He picked his phone up and dialed hernumber. No one answered, and he didn’t leave a message. He calledagain a half an hour later, again his only greeting was acomputerized voice telling him to leave a message. Had she gottenrid of her phone? Was this her way of telling him to fuck off?
He understood why she’d decided a no call,no show, was the best way to say goodbye. After everything she’dseen him do while they were together, she was probably afraid hewould attack her if she said goodbye in person. But, he would giveanything to hear her voice one more time.
He called again, and when the computeranswered, his hand clenched on the phone. It shattered with anaudible crack. Electronic bits slipped from his palm and clatteredonto the bar. His head bowed, and he immediately regretted thedestruction of his phone, but there was nothing he could do to fixit.
“We should go,” Brian stated as he swipedthe broken pieces into his hand and placed them in his pocket.
“One more hour,” Aiden grated through histeeth.
At five o’clock, Aiden set his glass down,rose, and picked up his coat. “I’m going to her place.”
“Aiden—”
“I won’t go after her, Brian,” heinterjected. “I have to see.”
“See what?” Killean asked gruffly.
“I don’t know. That she’s okay. That this isher choice. Seeherfor the final time.”
CHAPTER 43
It was almost four thirty before Maggieborrowed Pablo’s phone and made her way outside to call Aiden.Feeling as if she were walking through a haze, she realized she’dleft her coat inside only when the wind bit through her clothes andfroze her cheeks.
He might be annoyed with her for notcontacting him sooner, but she hoped Aiden would be able to meether here. She needed to see him and hug him as Roger’s death hadonly solidified her decision to join him. She didn’t want to becomea vampire because she was afraid of dying one day too, but because,for once, she wanted to jump in with both feet and trulylivewith Aiden.
If the relationship blew up in her face,then so be it. She would deal with the aftermath just as she’ddealt with every other curveball life had thrown her over theyears.
Aiden didn’t answer, and she hung up on thecomputerized voice mail. She shivered when the wind beat her hairagainst her cheeks, but she couldn’t bring herself to go backinside yet. If Aiden was waiting for her, wouldn’t he have answeredhis phone?
Oh yeah, Maggie, you’re so irresistiblehe’s sitting by his phone hoping it rings. She hated the bitterthought, but once it took root, she couldn’t shake it. Had he movedon already?
The hell he has!
She redialed Aiden's number, determined toget to the bottom of this. Then, she remembered she wasn’t callingfrom a number he knew. If he were anything like her, he’d ignore itunless someone left a message. When the computer picked up, shewaited until the beep.
“It’s Maggie,” she said. “Something’shappened. I can’t—”
“Maggie.” She turned to find Pablo standingbehind her, holding her coat open for her. “You must befreezing.”
“I am.” She stepped into her coat, and Pablopulled it on as she finished her voice mail. “My phone’s broken,but I’ll call you again later.”
She hung up and handed Pablo’s phone back tohim. “Thank you.”
“Anytime. Some of us are going toO’Shanighans to toast Roger. Do you want to come?”
“I’d love to, but there’s something I haveto do.”
He cupped his hands to blow into them as hestomped his feet back and forth. His black eyes were bright againsthis bloodshot whites. “Do you have someone to take you home?”
“I took the T here; I’ll ride it home.”
“You’re not in the condition to deal withthat right now. Come on, I’ll take you home.”
“No, I'll be all right. Go and be with theothers.”
“Roger would be pissed at me if I didn’t seeyou safely home. Come on, let’s get out of here. Hospitals give methe creeps.”
Maggie gave him a wan smile and took his armwhen he offered it to her. They didn’t go back inside but walkedaround the building to the garage behind it. When he opened thedoor for her, she slid inside, and he closed the door. She restedher head against the window when Pablo settled behind thewheel.
