My attempts to forget Aaron prove futile. It had been weeks since I’d dismissed him so quickly from my bed. It was comfortable to keep liaisons at arm’s length, especially ones that had surprised me in ways I could not entirely explain to myself. Passion and arousal could be analyzed, but it was not always rational. That was what I hated about it.
I kept myself busy with minor duties. However, whatever I did, nothing seemed to help. Aaron always found his way into my thoughts.
At my favorite restaurant, I took a corner table and glanced about, catching sight of eyes staring back at me from a dark-skinned face. Aaron, my mind said. It made me shudder that he had so much hold on me … in ways I could not comprehend.
The suitor’s eyes would dart away, lower to his drink, as Aaron had done when I had caught him staring back that first time. I tried to ignore such a distraction, concentrating on the notes in front of me, but nothing could keep me from drifting into thoughts of having him dominate this mess of a man now unable to see.
Looking again, the face of my suitor was there, and I challenged him by walking up to the bar and confronting him.
Aaron, my mind screamed, yet as I pulled his shoulder, I discovered another face staring back. Was I losing my mind? I could have sworn I had seen Aaron staring back from the corner of the bar.
The stranger smiled back, offering to go home with me.
What had Aaron done? Why did I seek him and see him in every face?
I received word the mechanics in Milton had gone off. These issues would be solved and that delighted me; soon I would leave with my prize and return to my goals.
I arrived at the site. The display was obvious at first glance; there was a hole in the parking lot. Dented cars had been swallowed by a strange hole.
Jonas opened the vehicle door for me while the rest of the security team stepped inside to secure the building before I was led in. It was empty, as it was early Sunday morning.
Joseph approached me from the other end of the hall. “The crew has been called,” he stated without preamble.
“When did this take place?” I demanded.
“Twenty-hundred hours, sir.”
“Last night?”
Joseph nodded.
I tried to bury the anger brewing inside, determined to concentrate on what was at stake, but there were more stirrings in my brain. I couldn’t be seen as distracted. It was much easier to be cruel to block out pain or anger, and those around me were the receivers of such. Jonas was keen to my moods, whereas most couldn’t tell the difference. It was impressive that my bodyguard could.
“Where is my hunter?” I demanded.
Joseph hesitated, looking slightly uneasy. As he could see, I was annoyed.
This part was entertaining to Jonas. However, he stopped when my glare was directed back at him. He calmed and dropped the grin.
“Is something wrong?” I asked Joseph after his slight hesitation.
“He’s on his way, sir,” he informed me.
“On his way? By all means,” I scolded. “He should be here before me.”
Grabbing my phone, I dialed John. His guardian looked uncomfortable. There was no way to warn John ahead of time, if those were his plans. Let’s see what the boy was up to.
John picked up but, before he could speak, I did. “Where are you?” I demanded.
I could tell by his quick inhalation that he was surprised, if not caught off guard, to hear my voice. “At the rental,” he replied in a steady voice.
What a disappointment; the answer was unacceptable. We both knew it.
“I see,” I said, giving Joseph a look. If I knew no better, I would assume Jonas was enjoying this at Joseph’s expense.
“Then, I’m assuming you haven’t been briefed on the latest occurrence?” I waited. What could he possibly tell me, if his guardian had said he was on his way? I would assume he knew what was happening.
“Joseph—”
“Joseph is here … with me … in Milton.” I paused again. Let him sweat it. “I had an understanding that you had already been notified by your guardian.” I glared over at Joseph, who cleared his throat and kept his composure. “And were en route? Am I to assume that the information was inaccurate?”
“No, sir. I am en route. I had a little problem with the vehicle. I’m headed there now.”
“Don’t keep me waiting.” I hung up before I could give him another chance to say anything else. I glanced over at Joseph. “Call him,” I ordered.
Joseph hesitated. All this hesitation was making me angrier.
My eyes narrowed at him. He dialed the number as I moved. At one point, I caught him glancing at Jonas, the expression saying, what’s up with him today? So, he knew my temper and could gauge its differences. Was it the color of my suit? Today, I wore white, the color of the crude name that I’d been label with: The Man in White. I hated it.
