Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2) (17 page)

Evan gave Cecilia the afternoon off.  I’m watching him move around in his kitchen like a professional chef. Despite his visual disturbances, which he informed me are intermittent when I asked him how he was able to chop veggies without cutting a finger off. After a coma like night of sleep fully drugged and wrapped in each other’s arms we puttered away the morning until I got a phone call from Dr. Carter. He informed me he would be arriving this evening.

I think Evan wanted to busy himself while we wait by cooking. He’s been acting different since I got the call. I have mixed feelings about the good doctor’s visit too. I’m thrilled at the thought of having that tumor removed and possibly living a long and fulfilling life with Evan but the more I examine the facts the more doubts I have. How do you weigh the good and bad of this situation when neither is clear? Of course I want him to live…but what kind of life would he have if the tumor was removed from his brain and he returned to his old self? From what I’ve learned the monster of a man Evan was before his car accident isn’t someone who is missed or someone who would be welcomed back…anywhere.

I have so many questions and concerns for Dr. Carter, I can’t wait for him to arrive. Evan however, isn’t so enthusiastic. He’s made it clear he has low expectations concerning surgery but he will go through with it for me. Dr. Carter isn’t the only visitor we have coming today. Evans lawyers are meeting here to add me to all of his accounts, his will and whatever else a millionaire entrepreneur stamps his name on. I can’t decide if I’m more stressed about the lawyers or Dr. Carter.

I know about medical conditions and physicians and Evan knows business and finance so we are going to have to trust each other a lot today with both of these meetings. “Can you go through with all of these legal transactions while you’re…umm…” “Crazy?” he finishes my sentence for me. “Well I wasn’t going to say that!” “What
were
you going to say then?” The music on my iPad changes to a more upbeat tune totally contrasting with the conversation making it even more uncomfortable. “Well?” he prods and pours pasta in a pot of boiling water. “I thought you didn’t eat gluten.”

Not a subtle subject change but I don’t know how to tell him he’s crazy without saying “crazy”. “Nice try baby, and it is gluten free. Cecelia makes it home made with rice instead of wheat. Now I believe you were asking me a question.”  He's trying to make me say it. “Ok, so do they know you aren’t always,
you
?” He chuckles and stirs. “Very diplomatic of you, Ms. Galloway.” “I try.” “No. They don’t know. And you will not bring it up either. I want this Mia, and if you don’t let me have it I won’t let you have what you want.”

He’s stopped cooking and is eyeing me seriously across the island bracing his arms against the granite, waiting. Master manipulator hard at work, he knows he has me. “You’re impossible, why do you insist on this?” “Because I need the reassurance of knowing you will be taken care of.” I sigh and roll my eyes as he rounds the island to swivel my bar stool bringing us face to face. He traces the line of my jaw with his finger and I tilt my cheek into his hand. “I don’t need all of this.” “Nobody
needs
all that I have, but someone has to have it and you’re my someone. Please…don’t fight me on this, just accept it.” He had me when he said “please”.

Please from this powerful, seemingly manner-less, man is my weakness. I soften my resolve and nod in agreement. “That’s my girl.” He plants a quick kiss on my lips and leaves me wanting more. “Are you hungry?” I am hungry, for him, but my stomach chooses this exact moment to growl loudly. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He illuminates the room with his broad smile and I prop my elbows on the counter and cradle my face in my hands. “So what are we having?” “One of my Aunt Sophia’s favorites, Penne Rigate and Vegetables Gratin, and chocolate biscotti for dessert.” A little appreciative moan escapes my lips and he looks up from his work.

“We have a big day, you can’t make sounds like that and not expect me to take you straight to bed, behave.” he says pointing a long wooden spoon in my direction sternly. “Yes sir, I’ll behave, scouts honor, I swear.” I hold up three fingers and then cross them over my heart. “You were never a scout.” “You’re right.” I giggle. The doorbell chimes a few minutes later while Evan pours a sauce over the pasta in a baking dish, the house smells divine and my mouth is watering.

