Lost in Decade-Old Memories
Bronx Adler set his phone back on the glass top of his desk and looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, wondering what his mother was up to. She had called him every day for the past week, asking him to lunch or coffee. Not once had she mentioned his dad, which was odd since the two of them were ordinarily joined at the hip.
As the third of ten children, Bronx understood his parents’ struggle to divide their attention, and they’d done a remarkable job of making all their children feel important. Bronx and his mother had always been particularly close in part because he was the most interested in the stories she’d been so anxious to share. He’d loved the tales of magicians, shifters, and the countless ways they’d influenced history.
Brighten Adler walked through the front door of his car dealership, the moon-and-stars print of her flowing skirt teasing the tops of her knee-high leather boots, the heels adding several inches to her petite frame. Bronx and his brothers had teased her relentlessly about using heels to delay the inevitable, but she continued to wear them. Hell, he and his brothers had been pre-teens when they’d passed her in height.
Bronx always thought her name was perfect because she brightened every room she entered, but studying her expression, he noted something different about her today. Her usual calm countenance was gone, replaced by a tension reflected in her rigid posture. Her watchful gaze searching the room sent a skitter of warning up his spine. Getting to his feet, Bronx moved quickly out of his office to greet his mother when she stepped off the elevator.
“Mother, you look beautiful, as always. Would you like something to drink, or would you rather leave right away for lunch?” As well as he knew her, she could still surprise him with her unpredictability. Grasping his hands with her small, delicate ones, she pulled him down so she could kiss his cheek.
“Such a considerate son and easily ensnared once we stopped playing phone tag. It seems as though it was easier to connect with family and friends before cell phones. People were either at work, church, or a school function, easily tracked down if you were so inclined. Now that I think about it, perhaps it was easier because you didn’t know who was calling. When the obnoxious contraption on the wall rang, you got up and answered it.” She frowned and shook her head, sending a shimmer of light over the fall of her jet black hair.
Bronx couldn’t hold back his smile. Brighten Adler was a gifted witch, a ferocious shifter when anyone she loved was in danger, and as easily side-tracked as anyone he knew.
“Do you have a minute to sit down and relax before we leave for lunch?”
“I’m afraid lunch isn’t going to work after all. Your father canceled his second round of golf and asked me to meet him at the Garden Room for lunch. Since he doesn’t feel this meeting is necessary, I’d rather he not know I was here.”
Bronx blinked in surprise. He knew his parents didn’t always agree, but he’d never known them to keep secrets from each other.
“Don’t look at me like I’m a criminal, sweetheart. It’s just… well, your father doesn’t want to alarm me about the threat to our safety. He mistakenly believes what I don’t know, won’t hurt me—sweet, but inaccurate.” Her shrug was too deliberate to be convincing. He’d never known his mother’s premonitions to totally miss the mark. His inner alarms start to buzz. There had certainly been times when her suspicions were a tad skewed, but there was always an element of truth that was undeniable.
“If it’s a safety issue, maybe we should call Israel to sit in on this conversation. After all, this is his area of expertise.” Israel Adler was in the early stages of setting up his security business. So far, it wasn’t paying the bills, but with his brother’s exceptional instincts and relentless determination, success was a given.
“I didn’t ask to see you because I’m worried. Fate never makes mistakes, and its course is rarely set aside for long.” She gave a small wave of her hand, sending an arc of sparkling glitter into the air. It always amazed him how blasé she was about the less significant elements of her magic. They might have been easy for her to ignore, but he found them utterly remarkable. “Do you remember me telling you about my college friend, Lisa Star?”
“The one who gave you the amulet you wear?” Bronx could not remember his mother ever taking off the oddly designed necklace. He’d admired it once, and she’d told him it was a gift from a friend who’d entrusted her with one half of the powerful totem. She’d held it out from her skin for him to see, asking him to run a single finger over its surface. He’d been no older than twelve, but he still remembered the strange tingling he’d felt and how quickly the feeling of electrical power rushed through his entire body. His mother hadn’t said anything, simply given him a knowing nod.
I knew it would be you. When the time is right, I’ll pass it along to you. When you find the one holding the other half, you’ll have found your mate—you will also know you’re holding a powerful magical tool. When the pieces are close, those wearing them will have their magic amplified. Her long-ago words echoed through his mind as he saw her slide her hands beneath her hair.
“The time has come for me to pass this to you. Use it wisely and protect it with your life… that’s what I’m doing now.” With those strange words, she unclasped the chain, and before he could ask any questions, she’d placed it around his neck. Bright Adler’s magical gifts were a light she never tried to hide, but this whispered incantation was one he’d never heard her use before. The chanted words made the charm warm against his skin before it vibrated softly for several seconds.
“Promise me you’ll never let anyone take it from you and be patient as you wait for your mate—fate will never forget you.” She’d brushed a stray lock of his black hair back into place and smiled. “Remember my words and know that I will always be with you. It may seem as though I’m gone, but I don’t want you to ever forget… I’m only a heartbeat away.” When he opened his mouth to speak, she shook her head, whispered, “I love you,” then disappeared in a cloud of the whitest smoke he’d ever seen.
It was the last time he’d seen her. The next evening, he’d gotten the phone call that forever changed all their lives. Carrington and Brighten Adler died in a fiery car accident on their way home from a late dinner with friends. Falling to his knees, a wail of anguish wrenched from his chest, but no sooner had his cry of grief echoed through the room than the charm vibrated and warmed against his chest. Despite the crushing sadness, he’d managed to remember her promise. Her words were what got him through the first months of sorrow.
As one of the older siblings, Bronx understood how important it was to be strong for his younger brothers and sisters. He and his older brother shared the magic of a compelling voice. As businessmen, they both knew it was unethical to use their unique skill for monetary gain, but it didn’t keep its use from creeping into their everyday lives.
When their parents died, Austin was immediately thrown into the deep end of the family business. Asia had been close to drowning in legal work related to an estate teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. So, looking out for the younger Adler siblings fell to Bronx. Everyone gave Austin credit for saving the business and eventually turning it into the multi-billion-dollar conglomerate it was now, but Bronx knew Asia’s legal maneuvering had been a huge factor as well.
Over the past several years, the pain of losing his mom and dad was slowly being pushed back by the memories of all the fun and laughter they’d shared. Reminiscing the happier times initially made him feel guilty, but they eventually moved to the forefront. Bronx often marveled at the way they’d all thrown themselves into their careers. Paris had been busy settling into college life, and in many ways, her escape to the west coast had probably been a saving grace for the youngest but fiercely independent young woman. If she’d stayed in Austin, Paris would have been forced to live in Asia’s shadow—it was terrifying to even consider how poorly that would have worked out. Their tenacity and focus on their individuals careers had served them all well, and as strange as it sounded, success was remarkably therapeutic.
Through the years, Bronx always kept his mother’s words close to his heart—he’d even had them tattooed on his chest…
I’m only a heartbeat away.