He kissed her cheek, tracing his lips to hers, and a vision of Eric speaking to Jack flashed in her mind.

  She pulled away and faked a smile. “Sorry, need to go to the bathroom. That time of the month,” she lied.

  “Are we okay, Daisy? Last night you were all over me and now...”

  “Yeah, everything’s good. Just not a good time for me. I’ll make us something to eat when I’m done." She stood and walked to the bathroom.

  She closed the door and banged in the drawers to sound like she was getting out Tampons in case he was listening. Closing her eyes, she practiced that muscle Mark talked about.

  Nothing came to her. She turned the bathroom light off and concentrated, this time touching her cross. It seemed to help. Jack’s satanic face came into view. He called Eric the night she told Jack she was leaving. Something about how he needs to go with and he’ll pay for it all, but he must work on bringing her back to Black Twenty-One.

  Eric struggled with the thought of deceiving her and didn’t want any part of it, but he did want to be with her so he went along with it. Jack didn’t leave him with any choice.

  She opened her eyes and saw the words ‘I Love You’ being written on her mirror in lipstick. “Christian?" Then the word ‘Forever’ underneath.

  Her fingers reached out and touched the crumbly feel of the words. How was he doing that if it was him? She knew he had some gifts, or black magic power as he called it.

  Searching for her lipstick, she gave it a try and scribbled back on the right side of the mirror next to his words ‘I’m Yours Forever.’

  A heart with a picture of a daisy in the middle appeared next to his message.

  She drew a heart around her words and put an arrow sticking out each end.

  He drew a target on his side made for her arrow.

  It was her Christian. They could communicate without texting.

  The words began to erase and then he added more. ‘I’m marrying Charlotte so you can be with Eric. I wish you well. I hope you both can still join us on September 5th for my party.’

  “What?” she hissed at the mirror. She scribbled as fast as she could in anger ‘No, we will not be there. I wish YOU well.’

  How could he? He just said he loved her. He knows she’s with Eric? What was she thinking? The whole town probably knew by now.

  She felt lost. Eric was here out of pretense. Christian must have fallen in love with Charlotte, or thinks she loves Eric.

  He gave up on her and that’s all that mattered now.

  ***

  Christian waited for Charlotte to get back from shopping. He needed to speak to her. He had made a decision after talking to his dad.

  When she came whooshing in with multiple bags, he almost felt sorry for her. She threw the bags down on the bed and tried to kiss him as usual.

  “Charlotte, stop. We need to talk." He grabbed her wrists from wrapping around his neck.

  “Why so serious?” she pouted.

  He steered her over to the settee and sat her down next to him. “I will marry you after my birthday–”

  She squealed and clapped her hands, jumping up and down.

  He put his hand up. “Stop. I’m not finished. You must know by now I don’t love you and never will, right? I just want to make sure this is purely an arrangement for the town." He stared into her black eyes to be clear.

  She sighed. “Christian, I know you don’t love me now, but some day maybe…”

  He shook his head. “No someday. I love Daisy, but she seems to be happy with Eric. They’ll be coming to my party together, and I need to respect that. But you must know how I really feel. I owe that much to you.”

  “Fine, I can accept that. Will we...”

  “Have sex? For our marriage to be legal, we’ll have to consummate it, I suppose.”

  “You say it so coldly. Don’t you desire me at all, Christian? She couldn’t have been that good,” she said, running her hand down his chest to his navel.

  He pushed her hand away. “It’s not that. I feel like I’m cheating on her if I’m with you. I know that sounds strange, but I do. Believe me, you’re extremely sexy and sometimes question my sanity. I’m almost afraid after I come into my full powers what will happen to me. Maybe that part of me will forget Daisy,” his voice drifted, a sadness overwhelming him at the thought.

  “What, the good part? I get the bad part then? I only deserve the monster in you? Is that what you’re saying?” she hissed through tears. “You know what, then I’ll take it. You used to love being with me before Miss Perfect came into our lives. We fucked every day if not twice a day. You were insatiable. I really hate her for that,” she cried.

  “Charlotte, I’m sorry…” he tried soothing her.

  “Don’t touch me, not unless you want to touch my whole body. I dream of you every night coming to my room and finally realizing what a fool you’ve been, how you’ve missed me, but nope. It’s not even in your eyes anymore. It’s like you’re dead inside. I just want you to want me again. I want to feel your han
ds on my skin, your lips on my breasts, your tongue inside me.

  “I even turn your father down because I just want you again. I think if I’m in your father’s room and that’s the night you’ll come to me and I won’t be there, so I stay. I roll around with my own hand pretending it’s you. I’m surprised you don’t hear me, because I get pretty loud.”

  “I hear you.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. That beast in me wants to go in there and make you scream like that.”

  “Then why don’t you, Christian?” her voice cracking.

  “Because you’re not Daisy,” tears choked him.

  She stood and slapped him, spit at his feet, waiting for him to get angry. “You can’t even respond to that!”

  Christian sat there feeling the heat of her handprint on his cheek. He deserved it. He knew he hurt her deeply.

  “Fine then. I’ll marry you, and I will take the monster Christian. It’s better than no Christian!" She grabbed her bags and ran to her room.

  He sank his head into his hands and allowed the tears to come.

  ***

  Charlotte threw her bags on her bed and paced her room, fuming at his words. He didn’t love her, never would.

  Didn’t love her, never would.

  She pulled her hair and slapped at her arms, tearing at her shirt.

  This was the room Daisy slept in before she left. Daisy seemed to like to bite her nails because several were found on the floor right after charlotte moved in.

  She laughed and poured them out of a bowl onto her dresser. She had also found some of her long red hair and collected that as well.

  It had allowed her to do some black magic.

  She had fun smashing that glass in Daisy’s kitchen to scare her. Poor Eric was about to get some. And the mess she made in Daisy’s room was a blast, driving her into Eric’s arms for the night.

  And when she first wrote on the mirror, she nearly peed in her pants at Daisy’s reaction. That was exhilarating.