Damn lawyers, I was hoping we would eat before they arrived. “Were you expecting them now?” I ask. He shakes his head no obviously a little annoyed by the interruption, covering the dish and sliding it into the oven. “Well that’s that, we should go meet with them in my office.” “Ok.” I tap my iPad stopping the music and go to him. I’m not going to give him any more grief on the subject, I think this irrational and unnecessary, but the idea comforts him. We walk hand in hand to his office where I’m about to accept responsibility for an obscene number of assets that I will never have to manage because nobody is going anywhere. Evan will be fine and he will continue on, running his business and restaurants like he always has.

A thought occurs to me though, as we pass the front doors, why not marry me? I’m not going anywhere, he knows it, I know it, and it would be a lot easier than all of this legal mumbo jumbo. Yea, I can’t think of one reason for us not to…wait oh yes I can. Evil Evan, he’s afraid the beast will return and I’ll be married to a monster. My step falters ever so slightly with the thought and he glances sideways at me with question in his eyes before he asks. “Are you all right?” “Yes, of course.” With a squeeze of my hand we enter his office and I’m taken aback by how many people are here. How many lawyers does it fucking take?

“Mia darling this is my legal team, everyone this is my Mia.” “Galloway, Mia Galloway.” I correct him and they approach one by one to shake my hand and introduce themselves individually, 11 of them I count. God what am I getting into? We all sit at a long conference table at one end of the room, Evan at the head and me on his right. I lean back in my seat and cross my legs feeling underdressed in jeans and a black tank top with a long grey cashmere sweater and matching grey boots. These men are all decked out in expensive suits, at least Evan coordinates with me in my favorite soft faded jeans and a button up Henley, and even casual he outshines all of them. Some men need great clothes to look good, Evan is considerably easy on the eyes and looks beautiful in just about anything, or nothing as I prefer him.

Blah, blah, blah legal talk and more legal talk, I’ve been involved with more lawyers since meeting Evan then I have in my entire life. I’ve decided to be in denial about the importance of this transaction. I need to think positive, be optimistic. None of this matters because we are going to be fine, I’ll officially be a millionaire, fuck that’s crazy! No, no, denial is good, just forget about it Mia! I scrawl my signature across dozens of papers and sense we may be nearing the end of this dull meeting.

“Is that all? Do you mind if I step out and check on lunch?” I’m fucking starving and frankly, in desperate need to escape this crowded stuffy room and get a breath of fresh air. “Of course baby, I’ll be right there.” He stands with me and all the men stand too, weird. After a quick kiss on my lips I leave the room and butts hit their seats again. Good lord if I have to deal with any of that in the future I hope somebody shoots me, I won’t though, have to deal with it, because we’re going to be fine. I rest my back against the door when it’s closed and take a deep breath blowing it out with force.

“No fun is it?” Isaac appears seemingly from nowhere and startles me. “Oh!” I squeak and clasp my hand over my heart. “Fucking hell you scared me!”  “God, Mia I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to. I just saw you getting up to leave the meeting on the security cameras and thought you might need someone to talk to. I know how those meetings can bore you to near death.” Adrenaline rushes through my veins as a hot flash subsides from being startled.

Isaac is sweet, probably the only person who can relate to my relationship with Evan, he loves him too it’s plain to see. I’m still unsure of the category of love though. It could be brotherly, familial, best friend or an emotional intimate kind of love. It’s not important to me though because Isaac, more than anyone, can see the changes in Evan since meeting me. One thing is for sure, Isaac’s love for Evan is great enough for him to want Evan’s happiness over anything, and with me he is happy. “Thank you Isaac, for everything.” We exchange a knowing look and I reach for my newest friends hand and tug him toward the kitchen with me to taste what the master of the estate has cooked up for lunch. 

Evan finds Cecelia, Isaac and I in the kitchen serving up lunch onto heavy ceramic plates. Cecelia has joined us as well, she somehow knew to take the food from the oven when it was finished even though it was her day off. I’m giggling at something Isaac said, giving him a little shove he wobbles with the baking dish, and the look on Cecelia’s face makes me laugh harder, she is so full of expression! It feels so good to relax and joke around with these people who are quickly becoming my family.