We made it into the office before John answered the call. His voice was loud enough to hear from where I stood.
“Why didn’t you call me? You didn’t even say anything before you left this morning?”
Joseph laid his phone on the desk. I stood near him and Jonas took a spot in the corner of the office after closing the door.
“I did call you several times, in fact,” Joseph insisted.
John went quiet.
Glancing curiously at Joseph, I realized someone else was with him, that much was obvious. Joseph nodded; he suspected the same. Taking a seat in front of his desk, I decided not to say anything.
“Besides, I wasn’t home, okay?” Joseph admitted uneasily.
John laughed. He seemed in good spirits. That was not acceptable and it fueled my anger even more. Joseph looked on edge. He was aware it was making me boil.
“You didn’t? Did you?” John asked.
Joseph became stone-cold, but there was a lovely shade of red upon his cheeks. “Yeah, I spent the night at Karen’s.”
He looked embarrassed by what he had just revealed. Was it true? Leaning back in the seat, I observed their interaction. If he were uncomfortable, it was hard to tell. He seemed well-composed, but Guardians were good at keeping feelings in check.
“I got the call this morning and called you on my way to Milton.”
“What happened?” John inquired.
I couldn’t tell if he genuinely didn’t know or if he was only pretending not to.
“There’s a massive hole in the parking lot; it looks supernatural,” Joseph revealed. “I think our friend might’ve been responsible. We won’t know until the retrieval team does their analysis and assesses the situation …”
My eyes were burning a hole in Joseph’s direction. Still, he remained unfazed.
“We’ll talk when you get here. Just hurry, will you? He’s not happy.”
Was that a reference to me? I would assume most certainly. But, indeed, it was not. That was a massive understatement.
Joseph ended the call and put the phone in his pocket.
“Do you have something to show me?” I asked.
“Yes, sir.” Joseph opened the laptop that was sitting on his desk. A few clicks and the video began to play.
“The video displays the events of last night, sir. It has—"
I raised a finger to silence him, which he immediately did. I watched the video closely, and soon that void and anger I was feeling deep down inside was replaced with victory and closure.
When John finally arrived, we discussed the findings in the video, the source. It was evident that my long search ended here in Milton. I would not give up, especially now that I had this confirmation. I had prevailed.
After business had been cleared up, I met the young girl that seemed to be the focus of John’s desires. She was lovely, and outspoken.
Our brief discussion in the main office with her and her guardian, was an intriguing one.
“Quite a display you have outside,” I said in reference to the parking lot hole.
“Forgive my intrusion … however, I was curious. I wanted to see what educational accommodations my brother had reserved for my son. Imagine my disappointment ...”
My words seemed to hit her guardian quite hard.
“Don’t be deceived by what Milton lacks in appearance, sir. It’s what you don’t see that makes it a strong school. Milton has great teachers, and some of the best staff,” she explained.
John looked completely taken by her. It troubled me. I needed to get to know her more.
She seemed to regret her words. “Ah, and who might this be?”
Her bronze skin reminded me of Aaron’s lovely color, and that alone was enough to stir feelings again.
“This is Claudia Belle,” Joseph said, shooting her an icy look.
“So, you’re the lovely young lady who has distracted my son?” I grinned at her. “I must admit, I completely understand now.”
Bashfully, she lowered her eyes.
“John, you didn’t mention she was such an exotic beauty, and so intelligent.”
John seemed vulnerable in her presence. There was no doubt he was under her charm. I was disgusted by this display.
After dismissing myself from the Milton group, I left them in the main office with an open invitation to dinner for Mr. McClellan and his lovely daughter to join John, Joseph and me.
John walked me out.
“She’s quite lovely,” I told him.
He met my eyes as we stopped by the vehicle. He looked uneasy, and far from what I was feeling. After having discovered my source was here, I was in better spirits. It was only a matter of finding him or her. It had to be a subspecies we had missed. Probably the reason the foreigners had come to earth in the first place. Perhaps, they had come in search of it. Nonetheless, I wished I had a proper name for whoever it was. Soon, I would.
