Beautifully Damaged (37 page)

Without thinking, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to it. I felt the shiver that went through him before his hand reached up to cradle the back of my head. I pressed soft kisses all over it before I pulled back and looked up into his eyes that were swimming in love.

"I love you."

He touched my cheek before he whispered, "It most definitely is love."

The following day, Lucien picked me up to take me looking at possible locations for Trace's cooking school and the third place that we saw was the winner. The location wasn't far from the apartment, the area was affluent, and the space was huge. It was going to take lots of money to convert the space into working kitchens but this was the place. One look at Lucien and I knew he shared my opinion.

"I need to go to the bank for a loan," I said.

"I wanted to talk to you about that."

I turned my full attention to Lucien and was surprised to see that he actually looked nervous.

"I know that some of my businesses are not exactly legal but I'm moving in that direction and I really like what you're doing here. How would you feel about me being your only investor? I'd front all the setup costs and once the place starts making money I'd get a percentage until I was paid back. At that point, you and Trace would be sole owners or I could remain your partner and we could adjust my percentage."

I was overwhelmed by his generous offer, so much so that I couldn't seem to find my voice. One look at Lucien and he had interpreted my silence as something else entirely so I was quick to offer, "Yes, but only on the condition that you stay our partner. If you're with us from the beginning then you are with us for the long haul. I won't take no for an answer." I said as I put out my hand.

"Do we have a deal, Mr. Black?"

He took my hand and pulled me in for a hug as he pressed a kiss on my cheek.

"We've a deal, Miss Walsh."

He pulled back and he was still grinning when he asked, "Any idea on what you want to call the place?"

I thought on that for a moment and remembered Trace talking about how he wanted to do more than prepare dishes but to create and present them as well. I thought of our most excellent dance in Ramsey and the song that he sang to me. A smile spread over my face as the answer came to me.

Lucien grinned. "I'm guessing that smile means, yes."

"I think we should call it Everything and on the sign, under the name, should be a visual representation of the art of cooking from the ingredients to the final, elegantly plated dish."

Lucien thought on that for a minute and then smiled, "I like it. I'll have my lawyers draw up a contract and then maybe you should have your dad or uncle, or both look it over."

"I trust you, Lucien."

It was tenderness in his expression when he offered, "And you haven't any idea what that means to me but I want this enterprise done completely by the book. For your own protection, you should have someone else besides my lawyer reviewing it."

"Okay, but only because you're telling me to do so."

He reached for my hand and pressed a kiss in my palm before he started to pull me to the door. "Let's get a celebratory drink."

"Twist my arm."

Lucien was laughing as we made our way to his car.

Chinese food night with Trent morphed into dinner and game night and the guest list went from Trent, Trace and me to also include Kelly, Luke, Chelsea, Lucien and Rafe. Since there were eight of us, Trace bought another television, Wii and all the extra remotes and wheels so that all eight of us could play at the same time. I hated to be a stereotype but Kelly and I were really not very good at driving our race cars around the tracks of
Mario Kart
which was evident by the number of times that we fell off the various cliffs. Chelsea, on the other hand, was amazing and it had to be said that she may even be the best of the lot. I took a break so I could plate up the desserts that Trace and I had made earlier but I took a minute to watch Trace and Chelsea. They were laughing and joking as they played and I couldn't help but wonder if they ever had a day like this when they were younger: a day where they could laugh and play like children? In my heart, I knew that there never had been days like that for them and being able to witness their joy, and to have a small hand in bringing it about, had me standing a little taller. The phone rang, pulling me from my silent study, as I turned for the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello."

"Hello, Ember, it's Vivian Michaels."

I wanted to groaned and then I wanted to kick myself since I knew that it had been a mistake giving Charles our phone number.

"Hello, Vivian."

"Charles and I would like to invite you to our home for a campaign function we're having on Saturday for the
In Step
article."

Oh, I thought that was just a ruse to get me to meet him. They actually wanted me to follow them and pretend interest in people I didn't even like? Oh man, that sucked, but I already agreed so I was stuck.

"What time?"

"It starts at seven and it's black tie. There's no need to bring a date since you'll be working. Caroline and Cal will also be attending."

I wanted to say if they were attending then why was I needed but I didn't and instead said, "See you on Saturday."

I hung up just as Trace came into the kitchen. He took one look at me and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I have to go to the Michaels on Saturday for a campaign thing."

The look on Trace's face was priceless because his expression looked exactly like how I was feeling.

"Why?"

"Apparently, they still want me to document his campaign journey."

"I don't like the idea of you alone with those people."

"Me, either, but Caroline and Cal are going to be there, too."

"I still don't like it."

"I already told Caroline I would do this so I really don't have a choice."

"I'm coming."

"You weren't invited."

At that moment, Lucien walked into the kitchen looking for the sweets. "You can't tease us with sweets and then not bring out the sweets, Ember." He stopped walking when he saw the look on Trace's face.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, Mr. McGrumpy doesn't want me to go to this campaign thing on Saturday but I have to."

"The Michaels thing?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going. I'll watch her, Trace, in fact she can even come with me and I'll bring her home."

Trace turned to Lucien and I could tell he didn't like it, that he wanted to be there, but then he seemed to relent as he held out his hand and when Lucien grasped it, Trace offered softly, "Thank you."

On Saturday night, I sat in Charles' study and tried with not much success to keep my eyes from closing. The man was a fucking windbag. Oh my god, the man really liked to talk about himself. One look at Caroline and Cal and I knew that they were struggling to keep awake, too.