When I glance to the entryway of the kitchen I catch sight of Evan, his jaw is tight and I see a tiny twitch of his eye, he’s alternating looks between Isaac and I.  I believe he’s jealous! For shits sake, really? “What have we here?” He moves toward the island and Isaac immediately senses the shift in atmosphere and places the dish on a trivet, protecting the counter he steps away allowing Evan to take over. “Just serving up your masterpiece. I’m starving and it smells so good, we would have waited for you.” I’m trying to be cheerful and cut the tension.  Cecelia hops to work setting the kitchen table, focused and eyes on what she’s doing it’s obvious she doesn’t want any part of the possible conflict. 

“You’re doing it wrong.” Evan growls at Isaac and I feel bad for him, how can you put food on a dish wrong? I could care less, I just want to eat and Isaac was doing what I asked him to. “I asked him to help.” Evan slowly looks up from correcting the plates display and the room is quiet, still, even Cecelia freezes, fork in one hand spoon in the other and looks at Evan. Many emotions pass across his face and I begin to worry everyone is going to be witness to the return of his other side.

Finally, he goes back to his work without a comment and the tension is broken. Cecelia returns to setting the table and Isaac makes a smart choice to help her. “You’re being silly.” I lean in close and whisper. “I’m a professional Mia, I know how to dress a plate.” “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”  He wipes his hands on a kitchen towel and lays it on the counter, turning to me he tucks a stray curl behind my ear. “You’re mine, I don’t share.” Shaking my head I step into his space and circle his waist with my arms pressing my cheek against his hard pecs. “Like I said, you’re being silly. I only have eyes for you.  But I do need friends and Isaac is my friend. You understand that right?”

He returns my embrace kissing me on top of my head. “No. I don’t. I only need you, no one else.” I love that he feels that way but it’s not true, he has to have a guy friend to talk guy stuff with, all men need that. “Isaac is your friend too, every guy has a best friend.” “Isaac works for me, I don’t like the way he looks at you.” I snort. “Yea really? Have you ever seen the way he looks at
you
?” He holds me at arm’s length frowning at me. “What?” “Come here.” I take his hand and lead him further into the kitchen out of Isaac and Cecelia’s ear shot. “You’ve seriously never seen how much he adores you, respects you? Maybe even…loves you?”

He is genuinely taken aback. “What do you mean love Mia, you’re being ridiculous, Isaac is my right hand man in business. I trust him with most everything excluding you. I don’t trust anyone not to fall in love with you. A sense of calm and optimism surrounds you, like a mist of fucking fairy dust.  You draw people in and melt their hearts just by being you. I’ll forever be on guard protecting what’s mine, don’t try to tell me Isaac is gay and in love with me, you’re the one being ridiculous, if he’s in love with anyone here it’s you.” 

My turn to frown. “Nuh uh.” I shake my head back and forth. “Uh huh.” he shakes his up and down and answers uncharacteristically in slang. I look over my shoulder at Isaac and Cecelia finishing with the table and back to Evan.  “Well it doesn’t matter who he loves or if he loves us both which is what I believe. He knows we are dedicated to each other and there’s nothing to worry about, so cool it with the scowls and pregnant pauses.” Surprise and then joy spreads over his face causing a million megawatt smile. “You’re bossing me, Nurse Mia?” “Yes I am, Mr. Lawson, get used to it.” I spin on my heel dramatically, hair flying in a trail behind me as I go to the table to eat, finally! 

After a quiet lunch Isaac helps Cecelia clear the table while Evan and I sit, I’m too stuffed to move. “I thought you gave her the day off?” “I did, but I text her during our meeting with the lawyers to take the food from the oven, and now well, she’s here, may as well work.” I tisk at him and he shrugs. “When is your doctor coming?” “His flight landed an hour ago, shouldn’t be long.”  Leaning back in his chair his arms hang lax at his sides and his eyes travel up and down the length of my body starting and ending with my mouth. “Oh no, he could be here any minute!” I say reading his mind.  “He can wait. Isaac, show Dr. Carter to his room when he arrives and tell him dinner is at 7. I’m taking Mia upstairs.”

When he says he’s taking me upstairs there is no need to add do not disturb, it’s implied heavily. “Yes sir.” Isaac responds and turns to help Cecelia.  I mouth silently “Sir?” at Evan and he purses his lips shaking his head in dismissal. We walk quietly to the bedroom but as we approach the door the sound of breaking glass jolts me to a dead halt. “Shit!” Evan swiftly opens the door and I follow with a little hesitance, why is he going in there when he has no idea what’s going on?