Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2) (11 page)

Maybe this isn’t such a bad thing…God did make a woman from a man, to keep him company and love him, to care for him and bring him pleasure and joy. What better way to prove our love and desperate need to stay together and not be separated by death than to conjugate our relationship at his feet? 

Once upon a time there was a crazy man and a crazy woman who fell in love. That’s how I would start our story if I had to tell it. I think after the past two weeks no one would believe that story, however. I have chosen a spot to curl up in the semi-circle of windows that overlook the sparkling lake. Evan’s Italian home is a little slice of heaven. As I sit in the sunny warm living room with my feet tucked underneath me in a huge pale grey plush love seat I daydream about this morning’s rendezvous in the church and I blush, or maybe it’s just the sun.

I turn my face up, drawn to the warm rays that stream through the windows. The mornings here are chilly but late Italian afternoons in December equal early fall days in the states. Evan and I managed to tour the rest of the Basilica without another tryst…barely. I’ve traveled and vacationed in my life and I’ve only seen a sample of Italy but I’m hooked. This is hands down the most beautiful place on earth.

Our caravan left the church and drove not far to a small intimate restaurant where we had lunch. I don’t know what was going on with me but I could hardly keep my hands off of Evan. I’ve been feeling a multitude of emotions lately, one of them being protective and overwhelmingly compassionate. I’m a nurse, ever attracted to healing and fixing, it’s who I am and Evan needs that. It’s an aphrodisiac for me. Helping Evan makes me the oyster and I plan on sliding right down his throat.  We sat side by side in a booth, no one across from us. Isaac and Saint were seated at the small bar across the room carrying on with their usual scoping of the environment, taking turns eating and scanning, eating and scanning. 

I was able to slide my hand between Evans legs without anyone noticing because of the way the tables were arranged, almost as if it were done that way on purpose. Evan smiled his trademark smirk and let me play and tease, stroking him and kissing his neck until our food arrived. That was insanely out of character for me but food wasn’t exactly the lunch I was hungry for.  Evan a la mode sounded much better.

I had to behave though and describe where his food was located on the table.  I snapped the thick cloth napkin with a little more flare than necessary and placed in his lap with a little more attention as well. Evan amazed me once again with his ability to adapt to blindness, reaching for his drink without knocking it over. He found everything he needed with minimal assistance.

After lunch we did the touristy thing and walked from shop to shop, me looking and Evan describing from memory famous landmarks and local art. We checked out leather goods, clothes and ended with a jewelry store which I tried vehemently to steer us away from. But Evan knew these places too well and dragged me inside. The woman behind the counter greeted us and I immediately told her we were only looking. Thank God Evan let me have my way.

I’ve recently acquired more jewelry than I’ll ever be able to wear. I don’t need anything else! I was worn out after only a few hours so we decided to come home and nap but I just couldn’t settle my mind enough to let go and sleep. Evan on the other hand surprisingly sacked out after only a few minutes which I’ll admit disappointed me a little but he needs his rest and I can wait. I slipped out of bed and took advantage of the alone time to call Dr. Carter, who was thankfully happy to review Evan’s case and even offered to travel here for a consultation. He agreed to make arrangements and be here as soon as possible which of course pleased me. 

But one thing was bothering me, the tone of his voice when I explained Evan’s recent blindness put me on edge, if he was worried so was I. That’s how I ended up in the sun drenched living room listening to music on my iPad with intentions of reviewing Evan’s medical records and familiarizing myself more with his case. But I can’t focus and I’ve ended up reliving our experience in the chapel today instead. 

I procrastinate and choose a playlist on my iPad turning it up filling the room with the alluring sultry music of Jocelyn Pook, something I downloaded after hearing her arrangement while laying spread out naked on a desk at Dominus with Evan between my legs. Relaxing into the pillows I relive the first moments of being physically adored by my complicated lover and then I drift into today’s memories.

The feeling of being pressed up against the wall and ravished passionately by the man who has changed my world forever could easily become and addiction.  My phone buzzes in my pocket making me jump, I’ve not had a phone call or text since we arrived two weeks ago. I slip it out and see a text from none other than Lilly.
Enough of the mystery girl, I’m going to hunt you down if you don’t contact me NOW!
Smiling, I quickly tap the call button and she answers right away.

“Mia! you are in so much trouble girl, where the hell are you, when are you coming back, are you ok, what the hell is going on?!” Oh yes, that’s my Lilly, bombarding me with questions, not pausing to take a breath or allow me to answer any of them I decide to return the favor. “Why am I in trouble? I’m in Italy. I don’t know. Yes. And I really can’t say.” I answer. “Ahhghh, I need more details that that Mia! Come on, you disappear and that man of yours leaves some fucking cryptic mysterious message in my voice mail about you needing to escape for a while. I thought you two broke up…”

I cut her off knowing it’s the only way I’ll be able to answer one question in its entirety. “Lil, hey, I know, I know this is a fucked up mess, believe me, more than you can possibly imagine. Didn’t my mom call you and tell you I was ok?”  “No, just the text from Mr. Big Wig
assuring
me you were fine but I tried to message him back, nothing, what a dick.” I inhale a deep calming breath and blow it out slowly, she’s right, he can be a dick but his shriveled damaged heart is in the right place when it comes to me.

