Chapter 5
MAX
Achill ran up my spine and caused my whole body to shiver. It wasn’t cold in my office; if anything, it was on the warmer side, but it didn’t stop me from scanning my office or inspecting each of the windows. Something about that chill reminded me of my dream, and I swallowed thickly.
Glancing down at my desk after I returned to it, I sighed.
I was still on the first page of the first document I picked up the moment I came in four hours ago.
“Utter waste of time,” I grumbled and dropped the proposal with a groan.
I’d come in to forget the dream, hoping the structure and routine would sever its lingering pull.
Typically, working did that for me. Today, it failed me.
I leaned back in my chair and tilted my head to stare up at the ceiling.
In the last forty-eight hours, I’d gone from confident and secluded to feeling as if I needed to look over my shoulder every fifteen-seconds, and I didn’t like it one bit.
Nothing had changed. Work was the same, and the library incident could be chalked up to a random occurrence.
They were celebrating those idiot brothers, which meant reading different fairy tales, especially the lesser-known ones, made sense.
It wasn’t like the librarian knew about my situation or that of my family.
No way she could realize the curse, written off as nothing more than fantasy, was my reality.
So, why did it feel as if it was more than that?
I had to shake it off and clear my head.
My gaze dropped to my desk again, and a sigh escaped.
I just wasn’t into work or anything else today.
Instead, I began putting everything away, glancing at the clock on my computer as I did so.
“Fuck!” It was already after five, and I was supposed to be at my parents’ house in less than an hour.
Doable as long as traffic was non-existent, which in this city was never the case.
After throwing everything in my desk and locking it, I ran out of my office, slamming the door behind me.
I didn’t fear my parents’ wrath if I arrived late, I was terrified of Gina’s.
She had been our cook longer than I had been around, and when she said dinner was at six, she meant your ass better be in the chair at the table ready to eat.
I hated to disappoint her. When I was thirteen, I came in thirty minutes late because I’d been too busy flirting with a guy at the baseball fields after practice.
Cold cereal waited for me, and not even the kind I liked.
Frosted Flakes. Bleh. Too sweet. Everyone else feasted on roasted pork, rosemary potatoes, grilled brussels sprouts, and her homemade yeast rolls.
That was the last time I didn’t keep track of the time… until today.
Hopping into my car, I pulled out of the parking garage attached to our building and called the house. If I was going to be late, I wanted to be sure I warned them instead of incurring Gina’s wrath. I did not want to endure cold cereal again.
“Hello?” my mother answered.
I was about to say something when I turned the corner and saw a man.
Words were stuck in my throat. He was familiar, but I didn’t know him.
Our eyes met and locked together, causing me to stop in the middle of the intersection until the sounds of horns blaring jolted me out of my stupor.
My heart was beating frantically, and I shook my head.
Briefly, I peered into my rearview mirror and then through the windshield again to make sure my path was clear before I pressed on the gas.
I didn’t allow my eyes to drift to my right again until I was moving, but the man was gone.
I quickly searched, scanning my surrounds, but did not find him and released a pent-up breath.
Maybe I had imagined him. Then again, anyone could get lost in the crowd that had swarmed the area.
Him. Ha! There was no him. He was nothing more than someone my imagination conjured to tempt me, or if someone had indeed been there, he was merely someone passing by. I’d never see him again…if there was a him. He was nobody to me and would continue to be nobody and nothing.
“Maximillian, if you don’t say something right now, I’m calling the police!” my mother shouted.
Shit! I’d forgotten I’d called the house to inform them I’d be late.
“Hi, Mom. Sorry, I was having trouble connecting and hearing you. I think the buildings were blocking the signal.” It seemed plausible, right?
“I’m here. I wanted to let you know I had to finish some things up at work before I could leave.
I’m on my way now, but I might be a little late. ”
“And you want me to tell Gina not to give you a bowl of cereal?” she snickered. That woman knew me well.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t even know that we have any in the house, so it might be oatmeal.”
“Mom,” I begged in a whiney tone.
