“Now, here is what you’re going to do. Give me your phone number, and let’s keep in touch, hm?” Drake pinches my chin, staring straight into my eyes. It was the same eyes I fell in love with all those years ago.
I hate it.I clench my fist.
I need to resist him.
I survived when he left me.
It took me so long to gather myself and my sanity. It’s as if he still has this power over me, and the compulsion he used to groom in me is still present, though I prayed for it to stay gone for good.
Yet, I find my hand slipping into my purse, and I hand my phone to him with my shaking hands. I shut my eyes.
“Shh…”And he would always say those words to manipulate me.
‘I’m a good person, Alayna. I wasn’t always like this. Please don’t give up on me now.’I pucker my lips. My skin shudders as my body drips with cold sweat.
He types a number on my phone and presses the call button. He then draws out his phone from his pocket and saves my number in it.
“Now is a bad time. I understand that. You’re with someone else now, and I’m a civilized person, Alayna. You know I am, so I’m just going to call you.” He takes my hand and places my phone in my palm.
Drake Mallory is crazyIn the past, there were times he was so good to me, and it almost made me forget how much of a demon he was, just like he is now.
“But I’d like to ask you again one thing. Do you like it?” He holds my shoulders and spins me around, so I’m facing the painting again.
“Huh?”
“I meant the painting. Do you like it?” he whispers in my ear. “Answer me like a good girl.”
I hold my breath. His fingers on my skin are too familiar. His scent, his voice, his touch… I always wondered if I would ever get over the essence of him.
I guess I’m still left wondering why, after all this time.
“What are you doing?” I breathe.
“I’m just asking you a question. What do you think of the girl? Don’t you think she’s too familiar?”
I grit my teeth, shaking. “I don’t know.”
He releases me. “Fine, I won’t force you then. We’ve got plenty of time.” He kisses my cheek, and I shudder in horror at the contact. “Ah, before I forget. Don’t tell your boyfriend about us yet.”
“Or what?” I challenge, but I regret it immediately. I know what happens when I provoke him. Damn it. Why am I still like this?“I know he has a reputation. A good catch, actually. Congratulations on finding him. But you don’t want to tarnish a good name, do you?”
My blood boils. “Don’t threaten me, Drake. You are mistaken. You are nothing to me now.”
He clicks his tongue. “We both know that’s not true.”
“It’s true, you psychopath.” I move and push his chest away. “You are right. I’m changed now, so don’t touch me.”
His jaw clenches. “Sweetheart, you don’t want me running out of patience, right?”
Leave, Alayna. Why don’t you just leave?“And you have not changed. You’re still so full of yourself. Leave me alone, Drake. I want nothing to do with you ever again.”
“I know what happened to your dad,” he suddenly blurts out.
“What?”“Oh? Now, you’re interested.” He slips his hand into his pocket.
My eyes widen, and my mind seems like it’s about to burst. “Shut up.”
“I know who killed him, Laynie. Does that give you more reason to see me again?”
“Stop it.” I put my hands on my ears. My muscles shake in agitation. “You’re just saying that to manipulate me!”
“I wish that’s the only case, but it’s not—” his tone hardens, giving emphasis to the last word “—and don’t you want to know why I left?”
“I don’t give a damn.” I attempt to deny him now, but I’m curious to hear what he has to say.
Who killed my dad? Why did he leave?Nonetheless, I know I have to resist him now, or he’ll just get a way to control me again.
“I understand this is the first time we’ve seen each other in a while, so I’m going to give you a little time to think it over. So, I’ll be seeing you again real soon, Laynie.”
Drake marches in the opposite direction, and it’s as if he knows Brandon’s exact arrival time. My boyfriend comes in from the door with Oliver, and my worst nightmare disappears into the crowd to greet other guests.
Drake Mallory has a reputation. He’s the city’s current mayor, and his dad is a senator, so people know him from status alone. I just don’t want him in the same place, breathing the same air as Brandon, who is everything Drake is not.
“Alayna.” Brandon finds me exactly where he left me.