“It’s ok, everything’s fine, he just…just took me to Italy.” I say clenching my teeth I wait for the hysteria. After a pregnant pause I finally get hit with the expected storm. “ITALY? You’re in fucking Italy? You were going to Italy and didn’t tell ME? Are you dying or something, did you have to go because you’re sick, you were really sick, God Mia you looked terrible, you don’t have cancer do you?” “Lil, shit calm down, I don’t have cancer and thanks for letting me know how you really feel about my appearance! I didn’t come here for any sort of treatment. I was sick but I’m doing better now, gaining weight and the fever is gone. Evan is taking good care of me.”

“Why is he doing anything for you at all Mia? You left him, you never did explain why, by the way, but I know it must have been bad. Actually you haven’t been including me in your life at all since Mr. Money Bags got his paws on you.  I’ve missed you stupid.” “Oh Lilly, I’m sorry. I know I’ve been a suck ass friend lately. And yea, Evan has monopolized my life completely, he’s just a sort of force that I can’t remove myself from.”

Lilly is uncharacteristically quiet waiting for what I have to say next. “I love him Lil, I don’t think I can live without him. Being away from him feels like I’m burning alive.” “Wow, I never thought, I mean I never figured…” “That I would find someone, love them, let them in? Neither did I.” “So why did you leave him? If you’re so head over heels what’s the problem?” Now comes the part where I decide to confide in her or continue to keep her at arm’s length.

I go with my gut and unload the whole story leaving out the part about him nearly strangling me to death. Lilly would undoubtedly go straight to my parents with that, thinking she was protecting me. She would never do anything to purposely hurt me. “Damn Mia, you sure know how to pick em, all that abstinence and goody two shoes business and now your fucking in churches and flying all over the world with a bazillionaire. Fuck me, you know how to surprise a girl.” 

Yea well she’s not the only one surprised by my involvement with Evan, I can hardly believe it myself. “Mia?” Evan startles me, he’s come into the room and is standing behind me with his hand on the back of my chair, shit my heart just stopped for a second! “Who are you talking to?” he sounds a little pissed, what the hell? “It’s Lilly, just a second we were ready to hang up anyway.” Lilly hears the exchange and yells trying to be heard by Evan. “NO WE WEREN’T!” “Shhhshh Lil, I’ll call you later ok, promise.” “You better, every day, no skipping!” “I will I will.” I assure her and she reluctantly disconnects the call.

Evan has moved around where he could see me, if he could see. I start to read his body language and facial expression, a chill runs up my spine. This doesn’t feel right. “Did you call her?” he spits bitterly and I begin to pray for my shadows to be watching on the security cameras or nearby. I need to handle this gently so I reply quietly. “Yes, she texted me and I called her. Is that ok?” I answer looking up into his face squinting slightly in the sunlight, putting all my sensory feelers out, trying like hell to stay calm, don’t panic Mia.

“I can’t see.” he says frowning deeply, a furrow between his eyes deepening. “Mmmhmm, you haven’t been able to see for a few days now Evan, don’t you remember?” “NO, I don’t fucking remember, I think I’d know if I fucking went blind!” he yells and I jump knocking my iPad onto the floor causing it to stop playing. I’m positive now…this is evil Evan and I need to get out of here now before he tries something on me again, where the hell are Mr. Saint and Isaac when I actually fucking need them?

My mind is whirling, going ten different places at once. My first instinct is to hop over the back of this chair and run, he is blind after all I could probably make it to the safe room. But as scared as I am I still know this isn’t my Evan but he’s in there, somewhere and I can’t leave him when he’s in trouble, even if it puts me at risk. I just can’t. So I decide for calm rational negotiating as long as I can get away with it or until Saint and Isaac realize this isn’t a friendly conversation. If they are watching I need to signal them, which you would think would be easy when the person you’re hiding it from is blind but this isn’t any ordinary person. I swear he has a sixth sense.

So I soothingly begin speaking to him and slowly casually begin to unfold my feet from under me. “Of course you would know, how stupid of me, I’m sorry Evan. Would you like to sit down? Can I get you anything?” I scoot to the edge of the love seat as quietly as I can so as to be in a better position to run but only if completely necessary. He begins to pace a small path following the edge of a rug, turning at the end of the fringe and using it as a guide to the opposite end and back again. He has one hand wrapped around the back of his neck while he flexes his head back, he’s in pain.

