by M. K. ROZE
“Twenty-two, and he was messing with you, just like you were with him.”
Her eyebrows arched. “You didn’t tell me he’s a hottie and a wise ass.”
“I had no clue until you pissed him off. I’m going to bed, night.”
“Sweet dreams,” she said.
I lay there snuggled in bed and thought about Constin. Maybe he doesn’t like me as much as I like him. And why did he become so ill within a few hours?
I shrugged it off just like I did everything else, put my earbuds in, and listened to some love songs. Four songs later, I passed out.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SOMETHING’S WRONG
Two days had passed before Constin called. He asked if he could pick me up to go out to a fancy place. I didn’t have any mature looking dresses, so I rushed into Kaylee’s room and asked her for one.
She shook her head. “You give in too easy. I would have ignored his sorry ass.”
“He’s been busy. And I think he was sick, but he didn’t want to tell me.”
“Yeah, okay. You keep telling yourself that.”
She strolled over to her closet and handed me a short black cocktail dress with a pair of three-inch heels. I sat on her bed and put them on. When I got up and walked around the room, I fell on my butt. “The heels are one size bigger, but I can stuff them with toilet paper.”
She laughed at me and helped me up. “Toilet paper?”
“Yeah, I used to stuff Mom’s heels when I was younger. It works.”
“You would do something like that. Just buy a pair before my aunt's wedding. You don’t want to walk around with toilet paper hanging out. Do you?”
I cracked up, walked out of the room and tripped again.
Kaylee laughed.
I turned to her and made a funny face.
When Constin arrived, I opened the door and got a burst of his sweet vanilla smell on my face. I couldn’t help but want to hug him. His scent reminded me of Mihnea.
He kissed me on my forehead.
“You look stunning,” he said, examining me from head to toe.
“Thank you.”
I looked him up and down with a smile on my face. His black suit and sheer white top were on point.
His mouth curved into a half smile.
“Do you want to take my car?” I asked, not wanting to get into his old one.
“If you’d rather drive than take this.” He stepped out of the way so I could see the black sports car parked out front.
“Wow!” I exclaimed. “Is that yours?”
“No, it’s my father’s.”
“What kind is it?”
“It’s an Aston Martin, Vanquish S.”
“I never heard of it, but I bet my father has.”
I walked over to the car to take a closer look and tripped.
Constin caught me before I fell. “Be careful,” he warned.
“Thanks.” I looked down and noticed toilet paper sticking out of the shoe. Oh, no. I moved to the side of him until he opened the door for me. I eased myself onto the beige leather seats. The car smelled brand new. I felt like an elegant woman with the sexiest man on earth. Before he got in, I quickly bent down and stuffed the paper back inside the shoe. I hope he didn’t see it. What was I thinking?
Constin got in and used a key fob to start the car. The engine roared, much louder than mine.
He put the top down and took off down the road.
I removed my hair from my face. “Oh man, this thing is fast.”
He looked over at me and smiled.
After a short drive, Constin pulled up to a well-known fancy cocktail lounge that was playing live jazz music.
“I’m not old enough to go in there.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said.
When we walked inside, I squeezed his hand from being so nervous. He must have known the bouncer because the big guy stepped aside and let us pass. We entered an open room where there were twinkle lights all over the ceiling. My mouth fell open as I looked around at the high-top tables and red velvet bench chairs.
Constin pulled out the seat for me and sat next to me. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
“I never drank alcohol before,” I replied, observing the menu.
“You’re missing out,” he said, running his fingers slowly down my arm.
“I guess a few sips won’t hurt.”
He smiled.
As we were chatting, people walked in the door, laughing. I looked at them briefly, then back at Constin. It was a full bar, but in my head, we were completely alone.
After a little wait, an attractive waitress with red hair and green eyes walked up to us. “Hi, I’m Tina, would you care for some wine?”
“Merlot, please,” Constin replied.
“Great taste. I’ll be right back,” Tina said and walked away.
“My parents drink Merlot too.”
“It’s a fine wine. So, do you like it here?” Constin asked.
“Yes, it’s gorgeous, but do you think that people know I’m underage?”
“No, not at all.”
Tina came back over and stared at Constin, licking her lips as she poured wine into tall glasses. Her tight red blouse allowed ample cleavage to show. When he kept looking my way, she cleared her throat, trying to get his attention.
Constin ignored her and came in slowly, kissing me on the cheek.
The waitress walked away shaking her head. I guess she was used to getting her way.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, smacking him gently on his arm.
“Would you rather I kissed her instead?” He was serious.
My eyebrows raised. “No, probably not.”
“Good answer.” Constin slid the wine glass in front of me.
When I took a sip, I gagged and forced myself to swallow it. “Ew, it tastes like iron.”
“A little iron is good for you.” He took a red napkin off the table. “You have a little wine on your chin,” he said and wiped it off gently.
I squeezed my legs together and looked toward the bar. I’m in love, I thought.
