Watercolor Kisses

by Needa Warrant

  “Lucian, your rings, are they going to hurt Juliette? They’re weapons.” Her face was serious as she spoke and he looked down at them. He walked over to a box on his night table and took the spiked ones off, replacing them with skulls and demon looking heads.

  “I won’t wear any of those around her. Babe, you better get dressed. Do you want a new shirt to wear? I’ll grab you one, and we can go stuff our faces.”

  “Thanks, a medium size one, please.” She had her halter on and was putting on her boots as he tossed the shirt at her. It was different, white instead of the black he wore. She combed her hair out and left it lo.ose to dry. It hung down to her ass and was beautiful.

  They left his apartment by the back entrance and walked down the street hand in hand. The back lot was nicer than she had thought with a double door garage. A small patio and grill were next to it.

  It was a warm, sunny morning and few people were up yet. Lucian noticed her car and decided today that rust bucket would be scrap and replaced with something else. The diner was a block away, and they reached it shortly. Lucian held the door for her as she walked in.

  Aries had fallen in love with the diners of New Jersey, they were usually open all night, and she hadn’t been to this one. It was old but spotless, and the décor had been carefully and lovingly preserved.

  “Grab a booth babe; I sit looking at the door, though. I like to see whose coming through it. Could be a friend or an enemy.” He slid onto the vinyl seat and didn’t bother to look at a menu. “Everything is good here, and the fruit is fresh.”

  An older waitress hurried over with a pot of coffee, filling his cup and looking at Aries.

  “I want a cup of tea, please, with a slice of lemon.” She hadn’t ever been able to drink coffee, and her aunt always had tea in the morning. The waitress stared at her as though she was strange, Aries frowned at the waitress’ back as she hurried away to get her hot tea. Did everyone have to drink coffee? It was perfectly reasonable to like hot tea.

  Lucian sat with his massive arms folded and was silently laughing at her. “What do you want to eat? I always get the same thing, a western omelet with a side of a bacon and slices of melon.”

  Aries read the menu. Finally, deciding on her order, she placed the menu on the edge of the table. The waitress came back, and Lucian nodded at her, she knew his routine. She looked questioningly at Aries.

  “Home fries, well done, bacon and cheese omelet and the melon slices, too.” She was hungry, and she wasn’t letting Lucian think she barely ate. She liked good food and wasn’t ashamed to enjoy it. She burned off the calories dancing anyway.

  He sipped the black coffee, and she wondered how anyone could drink it like that.

  “Babe, we’re getting rid of that crappy car you’re driving. Your aunt should have done that right away. You didn’t buy it down here, did you?” He raised an eyebrow at her and the look on her face.

  “No, I bought it from back home. My aunt wanted to buy me a new one, but I paid for it myself. I like my car, why do I need a new one?” Aries didn’t like the idea of being in debt to anyone, let alone to this man or her aunt.

  “It’s known to your ex and his MC, isn’t it?” That was all it took for her to nod and quickly agree to get a new car, but it had to be pre-owned.

  They didn’t talk much until he ordered more coffee and tea for them each. They finished eating and were nibbling on the melon slices.

  “I’ve got the day off, so we’re going to go over to your aunt’s house, and you will let me do most of the talking. She knows me, and she may not like the fact you’re moving in with me, but I think she will see the wisdom in it. We’ll get you a car, and we’ve got to shop for bedroom furniture for Jewel. You need to pack what you want to bring, and my boys will stop by and get it. In time, I’ll get us a house if this works out, are you good with that?” He quickly took charge, and she found herself letting him. His knee bumped hers, and she shook her head, yes.

  “Are you sure you want to take my daughter and me on? It’s going to change your life, you know. I still want to dance, and I’m sure my aunt will babysit those nights.” She saw the look of displeasure he was giving her, it was brutal and having seen this side of him she knew she didn’t want to make him angry. “How about I only dance in your club, when you’re there?” She tried to appease him.

