Keeping Her (11 page)

She
studied his face, with all that had happened the man she loved was still
there.  Brutal scar and howling wolf tattoo included.  He had a
healing claw mark down the side of his neck directly over his wolf that he must
have received saving her life.  She reached over and petted her hand down
his scarred face.  “Can you do something for me Demon, well three things
really?”

He
braced himself thinking she was going to evict him summarily, but he gave the
only answer he could.  “Anything.”

“In
a month or two when this whole incident is behind us will you change for
me?  I bet you make a beautiful wolf.”

Demon
forgot to breathe; afraid he would do something unmanly like burst into
tears.  He held her hand against his scarred face then kissed her
palm.  “I can do that.  What else?”

“You
can stop blaming yourself for the actions of a psychotic rapist.  You
tried to keep me safe, and you rescued me when I needed it.  You came for
me.  You killed that bastard.”  She leaned forward to place a soft
kiss on his scarred cheek, her harsh tone at odds with the softness of her
touch.  “I knew you would.”

He
closed his eyes briefly then with a deep exhale he leaned in to kiss the
bruises on her forearm.  “I’d kill him again if I could.  Forgiving
myself for letting you be hurt is harder.  It might take a few
years.  What else?”   

“I
need you to hold me.”  Her voice broke under her emotions.  “I’ve had
a rough couple of days.  I want to sleep without nightmares.  I think
I’ll feel safe enough to sleep if you’re with me.”

This
time Demon couldn’t stop the tears as he climbed into bed.  Careful not to
jar her he spooned up behind her until he could bury his face in her shoulder
and breathe her in.  “Go to sleep baby, I’ll be right here.”

“You
promise?”

“You
had your chance to get rid of me.  You blew it.  Now you’re stuck
with me.” 

Clytie
pulled his arms in closer hugging them to her chest and drifting off with a
sigh.  “Good.” 

Epilogue

             
The champagne glasses tinkled throughout the room, people milling, murmuring in
soft voices.  Clyties art was hanging in strategic spots to catch beams of
light from different angles.  The white walls and specially prepared
lights made the translucent wax glow from the inside out.  Demon had been
dragged off by Ben and Mac at Marion's request.  The Art Director seemed
to think the clients would be more likely to approach the Artist if a seven-foot
tall crazy man wasn’t giving them the evil eye and growling at any male that came
within three feet of her.  So Clytie was standing alone in a little black
dress Demon had threatened to rip off her later.  She stood beside the
only piece of art in the room that was not for sale and answered questions on
technique and the properties of wax whenever anyone stopped to talk.

When
she had worked “Wolf Dreams” from the wax that first day she had been thinking
of Demon and his wolf tattoo.  It was supposed to be symbolic.  Of course,
now that she had seen Demon shift to his beautiful black wolf it became more a
private irony.  Every one of his pack mates had tried to buy it, and it
had become a private war between them to bid for it whenever they saw Clytie.

Lucas
Gibbs, the scary man who ran a handful of security companies including Demons didn’t
bother with the competition.  He just told Clytie he would meet any price
she cared to throw out there.  Good to know.

“That’s
it.”  Marion gleefully announced as she danced up to Clytie. 
“Everything is officially sold.”

Clytie
blinked, “You are kidding?”

She
was practically rubbing her hands in happy greed.  “We even had a bidding
war over your “Cerulean Seas” but that ended right quick when a patron, who
wishes to remain anonymous, tripled the price and paid in cash.” 

“Marion
did you invite Wise guys to my show?”

Marion
snorted out a laugh.  “Don’t look at me.  Quite a few of the people
buying came with you.” 

Oh,
no.  If Demon had goosed the guys to buy my art, I will kill him.

“Your
lovely friend Mr. Gibbs bought three pieces for his office and has requested
first look on anything you produce in the future.”  Marion flicked away an
imaginary tear.  “I’d like to have his babies.”  Marion was a spry
fifty-four and about to celebrate her twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.

Clytie
was still laughing when she saw Sarah across the room.  It made her catch
her breath.  “Excuse me Marion I see my sister.”

