THIS TIME (The Grace Allen Series Book Three Paranormal Romance) (4 page)

FOUR

We slept
for hours. I woke as night darkened the room with a twilight glow. I stood,
stretched, and stumbled around the unfamiliar furniture. The door to the
bathroom stood open and I entered, shutting it behind me. I twisted the lock
and then remembered his fit earlier and quickly unlocked it again. I flipped on
the light, it penetrated my eyes in a shock, sending a flash through my vision.
I sat, muddling through what had happened between us.

It was
like a dream. I turned on the shower and stepped in. The heat was too much and
I turned the knob until I could feel the cold. It chilled my skin, waking me up
even more. I washed and rinsed as I tried to piece together our amazing and
bizarre lovemaking. It was as if he was another person. I felt so strange.

Was any of
that real?

I leaned
against the marble and let the water beat at my side. The tattoo on my wrist
began to itch and I lifted my arm to examine it.

What?

I began to
shake.

The thorns
still wound around my right wrist, but where there once was a single rose bud
on my skin, there were now two beautifully etched roses.

That had
to be wrong.

How can
I have two?  

“Good
evening, wife. Are you ready to hit the tables?” Lu entered the shower, his
huge presence dominating the tiny space. I felt small and I pressed against the
wall in order to allow his movement. “Hounds of hell, woman, this water is like
ice!” Lu spun the knob to hot and steam quickly filled the room.

Choking on
the heat, I escaped the shower and wrapped my body in one of the thick bath
sheets.

“You don’t
want to play in the shower?” he called just as I left the room. Ignoring him, I
moved through the room, flicking on the lights as I walked, my wrist cradled
against me. I approached the closet. More proof that I belonged with this man.
The closet was filled with dresses that, no doubt, belonged to me.

I chose a
simple black dress that would fall to mid-thigh and a pair of strappy heels
that would have me towering over most men. But I would be with my husband and
he was tall enough to allow me to wear them. I slid on a pair of black panties
and a matching bra. As I reached for the dress he entered the room, a towel
wrapped around his waist. I watched him move. He was so large and powerful.

Just then,
as I gazed at him, I could picture him with much longer hair. Golden stubble on
his chin and… and then the image dissolved. I shook my head and laughed to
myself.

Grace,
we can help. We are coming for you.

“Stop!” I
screamed to the air and Lu spun.

“What are
you yelling about?” he asked as watched my face. “Take your pill Gr… Alice.” He
cleared his throat and fussed with several ties.

I couldn’t
breathe. I felt the blood drain from my face, then my neck and down as ice
filled my veins. “What were you about to call me?” I stepped into his space and
stopped his meaningless movements. “
Lu
?”

“I was
only going to remind you to take your pill. I thought the better of it.” He
smiled and began to turn away again.

“Bullshit!”
I moved in front of him again. “You almost called me Grace! Why are you lying?”

“Ali, no! Why
would I wish to hurt you like that?” He stroked my cheek, sending his heat into
my skin. The sensation penetrated my head, relaxing my neck and shoulders. “You
worry me so much.” He kissed along my neck, down my shoulder. “You are my mate,
my perfect angel, don’t you understand? I would never hurt you. I want you
happy.” He kissed my lips gently, melting my knees. “Let’s stay in again. I can
kiss you everywhere.” His fingers grazed the swell of my breast. “We can make
love again. You would like that, wouldn’t you my darling?”

I felt a
chill race along my skin. Something was wrong.
I could feel it.
“No. No,
we should get out for a while. I’m fine.” I gently rubbed the spot where his
fingers had left a trail of heat. The feeling seemed to linger. “It’s fine.” I
shook my head and smiled.

***

 The
casino floor was bedlam. Bells rang, people spoke in excited tones, and
somewhere out of my vision a live band played cover songs from a time long
passed. The lights and décor filled me with sensory overload and I clung to
Lu’s arm like a life raft.

“You see
these people, my darling?” Lu sounded strange and I looked up at him. “
Fools
.
All of them.”

He was
smiling, but there was something very…disturbed about it.

“They
scurry about, clinging desperately to dreams of sudden wealth,” he said, his
voice lowering with each word.

I frowned.
It was as if I was looking at a different person from just a few moments ago. The
desperation and hopelessness of the people around us seemed to thrill him
somehow. He sucked in a deep breath.

