but it was hardly a
surprise. Not her fault. Who wouldn’t be? Two of us couldn’t have
the same man, though. I loved him, and he was my bond mate, so he
was mine.
I didn’t want Peyton to feel unhappy and sad.
I didn’t want her to hate me. I wanted her to become Jack’s friend.
And mine.
Hmm, it wouldn’t be easy, but damn it if I
wouldn’t try.
WHEN WE came back, Betty was in her office
on the second floor. Betty was Millennium Property’s financial
director.
Founded in the late 1930’s as an incorporated
company by four men—Brian, Hal, Jack and James—Millennium Property
now belonged to the latter two. Under Peyton’s supervision, the Red
Cliffs office with about twenty employees oversaw the network of
dozens of branches with hundreds of employees around the world.
“Eamon’s looking for you,” Betty said as I
came in. “Jack phoned. He and James are coming back tomorrow.”
My heart bounced. One more sleep.
I FOUND Eamon in his room.
“Come,” he grabbed my hand. “Close your
eyes.”
“My new car!” I shrieked, guessing the
reason. Jack had promised me a car that would suit my
personality.
Eamon dragged me to the garage. I heard the
light switch. I sniffed the air: it smelled of a new car,
indeed.
“Now turn and open your eyes,” Eamon
said.
A wide smile split my face. According to
Jack, my four-wheeler personality match was a Ferrari. Red.
I laughed happily as I walked around it,
touching its smooth, shiny body. My match was fast, powerful,
dashing and sexy. I opened the driver’s door and found an envelope
on the seat.
I thought it would go nicely with your red
dress. Love, Jack.
I flushed and glanced at Eamon, but his
attention was on the car, not on me.
“This is awesome! A Ferarri! They delivered
it this afternoon. Jack told me to keep you out of the house when
it came.”
“Let’s go for a ride!” I said.
We hopped in. The keys were in the ignition.
The powerful engine purred as I turned it over. Eamon was almost as
ecstatic as I was. “Oh my God! Do you realize what you got, Astrid?
My brother must be crazy in love with you! Man, this is epic!”
Having Eamon in the passenger seat, I didn’t
want to drive too fast, although the mighty engine begged for more,
and my foot ached to press the accelerator. I didn’t want to drive
through town, so I turned south until I hit the highway that gently
sloped down toward the south. It was dusk and there was almost no
traffic.
After twenty minutes I turned the car and we
drove back to the house.
I was already in love with my red beauty.
Eight
“DO YOU like your new car?” Jack asked,
wrapping his arms around Astrid. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes and yes,” Astrid said, reaching for his
lips and breathing in his delicious, familiar scent she’d learned
to love so quickly. “You know, a Ferrari would’ve never crossed my
mind, but the moment I saw it, I fell in love with it,” she said,
catching a breath.
“Your dress’s been inspirational on multiple
levels,” Jack said, laughing and kissing her again.
“Now tell me what’s going on between you and
James,” Astrid said later. Since James and Jack had come back, she
could feel a subtle tension between the two men.
Jack took her hands between his. “We met
Darius. As we suspected, there is a strong underground resistance
in Copper Ridge, but there’s been an interesting development.
Darius works from outside, providing all sorts of help and support,
but your mother is the key player.”
Astrid’s heart stopped. “My mother?! God,
what if Seth finds that out? He’s going to kill her!”
“She’ll be okay, she knows who she’s dealing
with. She’s careful, Seth doesn’t have a clue. Maybe it’s better if
I start from the beginning. Come, sit here with me.”
Astrid let Jack walk her to her bed and help
her sit down. Her body felt boneless.
“What’s going on, Jack?”
“According to Darius, your mother realized
what kind
surprise. Not her fault. Who wouldn’t be? Two of us couldn’t have
the same man, though. I loved him, and he was my bond mate, so he
was mine.
I didn’t want Peyton to feel unhappy and sad.
I didn’t want her to hate me. I wanted her to become Jack’s friend.
And mine.
Hmm, it wouldn’t be easy, but damn it if I
wouldn’t try.
WHEN WE came back, Betty was in her office
on the second floor. Betty was Millennium Property’s financial
director.
Founded in the late 1930’s as an incorporated
company by four men—Brian, Hal, Jack and James—Millennium Property
now belonged to the latter two. Under Peyton’s supervision, the Red
Cliffs office with about twenty employees oversaw the network of
dozens of branches with hundreds of employees around the world.
“Eamon’s looking for you,” Betty said as I
came in. “Jack phoned. He and James are coming back tomorrow.”
My heart bounced. One more sleep.
I FOUND Eamon in his room.
“Come,” he grabbed my hand. “Close your
eyes.”
“My new car!” I shrieked, guessing the
reason. Jack had promised me a car that would suit my
personality.
Eamon dragged me to the garage. I heard the
light switch. I sniffed the air: it smelled of a new car,
indeed.
“Now turn and open your eyes,” Eamon
said.
A wide smile split my face. According to
Jack, my four-wheeler personality match was a Ferrari. Red.
I laughed happily as I walked around it,
touching its smooth, shiny body. My match was fast, powerful,
dashing and sexy. I opened the driver’s door and found an envelope
on the seat.
I thought it would go nicely with your red
dress. Love, Jack.
I flushed and glanced at Eamon, but his
attention was on the car, not on me.
“This is awesome! A Ferarri! They delivered
it this afternoon. Jack told me to keep you out of the house when
it came.”
“Let’s go for a ride!” I said.
We hopped in. The keys were in the ignition.
The powerful engine purred as I turned it over. Eamon was almost as
ecstatic as I was. “Oh my God! Do you realize what you got, Astrid?
My brother must be crazy in love with you! Man, this is epic!”
Having Eamon in the passenger seat, I didn’t
want to drive too fast, although the mighty engine begged for more,
and my foot ached to press the accelerator. I didn’t want to drive
through town, so I turned south until I hit the highway that gently
sloped down toward the south. It was dusk and there was almost no
traffic.
After twenty minutes I turned the car and we
drove back to the house.
I was already in love with my red beauty.
Eight
“DO YOU like your new car?” Jack asked,
wrapping his arms around Astrid. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes and yes,” Astrid said, reaching for his
lips and breathing in his delicious, familiar scent she’d learned
to love so quickly. “You know, a Ferrari would’ve never crossed my
mind, but the moment I saw it, I fell in love with it,” she said,
catching a breath.
“Your dress’s been inspirational on multiple
levels,” Jack said, laughing and kissing her again.
“Now tell me what’s going on between you and
James,” Astrid said later. Since James and Jack had come back, she
could feel a subtle tension between the two men.
Jack took her hands between his. “We met
Darius. As we suspected, there is a strong underground resistance
in Copper Ridge, but there’s been an interesting development.
Darius works from outside, providing all sorts of help and support,
but your mother is the key player.”
Astrid’s heart stopped. “My mother?! God,
what if Seth finds that out? He’s going to kill her!”
“She’ll be okay, she knows who she’s dealing
with. She’s careful, Seth doesn’t have a clue. Maybe it’s better if
I start from the beginning. Come, sit here with me.”
Astrid let Jack walk her to her bed and help
her sit down. Her body felt boneless.
“What’s going on, Jack?”
“According to Darius, your mother realized
what kind
Similar Books
