The Scarlett Legacy (13 page)

Evie searched his eyes. If he hadn’t cursed her brother, kidnapped her sister-in-law, and came at a time when she was single… she might have fallen for his charm.

Not this time, though. She nodded her acquiescence, but inside her rage simmered. He may not be the villain she’d dreamt up in her head, but he still stood between her and true happiness with the man she loved.

“Okay,” she said, her voice soft, barely audible. The pain in Parker’s eyes came back to haunt her.

She had to shake it from her mind. The food in front of her was an easy distraction, considering her stomach ached with hunger.

Evie picked up her fork and stabbed a piece of roasted yellow squash on her plate. She took a bite and glanced to her left.

Her face paled as she saw Olivia walk by the white archway. She shot to her feet.

“Olivia!”

Avalon caught her hand, forcefully.

She shot him a glare. The look in his eyes made her second guess saying anything.

“Sit down.”

She sat down, her eyes going back to Olivia.

Olivia looked back at her, her hair was disheveled, her face covered in purple bruises.

Bile filled her throat at the sight of her beautiful sister-in-law.

She couldn’t bite her tongue. She spoke through clenched teeth. “What did you do to her?”

“The girl has seen her and confirmed that she is alive. Now, get her out of here and safely back to Scarlett Hall,” Avalon said to the two men that accompanied Olivia. “Make sure you deliver my final letter to the Scarlett’s.”

Olivia’s eyes met Evie’s. Evie gasped. Olivia was like a ghost of her former self. All of her luster seemed to be sucked away. What was left of her was a frail woman, with limp hair that clung to her scalp and face as if she’d been sweating. Her clothes had blood stains, and there were bruises on her wrists and ankles.

Fury filled Evie. At first her voice didn’t come. It cracked, making her swallow before trying to speak again.

“What did you do?” She shouted that time and slammed her fist on the table.

“Calm yourself,” Avalon said.

Evie leaned over to him, her eyes narrowed. “Answer me!”

Avalon didn’t look upset by her outburst. His eyes looked from her to Olivia and back before he shrugged. He sipped his wine, set it down, and cut into his steak.

Infuriated, Evie watched him, waiting for an answer.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Is
what
obvious? To think, I was starting to feel sorry for you.”

“I kept my word. That’s more than your brother ever did. I’m setting her free.”

“Good for you,” she snipped. “Aren’t you a saint?”

“No,” he said, his eyes darkening. “Good for
you
, Evelyse Scarlett.”

His smug grin sickened her.

“You’re a hero.”

AS THEY WERE DROPPED OFF
at the front door of the restaurant, Evie trembled as her eyes scanned their surroundings. She knew that if she saw Parker that she would lose her composure. She prayed that she’d never have to look him in the eyes again, and see the pain that she put there.

Under the chauffeur’s umbrella, they walked to the awning of Terrace Café.

Woodland Creek felt different with Avalon at her side. Like a stranger, Evie walked side by side with the man that had nearly destroyed her family, the one that had ruined her chance for happiness with Parker.

Still, when they entered the restaurant, something was different.

She couldn’t quite place what it was, but the room didn’t turn cold at her appearance. Instead of dirty looks, glares, and quizzical stares, everyone looked to Avalon with curiosity and adoration.

Evie gave him a sidelong glance.

With Avalon at her side, the people of Woodland Creek had also changed.

Was this some form of wizardry? Did he charm the entire town?

“We have a table set for you, Mr. Prince,” the host said, motioning for the two of them to follow him.

Evie pulled held her clutch before her as she stepped through the new bistro in a black cocktail dress. She was thankful that Avalon had her wardrobe shipped to the mansion. It seemed that everything was cause for formal dress.

What happened to the geek chic style he’d exhibited on their first meeting? It was as if Avalon was set on replacing his father, Hugh. Evie was certain of it.

Woodland Creek had a new boss, and the town knew it. And Evie was his arm candy. If only they knew the truth of their relationship.