“Ah, sin
in droves.” He looked at me and winked. “Let’s join them.”

He pulled
gently on my arm and we moved through the room. People parted as we passed, as
if they sensed he was a powerful man and didn’t wish to upset him.

My eyes
scanned the crowd. A flash of yellow hair had me pulling up short. I looked
over the area. Nothing. I shook my head, feeling silly.

“Are you
well?” Lu asked, without actually looking at me. His eyes were all over the
room. His strange look of giddy happiness made me feel as if I were missing
something very important.

“I’m well
enough,” I replied, sliding my hand from his arm.

He looked at
me then. “You will not leave my side,” he warned, and I felt a small shard of
unease. His controlling attitude toward me was understandable at first, now it
filled me with apprehension.

I backed
up a step.

“Please,
my love,” he bent and kissed my lips gently, “for your safety.” He pulled a
small golden box from his pocket. “Your medication.” He took my hand and
emptied two blood-red pills into my palm. “We mustn’t forget again, my love.”
He signaled for a cocktail waitress and ordered a water for me. She returned
almost immediately, her face glowing pink as my husband placed a fifty on her
tray and winked playfully at her shocked expression.

“That was
nice of you.” I smiled as I tried to choke down the pills. They were horribly
bitter and something in my head told me not to swallow them down. I stared off
into space, my head screaming warnings so confusing and strong that I almost
spit the pills onto the floor. Instead, I simply coughed into my hand and
discreetly took them from my mouth. I handed the empty glass to him and smiled.

“That’s my
girl.” He smiled and examined my face closely. I tried to stare lovingly at him,
but something in me was waking up. I had a feeling that my instincts were
important.

“Hmm,” he
tilted my chin up and then, apparently satisfied, he kissed me again. “Now, be
a love and agree to play roulette with me?”

I had a
sickening feeling that I had been playing that game all along.

“Of
course, Lu. Anything you wish,” I smiled and ran my hand down his arm.

He
practically glowed with pleasure. “You will be the death of me.” He sucked in a
breath. It hissed between his teeth, making him look violent and dangerous. “I
want to show you how incredible life with me can be. Come.”

I followed
in his wake. He was a man possessed. When we reached the roulette table, all
eyes were on him. After the second win, markers followed his along the table.
Lu was a force to be reckoned with. He moved with a preternatural grace that
hypnotized. His eyes flashed and my gut screamed that he was not who he claimed
to be. He was so much more than merely dangerous. He occupied a level of menace
so far beyond my comprehension, it was staggering.

The crowd
cheered, jerking me to my senses.

He won
again
.

I closed
my eyes, opening them to scan the crowded floor. My eyes fell on an elderly
woman sitting at a slot machine, her orthopedic shoes nesting around a battered
oxygen tank.

My heart
broke as she coughed and wheezed. The poor thing was so lost. I frowned, it was
so unfair. So many people in this den of lost hopes. Betting their savings,
their paychecks and who knew what else. And here was Lu, already astonishingly
wealthy if the
American Express Black
in my wallet was any indication.
An immensely powerful man, and he was only getting richer. I moved around the
table, watching the man that was supposed to be my husband.

The
feelings I had didn’t fit with that of a happily married woman. I gazed at his
astonishing perfection, my heart battling with my senses. He was everything
sensual, beautiful and powerful. Women were shoving their breasts at him, their
hands running along his arms, his back, yet I felt nothing.

Was it
because he felt he was above them all? The coos and provocative looks simply
slid off of him. I shook my head. It didn’t matter to any of them that the man
wore a wedding ring. I watched as a woman slid her hand into the space between
the buttons in his shirt. He allowed it, and still I felt nothing.

 He looked
up, as if sensing my scrutiny. He met my eyes and slowly drew his bottom lip into
his mouth. Drawing it out, his even teeth pulled at the plump flesh. It was a
move so sensual that my body instantly responded. My knees turned to putty and
I stiffened. I was hot. A fine sweat broke out along the back of my neck as if
he were actually physically touching me.

I closed
my eyes, collecting myself.

He’s my
husband and he loves me.
I whispered to myself, then opened my eyes as he placed his
marker. I felt a tickle begin in my belly and I smiled, my eyes following the
little white ball as it spun.

