AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He smiled, following me across the room to another multi-level bookcase.
“Thirty-two years.”
“Thirty! No. How? You don’t look—”
“Old?” He laughed. “I began working for Master Carmelo when I was twenty-one. I’ve been here ever since.”
“So, my father was around back then, too?”
Seriousness drew his features tight, but he nodded. “He’s been around.”
“Why do you think he never told me about Master Carmelo or any of you? Why ask a man I’ve never met to take care of me if something happens? I never thought my father the best at keeping secrets. My parents couldn’t even buy me presents until right before birthdays because my dad would want us to open them. He couldn’t even wait until Christmas day to celebrate. This…He never once mentioned anyone but you. And I thought you were a banker. He never elaborated. I’m so confused at how he hid this from me.”
Thomas was quiet so long I’d already handed him three more books before he began to talk.
“My place is to help you however you may need it, Fayette. Not to give you information. What I can say is, you couldn’t be in better hands. You may not understand what’s happening or even like it, but if you ever listen to any advice at all, listen to a man who your father trusted with his life. Listen to me. Your father wanted you safe. There are valid reasons for that. Embrace what you’re being given. You’re protected here. You’re wanted so much more than you know. Forget how it happened, if you can, and focus on what could become of this. You hold the cards. You can have this turn out however you want. The power to much more than your future rests on you. To fight is foolish. There’s no changing the inevitable.”
Chapter 10
Aimon
How could the spectrum of emotion range so widely? How could you feel something like intrigue for a person, and yet completely despise them? Perhaps despise was too strong a word. Or maybe it was the context I had wrong. The emotion was there. It was real. But it was for actions, not personality. As much as I didn’t want to face it, I knew where Fay was coming from when she went against my wishes and held herself down on me. I also knew she felt she didn’t have a choice. Did that mean I forgave her? That I could overlook her sin?
My eyes swept over her sleeping face. It’d been almost a week and a half since our encounter. The slight need to smother her with a pillow and end this was still there, so I wasn’t quite to forgiveness yet. But the need to climb in her bed and come in her again was there, so there was that dilemma. What the hell had she done? Maybe that’s why I was still angry. I wanted to do it again. I just didn’t want what came out of it.
“Aimon, if you’re standing there.” She stopped. “Please tell me you’re not staring at me again.” One of Fayette’s eyes cracked open and she groaned, slamming the pillow over her head. “I knew when the toilet flushed, you’d be here, waiting again.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m trying not to smother you for waking me. If you didn’t snore like a freight train, I wouldn’t even be here.” A pillow flew in my direction, but I easily deflected it. “We’re up. I’m ordering breakfast. You ready?”
Fay yawned, sitting as waves haloed around her head. God, she was beautiful when she first woke. I wanted to bury my fingers in her hair. To kiss those pouting lips.
“Yogurt and waffles. The strawberry ones again.”
“And a banana and orange juice,” I finished. “Toast, no peanut butter. No nuts. Blah, blah. Allergic, blah, blah.”
“It’s all blah, blah until my lungs close up and I die, Aimon. Can you go so I can get dressed?”
“Please.” I rolled my eyes. “I’ve seen everything before. It’s not that impressive.” Lie. “Change in the bathroom if my presence bothers you so much.”
I headed to the bedside table, picking up the phone and placing our order. Fay walked in her closet and then the bathroom. I didn’t waste time pulling out a chair to the small circular table in the center of the room. Thomas had brought it in a few days back which was better than eating on the sofa or bed. But why hadn’t they put it in my room? Oh, right, because Fay got the bigger side. Her closet was full of brand new, designer clothes. Me: I had three outfits. Three. And they weren’t even new or mine. I wouldn’t dwell on that right now. It didn’t matter. I was going to be content and read my books. Nothing was going to spoil my mood or stop me.
“When I arrived, it was dark. Does this place have somewhere to walk? A path or garden? I need fresh air and sun. I’m losing my mind in here.”
Clicking followed Fay towards me, but I didn’t see the heels. Red fitted ruffles flowed at her every move, teasing the skin just above her knee. The lower cut top had three small, black buttons and showed just enough cleavage to get my heart racing. Red. Red was her color. It brought out her skin tone and dark hair. It made her eyes glow. Black was magnificent, but red was dangerous. Tempting.
“Aimon?”
“…What?”
“Is there a garden or path close by? I want to see if they’ll let me go outside.”
My head shook as I forced my eyes to the book. For the life of me, I couldn’t keep them there as Fay sat across from me.
“What’s the point of getting so dressed up? It’s not like you’re going anywhere.”
“Well, I have to wear something. They’re all nice. Stop trying to fight with me. It’s nonstop with you. Is there somewhere to walk or not?”
I looked back down to the book. “My grandfather has a garden. A very nice one. They won’t let you go to it. No way they’re letting us out of this room. How much longer until we know something?”
