“Of course not. But I still don’t think you’re the one for her.”
A sigh left the cop’s mouth. “You’ll watch over her while I’m at work, right?” Stephen’s voice softened as his face filled with concern. Brandon noticed his eyes were fixated on Evelyn.
“Yeah, I was thinking that maybe I should stay until she wakes up. What could we tell her for both of us being here? For the next few days we need to keep a close watch on her,”
Stephen ran his fingers through his blond hair while he looked down toward the bed. “Just say you found her asleep in her car or something and you called the station. That’s when I can say I arrived. We’ll tell her she even momentarily woke up, so we knew she was okay. Do you think that will work?”
“That is the stupidest story I’ve ever heard, but since I can’t think of anything better, it’s going to have to do. What choice does she have but to believe us, anyway? The last thing she’s going to remember is leaving that motel. She won’t even remember the ride home.” Brandon crossed his arms and studied Evelyn’s face.
“What motel,” Stephen snapped.
Brandon groaned and waved Stephen into the living room. This was going to be a long story, one he didn’t really feel like telling. The cop stomped his way to the couch and sat down when he realized Brandon wasn’t going to continue, until he did.
“A few months ago, our dear Evelyn devised a game to keep her and her friends occupied until spring break approached.”
“What kind of game?”
“A game they call Bets. One focused on men.”
A look of revulsion came across Stephen’s face, but Brandon continued. “You see, with a point of one of their fingers, they bet each other who they would take to a motel and fuck. If they win and get the guy to leave with them and fuck them, then the one who made the bet has to buy drinks. If not, it’s the other way around and the loser buys the drinks.”
Stephen paled. “And that’s what she was doing when she was gone, a bet?”
Brandon laughed. “Not today she wasn’t, but the guy was once one of the bets. He’s the first one she fucked twice. She really likes him, you know. That much I can tell. The guy has been through hell. I guess you could say she could relate.”
Stephen huffed. “I can’t believe she would do this. It doesn’t sound like the same Evelyn I know.”
“Knew,” Brandon corrected. “You don’t know her anymore, Stephen. She’s completely different from how she was when you were both together. Trust me, I saw everything. Listen, go to work and I’ll be here watching over her until you come back…if you come back.”
“I’ll be back. Keep your hands off her or I’ll break them. Do you hear me? Just because we share Evelyn in common doesn’t mean we’re friends.”
Brandon laughed. “Yeah, yeah, go to work, cub.”
“Quit being a smart-ass and calling me that damn name. I’ll be back,” Stephen said, shutting the door behind him.
The thudding of the stairs was a loud echo in Brandon’s ears. When he was sure Stephen was gone, he opened his phone and hit Taylor’s number. It was time he told him what was going on.
* * * *
Stephen got into his cruiser and sat there quietly for a few minutes. The game Evelyn was playing was a ticking time bomb. What happened when she pissed off the wrong guy? What happened if she was attacked? Had she lost her damn mind?
This was all his fault. How had he let things get this bad? Breaking off the engagement with Evelyn was supposed to protect her, not put her in more danger. He had never expected Sheila to take two years to accept her change.
Ayden had made him promise, had ordered and trusted him, to make sure she got better. Sheila wouldn’t let Ayden anywhere near her, not after she had found out her own brother gave her lycanthropy. It had been a freak accident, but Sheila didn’t care. She hated what she had become.
The cruiser came to life as Stephen started the car, and he pulled out of the parking lot. His thoughts took over while he headed to the station.
Evelyn was never supposed to find out what he was until he could win her back and explain things his own way. She needed to be eased into the situation. The way she had acted, as if the news of what they were didn’t bother her, was amazing. Stephen could feel how scared she was through the bond, and he hated that she feared him. This time, he would find a way to break it to her where she would understand.
Rubbing his eyes, he tried to fit the pieces together. Never had he thought anything remotely like this was going to happen. A freaking vampire of all things. When had they come to town? Brandon knew about Ayden, so he had to have been here for a while, but why? Vampires traveled. They did not usually stay in one place for more than a week or two.
Stephen smiled as he took Brandon’s wallet out of his pocket. He was betting his name wasn’t even his real one, but it wouldn’t stop him from seeing what was on his file.
The wallet fell open, and he read the Texas driver’s license, Brandon Charles De La Cruz.
“Yeah, right.” Stephen laughed. “Austin, interesting. What is he doing down here, I wonder?”
Well, it was time he found out. Brandon De La Cruz was going to get checked out very thoroughly, and Stephen was certain that his record was going to be squeaky clean.
Chapter 13
Evelyn yawned and stretched, feeling completely refreshed. Wow, she must have slept very well. The thoughts of Bill swamped her mind and she smiled, remembering how his hair had curled around her finger. She hoped she would get to see him again.
Light flickered as Evelyn blinked her eyes open. A hoarse scream came out of her throat at seeing two men standing at the end of her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she watched them come into focus.
“Brandon…Stephen? What in the hell is going on?”
The surprise of seeing Stephen after all this time was confusing. She always expected to feel excited or sad, but as strange as it was, she just felt shocked. He looked good, tired, but very good. The flutter of her heart made her smile. Why wasn’t she angry at seeing him? Could she actually be happy at the sight of him? Surely not.