The fingers on his opposite hand twitch and I’m not sure it’s from nervousness or something physiological, either way he’s wound up tight. I’ve taken the last few moments to perch myself on the edge of my seat, ready for whatever he’s got.  I’m sure I can make it out if I have to now. “No. I don’t want anything. Why can’t I see?” he's calmer now, irritable and angry but not as volatile…I think. “Well, you have a tumor in your brain.” he stops and stares straight ahead and I continue. “It’s growing and pressing against your optic nerves, the pressure is causing your blindness.”

I’m speaking very softly, using all of my nursing skills, trying like hell to keep him calm. “Why? Why doesn’t anybody help me?” he asks in a completely different tone, one that mirrors my own and my heart constricts in my chest and a bit of nausea hits my stomach out of nowhere. He’s so powerful yet so delicate at the same time. I want to go to him and comfort him but I’m still not sure what’s going on in his head. “I am trying to help you Evan, today I called a neurosurgeon and he’s coming to see you in a few days. I’m doing everything I can to help you.  Ok?”

He nods, still holding the back of his neck. “Are you in pain?” “Yes.” “Is it your head?” “Yes.” “Would you like to sit?” I move very slowly to stand and glance around trying to figure out where the cameras are, shit I should have asked him about that. “Ok.” he agrees and I hesitantly reach out to touch his arm and help guide him to the couch. Shuffling like a zombie with me guiding him he sits down and surprises me by laying down on his back.

I grab a pillow before his body meets the cushion and tuck it there under his head. He's squeezing his eyes shut, the pain must be intense. Slowly, as not to disrupt the air around us, I raise my arm over my head and keep it there, wiggling only my fingers, trying to capture someone’s attention on camera. Evan opens his eyes and stares blankly at the ceiling. “What now?” he asks. “Now you rest.”

I take a deep breath and the air that fills my lungs feels cold, the sun slips under a cloud and the room darkens. I feel it like a vibration in my muscles, a chill on my skin and instinctively I attempt to move away from Evan but he grabs my wrist and pulls me to my knees next to the couch. “You think you’re just going to walk away from me, you little bitch?” Shocked, I try and yank my arm away and feel the sting of the carpet burn on my knees where they hit the floor but it’s a futile struggle. He’s got me. Tight.

I stutter a few words in an attempt to defend my reasons for having him lay down. He thinks I’m tricking him so I can run and actually it had crossed my mind but no, I’m not going, and I need to get that message across to him. “I’m
not
leaving you, no matter what,
never,
you got that?”
I hope that it’s enough. But it’s not and before I can do or say anything else he’s pulled me up onto the couch with him by my wrists and log rolled me so I’m incapacitated under him. I may talk a brave talk but I’m fucking scared as hell.

“You’re a sickly looking little thing but I could still fuck you.” he threatens holding my arms at my sides and I can’t believe this is the same person I was just daydreaming about moments ago. “Please…please don’t Evan. I love you, please don’t hurt me…please...” Flashbacks of being raped and held hostage flicker like a horror movie in my mind.

I beg and shake my head back and forth, tears roll down the sides of my face into my hair and ears.  A little sob follows my words and I start to believe I’m going to be subjected to rape again but this time at the hands of my own boyfriend, who is currently
not
my boyfriend but some horrible stranger. Then I hear the blessed sound of feet hitting the floor in the hall outside the living room coming our way, fucking finally! What is it with these assholes and leaving me hanging when it’s really important?

Evan hears them too though and holds my forehead still pushing my head into the cushions he smashes his mouth on mine banging our teeth together and biting at my lips. A muffled cry escapes me as Saint and Isaac enter the room. I hear them rushing toward us yelling at Evan to stop! Before they reach us though Evans body tenses up from head to toe and all of his weight is suddenly crushing me into the couch, I can’t breathe!

He’s not with me anymore, I can’t sense any mental connection between us…evil or otherwise but his body is convulsing over me, he’s seizing.  Fuck he’s having a God damn seizure! I push as hard as my small body can and just then my former shadows and supposed bodyguards are there pulling him off of me onto the floor. I gasp for breath and when I find it I instruct them on what to do because they are both standing there dumbfound and frozen. “Roll him onto his side. Isaac grab a pillow and put it under his head. Mr. Saint, call his doctor and run get that huge fucking medical first aid thing he has.”  I speak calmly and with authority as my nursing skills take over.

I’m glad they take instruction well, quickly they burst into action.  Isaac helps me move him to his side and Saint takes off running out of the room. All we can do is wait now. Isaac and I look up at each other and our eyes lock. Evan continues to spasm between us and I see regret, horror and concern playing across his face. “We just have to wait for him to stop, keep him from hurting himself.”  “That’s always been my job, Mia. I’ve been trying to keep him from hurting himself for years.” “I know Isaac, I know.”