  Lucian still frowned, but he knew he couldn’t rip everything, suddenly away from her. “Yeah, that will work. If I’m not there, Dozer or Sleaze will be by your side. I’m gonna pay you to work in the shop too. I think we could put a play room in the back for Jewel. You finished?” He stood up and tossed some money on the table. She got up and quickly followed him.

  As they were walking back to his apartment, he stopped suddenly and pulled her into his arms. “I’m gonna spoil you and Jewel. We’re going to have a great life, you just gotta trust me, Aries. I swear to you everything I do, it’s what I think is best for you both. I want to give you everything you’ve never had.” His head bent, and he kissed her, spinning her off to that spot where her brain stopped working, and her only thoughts were of Lucian, or maybe it was Lucifer.

  When he was done kissing her, she muttered, “I think you are the devil because you make me do things I’d never agree to usually.”

  The laugh he gave her was dark, and her gut sent out a warning, which she ignored as soon as he took her hand in his.

  ***

  They didn’t go inside; he took her over to a black, 1983 Firebird Trans Am. It was brand new, and it was beautiful. The interior was a charcoal gray, and Aries was glad it wasn’t white. She got in and sat back while he drove straight over to her aunt’s house.

  “One of the bro’s mother is selling a car, her husband’s, he died. I think it will be perfect for you. Four doors, which you will need with Jewel. It’s a 1981 Chrysler Le Baron Medallion. It’s burgundy, and it will help her out. I think you’ll like the car; it’s real nice. If we can assist the bro’s family, we do, you get that, right?” Lucian looked sideways at her.

  “I did go out with a member of an MC, I get it, and that sounds like a real nice car.” From the tone of her voice, it sounded it like it was the ugliest car in the world. She sat looking out the window thinking that this was not good. She had been looking forward to car shopping.

  She felt his hand on her thigh. “Stop pouting Arabella, it's adorable looking, but we can help this lady out, and if you hate the car, we’ll trade it in for something else, okay?” The use of her real name had her turning her head and looking at him. He smiled gently at her. “Just doing a favor for a family member of the MC. It’s how we do things. What does your aunt call you?”

  She was no longer angry, and she felt sorry for the woman who’d lost her husband. “She calls me Ara. Sometimes Arabella. It would probably be better not to call me Aries. I hope you can handle her if she doesn’t like the idea. I won’t move in with you if she thinks she can keep Juliette. I’m not losing my baby.” Her voice rose as she began to panic, thinking her aunt might want to keep her child.

  Lucian glided into the driveway. “Stop that shit, now. Nobody is taking your kid away. I told you, let me do the talking.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a valium. “Take this to calm down. For Christ’s sake, stop acting so crazy.” He rubbed her thigh as she swallowed the pill. “You ready to go inside and have me meet my other baby and charm your aunt?”

  She honestly wasn’t, but she knew her aunt would be looking out the window and be outside soon if they didn’t get out of the car. Lucian got out first and came around and opened the door for her, grabbing her hand as they walked up to the front entrance. Flowers lined the brick-paved pathway, and they walked up the brick steps to the massive front door. It opened suddenly, and they walked into Aunt Helene’s opulent house.

  ***

  Juliette stood there smiling. “Mama, I saw you! I opened the door, it was you, so it is okay?” Her baby voice was charming, and so was she. Long slightly wavy blonde h
air cascaded down her back and a blue ribbon held it off her face. The dress she wore was too fancy for a child to play in comfortably, Lucian wondered why she was so dressed up. She was the most beautiful little girl Lucian had ever seen.

  Aries scooped her daughter up into her arms, kissing her cheeks as the child peered at Lucian. “I don’t want you to open the door at all. I have my key, honey. I’d like you to meet my friend Lucian.”

  A cough sounded as Aunt Helene looked at the couple. She was looking at Lucian with a resting bitch face. Aries put the little girl down, and she ran behind the couple’s legs.

  “Good morning Lucian. Did you arrive at the same time as my niece or were you her date last night?” The older woman glared at him with an arched eyebrow.