Her laughter echoed through my car’s speakers. “I’ll cover for you.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”
“On one condition,” she hedged, and I clenched my jaw. My father was ruthless in business when he needed to be, but my mom could be just as shrewd.
Hitting the onramp, I rolled my eyes and accelerated. “What?”
“Now, I realize how busy you are going to be this week, but next week, I want you to take Mrs. Jeffries’ nephew out to show him the sights.”
“Mom,” I groaned. “I thought you said after the fireworks debacle, you wouldn’t try to set me up with anyone again.”
“I’m not. I actually don’t even know if he is gay, but he is new in town, and you two are close to the same age. Put yourself in his shoes. Would you rather have your aunt take you around town, or would you rather it be someone you could actually relate to?”
She had a point. “Fine, Mom. I’ll find some time in my schedule.”
“I’ve already talked to Eve, and she informed me you have nothing urgent on your schedule the week following the party.
In other words, you are in the clear. She always makes sure you have a clear schedule the Monday and Tuesday following just in case you are exhausted and need to take a day or two off—not that you ever do. ”
I should have known better. Of course, my mother already talked to my secretary and cleared my schedule. “Mother?—”
“Did I mention we are having roasted chicken, garlic cauliflower, cheesy broccoli, stuffing, and for dessert, she made her apple pie?” Bribery would get her everywhere.
“I’ll meet with him the Monday after the party since I’ll probably sleep all day on Sunday. Is that satisfactory?”
“Let me go talk to Gina. I’ll see you in a little bit.” I could hear the smile in her voice. Maybe she was more ruthless than my father.
Pulling up into the driveway fifteen minutes past six, I got out of the car and instantly felt someone watching me.
I scrutinized the area, and no one could be seen.
Nothing moved or made a sound. I didn’t even hear the chirping of the crickets on this chilly night.
Not that I could worry about that right now since I was a little late.
My speeding when I wasn’t surrounded by other cars hadn’t helped me arrived on time.
I ran into the house, threw my jacket on the floor near the door, not bothering to pick it up and hang it since that would take extra time I didn’t have, and rushed into the dining room where I found…
no one. What the hell? I smelled the food wafting in from the kitchen, noticed the table set for four people, and yet, the room sat devoid of life.
“Dear, you know better than to throw your stuff around haphazardly,” Mom chastised behind me.
I took the three steps to the door from the dining room and spotted her picking up my discarded coat and hanging it on the hook on the wall.
The house I grew up in was large and opulent with a lake in the backyard.
To the left, a spacious living room with a giant fireplace, and to the right, a very formal dining room with an immense chandelier, which had been flown in all the way from Germany.
A grand mahogany staircase greeted anyone who entered the home.
Up those stairs, six bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms could be found.
Gina had her own set of living quarters off the kitchen where a full apartment had been built and designed for her.
Despite all of its grandeur and richness, it was still warm and homey, and I had loved growing up here.
I’d shifted for the first time in the living room and attempted to fly, almost falling before my mother caught me.
When I was a child, still caught up in the newness and amazement, before I learned of consequences, I thought transforming into a swan was magical.
I could fly and be free, I thought it was a gift instead of a curse. I’d been wrong.
Immediately after graduating from high school, I moved east to attend college.
Part of me never intended to return to Chicago, but I had to.
My father beckoned and claimed he needed my help as soon as I had my MBA.
I’d escaped for only seven years, and during the time I was gone, I felt more trapped and afraid of someone learning my secret than when I lived in my parent’s home.
Instead of returning to this house, I got a penthouse apartment in the city where I could live without anyone nagging me, and I didn’t have to look at my parents or the way they flaunted their relationship.
My sanctuary was where I could be by myself and didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing me transform whenever my swan fought to escape.
My grand tower, alone and wishing for a prince to come and kiss me to break the spell cast over me.
It worked for Sleeping Beauty and Snow White.
Hell, even Cinderella and Rapunzel had been rescued from their towers.
Of course, for all that to happen, I had to actually believe in love.