Evie sat in the circular booth at the back of the restaurant. It was private and cozy.

When Avalon sat next to her, she couldn’t help but notice the way he looked at her exposed thighs. She wished she’d worn her glittering black tights.

It was a chilly October. What was she thinking?

He gave her a smile.

“You look nice,” he said, accepting his menu. “Not that you don’t always.”

Evie forced a smile. “Thank you,” she said, looking down at the menu.

“Get whatever you like,” he said.

“I already know what I want.”

“Do you now?”

Evie nodded, closing her menu.

“Good,” he said, giving her thigh a squeeze. “I already have what I want.”

She swallowed, looking into his eyes. The heat his hand sent through her body was unwanted, but undeniable.

“Here’s a little sparkling water to start you off. Can I get you a cocktail, or glass of wine?”

Unable to break her gaze with Avalon, Evie never turned to the waiter.

“The strongest red wine you have,” Evie said.

Avalon cracked a grin, smoothing her thigh with his soft palm. He took his hand away, leaving her cold.

He’s messing with me,
she thought.
He has to be using magic. I cannot melt like a desperate school girl whenever he looks at me or touches me.

She shivered and lifted her glass of water to her lips the second the waiter was done pouring from the glass jug.

“I’ll have a whisky,” Avalon said.

“Very well,” the waiter said. “I’ll be back for your orders.”

Evie drank her entire glass of water before setting it back down on the white tablecloth.

The wine and whisky was brought to their table by another server. Evie took a hearty sip, wincing at the bitter flavor of the rich cabernet. Avalon swished his whisky around in his glass before taking a sip.

“Do you like your new room?”

Evie took another sip, shrugging. “Its fine. I miss my own.”

“No you don’t. You know you’re glad to be out of that place. Admit it.”

Evie frowned. “What do you mean? Scarlett Hall is my home.”

“No,” Avalon said. “Albrect Mansion is your home now.”

Pursing her lips, Evie nodded. “Not much I can do about that, is there?”

“Of course there is,” he said, rubbing his tattooed knuckles across his chin. “You can get used to it.”

“How long do I have to stay?”

Avalon’s face went serious. In his eyes, she saw how much he adored her. It was scary. Parker looked at her the same way.

“Until you love me,” he said.

Swallowing hard, Evie couldn’t break free from his gaze. She hated how he did that, but his statement caught her off guard.

“What are you talking about?”

He sighed. “Do I have to keep explaining myself to you, Evie? What is it going to take for you to really understand what’s happening here? None of this was about my father, or your father, or Wes. It was about you. Always has been.”

Face flushing, Evie looked away. She could barely breathe at that revelation.

Her heart stopped when she looked up. Before her stood Parker’s parents.

Dressed in their best, they looked at her with confusion on their faces.

“Evie,” Parker’s mother said. Her blue eyes looked from Avalon to Evie, and back.

“Mrs. Drake,” Evie said in a flabbergasted whisper.

“What is going on here?”

Evie avoided Elliot’s eyes. She knew her cheeks were red as an apple. No words would come to explain what was happening.

Avalon stood. He reached a hand out to Elliot.

“Avalon Prince,” he said. “You must be the famous Drakes.”

Elliot nodded, his icy glare fixed on Evie.

She wished she could just be struck dead at that moment.

“That’s us,” Elliot said.

“Evie here is quite the writer, isn’t she?”

Evie shot him a look.

What was he talking about?

Elliot’s face softened, only slightly as he nodded to Avalon. “She is. What’s going on?”

Avalon motioned to Evie. “I’ve just commissioned this young prodigy with writing my memoirs. We are discussing the project. Would you like to join us?”

Elliot’s eyebrows lifted, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“Oh no,” he said. “Not at all.” He winked at Evie. “We all knew she’d be a famous writer one day.”

Evie forced a smile, relieved that both of Parker’s parents had stopped shooting bullets into her body with their eyes.