  “Helene, why don’t we let Arabella take her daughter upstairs while we talk?” Lucian didn’t mince words and pushed Aries to move. She gratefully escaped with Juliette, heading straight for the stairs.

  “What do you want with my niece? You’re too old for her, Lucian. What are you thirty-three now? Come out to the patio, and you can tell me what mischief you’ve been up to lately.” Her voice was cranky and stern.

  They walked through French doors to a side patio. The table was set with a pitcher of iced tea, and the older lady motioned him to sit.

  “Helene, you know my age, and you know as well as I do that your niece could do worse. So what if I’m years older? That isn’t a reason we can’t have a relationship. And I can protect her better. Can you say the same?” He had sat and was facing her with a grim look on his face.

  “I’ve tried, I can’t reason with her. She has a chance of making something of herself with my company. Her father is making her life miserable. He’s a lazy bastard as you know. What is it you want with her? To make her a part of that club you have and tattoo her? Lucian, I don’t think she has a better chance with you. The girl is proud, and you’ll break her spirit. I should have taken her myself when she was born. My father wouldn’t hear of it, and I should have fought him.” She sighed as she clutched a cloth napkin.

  “Helene, we know each other. Do you think if I didn’t see something in her, I’d be sitting here talking to you? I want a life, you know. Some of the normal things in life and Arabella has enemies you can’t handle. I don’t know what your brother will do if he has an idea you love Jewel and Aries so much. Have you thought about that?” He calmly poured himself a glass of iced tea, as he watched Helene’s face go pale. “He’s a bastard, a rich one that always gets his way. How many times are you going to hide his arrests, with his temper and drinking? I know judges too. Dirt on your family isn’t as hidden as you’d like to think.”

  “Do you honestly think he’d hurt Arabella or Juliette? Oh, don’t bother answering, I’ve given him a raise since she found us. All he wants is more and more money! I know he’s capable of anything. He is only my half-brother, too. My grandfather started this company, and the moron thinks I will leave all I have to him.” She gave a bitter laugh.

  “It isn’t like I’m stealing her. She wants to move in with me. If it works out, I’ll marry her. You know Gunner will get out of jail at some point. His club may already be looking for her. Do you honestly think you can deal with that?” He covered her hand with his.

  “I know that you’re a devil who will take her whether I approve or not. I can do this gracefully and have a relationship with the two people who finally brought me some joy. I suppose I have some fondness for you. You will treat her decently, remember I have money and that buys almost anything, my boy.” She faced him with tears gathering in her eyes.

  He kept his hand on hers, “Yes it does, but you know my family too, and my parents are wealthy. We can do this easily and have a good relationship. I know Ara wants you to have Jewel, whenever she works. I’m not a fan of that either. Yeah, all of this is happening suddenly, but if we don’t work out, you know she will come right back to you.” He moved his hand to have a sip of iced tea.

  “She just met you! Don’t you think it would be better to take her out a few times and see if this will work?” She twisted the napkin in her hands.

  “I don’t live like you. Helene, if I remember correctly, didn’t you once tell me your father stopped you from marrying a man you loved? Why wouldn’t you let Ara have a chance with me? Helene, let her go, if she comes back to you, I’m sure she will live the life you want for her. It isn’t what she wants, though. You know she will never be considered a true Saint James by those people you value so highly. My family will accept her as she is.” He knew he was winning and he was trying his best to be as kind as he could be.

  Helene sighed. “I know what you’re saying, and I know you’re right. Do I get to visit whenever I want? My grandniece will still come to visit me, and you’ll keep them safe?”

  Lucian smiled, “On my life, I promise you. The day she wants to leave, I will let her go.” He lied easily, while his face betrayed nothing of the sort.

  “I guess it doesn’t matter what an old woman has to say anyway. I knew she was planning to leave, being with you at least I will know what she is doing, I suppose?” She looked at him with hope in her eyes.

  The cool, calculating look he gave her, should have warned her, but he was like a devil. It was smooth, and it comforted the older woman’s fears. She should have known better, but she honestly was afraid her brother might hurt Aries and Juliette.