“I like her,” I admitted to John. “I very much hope she is not a distraction. I would hate to think of what I would have to do if she were—”
“Sir,” John interrupted, surprising me. “What did you mean about dinner? Is it wise to insert yourself into the assignment as my father this far into the mission?”
Jonas looked surprised before I could display the emotion for myself.
I leaned forward. “Wise would be finding what I’m looking for. Find me the person in the video. All I want is him or her. Once I have what I want, there will be no reason for me to return to this place.” Pushing silly ideas of love and romance far from my head.
“You should be thankful I have a soft spot for you, John Slater. I trust she is not a distraction?”
Jonas’ obvious smile made John visibly furious and he struggled to restrain himself.
“Regardless, it appears that inserting myself, as you stated, will be beneficial to your role.”
Climbing into the vehicle, Jonas closed the door behind me. The window lowered as he slipped into the driver’s seat.
“When the time comes, how will you ever explain to her why it is you have to leave? I’m sure this is a thought that has crossed your mind?” I asked the boy, keenly observing his reaction.
Either he hadn’t thought of one or was well composed in keeping his emotions tamed. The car window went up and I left John standing at the steps of Milton with a task to complete. It was his responsibility to retrieve the source for me.
The rest of my security team separated, leaving us after the departure from Milton.
Dropping back against my seat as we drove onward, I felt a need to be alone. Jonas I could handle; he was my devoted companion and guardian. “Head to the address you sent me, Jonas.”
“Sir?” He looked at me from the rearview mirror. “Are you sure?”
“I can’t stop thinking about him,” I admitted, taking a breath and glancing out the window. Milton faded from view. “No, I’m not sure; however, this has to end.”
Jonas stared. “You know how it always ends, sir.”
“Yes, I do. Nevertheless, the heart wants what it wants.” Perhaps, I could blame John for my decision after seeing how smitten he was with that girl—smitten enough to stand up against me.
Jonas tucked in his lip and nodded.
We arrived at the building in the heart of downtown Houston. The area was very beautiful and seemed to be full of diversity. There were antique shops, cafés, bars, and tattoo shops. There was a pleasant atmosphere that both irritated and fascinated me.
Arriving at the empty flat, Jonas unlocked the door. “He won’t be home for another 30 minutes, sir.”
I walked in. It was an 850-square-foot structure, large enough for a single man.
It was Sunday; where could he be? According to Jonas, Aaron was a creature of habit. He had an early run, returned to shower, and headed out to one of the local coffee shops in the neighborhood.
Most Sundays, he worked late hours in the emergency room at the hospital. Lately, he had been spending more time at the hospital. Did his new schedule have anything to do with me?
Right off the entrance was the kitchen. It was small and simple. There was an island with a granite countertop with plates littering it, one with a half-eaten buttered bagel at the corner of one of the dual sinks, which also had dirty dishes piled in it. They seemed to have been there for days. Stools, set at the island, created a cozy breakfast bar while stainless-steel appliances created a modern feel. The pantry was located near the entrance.
The kitchen area opened into the living room. A single sofa in a pastel blue faced a 40” TV. Clothes were thrown on the couch, presumably left in the haste of dressing or coming home late into the night. A coffee mug and an empty plate sat on a decorative walnut coffee table. A large flower arrangement brought color to the room. The long, white area rug made me smile; it was crisp and clean, befitting to the lovely seating area.
To my left was a bedroom. One could tell a lot by the contents of such a space. However, in Aaron’s case, he wasn’t very good at the upkeep of his residence. Such a disappointment. The lad was a wreck but a genius could sometimes be disorderly.
The bedroom was no different than the rest of the flat. Clothes cluttered the floor. Cups and dishes rested at various locations around the room.
Jonas walked behind me, navigating himself over the mountain of clothing. The bed was not made and, on it, a medical book or two lay open, the pages displaying anatomy. I didn’t go further into the room. Instead, I looked out the drawn curtains, onto the balcony. There was a nice view of the ballpark just across the street.
Walking back into the living room, I waited. Jonas wandered into the kitchen while I waited by the window, looking out into the street. Thirty minutes seemed more like two hours.
