Black 21: (Golden Hills Legacy of Black 21 Book 1) (17 page)

Daisy slipped
into her shorts pajamas and slid under the blankets, grabbing the remote. She
would zombie out with TV and forget the world.

“Daisy, can I
come in?” Eric asked, softly knocking on the door.

She stared at
the door before responding. “Sure.”

He pushed it
open and walked over to her bed. “May I sit?”

She turned the
TV off and moved over. “What’s up?”

“Do you have
your cross on?”

Glancing down at
her chain, she pulled the cross out of her top and smiled, nodding.

“Good. I have a
confession to make." He told her all about what really happened with Jack.
“I care too much for you to keep lying. I’m so sorry, Daisy,” he hung his head.

She swallowed hard
and touched his hand. “I forgive you, Eric. I know you were put in a hard
place. I know you would never deliberately hurt me.”

He lay next to
her and leaned his head against hers, holding her hand. “I really tried to be
with that Jessica, but I just couldn’t...”

“Eric, I care
so much for you, but my heart...oh, it doesn’t even matter anymore. Christian
is marrying Charlotte after his birthday. I’ve lost him forever.”

He sucked in
his breath and exhaled. “We’ll get you there. Jack wants you there. I’ll take
you as my date. If it’s Christian you really want, I’ll help.”

Daisy sat up.
“Really? You would do that for me? What if he loves her?”

He scoffed. “No
chance of that.”

“How would you
know?”

“Christian
texted me.”

“What? He did?
What’d he say?”

He sighed
heavily. “Just that even though I have you that you’ll always be his and he’ll
always be yours. It’s an arrangement with Charlotte and nothing more. There’s
no love there, Daisy.”

She pondered
the possibilities in her head. “But he’s still marrying her?”

“I guess so.”

“So why does
Jack want me there at all?”

He looked into
her eyes. “He wants you for himself, Daisy.”

“Wait, so
you’re saying you’re willing to bring me there, knowing Jack wants me?"
Fear iced her heart.

He sat up and
cupped her face. “I know you can fight him, Daisy. I know you have a power so
strong. Don’t you trust in that?”

Tears coated
her eyes. He believed in her more than she believed in her own self. “But in
his church with all his people, it might be more challenging. I only have myself.”

“And me. But
Daisy, you only need yourself. That’s what scares Jack so much. He wants me to
make sure you leave your cross at home as well,” he added, his eyes skimming
down to her throat. “I don’t think you need it as much as you think you do.”

She touched her
cross. “Just like he did with my mother the night of her accident. It gives me
strength, especially knowing the story behind it,” she said, holding it up.

He nodded. “But
that strength is embedded in your soul. That cross is just a symbol, don’t you
see that?”

“My father...my
real father used it to ward off evil spirits in exorcisms,” she whispered.

“Yes, but you
have not only his strength but the strength of his mother. Yeah, his mother
used hers for bad things but to protect her son,” his voice trailed off into
thought. “Hey, let’s find her and see if she can help you!”

Her eyes
widened and then nodded. “I have no idea where to look, but I guess we can
try.”

“Let me grab my
laptop, be right back!" He jumped out, and came back like a boy with a new
toy.

She giggled at
his motivation. “You are going to make some girl very happy one day, Mr.
Wessington.”

His smile
turned down. “I only wish it were you.”

She sucked her
lips in and then smiled. “Okay, where do we start?”

“What’s your dad’s
full name? He’s a priest so that should be easy enough to find some background,
right?" He opened up Google.

There were a
few Mark Pauls in the priesthood, but narrowed it down to his parish. It talked
about where he came from and living kin.

Eric traced his
finger to a paragraph. “Wait, it says here his mother is in a nursing home near
his church. It’s called Lincoln Park Sunrise Nursing Center.

Daisy followed
his finger and read on. “Her name is Marissa Norcross Paul. Doing anything
tomorrow?” she grinned.

“Friday? Why
would I have any plans on a Friday, the big loser that I am,” he grinned back.

“Well, you’re
my date for the day so don’t ever call yourself a loser. And might I remind you
of one hot Jessica that has it bad for you?”

He shrugged.
“She’s not my type. I like ‘em beautiful and smart.”

“Well, we’ll
just have to find you a beautiful, smart one then.”