Instead of focusing on him I thought of Trace's reaction when I walked out into the living room earlier. My gown was a David Meister gown with one beaded shoulder strap, the other sleeveless, and the black gown, with a draped neckline, hugged my figure to my hips before the column skirt flared to the floor. My hair was pulled up into an intricate knot, the earrings from my dad hung in my ears and on my feet were strappy black sandals. As soon as Trace looked up at me, his jaw dropped and then he stood and took a very blatant and thorough walk around me; his fingers trailing a line over my shoulder, along my arm and across my belly. His eyes were dark with desire when he came to stop just in front of me and then he said, "You can't wear that, Ember. Don't you have some shapeless black house dress or, better yet, sweats. No, not sweats, you look hot in sweats, too."

"Trace, seriously."

"I am being serious." He actually frowned before he added, "He doesn't deserve to be in your company and it really grates that he's keeping you from mine."

"I'm sorry."

He took my face into his hands before he released a long breath and then he said, "No, I'm sorry, Ember, I just don't want you anywhere near that man."

"I know, but Lucien will be there."

"Yes, and that's the only reason you're going and I don't give a shit if that sounds controlling or some such shit. I don't trust that prick and I sure as shit don't trust him with the most precious thing in my life."

"I promise to stay close to Caroline, Cal and Lucien."

"You do that and, Ember, when you get home I'm going to help you out of this dress."

I blushed, he growled, but we were saved from ourselves by Lucien's arrival.

I was grinning to myself at the memory so didn't hear Charles, which was bad enough, worse when I finally realized that he was talking to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"

He actually looked put out but he did offer again, "I have some published articles that I would like you to review so you can get a better understanding of my politics."

Great, so not only did I have to listen to the windbag but I was also going to have to read about him, too. Kill me.

I tried for a smile when I replied, "Sounds great."

If I had a pen I'm fairly sure I would have stabbed myself in the eye at that moment. No, on second thought, why should I deprive myself of the pleasures that awaited me at home; I should stab Charles in the eye. When I actually found myself looking long and hard at a pen on his desk, I mentally shook myself to snap myself out of it.

He was off again, talking to hear himself speak, so I started looking around his office. There were a few pictures on his credenza and as I studied them my eyes were drawn to one of Vivian. It wasn't Vivian I was looking at but the necklace that was hanging around her neck. I suspected I was just being fanciful and was seeing something that wasn't really there because Charles was, quite literally, boring me to death. I pulled my eyes from the picture and turned them back to Charles just in time for him to wrap it up.

I almost wept with joy and as soon as we were dismissed, and we were most definitely dismissed, I bee-lined it to the bar for a glass of wine. I was still in mid-sip when Lucien came up next to me with a grin tugging at his mouth.

"That bad?"

"...worse." And then I turned fully to him and narrowed my eyes at him.

"What exactly are you doing here anyway? I thought you didn't like Charles Michaels."

"I don't but I'm also a businessman and I am smart enough to not show my hand until I'm ready."

"You remind me of Shrek, Lucien."

I knew this affronted him since I all but saw as his nose got twisted out of joint. "I'm nothing like Shrek."

"You are, though, lots of layers like an onion."

"...layers like an onion? You suck at flattery, Ember."

I grinned and then I leaned over and whispered. "...but you look like the Greek god, Apollo."

His grin was wicked, and razor-sharp, before he replied, "Now that, Ember, is more like it."

At that moment, Vivian approached us and I had to take a moment to admire her Oscar de la Renta's contrast crochet suit and the white silk ruffle blouse she paired with it. One look at her feet had me smiling since the woman was clearly a slave for fashion being that her feet were covered in Jimmy Choo.

"Ember, I am so glad you could make it."

She leaned in to kiss my cheek and that was when I saw the necklace. I wished I could get a picture of it but then I noticed Vivian's eyes moving to Lucien and there was no recognition in those blue orbs so I offered the introductions. I didn't realize Lucien was steadily watching me until Vivian moved away to greet her other guests and then he pulled me to the side and asked, "What are you plotting?"

"I'm that obvious?"

He crossed his rather impressive arms over his equally impressive chest and grinned. "I can see the bubble over your head."

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him and said, "I would really like to get a picture of the necklace that Vivian is wearing."

He didn't bother to hide his confusion and this, for some reason, made me smile as he asked, "Why?"

"I want to compare it to something. Do you think there is anyway we can get a picture?"

"Yes, but then you owe me."

I leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Deal."

I sat in Lucien's car looking at the picture he had taken of himself with Vivian. I didn't ask how he went about it, and he wasn't willing to share, but I had a picture of the necklace.

"Why are you interested in that necklace?"

I looked over to see him watching me and since he had been such a trooper I filled him in.

"We think that Trace's father was driving the car that killed my mother. Trace believes that anyway and so he started looking after me."

Lucien's expression changed, softened, before he said, "How old was he?"

"Sixteen."

Lucien said nothing for a moment and then he offered, "That shows a hell of a lot of character."

"I know."

And then he said, "So he really did see you first by, what, thirteen years?"

"Yes."

He muttered something to that which sounded very much like lucky bastard before he said, "Please, continue."

I smiled before doing just that. "Recently we learned that it's very possible that my mom's one-time best friend was dating Trace's dad, who was working a factory job in Fishtown at the time. Teresa, that was her name, disappeared after my mom died but I found a few pictures in my mom's things the other day and in those pictures Teresa is wearing a necklace very similar to this. I'm sure it's nothing but, based on how our families seem to be linked, I wanted a closer look."

"Makes sense but wasn't Trace's dad married to Charles' sister?"

"Yes, why?"

"Well, if he's married to an heiress why the hell is he working a factory job?"

I had nothing to say to that because it was a really good question and I saw the slight smile before he added,"You didn't think of that, did you?"

"No, none of us did."

Lucien leaned back in his seat and stretched his long legs out in front of him before pulling his hands behind his head.