Chapter 21
The scent of olive oil and warm bread engulf my senses as I take another huge bite of bread, the tang of rosemary blooming on my tongue. Bella Luna is one of my favorite places to eat, and it”s not just because of the fresh bread, so warm steam escapes the loaf as I tear it apart. The atmosphere is cozy and friendly, with warm lighting and deep seats you can relax in.
Amanda and Claire sit across from me, chatting about work projects, while Iris sits next to me, scanning the restaurant menu like it holds a secret only she can decode.
We”re all meeting up for the first time since the Preston Gala a few weeks ago, since we”ve all been busy with different work projects, many of which were kicked off at the gala, a place more for making connections than truly having fun.
Sarah and I have been busy at the library now that Mavis is taking some time before her baby arrives. I”ve taken it upon myself to make Kingsdale a sought-out spot for authors on book tours and I”ve reached out to local writers to get the ball rolling.
I”m busy munching on some bread and thinking about the authors I should reach out to next when Amanda says a name that catches my attention.
”I”m so glad we”re finally getting to catch up, but I can”t stay out late tonight. I”ve got a big meeting in the morning with Kieran Calder.”
”Kieran Calder?” Iris asks. ”Why are you meeting with him?”
”His family owns an extensive amount of artwork, and the gallery is setting up a showing and they want to really expand the guest list. I think he”s looking into selling some of the collection.”
”Oh, what kind of art does he have?” Claire asks, then looks at me. ”Avie, have you seen any of it?”
Amanda frowns. ”Why would Avie have seen any of the Calder collection?”
I can feel Iris staring at me, her glare practically burning holes in the side of my head.
Taking a sip of water to clear the once delicious bread now feels like a lead weight at the bottom of my stomach, I clear my throat. ”Kieran and I have been seeing each other.”
”What?” Amanda practically screeches. ”Since when?”
”Technically, since before my accident. But then with the accident, I forgot I was in a relationship with him. We”ve recently reconnected.”
”And you knew?” Amanda turns and slaps Claire on the shoulder.
”Hey!” Claire holds up her hands in innocence. ”Iris knew, too!”
”Why am I the last one to know?” Amanda pouts.
I reach across the table to grab Amanda”s hands, trying to snuff out her anger with the desperate plea of my voice. ”Because it”s new. Well, new to me. It”s awkward having Kieran remember me so well but I still feel like I”m discovering who Kieran is. I guess I wanted to protect that. Those of you at this table are the only ones who know.”
Amanda huffs, but that she doesn”t pull her hands away tells me she”s at least a little mollified. ”I guess I can understand that.” Her gaze shifts, sharpens. ”But you have to tell me everything now.”
Groaning, I stuff another piece of bread in my mouth, wanting to avoid exactly what Amanda wants me to talk about.
Claire playfully shoves at Amanda. ”Quit teasing Avie. You don”t need all the details.”
”Oh, come on, I just want to know if the rumors are true.”
I pause eating, looking back and forth between my friends in confusion. ”What rumors?”
Leaning across the table, Amanda whispers, ”Is he good in bed? I”ve heard he rarely sleeps with a girl more than once and those that are lucky enough to be in his bed practically beg for the chance to go back.”
My eyes widen and I have no chance to stop the crimson creeping up my cheeks in a flood.
Amanda”s cackle fills the air.
It”s Iris” birthday, and she decided all she wanted was a night out dancing. The shifting, colorful lights make our skin glow and our dresses shimmer as we sway and spin to the beat. The vibrating rumble of the music thrums through me as I move on the dance floor, surrounded by Claire, Iris, and Amanda. It”s been a couple of weeks since I confessed my relationship to Kieran to all my friends, and I”ve been pleasantly surprised at how accepting they”ve been.
It”s nice to be out with my friends in a place where conversation isn”t the priority, where my fragmented memories can”t bleed like ink stains that ruin everything they touch.
Surrounded by music, I can let everything go as my troubles are washed away with the rising crescendo. My friends and I may not agree on everything or have the same interests that we used to, but here I feel more connected to them than I have in a long time, without the pressure of trying to remember what was lost to the wreckage.
Our group dances on as the song gives way to another, with a deep bass pulse that pounds through me. As I twirl, I spot Amanda looking behind me, eyes widening as she gestures to the rest of the group. Leaning in, I can”t hear her over the thumping tune, but I can understand the word her mouth is shaping. Incoming.