  He stood up, “I’ll bring them down, you sip some cold tea, you’re looking too pale, Helene. I’ll keep you informed; maybe I can get her to help with making our park.”

  She finally gave him a faint bit of a smile. “That may win me over to your side, Lucian. If you can get her off the damn stage and keep her happy, I might even like you more.” She sipped the iced tea while he went back through the French doors to bring her nieces downstairs. She couldn’t blame Arabella, he was a fine-looking man, and she honestly believed he’d protect them. She gave a silent prayer to God, she was correct.

  ***

  Aries was tossing the child’s clothes and toys into bags as Juliette watched. “We leaving again, mama?” She stuck her pinkie finger in her mouth, waiting for her mother to answer.

  “Yes, we’re going to stay with my friend. You met him when I came home. It will be more fun for you, I promise. I don’t mean to move you around so much, but we need to be safe.” Aries stopped and sat on the floor, watching as her child sucked on her finger. “Finger out of the mouth; you don’t suck your pinkie.” Her voice was cross.

  Tears ran down the little girl's face, and she tried to hold her sobs back. Aries paid no attention to it. This pinkie finger sucking had started happening since they moved. She didn’t understand why the kid didn’t suck her thumb, like other children. She looked around for the stuffed bunny rabbit Juliette loved. It was missing in a mess on the floor.

  “Juliette, please don’t cry. I am trying to get our stuff together, and you crying makes me upset. Where is Bunny?” She wasn’t feeling like a good mother at all. Shit, she couldn’t even find her kid’s favorite toy.

  ***

  Lucian stood in the doorway looking at the mess in the room and the kid crying. The woman he desired had her ass up in the air as she searched under the bed for something.

  He stooped down to Juliette’s side. “Why are you crying? You don’t want to come live at my house?”

  She stood looking at him with eyes like her mother’s and stuck her tongue out at him.

  Lucian laughed and stuck his tongue right back at the little brat. He waited to see what she would do next; the tears had stopped at least. Maybe that was a good sign. He saw a ratty, well played with stuffed rabbit in a mess on the floor and reached for it. He handed it over to her, vowing to himself, he’d replace it as soon as he could. She took it and reached out to pat his arm. She pointed to her mother and laughed.

  Aries pushed herself out from under the bed and saw them laughing at her. She noticed Bunny right away and sighed.

  “I was loo
king for Bunny, nice of you two to let me know that I was wasting my time. I swear this kid has more crap than I do.” She was tired again, and she had so much to do still.

  Lucian saw the bags, and he grabbed one and held it open, “Jewel put your junk in here. If you don’t, we will leave it here.” He thought that was a great idea until saw the look of horror the kid gave him. Shit, he thought, that asshole Gunner must have done a number on the kid too.

  She began to hurry and put her things in a bag while Aries filled bags. They moved fast and had six bags ready in record time.

  “You can keep things here honey, for when you come back to have a sleepover with Aunt Helene. I’ve got to grab my stuff, and we can go. I’ll be right back.” She left the room leaving Lucian sitting on the floor with a tired child. At least she wore shorts and a tee shirt now. He planned a doing a bit of shopping for his girls; they needed new clothes.

  “Jewel, you look tired. Come here.” He wasn’t sure she’d listen, but she laid her head on his arm and stayed still as a bird. His hand stroked her soft hair as she shut her eyes. He wasn’t sure if he should move or sit there, so he just waited quietly. He’d heard many times that children and animals let you near them only if they trusted you and he wanted her to like him. She was a beautiful child, and he knew if she liked him, her mother would see it. He’d spoil her rotten to make sure she loved him.

  Aries peeked into the room and saw them lying on the floor, her daughter with her head resting on Luc’s arm and was shocked. Gunner had scared her so much that she didn’t like many men. She was clearly shocked as Lucian opened his eyes and the smile he gave her warmed her heart. She was doing the right thing moving in with him; her daughter was already acting better.

  “I hate to wake her, but we’ve got a full day, can you move her, I don’t want to scare her.” He spoke quietly.