“You two enjoy your dinner,” Parker’s mother said. She pulled her pink cardigan closer and smiled at Evie. “You look nice tonight, sweetie. It was good to see you again before you and Parker leave town.”

Evie nodded, speechless. She watched as the Drakes left their table and followed the host to a table of their own.

Once they were out of eye sight, Evie downed her entire glass of wine.

Evie turned to Avalon.

“Can we leave? Please,” she pleaded.

Avalon’s face was unreadable. Why did he lie for her?

He nodded, reaching a hand for her.

Without a word, he put a hundred dollar bill on their table and they left the restaurant.

Outside, they waited for Avalon’s car to pull around.

Silence filled the air, but Evie still shook with fear. The look on the Drake’s faces would haunt her. She couldn’t bear to think of them hating her.

“Why did you do that?”

Avalon saw her there, shivering, and put his suit jacket over her shoulders.

“I told you, Evie. I’m not a monster,” he said. “I know you were with Parker Drake. He obviously didn’t tell them what’s transpired between the two of you. This was not the way they should find out.”

Evie closed her eyes against tears.

“Thank you,” she said.

Why was she thanking him? He was the reason for all of this.

When she opened her eyes, she was ready to give him a piece of her mind. Instead, her breath caught in her throat as he pulled her close to his body by her waist.

Her lips parted as he looked down at her.

“I did that because you looked absolutely mortified,” he said, his voice lowering as his face was inches from hers.

She closed her mouth, her eyes going to his full lips.

“And I’d do anything in my power to protect what is mine.”

“So,” Evie said, licking her lips. “You’re saying that I’m yours.”

Avalon pulled her body tight to his, leaving no room between them or any room for doubt about what he wanted.

He kissed her lips, hard, yet with such passion that her eyes fluttered closed, her heart melted, and her core heated at his touch.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he said before letting her go.

Breathless, and a bit woozy, Evie stood there unsteady on her feet. The memory of his intense kiss wouldn’t fade no matter how hard she tried to push it aside.

He reached for her hand as the car pulled out front.

“Let’s go home,” he said. It wasn’t a request.

Evie nodded.
What am I doing?

“Okay.”

THUNDER CRACKED AND ECHOED
throughout the halls of Albrecht Mansion. Evie woke and sat up in her new wooden canopy bed. Another loud boom resounded across the sky and lightning followed, crashing into the forest outside her window.

She grabbed her pink kimono robe and crossed her room to look out the bay window.

It was the third day that rain fell in torrents like this. It was as if her moving into Albrecht Mansion angered the gods. Such a storm was sure to flood the town if it didn’t let up soon.

She glanced at her clock as it ticked on her wall next to her wardrobe. It was three a.m. and she knew she would not be able to fall back asleep.

Might as well study,
she thought.

She grabbed her satchel for school and slid her feet into her slippers to head for the study. Outside her room the halls were dark and silent. She held her breath as she looked from side to side, and listened for any sounds of life.

Nothing.

The silence was unnerving, but at least she was assured that she wouldn’t run into Avalon in the halls at that hour.

There was a time when she was a young girl that she was afraid to venture into those halls alone, but she and Parker would make it a game to sneak away from their class and explore the many rooms.

Albrecht Mansion was one of the first homes built when the town was founded. Tales of hauntings had always frightened her when Woodland Creek Elementary would take field trips there. As an adult, she still hoped those tales to be untrue rumors the village people liked to spread.

Evie used her phone’s flashlight to navigate the darkness and descended the staircase to the main floor. Crossing the foyer she opened the door that led to the study and walked down another staircase.

A dim light made her pause. “Who is there?” Only he would be up this late doing research.

“Come on in, Evie,” she heard Avalon reply.

She wished she’d stayed in the safety of her room.

But, was anywhere in that mansion safe?

She took a deep breath and walked to the landing. Once she turned the corner she saw Avalon sitting in one of the chairs with a book in hand. A fire crackled in the fireplace, making the room nice and toasty.