“I already did
but she’s taken,” he retorted, his smile fading.

“When you talk
like that, it makes me want to...”

“What? Strangle
me?” he laughed.

“No, not
quite,” she answered, arching one brow.

“Oh, really?
I’m all yours. Do with me what you wish.”

“Damn, you’re
so cute!” she scrunched her nose and laughed. “Okay, get out before I take you
up on it!”

His tone
softened. “Daisy, what’ll you do if he marries her? You gonna just live the
rest of your life without love?”

She stared
wistfully past him. “I really don’t know, Eric. My heart won’t allow me to see
that far,” she returned her gaze to his.

“You know
there’ll be changes in him when he turns twenty-one, right? And not the best
changes.”

“What about you
when it’s your birthday?”

“I’m different.
Since my sister died, my parents begged Jack to let me just have a normal
birthday. No powers. Well, he didn’t like that and so that’s when he came up with
using me to get to you. He said if I bring you to him, he’ll let me live a
normal life. No immortality for me,” he confessed.

“What? But if
he doesn’t get me...”

“That’s not the
deal I made with him. He said if I bring you, and that’s what I plan to do.
There’s no reneging.”

“We’re talking
about Jack Red, Eric. The man, or whatever the hell he is, created reneging.
Now I’m worried for you!" She held his hands.

“I’m not so you
can’t, either. It’ll be fine, Daisy." He cupped her face and pressed a
soft kiss, turning more insistent.

She wanted so
much to love him that way. She allowed his tongue to possess her, pushing her
against her pillows. His hand ran down her side, squeezing her behind, his
ragged breathing in her ear.

“Oh, Daisy.
What you do to me,” he moaned in between kisses. “You torture me every night in
my dreams. I fight every morsel in my being from going to your room." His
mouth trailed down to her neck.

“Oh,
Christian,” she moaned.

His hand
stopped moving and he sat up.

“What’s wrong, Eric?
I want you to,” she insisted, pulling him back down.

“You mean
Christian?” he sneered.

“What? No! Why
would you...oh, my God. Did I say something?”

“I get it,
Daisy. I’ll never be Christian." He grabbed his laptop.

“No, Eric.
Please come back. I’m sorry. We were just talking about him. I wasn’t thinking
about him then,” and this time she meant it. Why she said his name confused
her.

He smiled. “Get
some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. No hard feelings, really. I’m used to
it." He winked and walked out.

***

“Do you know
where you’re going?” Eric asked, as she pulled out into traffic.

“It’s in my old
neighborhood, so should be fairly easy." She tried holding his hand, but
he pulled away.

“I think we
should cool it on that stuff,” he said tartly, and hid beneath his clipped
sunglasses.

Sadness as well
as anger filled her. How could she get in so deep with this man? She never hurt
anyone in her life before this summer, and now that’s all she seemed to do.

And that
included Dane. Desire for her drove him to commit an act that would ultimately
take his life. Tears slid down her face under her sunglasses.

His hand
reached over and wiped them away, rubbing his thumb against her cheekbone.
“Don’t cry, Daisy. It kills me,” his voice croaked.

She sniffled and
shook her head. “I don’t deserve anyone’s love. I need to just go and live by
myself, maybe get a dog. I just don’t get why things happen the way they do.”

“Because you
are so special. I know you’re meant for Christian, I do. Maybe God put me in
your life to make sure you get back to him, no matter how the outcome. If
you’re meant to be his high priestess there or his wife in a remote town as a
teacher, it doesn’t matter.”

“I didn’t know
you believed in God,” she stated, shaking her head. She maneuvered in and out
of lanes, passing Lincoln Park Zoo.

“You did that
to me. If God could make someone like you, then I believe. I don’t believe
there’s a guy with a beard sitting on a throne in the sky passing judgment, but
I do believe there’s a power bigger than any of us, bigger than Jack. Maybe
I’ll be strong enough to leave one day, just maybe.”

“I know you
will,” she whispered.

“You know no
other girl will ever compare to you, right? I’m always going to say Daisy
doesn’t do that, doesn’t like that. You’ve ruined me,” he smirked.

She stuck her
bottom lip out to pout, teasing him, which made him laugh. “She’s out there,
Eric. I promise. I’ll even go to your wedding.”

