All In (The Blackstone Affair, Part 2) (12 page)

“Ethan, please—and yes, I can equivicobly
say that I am in a relationship with Brynne.”

I reached for a fresh cig and flicked my
lighter open. Really? This woman didn’t know who she was playing
with. We could go on like this all day and I would still win. “And
I do too.”

She was silent a moment and then asked, “You
do too, what, Mr. Blackstone?”

“Love your daughter and only want what’s
best for her. I’ll keep her safe from any danger. She’s my
responsibility now.”

Again I could only imagine her rolling her
eyes at what I’d just said and wondering how my girl put up with
all the disapproval from this woman. I caught that she didn’t take
me up on the offer of my first name either. It made me sad for
Brynne. Especially since I’d longed for my mum my whole life and
here was Brynne with a mum censuring her every decision. I would
rather have the loving memory of a mother I’d never had, than have
to put up with this dragon lady for a lifetime.

“Well then, may I please have her new phone
number since she didn’t see fit to give it to me herself?” She
sounded more like the wounded victim now, and intent upon
dismissing me as quickly as possible.

And I was smiling now. I fucking love a
winning hand. “Oh please, no, Mrs. Exley, don’t take offense. This
all happened very sudden last evening. Brynne told me something
yesterday and I made the decision that she needed a new mobile
number. It’s that simple. She just hasn’t had the time to get in
touch with you yet, I am positive that’s why.” It was easy to be
magnanimous when you held the better cards.

“You made the decision, Mr. Blackstone?”

“Yes.” Man, my ciggie tasted divine.

“Why are you making those decisions for
Brynne?” Mummy had claws it seemed.

“Because like I said before, Mrs. Exley, I’m
going to keep her safe from anyone or anything that tries to hurt
her. Anyone…or anything.” I inhaled a lung-full of cloves and
savored the taste.

She got quiet then. I waited her out, and
eventually she gave in. “Brynne’s new number, Mr. Blackstone?”

“Certainly, Mrs. Exley. Tell you what. I’ll
text her new number to you from my mobile, and that way you can
have mine as well. If you have any concerns about this situation
with Brynne or any inquiries into her past from media or otherwise,
I’d like you to share with me. Please call me any time.”

Our conversation wound down very quickly
after that and I was more than a tad drained once we hung up. My
God, she was difficult. Poor Brynne. Poor Tom Bennett. How in the
hell had he ever hooked up with her? Could not see how that
relationship ever got off the ground, and I didn’t even know what
she looked like. I bet she was beautiful though. Cold, but
beautiful.

I texted Brynne’s mum with the new number
and a short message:
Pleasure chatting you, Mrs.
E. –EB-
and grinned the whole time I was doing it.

Brynne sent me a text about an hour later:
U talked to my mom?! :O

Oh boy. Mummy had already got to her. I
hoped I wasn’t in too much trouble. I texted back with:
Sry baby. She rang on ur old mobile and not so
happy when I picked up :/

Brynne hit me right back:
Sorry u had to deal w/ her. I’ll make it up to u.
♥♥

I had to grin at that. I typed:
u gave me 2
♥
’s!! I accept ur offer, baby…and she wasn’t that bad.
I figured a white lie wasn’t going to hurt in regards to my
girlfriend’s mum. That woman was not nice.

There was a bit of a pause before she
responded but it was worth it when it came through.
U made a big impression on her. I’ll tell u later tonight.
Have to go to that lunch now. Miss u...baby xxx
♥

I caressed the words on the screen, not
wanting to close the message out. She called me baby. She said she
missed me. She left me kisses and hearts. I tried not to read too
much into it, but still it was hard not to. I just wanted what I
wanted and I didn’t want to wait for it a moment longer.

My musings were interrupted when Frances
rang in and reminded me I did indeed have a company to run. “I have
Ivan Everley on the line for you,” she said on speaker.

I told her to put him through and picked up.
“You’re finding trouble again aren’t you,” I said
sarcastically.

“Another death threat came through, E. This
time to the World Archery Federation Office. I don’t give a shit
about it, but those fools at the Olympic Commission won’t insure a
venue for me to announce the competition without some assurance
from you. The truly mad are ruling these games I’m telling you and
I don’t have time for this bullshit.”

“Don’t I know it. I’ll speak to them but I
think we should meet to go over the schedule so we can get the
security nailed down for you,” I told him.

“What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know, lunch? I can have Frances set
something up for when you’re free.”

“That should work. I’m really grateful for
you, E, or I don’t think I’ll be announcing at the games at all.
Your company pulls some influence with those morons running
things.”

“Speaking of morons running things…Ivan,
you’ve just reminded me of something. Aren’t you on the executive
board at the National Gallery?”

Ivan snorted. “Yeah, you could say that.
Why? And I’ll pretend you didn’t just insult me because I’m
magnanimous like that…and family.”

“Right,
cousin
.” I rolled my eyes.
“My girlfriend studies art conservation at University of London.
She’s American and needs a work visa to stay here
indefinitely.”

“Wait. Back your arse up. Did you just say
your ‘girlfriend’? The elusive Blackstone is off the market? How is
this possible, mate?”