“Brandon.” I instantly embrace him, relishing the warmth of his body against mine as I gasp for the breath I was holding. Like always, he makes me feel safer than anyone else can. I’m aware of Ollie’s presence behind him, but I care more about freeing myself from the demons Drake has left me.
“You’re shaking.” He strokes my back. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just… I’m probably hungry,” I reason as I slowly begin to calm.
Brandon pulls away slightly so he can look into my eyes, cupping my face between his palms. “You look pale.”
“I’m fine.” I gulp dryly. “Really.”
“Well, you don’t look fine to me, Alayna,” Oliver joins in, giving me a charming smile, just like he always did before.
“Ollie.” I briefly close my eyes. “I, um…”
“Well, why don’t you come here and greet your business partner?” Oliver spreads his arms wide and beams.
I look at Brandon, and he shrugs.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” I move toward Oliver and give him a tight hug. “Oh, gosh.” I chuckle. “Where the hell have you been?”
He squeezes me between his arms. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“But—” I move to release him “—did you come here alone?” I look around us. “I was expecting to meet your fiancée tonight. Wait, I just remembered. Aren’t we going to Athens to attend your engagement party?”
“Oh, please, Alayna. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, but to answer your question, it was moved to another date. Unfortunately, I’m having a hard time dealing with her.” He grunts in frustration and scratches his head. “She’s too stubborn. I left her in the car.” I never saw him so flustered like this before.
“What did you do?” Brandon asks.
“What the heck did sheI clasp my mouth, trying to hide my amusement. “Did she? No.”
“Yes. Apparently, I caught someone violent,” Ollie complains. “She’s such a pain in the ass. She doesn’t like it here at all.”
Brandon slaps his cousin’s shoulder, chuckling. “Man, I think you’ve finally met your match!”
He grunts again, rolling his eyes. “Oh, shut it.”
This is another side of Oliver I haven’t seen before. “But you shouldn’t leave a woman alone in the car,” I say.
He rests his hands on his waist. “Let her be. She’ll come around if she wants to, right?”
“What’s her name?” I ask, trying not to cringe.
“I’ll introduce her to you later.” He surveys the place and stops when he spots Matteo and Emilia. “I’m just going to say hello to Matteo.” Oliver pats Brandon’s arm then marches in the Ricci siblings’ direction.
“It was a disaster.” Brandon sighs.
“What was?”
“They were fighting outside,” Brandon explains, “she was screaming her lungs out in Oliver’s face. He’s livid.”
“What were they talking about?”
“Her family forced her onto the plane, and now, here they are.”
“Oh God. I’d probably be furious too. Are they sure they’re going to marry? Do you know her?”
“I know her family. Daphne’s mother is a Dragoumis, but I don’t know much about her. I see her on family occasions. She seemed opposed to their upcoming union too.”
“Lovely name,” I comment honestly. “But who would want to marry someone they didn’t love, right? Who wants an arranged marriage these days? It’s too old-fashioned.”
“Not in my family.” Brandon exhales. “And it’s not the case anymore with him. Oliver chose this.” He takes my hands and brings my knuckles to his lips, and sighs. His soft mouth tickles my skin. “Anyway, you look upset. Something happened.”
I want to tell him badly that Drake found me, but I’m afraid. I don’t want to keep things from Brandon, but I’m worried about what Drake would do to him. I’m concerned by Brandon’s reaction to the kind of person I was when I was still with Drake.
He wouldn’t be able to take it, and he would leave me. He would think differently about me.
Not now, at least.I need more time.
I need to speak to Jason first.
Even worse, I feel like such a damn coward.
“I told you, I suddenly felt hungry.”
He looks into my eyes suspiciously. “Really? Then let’s get you something to eat.”
“What about Ollie and his fiancée?” I say instead.
“They’ll come by. Come on.” Brandon clasps his hand on my fingers and ushers me to the standing buffet. He picks a side plate, fills it with canapé and munchies, and then hands it to me. “Here. By the way, this might be sudden, but this is unavoidable, so I’m going to tell you now.”