“We were just checking on you. Brandon found you passed out in your car yesterday and he called the station. I was the one who showed up. You woke up, though, twice…” Stephen said, looking over at Brandon. “We knew you would be okay. We just had to make sure.”
Evelyn squinted, trying to remember. All right, she had had amazing sex with Bill, and then she had left, and then what?
“I don’t remember coming home from…” She looked up at them and thought,
What the hell, what’s the point of lying?
“From Bill’s.”
“Is Bill your boyfriend?” Stephen asked, pulling out a notebook. Brandon and Evelyn both looked at him.
“I don’t see how that is any of your concern, Stephen,” Evelyn said, confused.
Stephen just looked up from the pad of paper and looked back down, scribbling against the sheet. Evelyn wondered what in the hell he was doing. What could he possibly be writing?
“Evelyn, you could have been slipped some kind of illegal drug. I just want to talk to this guy to make sure both of your stories match up.”
Laughter floated out of Evelyn’s mouth. “Oh, Stephen, no one drugged me.” She barely got the words out. Then her laughter died. Had she been drugged? Is that why she couldn’t remember? Bill hadn’t given her anything, but had someone the night before given her something? She was missing bits and pieces of that night, too.
“Oh my God, Stephen you might be right. I can’t remember the night before either. I went out. Brandon, you were there. Was I acting weird that you remember?”
Brandon looked over at Stephen for a split-second. Evelyn was sure that she saw him whisper, but there was no way he said anything she could hear.
“Well, you did pass out right before we finished, but you were very passionate. I guess it’s possible you were on something, but I doubt it. I think you were just drunk,” Brandon said, glaring at Stephen.
“So what was Bill’s full name and where can I find him?” Stephen gave her his serious cop expression. She wanted to smile. So many times she’d seen him use that face on other people. It was odd that he was now using it on her.
Evelyn searched her mind. “I don’t know his last name. Truthfully, I didn’t think to ask. Well, I didn’t care to, actually. His location…well, he’s on a plane, back to Houston.
“Really?” Stephen began writing down her response. “Well, what was the hotel you were staying at? I’ll get his information at the front desk.”
Evelyn once again searched her mind. She had been there plenty of times, and yet the name wouldn’t come to her. “Shit,” she said heavily. “I don’t know. I can’t remember. What is happening to me? It’s the one closest to the ferry. It’s…it’s…”
“No need, Evelyn. I know which one you’re talking about. Do you need me to get you anything?” Stephen walked to the bed and sat on the edge.
She looked into his eyes deeply, searching for the feelings that had led to her heartache the last two years. It had been there, hadn’t it? Why did she feel so light?
“I’m fine, Stephen. Remarkably so, it seems. How have you been? Good, I hope?” Evelyn grabbed his hand. Her heart leaped at the touch, but not with pain, with excitement. Had she hit her head? Why was she so happy to see him?
“All right, I guess.” He gave her a puzzled look and glanced at Brandon.
“And Sheila, how is she?” Evelyn asked, waiting for the ache to come. It didn’t.
“Last I heard she was fine. We’re no longer together. She got her own place two months ago.”
“Really? I’m sorry to hear things didn’t work out. I know how much you loved her.” Evelyn gave his hand a squeeze trying to show her support. Hadn’t she gone through so much pain over him? Even if he had hurt her, she didn’t wish that on anyone.
“Evelyn…”
Stephen’s eyes held so much emotion. She took in a long, ragged breath. At the unidentified look that covered his face, a stabbing appeared in her chest. The pain was still there. She could feel it, hidden behind something. Great, and to think she had gotten lucky. Nope, not her.
“Stephen, don’t. Everything will be okay. I promise. If you would have asked me that yesterday, I probably would have said love was the worst thing imaginable, but you’ll get over it. See, I’m fine.” Evelyn almost choked on her words. The damn stabbing punctured her chest again. She wanted to scream,
Damn it, go away
.
Evelyn quickly climbed off the bed and noticed that she was in her nightgown. “Who changed me?” She looked back and forth between them. Did she really want to know?
“I did. I hope you don’t mind. I wanted you to be comfortable,” Brandon said, looking down.
“Thank you, both of you, for everything. If you both don’t mind, I need to jump in the shower and get dressed. There’s something I have to do today. I’m supposed to…” Evelyn trailed off, not remembering. Everything had suddenly gone blank, like that part of her mind had been wiped clean.
“I’m supposed to…damn it! I can’t remember. Sarah should know. I’ll call her. If you two want, you can both wait in the living room. I’d love to catch up on more that I’ve missed. I just really feel like I should get clean.”
“Take your time, we’ll be here when you get out,” Stephen said, walking out of the room. He still looked upset. Evelyn’s heart sank. Oh well, she wouldn’t think about that right now. She obviously didn’t get to shower after Bill. Ugh, she felt dirty.
Brandon walked out the door, and she grabbed a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and a clean set of matching undergarments. With the water turned as hot as she could get it, she didn’t waste any time scrubbing herself clean with her body soap.
Pink flowers on the designer bottle caught her attention and she read the words on the front.
Cherry blossoms with almond extract.
Something in her memory tugged. Why was it so imperative for her to remember what type of soap she used? She couldn’t quit staring at the label. Captivated, she reread it over and over.