Eyeing my watch, I couldn’t help but wonder why I was here.
Finally, the sounds of a lock’s mechanism turned and keys rattled at the doorway. Jonas stopped what he was doing and set down the glass of milk he had helped himself to.
I turned. Aaron would see me standing at the back of his apartment near the window, even if the light coming into the flat would obscure my form.
He stepped in. Headphones dangled from his ears. He was wearing a pair of well-fitted, dark gray jogging pants and a gray short-sleeved top that stuck to his fit body and set me on fire. The second his figure stepped into the room I wanted him. My desire was soaring within my veins and awakening every part of my being. He was lovely, with that boyish face and brawny body.
Stepping forward, I hoped to draw his gaze to me; however, it was Jonas who first captured his attention.
Aaron pushed the door shut as he stepped into the flat and abruptly stopped, nearly losing the iPod he’d pulled out of his pocket.
“Hello, Dr. Spencer,” Jonas said.
Aaron must have known that whenever Jonas was near, I couldn’t be far. He looked around, then appeared panicked but still well-composed as he faced a large, skilled bodyguard standing in his kitchen, holding a cold glass of milk. He took a step back.
Silently, I observed the display. Was he preparing to make a run for it? He wouldn’t even make it to the door, even with Jonas standing on the other side of the counter with the glass of milk in his hand.
“Are you here to ...” Aaron wasn’t quite sure how to finish the question.
With a grin, Jonas shook his head and pointed to the other end of the flat, towards me.
From the back of the room, I stepped out.
“Bryce?” Aaron noticed me standing in his living room.
I was surprised he hadn’t seen me when he had entered. Had he been that absorbed? What did his simple, little mind dwell on when mine was only filled with vengeance and success?
“You know, you just can’t break into my apartment. This is not what normal people do.”
Normal people? Perhaps, he had me confused with someone else.
There was desire in his eyes. Could he see it reflected in mine? I wanted him. That was no secret.
Aaron approached. Sweat drenched the top of his brow and his cheeks were a soft rose color, even underneath the brown color of that beautiful skin.
“Why are you here?” he boldly asked. He looked pained, but far more resentful. He wanted to make me pay for it.
“I wanted to see you,” I admitted.
Did I hope this confession would soften the blow, or the pain I knew he felt in seeing me here after having rejected him? I had pushed him away, refused his calls, refused to speak with him; however, that was just my way. He wanted all the things I didn’t do, like caring.
“You don’t pick up the phone, you don’t answer my calls and, now, you just show up and break into my home? And I’m supposed to … what?”
“Forgive me.” It was a simple request. A smart lad like him should have no problem figuring that one out. “I know no other way.” That explanation was more than I would give anyone else, much more than I was comfortable admitting out loud.
“What do you expect from me?” he asked. It was an honest question.
“A chance,” I answered, gazing at him. Tilting my head slightly in one direction, I searched for a hint of affection in his eyes.
“Don’t do that.”
I stared.
He understood me. A short time together and he had me summed up. Aaron walked closer and stood a few steps from me, the table between us.
“I’ve dealt with guys like you. You wine, dine and romance. Then, I never hear from you again,” he said flatly, dropping onto the sofa. He put his face in his hands.
He was in pain and I was responsible for it. What did I expect? What did I want showing up unexpectedly in his flat? My gaze returned to the view from the window.
“You have a lovely view of the stadium,” I said, making small conversation.
Jonas walked out to give us privacy.
“What do you want, Bryce?” Aaron asked straightforwardly.
I didn’t know what to say, because I didn’t know what I wanted.
Aaron gazed at me and the arrogance he was familiar with greeted him in return.
“I wanted to see you,” I repeated. I didn’t know if I was speaking the words because they were true, or if I was revealing yet another layer of the monster I had become and had no control over.
“I don’t believe you.”
“I enjoyed spending time with you, Aaron. I like you … a lot and, perhaps, that’s why.” I smiled.
Aaron shook his head. “When you didn’t take my calls, I figured all you wanted was a night. I felt like an idiot for bothering you.”
He exhaled deeply and turned his head away, visibly pained. “I just … started s-seeing s-someone.”