I continued to sip at the red wine.
“Do you ever feel like you don’t belong here?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Here on earth?”
“Yes, I feel like that all the time. Do you?”
“Sometimes. I do believe there’s more of us somewhere out there, but we haven’t found them yet.”
“My friend Liam believes in aliens.”
He chuckled. “Do you?”
“Yes, and I believe there are realms we haven’t discovered yet.”
His eyes widened. “What makes you think there are realms?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but I hope there are.”
“If you could design your very own. What would it look like?”
“I would make it where everything was colorful, and everyone had everything they ever wanted. Nothing evil would be allowed in.”
“Define evil?”
“People who kill, rape, steal. Things like that. I would want peace.”
He smiled and took a sip of his wine.
“What would your world look like?” I asked.
“I love the dark. I hope that doesn’t push you away.”
“No, I used to like everything dark too, but things have changed.”
“What happened?”
“I’ll tell you another time.”
“Fair enough.”
“I have to use the restroom,” I said.
“I’ll be here waiting.”
I was conscious of his eyes on me and tried desperately to walk straight in Kaylee’s high heels. I made it safely, but just as I was about to enter the women’s restroom, a heavyset man about my father’s age came out of the gentlemen’s room. He grabbed my arm. “Hello there, beautiful. Let’s dance.”
I pushed him away. “Get your hands off me.”
Constin appeared out of nowhere, to
ok hold of the bigger man’s shirt, and lifted him off the ground. “She told you no!”
The man squirmed, trying to get out of Constin’s grip. “Okay, man, now set me down.”
“Constin, you’re hurting him. Let him go.”
A bouncer headed in our direction, but when Constin looked his way he quickly backed off.
I grabbed his arm that was holding the man, but he wouldn’t budge. “Constin, let him down,” I demanded.
He glared at me, fury burning in his eyes.
I lowered my gaze and continued to the bathroom wondering where his rage came from.
As I washed my hands, a woman came barging through the door. “Damn, you’re lucky. I wish I had a man like yours,” she said, tipsily.
I turned to her and grinned. “Thanks.”
She fell into the wall and staggered away.
When she went into the stall, I walked out. Constin was waiting for me outside the restroom.
“Viata, please excuse my temper.”
“You’re fine. I’m not mad.”
He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed the side of my neck.
The woman came out of the restroom and slammed into me.
Constin caught her from falling. “Be careful,” he said, as he held her up.
“Thank you,” she slurred. “What the hell are you doing with a child? Leave her here and take me home.”
“Excuse me?” I said wanting to punch her in the face.
Constin grabbed my hand and pushed through the crowd until we got outside.
“What the heck was wrong with her?” I said.
He leaned against the car and crossed his arms. “Her husband cheats on her all the time. That’s her way of getting him back.”
“How do you know that?”
His face was serious. “I can read minds.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
He smiled and walked over to the passenger side. “If I could, your mind would be the first one I read.”
I grinned and got in the car.
On the way home, I wanted to ask him how he managed to pick up a man twice his size, but when his eyes met mine, I smiled and placed my hand on his. There was no way I was going to ruin an almost perfect night.
At my house, we sat on the front steps of the porch. I wrapped my arms around myself. “How are you not freezing?”
He stood up and reached his hand out for mine. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
When I opened the door, Kaylee was sleeping on the couch. We tiptoed to my room, and he stopped at the door, not wanting to go in.
I walked back up to him and grabbed his hand. “Come in.”
His face was serious like he was holding back something.
“Sit anywhere. I’m going to change.”
He didn’t say anything and sat on the built-in bench, looking out the window.
I walked into the bathroom and changed into my pink velvet top and shorts.
When I came out, Constin was staring at the pictures of the Carpathian Mountains on the walls. “Why do you have these?”
I threw my clothes into the basket. “I miss it there, and I feel at peace whenever I look at them.”
He smiled. “Would you want to live there forever?”
I lay on the bed and fixed my pillow under my head. “It depends on—”
He leaned forward. “Depends on what?”
“Nothing. Come over here.”
He stared at me and sighed. “Okay, but only for a little while. I don’t know if I can resist you.”
He lay down next to me, and I noticed he was sweating, something he seemed to be susceptible to.
I placed my head on his chest and looked up at him.
He kissed me on my forehead, so I moved my head, hoping he would kiss me on the lips.
He looked away.
I sighed and stared at the ceiling. Am I doing something wrong? Maybe it’s the age difference that makes him uncomfortable.
I snuggled up against him, my hand on his, and I eventually dozed off, only to wake up to the animals fighting again. Constin was looking out the window.
“Do you see anything?” I asked.
He turned to me. “No, I just heard animals fighting.”
“It’s driving me insane.”
Constin laid next to me and held me. “Go back to sleep.”
I closed my eyes, placed my head on his chest, and listened to his extremely slow heartbeat.
