The Surrender: Falling In Part 13

"Are we still in Folsom?"

"No."

Panic filled her as they left the city she had never been outside of. She felt powerless as if she were being whisked away without choice. A sense of getting lost choked her as her world slipped farther and farther out of view, until the tall skysc.r.a.pers she'd grown up under were nothing more than specks along the horizon.

"Evelyn?"

She didn't want to turn away from the remaining view of the city, fearing if she lost sight of it she'd never find her way back home.

"Evelyn, what's the matter?"

"You didn't tell me we were leaving the city."

"Does it matter? We'll be back by tonight." His words only slightly rea.s.sured her. "Come here."

She jerked her gaze from the window and faced him. His papers were all neatly tucked away in a briefcase and he patted the s.p.a.ce beside him on the bench seat. Hesitantly, she looked back out the window one last time and moved to his side.

His fingers undid the b.u.t.tons of her coat and slid it off her shoulders. "You're tense." His thumbs pressed into the back of her neck and rubbed in firm, but gentle circles. Her shoulders slowly relaxed as he soothed the tension out of her muscles.

His touch moved up to her bun and tentatively turned the knot of hair.

"Take this out."

Her fingers unraveled the rubber band and her hair uncoiled down her back.

"I prefer your hair down."

Fingers sifted through the brunette strands, parting and separating the long locks over her shoulders. Her hair was different since she'd had it cut, softer, smoother at the ends. Lucian continued to play with her hair until he'd coaxed her into leaning into his shoulder. His fingertips delicately traced whorls over her collarbone. It was nice.

The music played and they fell into a much more welcome silence than how the ride had started out.

"I want you to spend the night with me tonight, Evelyn."

She prided herself on hiding any physical reaction to his words. "Okay."

"I've thought about Vivian's cryptic warning and decided there's no use postponing the inevitable." She silently agreed with him.

"I a.s.sume by your presence that you still consent to our agreement."

"I won't back out," she a.s.sured him.

"Good."

They arrived at a tall iron gate that opened to a sprawling lawn. As the limousine eased slowly uphill, an enormous home came into view. It was pale yellow with rounded soffits and a terracotta roof. She moved to sit up a little straighter, and Lucian released the hold he'd kept on her for the majority of the drive.

"Is this somebody's house?"

"Yes. Mine."

She looked back at him and found honesty in his gaze.

"Do you like it?" There was a hint of vulnerability in the question, nearly hidden, but making him seem more human, less G.o.dlike.

"It's the size of a hotel."

"This one's all mine."

They parked at the curve of a cul-de-sac outside a six-bay garage. It occurred to her that she never considered much of Lucian's life outside of the city, outside of Patras Hotel for that matter. She suddenly had a terrible thought.

"Lucian?" When he didn't hear her rasp she forced herself to speak a little louder. "Lucian?"

He faced her.

"Do you have a family?"

His expression shuttered. "I have sisters and a father."

Scout relaxed, but needed to make completely sure. "Have you ever been married?"

She could not do this if there was another woman. If she was the other woman.

"There's no one else, Evelyn. I've been single for quite some time."

It was obvious by his tone and the set of his features no other questions were welcomed. He climbed out of the car the moment Dugan opened the door. She breathed a sigh of relief. After a few deep breaths, she followed.

They walked up to a set of Gothic French doors that opened before they crossed the top step. A young woman, wearing the same dove gray gown that housekeeping wore at the hotel, held the heavy wooden door as they stepped through.

"Good morning, Mr. Patras."

Lucian removed Scout's coat and heaped the heavy wool into the maid's arms. "Good morning, Lucy. Have my guests arrived?"

"They're in the library, sir. Breakfast will be served in the dining room. Would you like me to escort your guests there?"

He undid the large b.u.t.tons of his coat. "That won't be necessary. Please send coffee to the library. We'll eat in a bit. Come on, Evelyn."

Scout still held her apple wrapped in a napkin. She looked down and at the maid. She couldn't ask her to take her half-eaten apple core. Holding it low by her hip, she hoped no one would notice and followed Lucian, keeping her eyes peeled for a trash can.

The house was like a museum. Every step echoed and she was very aware of her prattling steps in the wake of his much surer paces. There was a long winding staircase made of white marble, and shutters on the inside of the windows that lined the upper floor. It was like a courtyard, but inside. Vines and bright botanical plants filled corners, and mosaic vases topped random side tables.

They approached a set of pocket doors, and masculine voices boomed as Lucian slid them apart.

"Gentlemen."

"Ah, here he is. Lucian, I was just telling Slade how I took you to the bank on the course the other day," a man with startling green eyes, golden curls, and rosy skin announced.

His gaze fell on Scout and she looked down.

"My, my, who's this?" He stepped in front of her and offered his hand. "Shamus Callahan. My friends call me James or Jamie."

That was a mouthful. She took his proffered hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Scout."

James smiled. "Scout? What a unique name." He laughed pleasantly. "It takes a lot for a man named Shamus to say that."

Lucian stepped to her side and placed his palm at her back. "This is Evelyn Keats. She's a friend of mine from Patras Hotel."

The dark-haired man standing behind Jamie made no attempt to introduce himself. He had blue eyes and striking skin. Darker than Lucian's, his complexion was the color of warm caramel. His observant blue eyes studied her with such intensity that she fought the urge to cover herself.