Was he being honest? Should I test the theory? Did I care? Why was I such a fiend? Here he was, pouring out his heart to me, being honest, telling me how I had hurt him, and all I could think of was testing his love for me.
“Just tell me to leave, Aaron, and I shall never bother you again.” I didn’t deserve him, and I knew it.
“Leave!” he shouted angrily.
I was hurt, but I deserved it.
The moment I began to walk away, Aaron rose from the sofa and stopped me, pressing his lips hard against mine. I wasn’t surprised, and far more delighted he was in my arms once more.
Suddenly, Aaron pulled away and slapped me across the face. It startled me but, strangely, I liked it. He was far bolder than others I had spent time with. Then, he cupped my face in his hands, kissing me all over.
He wrapped his arms around me as I held him. The dampness of his brow and the scent of masculine sweat aroused my longings even further.
“I don’t want you to go,” he whispered, taking a deep breath as he pushed away to caress my face with his fingertips. He stroked the blond strands of my hair. “I missed you. I was hoping you would be back.” Aaron began to weep. “I was a fool to think such things, but here you are.”
We stared into each other’s eyes.
“Just tell me one thing. Do you even like me? Is this real? I can’t bare it if it’s not … I need the truth.”
He waited patiently for the answer.
“Very well. I shall be honest with you. You deserve that much, my love.” I pulled away. “No one has ever consumed my mind as you have, Aaron. It took me a while to see that. I was afraid, very simply,” I admitted quietly.
I would have said more but a part of me wouldn’t allow it. Could I possibly open myself up so soon? He was staring at me, surprised, yet pleased to have me share such truth.
“You don’t seem like a man that fears a lot.”
I grinned. If he only knew the depths of my secrets.
“What could you be afraid of?” Aaron asked, genuinely interested.
“Of being alone.”
He was shocked by my answer.
“You gave me something I haven’t had in a long time. It’s only when I lost it, that I realized ... how much I needed it.”
Aaron seemed speechless.
Drawing close, I stroked his cheek. “Oh, Aaron, you deserve far more than I can offer.” If I wasn’t so selfish, I would tell him he deserved to find someone else and I would leave him be, to save him.
“Stay with me tonight,” Aaron said, which delighted me, but made me afraid for him.
Giving him a grin, I knew that I would.
In his bedroom, Aaron undressed. He tossed the sweatpants on the large laundry basket in one corner of his room. My fingers examined his smooth, flawless body as he kissed me.
“I love the suit.” Aaron pulled at my tie, kissing my lips. His fingers traced the openings of the silk shirt I was wearing.
The strain beneath my trousers grew as he pushed up against me teasingly. Then, he walked away, leaving me longing for him. Aaron froze by the bathroom doorway, giving me one last look of his firm form before he left, the bathroom door ajar in invitation.
I texted Jonas my plans.
He replied at once. “Call me when you’re ready, sir.”
With that taken care of, I finished undressing and walked into the bathroom behind Aaron. He was already in the shower. Climbing in, I wrapped my arms around his waist.
He exhaled in ecstasy when he felt me against him.
“I missed you,” he whispered as I leaned into him.
The water soaked me. Locked in his embrace, I felt the firm plumpness of his buttocks pushing against the hard part of me. I rocked my erection against him, whining at his length in my hand.
He moaned at my touch. Kissing the back of his neck, I pressed him harder against me. “God, how I missed you, my darling.” I exhaled as desire coursed throughout my body. Tilting my head sideways, I kissed his lips and watched the smile spread at my words.
Our bodies connected in an overdue moment of pleasure; sensations raced up my bare frame. Aaron’s soap-lathered fingers traced the texture of my skin. His hands soaped the firm features of my abdomen and lower torso. Caressing every sensitive part of my body, he made me quiver and made me wonder why I had avoided him. Why had I denied myself this pleasure and desire?
The demons in my head knew the answers. They knew the part that was rot.
Aaron’s eager mouth kissed me and I shoved the pain back, hoping to silence it and keep the fantasy going.
I would have this man … and I would give him the better part of the monster that he had begun to tame.
I would give myself fully to this dream …