Red
twelve,
he’d predicted.

It bounced
about as it had the last several wins, landing as predicted on the red twelve,
until inexplicably, at the last second, it shifted and hopped into the space
for the black thirty five.

Shock and
disappointment filled the air around us. That fast, they no longer trusted him.
I stood in a sea of bodies as they flowed past, no longer pinning their hopes
on Lu. No longer clamoring or crowding him. The women were gone, it was over.

I felt his
eyes watching me. I looked up and stepped back. His brows were drawn close, his
mouth a tight line. Anger beat off of him as he glared, unblinking, at me. I
shifted as the danger I had sensed in him screamed a warning in my head.  

He took a
small step toward me and I spun, immediately finding myself covered in
schnapps.

FIVE

“Oh, my
God! Adam, get her some napkins!” A tall woman screeched as she tried to pat me
dry with her bare hands. “I am so sorry.” She gushed as I gaped at her.

“It’s
really alright.” I pulled the wet fabric away from my stomach. It made a
sucking sound and I curled my lip at the feeling. It was cold and sticky and
smelled like almonds. I tried to smile as I shivered. She was frantic as she ripped
several handfuls of paper napkins out of the silver dispenser her boyfriend had
set on top of the bar.

I looked
around, searching for Lu. I couldn’t imagine he would be happy about any of
this.

“Is the
garment damaged?” a man’s voice spoke close to me.

I felt a
chill and looked up into the most astonishing eyes I had ever seen.

“Um.” I
stared stupefied. “
Uh
…” I tried to remember what I was going to say as
the man’s eyes gazed at me from thick, sooty lashes. He smiled and I jerked. “I
think it’s fine.” I shook my head, feeling stupid.

“I’m glad
to hear it, Lass,” he said, and I almost fell over from the sound. His slight,
Scottish accent and deep baritone were apparently too much for my hormones to
take
.

God
even his scent is making my heart race.

“My name’s
Stevie, by the way,” the woman pawing at my ruined dress cut in and I jumped.

Shit
.
I was just drooling
over her boyfriend
. I’m such an ass.

“I’m so sorry,”
I held out my hand as my cheeks heated, “I’m Alice.”

She took a
look at my hand and her brows rose into her hairline. “Wow, that’s some rock!” She
looked at my face just as a small group of laughing people approached us.

“Hey,
what’s going on? Are we partying or not?” The woman stopped short. “Who’s
this?” She held her hand out to me.

“I’m
Alice,” I offered her my sticky hand and smiled at her when she made a face.

“Oh, man,
I’m sorry.” I laughed nervously and tried to clean my hand with the napkin. It
shredded and stuck to my fingers.

“We had a
little accident,” Stevie smiled, holding a wad of frayed napkins.

“Dang, all
you did was cover her in lint,” the other woman scolded.

I looked
down. Yep, I was covered in a layer of little, white lint balls.

Sighing, I
shrugged. “That’s alright. Really.” I looked around once more, searching for
Lu.

“No way.
I’m Amelia, by the way, and we need a trip to the ladies.” She “tsked” and
shook her head. “Good God, this looks like
Armani
.” She pulled my arm.
“Be back, boys!” she shouted over her shoulder as she dragged me off to the
ladies, Stevie rushing behind us.

The ladies
room was huge. We entered, pushing past several women who were standing in
line.

“Don’t
mind us, just a cleanup job,” Amelia smiled as she moved. Reaching into her
bag, she pulled out a small cloth. “I think this truly is ruined.
Damn
,
I hope your man doesn’t kill you.”

She
sounded panicked and I grabbed her frantically moving hands. “It’s fine. My
husband doesn’t even know. I’m sure he’ll understand, besides, it’s my dress.”
I assured her.

Stevie
watched me, an odd look on her face. “Is he a nice man?” She looked serious and
I frowned.

“I don’t
really know,” I shrugged.

They both
gasped. “How in the heck can that be?” Stevie looked aghast. “Did you come here
from Vegas?” she laughed.

“No, we’ve
been married for six years,” I said through another shrug.

Surprise
took over their features and I laughed. “I suffer from random bouts of memory
loss. My husband says it’s a common malady.”

“Convenient,”
Amelia muttered under her breath, and Stevie smacked her.

I narrowed
my eyes at their odd interchange.

