Read Online A Forbidden Love (Eligible Billionaires Book 9) by Maggie Marr - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maggie Marr
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yellow in the mixed-media piece that featured wood cut-outs in amoeba-like shapes surrounded by screens with animated graphics that Amelia had designed. Amelia’s art was complex and cutting edge and intriguing.
“I always wanted brothers and sisters when I was little. I thought it’d be cool to have a big family, but after my parents split up, my mom never remarried. It was just the two of us.”
“You don’t talk about when you were little very much.”
Ilana stiffened. She felt so comfortable with Devon that for a second she’d forgotten her mother’s admonitions. Never talk about your family. A heaviness seeped into Ilana’s heart. Could she really never share her past with Devon? Tell him who her parents really were, about the life she and her mother had fled? And the pain of losing her mother…Even after two years, Mama’s death felt fresh, a wound carved into her heart that wouldn’t heal. “It’s hard. Talking about it reminds me that Mama’s gone. Even though it’s been two years, her passing still seems so recent.”
Devon nodded. Deep understanding and compassion filled his gaze. “Never goes away, does it?”
Ilana leaned her head on his shoulder, thankful that she could say these things to him without feeling strange or morose. “I…I don’t think so. I think…I think I’m just…I’m getting more accustomed to living with the loss.”
Devon nodded. “That’s a good way to put how it feels.”
“Devon!” They turned together toward the voice. Amanda Legend, with luxurious black hair that wouldn’t dare be out of place, alabaster skin, and luminous blue eyes that nearly glowed in the gallery light, swept toward them.
Devon kissed Amanda on both cheeks. “Amanda, this is Ilana Reynolds, the co-founder of the Children’s Enrichment Center.”
“So nice to finally meet you. What a perfect idea for Venice, for the community, for artists in the community—”
“Thank you for the paper, on behalf of the children and the Center,” Ilana said.
“Of course. I want to hear more about the Center. There has to be a number of ways that the gallery can be supportive and helpful. Your Center is good for the entire community.”
Ilana licked her lips and glanced at Devon, who smiled and squeezed her hand.
“Admiring your new piece?” Amanda nodded toward the artwork that Ilana and Devon had just been viewing.
Ilana’s heart beat faster. Devon’s new piece ?
“We’ll deliver it to your house as soon as the show is finished. Also, Sterling has that name for you. The commercial real estate agent you were interested in meeting?”
“Great. I’m very interested in looking into some local acquisitions for TF and—”
Ilana’s phone buzzed and she slipped it from her purse. She mouthed “sorry” and turned and walked away from Amanda and Devon as their conversation turned to real estate.
Ilana found a quiet corner and pressed a finger into her opposite ear so that she could hear. “Hello?”
“Ilana? Ilana Rashnikov?”
She closed her eyes. Irritation now edged her fear.
“I told you that you have the wrong—”
“Reynolds, then. Ilana Reynolds?”
Ilana’s heart beat fast. “Who is this?”
“Don’t hang up, please. This is your uncle.”
Chapter 8
“I don’t have any family,” Ilana whispered into the phone, straining to hear above the din of the gallery. “So why do you keep calling me?”
“I told you in my voicemail. Because we’re family, and I need to speak with you.”
“I don’t know you, I don’t know my father, and based on the things he did to my mother”—she kept her voice low—“and all the other people he hurt, I don’t want to.”
“I won’t go away. Your cousins won’t—”
Longing curled through Ilana.
“I have cousins?”
“Your mother never told you? I would’ve thought…but no, I suppose…” A long sigh on the other end of the line. “Yes. Yes, Ilana, you have cousins.”
Her heart lurched in her
“I always wanted brothers and sisters when I was little. I thought it’d be cool to have a big family, but after my parents split up, my mom never remarried. It was just the two of us.”
“You don’t talk about when you were little very much.”
Ilana stiffened. She felt so comfortable with Devon that for a second she’d forgotten her mother’s admonitions. Never talk about your family. A heaviness seeped into Ilana’s heart. Could she really never share her past with Devon? Tell him who her parents really were, about the life she and her mother had fled? And the pain of losing her mother…Even after two years, Mama’s death felt fresh, a wound carved into her heart that wouldn’t heal. “It’s hard. Talking about it reminds me that Mama’s gone. Even though it’s been two years, her passing still seems so recent.”
Devon nodded. Deep understanding and compassion filled his gaze. “Never goes away, does it?”
Ilana leaned her head on his shoulder, thankful that she could say these things to him without feeling strange or morose. “I…I don’t think so. I think…I think I’m just…I’m getting more accustomed to living with the loss.”
Devon nodded. “That’s a good way to put how it feels.”
“Devon!” They turned together toward the voice. Amanda Legend, with luxurious black hair that wouldn’t dare be out of place, alabaster skin, and luminous blue eyes that nearly glowed in the gallery light, swept toward them.
Devon kissed Amanda on both cheeks. “Amanda, this is Ilana Reynolds, the co-founder of the Children’s Enrichment Center.”
“So nice to finally meet you. What a perfect idea for Venice, for the community, for artists in the community—”
“Thank you for the paper, on behalf of the children and the Center,” Ilana said.
“Of course. I want to hear more about the Center. There has to be a number of ways that the gallery can be supportive and helpful. Your Center is good for the entire community.”
Ilana licked her lips and glanced at Devon, who smiled and squeezed her hand.
“Admiring your new piece?” Amanda nodded toward the artwork that Ilana and Devon had just been viewing.
Ilana’s heart beat faster. Devon’s new piece ?
“We’ll deliver it to your house as soon as the show is finished. Also, Sterling has that name for you. The commercial real estate agent you were interested in meeting?”
“Great. I’m very interested in looking into some local acquisitions for TF and—”
Ilana’s phone buzzed and she slipped it from her purse. She mouthed “sorry” and turned and walked away from Amanda and Devon as their conversation turned to real estate.
Ilana found a quiet corner and pressed a finger into her opposite ear so that she could hear. “Hello?”
“Ilana? Ilana Rashnikov?”
She closed her eyes. Irritation now edged her fear.
“I told you that you have the wrong—”
“Reynolds, then. Ilana Reynolds?”
Ilana’s heart beat fast. “Who is this?”
“Don’t hang up, please. This is your uncle.”
Chapter 8
“I don’t have any family,” Ilana whispered into the phone, straining to hear above the din of the gallery. “So why do you keep calling me?”
“I told you in my voicemail. Because we’re family, and I need to speak with you.”
“I don’t know you, I don’t know my father, and based on the things he did to my mother”—she kept her voice low—“and all the other people he hurt, I don’t want to.”
“I won’t go away. Your cousins won’t—”
Longing curled through Ilana.
“I have cousins?”
“Your mother never told you? I would’ve thought…but no, I suppose…” A long sigh on the other end of the line. “Yes. Yes, Ilana, you have cousins.”
Her heart lurched in her
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