His smile
vanished, and he looked out his window.

She pulled up
in front of a building in the middle of a neighborhood. “Okay, I think this is
it. Looks like a nursing home.”

“There’s the
sign,” he said, pointing. “Ready?”

Butterflies
pinched her stomach. “Nervous.”

“Come on, it’ll
be fine.”

It looked similar
to a church but much plainer. Just a big brown square with lots of windows and
light green drapes dressing them. The lawn was well-taken care of with vertical
mowed lines. Trees surrounded it, giving it a homey feel.

The long,
smooth sidewalk led them to an unlocked door, which then led them to the front
desk. A friendly receptionist greeted them after hanging up the phone. “Hi, may
I help you?”

“Hi, yes. I’m
here to see Marissa Paul,” she stammered out, feeling strange saying the name
out loud.

“Oh, are you
family?”

“Um...yes,
actually. I’m her granddaughter, Daisy.”

The girl’s eyes
popped out. “Oh, I never knew she had any grandchildren. How nice! Let me find
out if she’s ready to receive any guests." She made a few calls and
returned to her. “Do you mind waiting for about ten minutes? She needs to be
bathed still.”

“Sure, that’ll
be fine.”

“Great, just
take a seat and I’ll let you know when she’s ready for you. She’ll be so
surprised!”

Daisy and Eric
sat in the waiting area where there was a TV and a few small couches.
Garden-cut flowers filled glass vases, and updated magazines covered the table
in a colorful spread.

Eric took her
hand and rubbed it with his thumb to ease the jitters.

“I thought we
were cooling it on that stuff?” she grinned.

“Don’t start
with me.”

She laughed and
put her head on his shoulder. She could feel him breathe in her scent. “Did I
ever tell you you’re my best friend?” she asked.

“All the damn
time.”

She giggled and
snuggled closer, and jolted when the receptionist motioned for them to come.

“Mrs. Paul will
see you now. Enjoy your visit!" She beamed with happiness for Daisy.

“Great, thank
you.”

“Just go down
the hall and Lisa will direct you from there." She returned to her files.

They walked
farther down and met a short, plump girl in a light pink uniform.

“Hi, I’m Lisa.
You’re here to see Mrs. Paul? Gosh, the only visitor that’s ever been here is
her son, the priest. I never knew there was a grandchild. Mrs. Paul doesn’t
talk much these days, so don’t mind if she’s a little quiet. It’s nothing
personal,” she smiled and opened a door. “Mrs. Paul, Daisy and her husband are
here to see you now.”

Daisy snapped
back at Eric and muffled a laugh. “He’s just a friend,” she corrected with a
warm smile.

“Oh,
sorry." She smiled at Eric and walked out, leaving them alone in the room
with what appeared to be a very old woman in a wheelchair.

“Who are you?”
she croaked in a shrill voice.

Daisy jumped at
her tone. “I’m Daisy. I’m Mark’s daughter, your granddaughter,” she said in an
unsure voice.

Eric rubbed her
arm to calm her.

“You’re Mark’s
girl? Oh, yes...now I know what you are. Your mother slept with my son, or
corrupted him should I say?”

“Um, I didn’t
mean to upset you. Maybe I should leave. I just thought…”

She waved her arthritic
hand at a chair. “Oh, sit down. I’ll talk to you. Sorry, I get paranoid when
strangers come into my room, not that it ever happens. Let’s start over. You’re
Daisy? Isn’t that a flower or something?”

Daisy sat on
the wooden chair across from her and smiled. “It is.”

“Believe me, I
asked her the same thing when I first met her,” Eric chimed in, taking the
chair next to Daisy.

Marissa Paul
scanned Eric. “And who are you?”

“I’m a good
friend of Daisy’s. She doesn’t have those much these days.”

“You’re in love
with her,” she stated, her eyes narrowing.

Now it was his
turn to stutter. “I...yes, ma’am. I am." He glanced at Daisy and smiled.

Marissa spoke
again. “But she’s in love with another, aren’t you, girl." She stared at
Daisy.

“How do you
know...oh, yes, I forgot.”

“What? You got
the curse, too?" She closed her eyes and held her hand out for Daisy to
hold it.

Daisy looked at
Eric and then put her hand in her grandmother’s wrinkled, bony one.