“What she
means is, that’s pretty sad. So, I guess you don’t remember anyone at all? You
don’t remember
anything
?” she leaned in and I raised a brow.

“Yeah,”
Amelia sighed and looked at my dress. “I mean, wouldn’t it be cool if you had
like, magical powers? You could just zap the schnapps out of your dress and
voila
,
all taken care of.” She laughed and Stevie smacked her again, her eyes bugging
out of her head.

“Okay?” I
drawled, frowning at them as they exchanged looks. They were acting like they
knew something I didn’t, which was odd because they were complete strangers.

“So,”
Stevie turned and looked into the mirror. Pulling a lipstick from her tiny bag,
she watched me as she smeared it on. “I noticed you liked the look of Adam.”

My jaw hit
my chest as shock and embarrassment flooded every cell in my body. All I could
do was gawk as heat spread up my cheeks.

“He
is
pretty overwhelming, if you’re into that kind of thing.” Amelia folded her arms
and examined her cuticles as Stevie glared at her through the mirror.

My stomach
swirled at the thought of the man she had called Adam. There was no way in the
world he could have missed the way I practically drooled on him. I’d acted like
a total dipshit in front of his girlfriend. God how rude.

“I’m
sorry, Stevie. I swear, I didn’t mean to act like that.” I looked at my hands,
remembering how strongly I had reacted to him. “I was just startled. I mean, I
was looking for my husband and then,
bam!
Hello gorgeous.” I smiled
apologetically. “I think you’re really lucky.”

“Oh, no,
no, no,” she laughed, shaking her head. “We aren’t a couple.” She smiled but it
didn’t quite reach her eyes. “He’s just a friend of my brothers.” She shrugged.

Amelia
snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, they’re buddy, buddy alright.” She shook
her head as I watched them in complete confusion.

“So, back
to your husband.” Stevie turned to look at me. “Are you two staying in this
hotel?”

I dried my
hands after ringing out my dress the best I could in the tall sink. The garment
was indeed done for.

“Yeah,” I
sighed, “we’re in the Penthouse.”

“Penthouse.”
Stevie blew out a long whistle. “
Posh
.”

“Yeah.” I
met her eyes through the mirror. “Are you all staying here too?” I watched them
look at each other. Stevie fidgeted with her earrings while Amelia opened and
closed her mouth like a fish.

“We, uh,
live here, actually,” Amelia sputtered out and I lowered my brows.

Something
was up with these two.

“Really?”

They
looked nervous. I opened my mouth to question them when Stevie’s cell rang.

“Hey.” She
turned her back as she spoke under her breath. She shoved the phone into her
bag and smiled. “Well, that was my brother. He’s getting annoyed, we better
go.” She grabbed onto Amelia’s arm and started to pull.

“Okay?” I
lowered my brows, watching them fumble out the door. I straightened my dress and
sighed. It was time to find Lu.

The sound
of the casino burst to life as we exited the ladies room. Amelia and Stevie had
stopped just outside. They were speaking to Adam and another man. He was just
as tall and broad as Adam, but where Adam was dark this man was golden. Adam’s
skin was pale, making his silvery-blue eyes and black hair stand out in stark
contrast. This other man was tan. His short hair was a dark blonde. His profile
was striking. Golden, blond stubble dusted his strong jawline. I stopped and
found myself moving toward them.

“Alice?” I
heard Amelia call out as I slowly moved closer. “Are you alright?” Her voice
was little more than a whisper as I neared. Ghostly fingers pulled me, urging
me closer. I closed my eyes, then opening them, I found myself standing between
the two powerfully attractive men.

Adam
placed his hand on my shoulder and I shuddered. Something was happening that I
didn’t understand.

“Alice?”
Stevie moved to stand directly in front of me. “This is my brother, Andrew.” She
looked up at the beautiful, blonde man and I followed her gaze. He met my eyes,
his hand extended. I felt mesmerized as I took his hand in mine. Energy zinged
from his hand to my shoulder, where Adam touched me. Like an electric highway,
it hit Adam’s hand and then followed that same path back down to Andrew. I
sucked in a breath as heat and light filled me. Stars sparkled into my vision
as a chill settled along my spine.

What
the hell?
I wondered as I slowly slid, boneless, to the floor.