“My afternoon appointment was rescheduled so I’m getting off for the rest of the day. I’ll be around town if you need me, though. Not that you ever do,” Charlie said.
“I’ll be fine. Tell Zoe I said hi,” Jamie said. Charlie felt a stab of guilt as hope crept across his face.
“She won’t call, you know. You’re not her type, babe, but I did try to tell you that before you went and threw yourself at her.”
“I know,” Jamie said, “But you never know. She might feel sorry for me and give me a chance.”
Shaking her head, Charlie couldn’t help but laugh at his determination as she let the shop door close behind her. Jamie was a glutton for punishment when it came to the ladies, which often resulted in Charlie’s sh
He knew Charlie was there, even before he saw her ruby red hair shimmering in the lights as she stood at the bar. His eyes wandered over her hourglass figure, lingering at the handles on her hips. Aiden instantly had a mental image of pulling those hips to him so he could bury his face between her thighs. He had always been drawn to a woman with a larger body. In his eyes, skeletons and bones were made for graveyards, not bedrooms. Aiden found a table that offered a good view of the club floor and kept his eyes on Charlie. The failed attempt the day before had left him perplexed. He had always been a bastard when it came to a contract. There had been countless times he had heard the screams of women and the pleading of men but he had never cared. He had adapted his skills, learned to get things done before his victims even knew what was happening and had never let his feelings get in the way, until now. Get your hands off her… A
He knew Charlie was there, even before he saw her ruby red hair shimmering in the lights as she stood at the bar. His eyes wandered over her hourglass figure, lingering at the handles on her hips. Aiden instantly had a mental image of pulling those hips to him so he could bury his face between her thighs. He had always been drawn to a woman with a larger body. In his eyes, skeletons and bones were made for graveyards, not bedrooms. Aiden found a table that offered a good view of the club floor and kept his eyes on Charlie. The failed attempt the day before had left him perplexed. He had always been a bastard when it came to a contract. There had been countless times he had heard the screams of women and the pleading of men but he had never cared. He had adapted his skills, learned to get things done before his victims even knew what was happening and had never let his feelings g
Aiden shot Charlie a look of warning then raised his hands in defeat. “I give up,” he shouted. “I'm done with you and your shit, Charlie.” “Are you for real? Seriously?” She asked. “Of course I’m for real!” Aiden shouted. He scraped the dining chair across the tiles as he stood. “I can’t fucking cope anymore. One minute you’re all loved up and the next, you’re accusing me of fucking the bitch across the road! What the fuck goes on in your head, Charlie?” "Look at you, acting like the innocent party in all of this. I know what I saw. How long? How fucking long?” “You saw nothing because there was nothing to see. It’s all up here.” Aiden tapped his temple as he spun on his heel. “I'm going out.”
Charlie paced the floor as she stared at the phone in her hand. Her stomach felt like a knotted rag being whirled around on a spin cycle as she willed the phone to ring. She had thought her world had crashed around her the moment Aiden had told her who he was, but that had only been a tremor in the quake that had brought her running out of her house faster than should have been possible, and racing to the dingy bed and breakfast, where she had rented a room for the night. After fainting in the shop, Aiden had spent hours trying to convince her that he wanted to protect her, rather than kill her. Dropping onto the single bed in the corner of the room, Charlie thought about that conversation. “Yes,” Aiden said, “He sent me. I tried to call it off but it doesn’t work like that. He will send others if I don’t complete the
“Are you sure she won’t mind?” Aiden had said he was taking her somewhere nobody would be able to find her - to his mothers. Charlie had been worrying for the entire journey. Hanging out with a stranger was one thing but temporarily living with one, was another thing entirely. What if she was a deadly mafia assassin, too? “She won’t mind. I can guarantee it,” Aiden said, knocking on the door to a house. “Aiden! What have I said about knocking? Come in. Come in,” Sarah beamed. “Thank you,” Charlie said as she followed Aiden inside. “It’s about time he found himself a beautiful woman,” Sarah whispered as she closed the
Sarah shook like an autumn leaf as she stood at the edge of the portal at Stonehenge. She could feel the power emanating from the invisible shift in the air and knew that all she had to do was place her hand inside and she would be pulled home. She hadn't been inside Fairie since her father had ordered her permanent banishment but Aiden was relying on her to at least try. Shaking off the nerves, Sarah inhaled and stepped into the gap between two of the upright stones. Her breath instantly caught as her feet touched the soft grass of Faerie. She had spent far too many years looking at the green hills and valleys of Salisbury that she had almost forgotten how beautiful Faerie was. Scores of pink and orange hues filled the cloudless sky. Seemingly endless fruit trees that stood in fields of greens and yellows, twinkled with lights from the fairy homes within their branches. She could see
“This is a surprise. I would offer you a drink, but as you know, I only drink with friends and business associates.” If Aiden was any other person, Rafael's cold shoulder would have had him shaking from head to foot. He had built his reputation on being brutal with his enemies and making examples of those who wronged him. “Raf, you know…” “Don Hernandez,” Rafael cut him off. “That’s my name to you. Remember it.” Aiden suppressed the eye roll. He could see Rafael was already pissed and antagonising the situation wouldn’t help. “As you wish, Don Hernandez. You know that if I could have completed the contract, I would have done but she’s your daughter.” “You suddenly seem
“Come on, Aiden. We’ve been cooped up for weeks. What’s the worst that can happen?” Charlie said. “It’s only a few drinks in the pub. Go out and enjoy yourselves,” Sarah said. Charlie looked at Aiden eagerly then thigh fived Sarah when he nodded. He wasn’t much of a drinker or one for socialising but things had been oddly quiet and almost normal for the last few weeks since he had left Rafael's villa. “I’ll go get ready, then,” Charlie said, practically bouncing out of the living room door. Aiden waited to hear her footsteps upstairs then asked, “Did you visit the circle?” “I did,” Sarah sighed. “It was what I expected it to be. The King refused to lift the binding. I’m still powerless to help protect h