Black 21: (Golden Hills Legacy of Black 21 Book 1) (13 page)

She smiled.
“Can we have our first date, please?” she said, laughing.

“I would love
nothing more,” he responded, and drove to the woods for their picnic.

They set up
their picnic on a blanket Eric brought and sat down.

“Wow, did you
make all this food?” she asked.

“I wish I could
say yes and impress you, but, no. Our maid did. Rosa’s the best.”

That reminded
her of Lucinda. She would miss her so much. It hurt her heart to say goodbye to
her.

He opened the
wooden basket and pulled out grapes and blueberries, chicken salad and
crackers, a bottle of fine wine. The works.

She lay on her
side and leaned on her hand, picking grapes off the stem.

“Let me feed
you,” he said, grabbing the grapes and putting them in her mouth.

“I’ve never had
anyone feed me before,” she admitted.

“Not even
Christian?" He caught the look in her eyes and apologized. “I shouldn’t
have said that. It’s just that for some reason I’m crazy with jealousy of you
being with him.”

“It’s okay, I
get it.”

“No, I mean I
feel rage at the thought. I don’t know what’s come over me." He stared
down at her, a look she knew well.

“Tell me more
about yourself, Eric. I don’t really know all that much. Any siblings? Tell me
it all.”

He cleared his
throat and lay on his back next to her with arms folded behind his head,
staring at the cobalt sky. “I used to have a sister. Her name was Allison,” he
said in a dry tone.

“Please don’t tell
me anymore." She fell on her back, mimicking his pose, and closed her
eyes. This was her life now.

She had turned
her back on God, and now she was evil like the rest of the town. She had
allowed Jack to corrupt her.

Her choice.

It was all for Christian.
All for love. And now she was dead. She could see the look in Eric’s eyes, his
desire for her.

He had wanted
her after their first innocent kiss in his car that night. He had that same
wild look then and now.

Nothing
mattered anymore. Christian was gone.

He turned to
her and pushed her hair away from her face. “Daisy,” he whispered. He bent to
kiss her so softly at first and then his tongue slid in, touching, stroking,
turning more urgent. He took his glasses off and placed them on the blanket.

Daisy allowed
him to push against her, rolling on top, and consuming her. Eric’s lips trailed
down her neck as he moaned her name.

Christian’s
face formed in her mind, but she pushed it away. She grabbed Eric’s face and
pressed it against her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Oh, God. I
want you so much, Daisy!" He pushed her top and bra up and kissed her
breasts. His hand ran down her bare leg, over her skirt, feeling like silk
against her skin.

Christian
didn’t want her anymore, didn’t love her anymore. Remember that. Eric wanted
her now and forever. She would be Eric’s immortal wife.

Her mind
whispered these things, but her heart screamed something else.

“No. No.
No!" She would allow only one person to make her feel that way.

Eric’s head
snapped up and realized what he was doing. He pulled himself away. “Please
forgive me, Daisy!" He adjusted her skirt and top back into position and
sat her up after grabbing his glasses.

She hugged him.
“It’s okay, Eric." Her heart started to slow back to its normal rhythm.
“We’ll get through this. Just not this fast, okay?”

He rocked her
in his arms and kissed her temple. “I don’t know what the hell got into me. I
won’t ever do that again unless you truly want that of me. I would love for you
to allow it on my birthday night.”

Birthday.
Christian’s would be soon and he would be taking Charlotte. She allowed the
tears to fall this time into Eric’s shoulder.

Daisy went on a
few dates with Eric since the picnic, none of which have resulted in losing
control. He stayed the perfect gentleman. For that, she was grateful. She began
to enjoy his company, enjoyed the intellectual conversations they shared. A
light began to burn bright in her again.

It wasn’t a
love for Eric but a love for herself. She began to love herself again through
Eric’s eyes, even with the contract.

He took her
sightseeing and even visited Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. She loved the stores,
especially Macy’s. They appeared to be the perfect couple on the outside.

However, Daisy
lay in her bed after Eric dropped her off following a night of dancing,
wondering how she got to this place in her life. Where did she go wrong? Was it
really worth it all, even for love?

Seeing
Christian at the nightclub solidified the damage done. He barely glanced at her,
and when he did, it was through slitted stares.

Charlotte made
it very clear when she threw herself at him. He belonged to her now.

And every
night, Jack still came to her room with an insatiable appetite, more than the
night prior. As soon as he would leave, she would find herself bent over the
toilet. She couldn’t allow it anymore, or wouldn’t.

She slid out of
bed and bent to her knees in prayer position, steepling her hands together.
Closing her eyes, she spoke to God in a shaky voice. “Please forgive me. I need
you more than ever in my life now. I can’t do this, can’t be with...that man
anymore. He’s not even a man. Oh, my God. What have I done? I just wanted
Christian, but now I just want myself back!" Hot tears rolled down her
face as she pressed her hands to her forehead. “Please help me,” she pleaded.

She slid back
into bed and laid her hand on her heart, just listening to it beat. A thought
came to her in that stillness.

Her cross still
in its pouch, she pulled it out and smiled. She unclasped it and re-clasped it
around her neck, knowing all would be fine.