"Slade, I see you made it out of the city in one piece," Lucian said as Lucy returned with a tray of coffee.

"It isn't good for my const.i.tution to be this far out in the country."

"This is hardly the country," Lucian mumbled as he doctored up two mugs and handed her one. "And it never bothered you before. Time to get on with life, my friend."

Cradling it close to her chest, Scout stepped back from the men. She wanted to slip away, but thought it would be rude to take a seat before everyone else.

The coffee was sweeter than she usually had it. She didn't take her coffee a certain way though. When it was offered, she simply took.

"If I can't spot a cab on every corner, I've left my comfort zone. Are you planning on feeding us?"

Lucian laughed. She hadn't heard him laugh often and when he did, she savored it. She felt herself smiling beside him.

"Come on, James, I guess we better take this to the dining room before our fragile friend here faints from hunger."

Everyone replaced their barely touched coffees on the silver tray and exited the room. It struck Scout as blatantly wasteful, but also gave her a chance to ditch her apple core.

The men walked ahead of her and talked quickly of people and things she had no clue about. When they reached the dining room a man, also in familiar Patras livery but without the nametag, pulled out a chair for her.

Plates of steaming eggs, bacon, and toast were brought out. A brightly colored bowl of fruit was placed at the corner of her placemat. There were bright green cuts of fruit, slices of something peach tinged with red, and bright pink berries. It was very exotic.

The men discussed business as she focused on her meal. She realized she had a problem with eating past the feeling of fullness, but it would be a shame to waste such fine food.

"Well, you can sure put away a meal," Jamie commented with a grin and Scout blushed, aborting the last of her toast. "I can't imagine where you're hiding it. Such a little thing, you are."

"Don't be rude, James," Slade grumbled. She turned and found his sharp blue eyes a.n.a.lyzing her again.

Scout frowned uncomfortably. He looked at her like he knew her, but that was impossible. She would have remembered.

"Do you want some more, Evelyn?" Lucian embarra.s.sed her by asking.

"No, thank you, I've had more than I should've."

"I like a woman who isn't afraid to enjoy a good meal," Jamie commented.

Breakfast was cleared and briefcases were popped open. Papers slid across the table as their conversation flowed. It soon seemed all very chaotic to her. Papers traded hands and more coffee was served. A phone was brought in so that Slade could make a call, while Lucian spoke on his cell and Jamie sent a text to his secretary.

"I know I had it," Jamie said. "Nancy handed it to me just as I was packing my briefcase."

"Maybe it got mixed up with the leases," Slade said as they all rummaged through pages.

"Here, Scout, do me a favor and look through this stack for a page that says Cambridge Development on the top." Jamie slid her a stack of papers and continued to sort through the stack in front of him.

Her hands trembled as she gently slid the papers closer. With extreme care she flipped one page then another.

Sweat moistened the skin beneath her arms and she forced herself to breathe steadily.

"Here it is." The page she was holding was torn from her hands. "She was staring right at it," Slade said in a huff as he slid the paper to James.

"Thank you, Scout." James smiled apologetically at her then turned to glare at Slade.

"What kind of name is Scout, anyway?" Slade asked as he continued to loom over her.

Lucian came back into the room. She didn't recall him leaving. "Did you find it?"

With undue credit, Slade announced, "Scout found it."

Lucian frowned at his friend then glanced at her. "Evelyn, you okay?"

She nodded and distracted herself with stacking the papers still in front of her in a neat pile. Jamie picked up the discussion they'd been having before, and everyone's attention was eventually directed back to the business at hand. Everyone's except Lucian's.

He stood behind her chair, gently resting a large hand on her shoulder as they continued their business. She was very aware of him and he seemed to intentionally stick by her side. She wasn't sure if the action was to comfort her or to make a statement to the other men.

An hour later their business had concluded, and Slade was the first to go. He took a great deal of her tension with him. Lucian and Jamie settled into their chairs and let go of a bit of their professionalism.

"Wow, it's noon already," Jamie said. "How about a drink?"

Lucian nodded at Lucy, who was idling at the edge of the room. She nodded back with understanding and left only to return moments later with a tray.

"That will be all, Lucy."

The maid left and quietly slid the pocket doors closed. Jamie poured himself a drink and raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"No, thank you," Scout said, appreciating the offer anyway.

Once they each had their drinks they eased back in their chairs and sighed. "Slade was in a mood today," Jamie commented. "Do you think it's Monique?"

"He's always in a mood." Lucian rolled back his sleeves and tossed his jacket onto an empty chair. She liked seeing him like this, rumpled and relaxed.

"So, Scout, how is it you managed to charm Lucian?"

Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She looked to Lucian and he grinned. He took a long sip of his drink then placed it on the table. Propping his arms behind his head he said, "Don't worry, Evelyn. Jamie and I have been friends since we were in diapers. We have no secrets from each other." He faced Jamie. "She works for me."

Jamie nodded. "What do you do?"

Before she could answer, Lucian said, "She pleases me."

James laughed. "I see. Do you find Mr. Patras difficult to please, Scout? I'm much easier to content than my friend here, you should know."

Heat rose under her cheeks. Lucian chuckled and grinned at her. "Come here, Evelyn."