Sharp pains in my head came on suddenly. I buried my face in Constin’s chest which muffled my scream. The next thing I saw was me lying in a bed with Mihnea placing an old cloth on my forehead. The room looked to be hundreds of years old. The vision faded, and Constin’s sat me up. I calmed my breathing, and his face came into focus.
I got up, rushed into the bathroom and threw up.
Constin came in behind me. “Are you okay?”
I flushed the toilet. “Yes.”
Still dizzy, I managed to walk over to the sink. I washed my face off and brushed my teeth as he watched my every move.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.” I walked past him and climbed back in bed.
Constin laid next to me, face to face.
“What happened?” he said as he ran his fingers through my hair.
I exhaled sharply. “I got pains in my head, and it made me dizzy.”
Constin cleared his throat and readjusted himself. “Did this ever happen before?”
I nodded.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not right now?”
I wasn’t ready to tell him about my visions or dreams.
He kissed my forehead. “Try to get some sleep.”
“Thank you for staying with me.”
He rubbed my shoulder and narrowed his eyes on the window.
In the morning, I woke up alone and Constin was gone. My head was throbbing, so I staggered into the living room. Kaylee was standing in the kitchen eating cereal as she looked out the window.
“Do you have any Tylenol?”
Kaylee turned to me. “That bad, huh?”
I nodded. “Have you seen Constin?”
“Nope,” she said handing me a few pills with a glass of water. “Was he here?”
“Yes.” I swallowed them and downed the water.
She smiled. “Come on, tell me every single detail.”
“Not right now, my head is still throbbing. I’ll tell you later, I promise. I’m going to go lie back down.”
“Take a cold shower. It helps,” she called out as I walked back to my room.
Kaylee was right, the cold shower worked.
I texted Constin but got nothing back. I cleaned the house, trying to place him in the back of my mind, but it didn’t work.
Late in the evening, Constin called me. I picked up right away.
“Hi, there,” I said.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better, thank you. Am I going to see you tonight?”
“Not tonight. My father and I are leaving for Miami for a small job. We’ll be back in a few days. I’m sorry.”
I frowned. “That sucks. Call me or text me, please.”
“Sure thing, but it will be after dinner.”
I sighed. “Okay. Miss you!”
“Miss you too! Take care of yourself and try to sleep. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“I will, thank you.”
“Good night,” he said. His voice was sad.
“Night.” I ended the call and tossed my phone on the other couch.
I was upset because Constin was leaving town and afraid that if I kept on feeling that way, I would end up doing what Melissa, the hotel clerk in Romania did. Fall in love, get married and move away.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ODD BEHAVIOR
Christmas Eve was a day away. I couldn’t wait. While on a break at work, I walked out to my car to get my phone to see if Constin had called or texted me. As I approached, I
saw a piece of paper stuck to the windshield.
I took it off and unfolded it.
It read: Viata, I miss you. I’ll be back when you get off.
His handwriting was flawless.
Smiling ear to ear, I looked around to see if he was still near, but he wasn’t, so I walked back inside to finish work.
When I clocked out at 11:30, Constin was waiting for me out front. He hugged me tighter than usual.
“How have you been?” he asked.
“Why didn’t you wake me up before you left last night?”
“You were sound asleep. I didn’t want to awaken you.”
“Fair enough. You could’ve come into my job instead of leaving the note.”
“There’s nothing wrong with change, is there?”
“I suppose not,” I replied, unconvinced. He was acting odd.
“What would you like to do?” he asked.
I thought that was strange because he was usually the one who made plans for us.
“We can walk down the strip a few blocks away and look at the Christmas lights,” I said.
“Sounds good.”
As we walked, his hand slowly moved to my backside.
I removed it. “Stop it.” He’d never done that before.
“Sorry, I can’t seem to keep my hands off of you tonight.”
I gave him an evil eye so he would back off.
Up ahead, a couple dressed elegantly caught our attention. Constin dug me hard in the ribs and chuckled when they turned into our local New Age shop. The place specialized in psychic readings.
“Come on, let’s check it out,” Constin insisted.
“No way. I’m not spending my hard-earned tips on that fake crap.”
He grinned. “I’ll pay.”
“Okay,” I said, punching him playfully on the arm. “It’s going to be a waste of time and money.”
“Ouch. What the hell.” I was shocked that he hit me so hard. I wanted to walk away.
“I’m sorry if I hurt you.” He seemed sincere.
“I’ll let that one pass, but don’t you ever hit me again.”
When we stepped inside, the interior was dim with dark black walls and tall candelabras that sat in the corners of the room. It reminded me of a spa I used to go to with Mom, except it wasn’t so eerie looking. After a few minutes, the attractive couple emerged, led out by an older woman with long black hair. Her silver and purple gypsy outfit reminded me of a Halloween costume. As she moved away from the cracked door, I caught a glimpse of a candle burning in the room. The woman said goodbye to the couple and turned to us.