Lifting it to
see if the burn was still there, she felt nothing. Smooth skin under her touch.
She ran to the mirror to see and it was gone.

“Thank you,”
she whispered.

She jumped back
into bed, holding her cross, when she heard the door open right at midnight.

“Hello, my
love." Jack walked in and sat on the edge, possessively rubbing her leg
through the blankets.

“No, Jack,” she
said curtly.

“No?" He
clicked his tongue a few times and gave a mocking smile. “But you have no
choice…never did." His hand moved to the center above her legs. Claws
poked through the thin blanket.

“I said no,”
she said in a resounding tone. She sat up, allowing the cross to dangle.

He glanced at
it and arched his eyebrows. A look of defeat briefly crossed his expression.
“You’re mine now, Daisy. I don’t care what your god says or does. You’ll also
give me a child at Eric’s birthday ball. I have no plans of letting you go.”

Daisy leaned
forward in his face. “Then kiss me now, Jack. Slide that long tongue down my
throat. What’re you afraid of?" She smirked, feeling victorious.

His steely,
blue eyes transformed into a glassy green. As he reached out to grab her cross,
he snatched his hand back in obvious pain, smoke billowing from it. He tried
again, and the same thing happened.

“Damn you,” he
hissed. “I want your power, Daisy! That’s why I want you to be the mother of my
son. He would be the most powerful man in the world! You won’t deny me that!”

She laughed,
feeling his fear...of what? But she knew of what. “This is over for me,” she
said dryly. “I’m done playing your games, Jack. You don’t scare me anymore. I’m
going home tomorrow and don’t try to stop me.”

His eyes
penetrated hers, grinning. “Even at home, I will infiltrate your mind. Your god
can’t stop me from doing that. You’ll see...you’ll end up coming back. I will
live in your dreams and haunt you. You’ll think you’re losing your mind. You’ll
be back in November just in time to be mine forever, body and soul,” he said,
standing to leave. “So go ahead, my dear, run home. You have no idea what
you’re in for.”

After watching
him leave, she felt something lift from her. “No, Jack, you have no idea what
you’re in for.”

Scooting out of
bed, she packed all her bags and belongings. “I’m free,” she whispered,
caressing her cross. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked around at her final
prison.

It occurred to
her to let Eric know as they had made plans for tomorrow. She texted him even
though it was after midnight to tell him everything.

                                                             
1:36 AM

Eric

Me:  I’m
free!

Eric: 
What?

Me:  I’m
leaving here. I told Jack I’m done and I’m going home. I’ll miss you Eric, but
I had to let you know.

Eric:  I’m
going with

Me:  What?
You can’t leave your home and you have another year left of school!

Eric:  I
said I’m coming. If you don’t want to stay in your place with your dad, we can
get a hotel. I’ll pay for everything, separate rooms, of course. As long as I
tell my parents I’ll be back for my birthday party, they’ll let me do anything
I want.

Me:  You
would do that for me?

Eric: 
Don’t you realize that by now?

Me:  Thank
you, Eric. You’re my best friend.

Eric: 
Will you be saying goodbye to Christian?

Me:  It’s
probably better I don’t say anything, I mean why? He has his life now with
Charlotte. We’ve seen them together. I can also start my teaching job on time.
I’m so happy right now! :)

Eric: 
lol! Ok, I’ll follow you in your car and get a hotel on Michigan Avenue, maybe
The Chicago Lakeshore? My parents have stayed there many times when I was
growing up.

Me:  lol
you think of everything. My prince charming.

Eric: 
That’s what I do ;)

Me:  :)

Eric: 
You’ll have to tell me everything that happened to bring this on. I’m dying to
know.

Me:  Oh, I
will. Meet me out front of the gates at 8 a.m. then, ok?

Eric:  You
got it

She was so
excited she ended up getting dressed and sleeping that way. Her bags sat at the
door ready for her escape.

***

Christian
stepped out of his room to get some coffee. He was exhausted from fighting
Charlotte off another night. She was relentless! No matter how hard he tried to
let Daisy go in his heart, it was a losing battle. His body couldn’t forget,
either.

And Lord knew
Charlotte tried fiercely to make him forget. That girl definitely had her ways,
but it was useless. Seeing Daisy the other night at Jack’s Prime and Tender
nightclub with Eric brought up a rage he never knew. He tried getting her
attention, but she purposely looked the other way.

Charlotte had
acted like a jealous wife, draping her arms all over him, but he always
rebuffed. All he felt for Charlotte now was pure pity. When Charlotte slipped
and fell at one point, Christian glanced at Daisy, wondering if she had
something to do with that.

But Daisy
stared straight ahead with a smirk on her face as if Eric had put it there.
Christian knew better. Just as he knew when that light fixture fell and had
almost hit Dane that day in their house.

And when he saw
Eric holding Daisy’s hand, his heart dropped. Translation:  Get over her.
She’s not yours anymore, buddy. So many nights he wanted to text her just to
see if she was okay, texting a few words and then deleting them every time.

However, every
once in a while he would catch her glancing over at him and then shyly turning
away. She had to still love him. No matter how Eric charmed her, she still
belonged to him.