“No
problem, I’m just going to go count my money while I cackle like Ebenezer
Scrooge.”

“Sarah?” 
Her sister looked good in a peach silk sheath dress, her auburn hair up in a
sedate twist.

She
looked overwhelmed when she turned to face Clytie.  “I can’t believe this
is all your work.  It’s stunning.”

That
made Clytie sad.  “I’ve shown you my work before.”

“Yes
but it didn’t look like this.”

It
looked exactly like this.  Some of the pieces Sarah was ogling were the
same ones Clytie had tried to share with her sister before she realized Sarah
had no interest in her work. 

“I
mean, Jordan tried to tell me after she went to your first showing but I thought
she was exaggerating.”  Sarah took a deep breath and turned back to
Clytie.  “I owe you an apology.  I should not have belittled your
art.”

Clytie
waited but Sarah was finished.  No apology for the way she treated Demon? 
Or how about when she called Clytie a slut and told her, she was throwing her
life away? 

She
wanted to cry, but instead she faked a smile, “I’m glad you came.”  She
pointed out the buffet table.  “Jordan and Boone are at the troth. 
You should get some food before there isn’t anything left.”  Between the teenagers
and the shape-shifters, prowling the room it was not an exaggeration.

“They’re
here?  Sarah narrowed her eyes “They told me they were going to the
movies.”  She was getting ready to march over there when Clytie spoke
fast. 

“They
probably are.  They said they were just stopping by for a minute.” 
She gave her a hug.  “Make sure you have some champagne.”

Watching
Sarah walk away, she knew it was never going to be the same between them. 
Something had been broken and it just wasn’t fixable.  It made her feel
lonely.

Strong
arms circled her from behind, and a nose nuzzled into her hair.  Clytie
smiled.
  Well Demon took care of that funk.
  Lord the man made her
happy.  “You better stop that my boyfriends going to get jealous.”

Demon
squeezed her a shade too hard making her giggle.  “Very funny.”

Clytie
turned in his arms to face him.  She had to crane her neck to glare into
his eyes.  “Please tell me you didn’t put your friends up to buying my
art.”

“Put
them up to it?”  He growled looking aggrieved.  “They’re like locusts
stripping the walls before I can get to it.  Do you have any idea how much
I offered for “Cerulean Seas?”  He cuddled her closer even while he still
mumbled to himself in disgust.  “Tricky Damn Cat.”

Clytie
realized her mouth was hanging open and snapped it shut.  “Marion said the
buyer was anonymous.”

Demon
snorted.  “Thinks he’s being clever.  But that particular move has
Eli written all over it.”

“Demon,
you do know that all you have to do is tell me you want something and it’s
yours.”

“Bullshit. 
I told you I wanted to buy “Wolf Dreams” and you turned me down.”

She
rolled her eyes.  “Because you wanted to buy it.  I’m saving it for
your birthday present.  It’s going to be a surprise.”  She patted his
arm.  “Don’t forget to be amazed.”

“You’re
giving it to me?”  He looked flabbergasted.  “For my Birthday?”

“Yep,
I asked Ben and he said it’s next month so all the guys are going to come for a
barbecue.  I know how you guys like any excuse to eat red meat.”

Emotions
crowded around his eyes until one beat out the rest.  Clytie felt her
pussy heat beneath that look and had about a second to think
Uh-Oh
before Demon pulled her out of the room past all their guests and pushed her up
against the wall in the empty vestibule. 

He
palmed her ass and pulled her up within easy reach.  She was wrapping her
legs around his waist before it occurred to her how inappropriate this
was. 

“Demon,
I don’t think...”  But his mouth was on hers and like every other time he
touched her she lost her mind. 

“They’re
at it again.”  Ben said when he walked out and saw Demon kissing Clytie
against a wall. 

Mac
leaned against the doorjamb beside him sipping his champagne and enjoying the
view.  “Apparently.”

“You
think they’d want to know that Marion’s looking to toast her artist?”

“Would
you?”

Ben
was quiet a full minute, his head tilting to the side as he watched Demon and
Clytie devour each other.  “I’ll tell Marion to forget the toast.”