We tighten our circle, moving into defensive positions as a group of guys encroaches on our space. I see Iris snarl as someone comes up behind her to press against her, and she turns to give him a piece of her mind. I”m moving to help my sister when hands grip my hips and pull me backwards into a chest smelling of too much cologne and alcohol.
”Hands off,” I bark to the person behind me, turning my head to see blue eyes and blonde curls resting above a drunken leer that is coming closer to my face.
”Oh, don”t be like that baby,” the creep says as he moves in to kiss me.
I grab the wrists anchored to my waist and dig in my nails before twisting and sending my elbow right into the jerk”s gut.
”What the fuck?” the drunk mumbles.
I”m about to knee him in the groin when the scent of whiskey and sandalwood surrounds me, and I twist to see Kieran, looming like dark death incarnate in the shifting lights.
”She said hands off.” Kieran”s voice rumbles clearly through the space as bodies pause their movement to watch the drama unfold.
He turns to me, hand catching me under the chin to tilt my head up to his. ”You okay, Lina?”
”Yeah, I”m fine. This guy has just had a little too much to drink.” I smile brightly, trying to convince Kieran of what I”m saying.
Kieran”s hooded glare says he thinks otherwise, but he”ll play along. ”You go with your friends,” he says as he pushes me towards Claire. ”We”re going to go have a little chat.” He grabs the drunk guy and practically drags him off the dance floor. No one tries to stop him. He”s Kieran Calder. He probably owns this building.
I look over to Iris, who is staring wide eyes at the space Kieran just vacated. ”Are you okay, Iris?”
Iris blinks as her gaze swivels to me. ”Am I okay? What about you? That creep was all over you!”
I brush off her concern. ”He was just drunk and stupid.”
”No, Avie,” Iris interrupts. ”Drunk doesn”t excuse being an asshole who wants to assault women. I hope Kieran rips him to shreds.”
It”s my turn to blink now, shocked at my sister agreeing with Kieran”s actions.
”What, what do you think Kieran is doing with him?”
”Avie,” Amanda laughs, ”he”s totally going to beat him up for touching you.”
”What, no!” I look around for Kieran and the drunk. ”There”s no need for that.”
Iris sweeps an arm around my shoulders and brings me close. ”There is absolutely every need. I say so and it”s my birthday. Just think of it as Kieran”s birthday present to me!”
I can”t help but laugh at the bright smile spread across my sister”s face.
”That”s a strange birthday present, Iris.”
Iris just shrugs and pulls me around in a circle with her. ”You know what else I want for my birthday?”
”What?”
”To dance!” she yells as pulls me back onto the dance floor.
Kieran
I was watching from the shadows when I saw Trent creep up to Avalina at the club, his intent written plainly on his face. Stalking forward from the corner I was leaning against, rage bubbling in my veins, I couldn”t help the pride that sparked in my heart at watching Lina unleash her claws on the creep.
Despite knowing she could handle herself, I still felt a swell of satisfaction as my fist met flesh, the sickening crunch of bone informing me I finally broke Trent”s nose.
My little chat with Trent was happening back at one of my warehouses, where I dragged his sorry ass after I knocked him out cold in the club”s back lot.
Breathing in, I look down at Trent, satisfaction filling every pore of my being at the state of the loser.
The poor bastard”s face was smeared with blood, which was diluted by the tears that started as soon as Trent realized, through his drunken haze, who I was and what he had done. He didn”t even need me to say it. He knew.
He touched what was mine.
A growl ripped free of my throat at the thought, and I snarled as I picked up Trent”s shaking body so he could face me. Even if he probably couldn”t truly see me, the flesh around his eyes too swollen and discolored for that.
”What am I going to do with you, Trent?” I rumbled, shaking him. ”I should fucking kill you.”
”Please, no, I”ll do anything.”
”You touched what”s mine, Trent.”
”I didn”t know! I”m sorry, man. Please, don”t hurt me anymore.”
I laughed, the sound bouncing off the warehouse walls. Tossing Trent to the ground like the garbage he is, I ignore his moaning. Nothing he could say would change what”s about to happen.
I”ve been fantasizing about this moment ever since he touched Avalina in the club.
Walking over to a workbench with an assortment of hammers, nails, and rope, I pick up the blowtorch and slowly prowl over to the cowering ball of a man on the hard concrete floor.
”Don”t you know? We”re just getting started.”
I delight in the screams that rent the air before Trent passes out. His flesh now burned where his fingers touched Avalina. He was lucky I didn”t cut them off.
At least this way, he”ll always have the reminder to not touch things he doesn”t have permission to.