The incomprehensible
thought of her not loving him anymore nearly broke him in half. He pushed that
thought aside. He knew what he felt that night in the garden, what she felt. It
was visceral in every way.

Out of the
corner of his eye, he had painstakingly watched her dance with Eric, moving her
body to the fast tempo. Eric would pull her in and they would laugh at some
unknown joke. But he would also see her gently push Eric away, bringing a smile
to Christian’s lips.

He just wanted
her to be happy. Knowing she lived under Jack’s roof terrified him. Did he
enter her room at night still? If Eric kept her safe, that was all he could ask
for. No matter how much he despised him.

As he walked
past his father’s room, William stepped out.

“Son, did you
hear?”

Christian
stopped and turned back. His curiosity peaked. “Hear what?”

His father
seemed amused. He wiped his face of shaving cream with the towel and draped his
arm over the doorframe. “Daisy went back home. She actually did it, left Jack,”
he grinned. “Boy, is he pissed. I guess she’s stronger than I ever
thought." He threw the towel over his shoulder.

Christian tried
absorbing what his father told him. “Are you sure?” he crinkled his brows
together.

“Oh, yeah. Sure
as I’ve been around for a couple of centuries,” he said, chuckling. He
shrugged. “You’re better off. I guess Jack still has plans of bringing her back
for Eric’s birthday. He wants that son with her, and it has to be made at Black
Twenty-One, so don’t get any funny ideas in your head. She still belongs to
Jack.”

“He talks a
good game, Dad, but something tells me old Jacky boy has his doubts, which is
why he’s angry. He knows Daisy’s too special and in for a fight. I’m glad she
got out. It’s what I’ve always wanted for her. It was worth letting her go,” he
said smugly. “I’m not selfish like you were with Mom.”

His father
stood there with mouth gaped open to which Christian smiled and sauntered down
the stairs.

“Good for you,
Daisy. I knew you could do it,” he said under his breath.

***

As soon as
Daisy drove out of the gate and away from her prison, she saw Eric’s Camaro
waiting for her. She parked next to him and smiled warmly.

He jumped out
and ran to her side as she got out to meet him. He hugged her to him, lifting
her off her feet, making her laugh.

“I can’t
believe I’m free of him, of this place. Thank God I have you for a friend.
You’ve done so much for me, Eric." She kissed his cheek, pushing his
glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

“I would do
anything for you, even though you keep friend zoning me,” he teased.

She smiled into
his blue eyes and felt safe. “Let’s get out of here.”

“You got it. I
told my parents and they understood. They know how special you are to me."
He kissed her nose and let go, grabbing her hand before walking back to his
car. He turned back to her. “Hey, why don’t we just drop my car back off at my
house and drive in your car? I can always get another one if I need to or use
the cabs down there,” he said with a shrug.

“That’s a great
idea. We’re a team now, right?”

“Always,” he
said in a hoarse voice.

She followed
him to his house and parked the car. He scribbled a note and left it in the
windshield wiper for his parents.

“Want me to
drive?” he asked.

“I got this. I
love my Lexus on the highway." She flipped her sunglasses on and grinned
at him as he pulled his seat belt on.

“God, you’re
gorgeous.”

She rolled her
eyes and laughed. “Be a good boy.”

“No
promises." He flipped his clipped sunglasses down over his glasses to hide
his eyes, but she knew what was there.

The town slowly
disappeared from her view, house by house, Jack’s Den, Prime and Tender, the
forest where she first saw Bessie in her vision and where Jack’s church hid.
She did the sign of the cross to send that poor soul some light and prayed she
would find her Leon.

“You okay?”

She nodded and
returned her gaze to the road. She chewed on her index fingernail and spit it
out. After realizing what she did, she practically jumped, laughing out loud.

Her old self
was returning. She attacked the other long nails she had grown out. It was a
bad habit, but to her it was a good one now.

Her heart
quickened as she came to the road that would lead to Christian’s house. King
Road. Goodbye, Christian. Tears burned her eyes and her chin quivered, willing them
to stay put.

Exit I55 came
into view that would take her all the way to downtown Chicago. A place she
loved, a place Eric loved. It was all good. No more tears.

Looking over at
Eric sitting next to her, she would never have guessed it would turn out like
this. Always believed it would be with Christian.

But she felt a
kinship with Eric that was different from what she felt for Christian. Not that
crazy kind of love, but a quieter one. However, she knew deep down that Jack
would try to destroy that, would creep into their heads and give them thoughts
that didn’t match their actions or beliefs.

He was good at
that.

Jack would try
to slowly poison them, for that she was certain. Her guard would be up and
ready for battle.

Glancing in the
mirror, the shine of her cross glinted in the reflection, reminding her there
was still so much to fight for, so much ahead of her. She wanted to leave all
this behind and start fresh, but was it even possible? Would Jack allow such a
thing?

The wind
whooshed in the opened windows, whipping her hair into a fiery frenzy. It
whistled a sinister tune in her ear, swirling around her, turning her nerves
into hot wires.

In her head,
she heard the words “You’re still mine, Daisy,” unable to discern the voice but
felt the urgency.