I start digging into my food. Fortunately, I still have my appetite. “What is it?”
He hurls a sigh. “Oliver needs me in Manhattan tomorrow.”
I blink. “B-but you said… You said you’ll be here for a week. You just got here.”
“I know, but I’ll be back in two days. I promise.”
“Is it work?” I pick up a piece of my food and pop it in my mouth, surprised by how delicious it tastes.
“Hmm.” He grabs a plate for himself too. “This is why going back to New York is more convenient.”
I eye him. “Brandon, we talked about this.”
“Fine, fine.” He laughs softly. “Okay, I’ll rephrase it. This is why getting married“You are so eager.” I tsk.
“So you’d have no reason to decline if I take you back to my house.” He eats a piece of the canapé. “But that’s not the only reason. I can’t seem to leave you alone here.”
“I’m not alone. I’m with my family.”
“You know what I’m talking about, Alayna.”
I glide my hand on his arm. “I know you’re worried.”
“I am. That’s why I’m leaving John with you.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” He licks the sauce in his thumb, and I’d wanted to suck his finger for him, but I’m just too dazed with his last statement.
“You were going to leave John here to be my bodyguard?”
“Yep.” He eats another piece again.
“Brandon, you can’t do that. I can’t have someone watching me twenty-four-seven.”
“It’s not like that. John will just drive you to work, wait until you finish, and take you home. That’s all.” He kisses my forehead. “We’ll talk about this at home, okay?”
I pout. “You won’t even be there.”
“Stay with me tonight, then.”
“I still need to call my mother.” I wrap my arms around his waist. “I can’t believe I already miss you.”
He groans. “You make it hard for me to leave.”
We stroll around the gallery after the snack. Brandon wishes to take a portrait back to New York for his collection, and he’s already eying the black swan canvas and a massive abstract painting that seems like water to me.
Emilia approaches us again with the canvases, and Oliver finally joins us, but there’s still no sight of his fiancée.
“Thank you, Brandon,” Emilia says, “I’m glad you like the black swan. It’s from my personal collection, and the abstract one is from a friend. She’ll be delighted.”
“Where are you going to put that?” Oliver asks. “You already filled the walls with portraits, and I’m never going to let you hang anything in my room.”
I giggle. “Don’t exaggerate, Ollie. Brandon still has space in his ceiling.”
He laughs. “Right.”
“Oh, Alayna?” Emilia calls my attention.
“Yes?”
“Thanks for taking Laynie’s portrait. I’m glad you like it.”
I frown. “Laynie’s what?”
Emilia’s brows crease in confusion. “The Laynie’s portrait. The one near the entrance?”
“Oh, that’s your nickname, Alayna,” Oliver comments.
“Wow! The portrait is meant to be yours then.” Emilia smiles sweetly as if it’s something to be happy about.
“Hold on, is this true?” Brandon asks.
“Yes, it is, and I think it’s an exquisite portrait,” Emilia says.
“I don’t remember any purchase,” I deny. The feeling of cold shudders my skin again—crawling all over my body to my toes. The blood on my face drains. I suddenly have a feeling Drake is the one behind this.
Who the hell does he think he is?“Really? Excuse me, Jane?” Emilia calls a woman in formal office clothes. She seems to be the assistant.
Jane rushes to Emilia, leaving the couple talking in front of another artwork. “Yes, Miss Ricci?”
“Who made the purchase of the Laynie painting?” she queries.
“Oh, let me check.” Jane looks at her ledger with her finger scanning through the page. “Ah, it’s from—” She pauses. “It’s Mayor Drake Mallory for Miss Alayna Hart.”
“From the Mayor himself?” Emilia’s voice rises. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Ms. Ricci,” Jane confirms.
“But that’s his—” Emilia halts.
Brandon seethes, clenching his jaw. “That’s his what?”
“I invited him, and that portrait is one of his displays here. He painted it himself,” Emilia explains.
I gasp and shift my gaze back to Brandon, and he is already scowling at me. “Son of a bitch.”