I should have known I’d get harassed the
moment I opened my mouth. I laughed a little awkwardly. “I hardly
know, but yeah, she’s brilliant at restoring paintings and she
really loves what she does. And I
really
don’t want her visa
expiring…”

“I hear you, E. I’ll ask. There’s this event
coming up at the National actually. The Mallerton Society—”

“Oh yeah, she told me about that. I’m taking
her. She been working on one of Mallerton’s paintings actually. I
know Brynne can explain it much better than me. I’ll introduce her
and you’ll see what I mean.”

“I look forward to meeting the American
beauty who snatched your cock off the one-night-stand circuit.”

“Please don’t tell her that when you meet
her or I’ll have to look the other way at all those charming death
threats you receive so regularly from your loyal fans.”

He laughed at me. “You know, E, if you want
her here indefinitely all you have to do is marry her and she won’t
need a work visa.”

My mind went on over-capacity the second he
said the words “marry her” and I found myself fumbling for another
ciggie from the desk drawer.

“You did not just say that to me, even
though I shouldn’t be surprised, you’re such an ignoramus. You of
all people endorsing matrimony—that’s the most hilarious thing I’ve
heard all year coming from your mouth, or should I say, your idiot
arse.”

My cousin laughed some more at my expense.
“Just because my marriage was an immense cock-up doesn’t mean yours
will be, E.”

We’ve definitely reached the end of this
conversation, Ivan. I’m hanging up on you now.” I could still hear
him laughing when I pulled the receiver away from my ear.

Picking her up
from
work was something I looked forward to and today was no exception.
Everything was good until that text came through on her mobile. Now
I was just plain old desperate to get her in my sights.

I pulled into the Rothvale lot, parked and
watched the doors where she would exit the building; my
conversation with my cousin still niggling at me since we’d spoken,
and honestly had infected my imagination with all kinds of madness.
Marriage…seriously?!
How about an exclusive, committed
relationship for starters?

The idea of marrying anyone had never been
on my life list. I just didn’t see such a future in my cards and
never had. The institution itself held my utmost respect, but in
all likelihood a person with my lifestyle and baggage would be,
most certainly an epic fail as a husband. There was so much shit in
my closet, going so far back, I could hardly separate to a time
when I might have turned out normal.

My sister was married, and very happily too,
with three beautiful children. Hannah and Freddy were a standard to
aspire to I suppose, I’d just never thought to. My sister had done
the domestic route and blessed our dad with grandchildren, and
basically gotten me off the hook from having to compete. I mean,
Hannah did it so well there was no need for me to feel the
pressure.

I decided to call her while I waited for
Brynne to come out. I grinned when she picked up on the second
ring.

“How’s my little brother?”

“Losing his mind with work,” I told her.

“That’s not the only thing you’re losing
your mind over, or so I’ve heard.” Hannah could be very smug and
annoyingly so when she felt like it.

“So Dad got to you and blabbed already did
he?”

“He’s really worried about you. He told me
he’d never seen you looking like that, not even when you came home
from the war.”

“Hmmm. I shouldn’t have gone over there and
said all that stuff to him. I am such a wanker for doing it. I’ll
make it up to him somehow. So how are things with my big sis?”

“Good try, E, but I’m not going for it. My
brother finally falls in love with someone and you think I am just
going to let that juicy tidbit fall away? What do you take me for?
We both know who the smartest sibling is here.”

I sighed at my sister. “Not arguing with you
on that point, Han.”

“Wow. You really have changed haven’t
you?”

“Yeah, I guess I have. I hope it’s for the
good. And Dad can stop worrying about me, we’re back together now
so I’m no longer the wretched, broken creature he last saw.”

“Have you been reading poetry, Ethan? You
sound different.”

“No comment,” I said through her sarcasm.
“Listen, I wondered if I could bring her up to your place for a
weekend. I think Brynne would love
Halborough
and I’d rather
like to get her out of the city for a few days. Can you and Freddy
squeeze us in?”

“For you? For the chance to meet this
American who has transformed my aloof, unattached little brother
into a sappy, love-sick, drinker of Mexican beers? No problem.”

I laughed. “Good. Let me know the dates,
Han. I want all of you to meet her, and your lovely home would be
the perfect place to do that. And I miss the kids.”

“They miss their Uncle Ethan. Okay…I’ll
check the books and let you know when. It’s starting to get busier
with the games coming.”

“You don’t have to tell me that. The whole
city’s gone mad and we’re just in June!”

We hung up and I looked out the window
waiting for Brynne. I pulled out her mobile from my pocket and
brought up the text that had ruined my otherwise peaceful day. Some
bloke named Alex Craven from the Victoria & Albert Museum that
I would just love to turn into a eunuch:
Brynne,
Lovely seeing you again today. Brill on the Mallerton too. I’d very
much love to take you to dinner and discuss further how we can get
you on staff. Didn’t know you modeled but now I’ve seen your
pictures I must know more! –Alex

I am sure I cut the side of my tongue from
gritting my teeth together. The urge to reply back was something I
wanted to do so badly I could taste it next to the tang of blood in
my mouth—along the lines of:
Sod off, you idiot
tosser. She’s taken and her man will cut off your balls if you so
much as think about her naked. –Ethan w/ the big knife.
Of
course I didn’t, but just barely.

God, how to handle myself? I was no bloody
good at this sort of thing. Jealousy sucked and I would be in for a
shit-load with Brynne. Part of the package with her when she was so
beautiful and on display so prominently. I needed more reassurance
from her and I was pretty sure she wasn’t ready for giving me any
more just yet.

The passenger door opened and in she came,
plopping on the seat, flushed from a dash through the light drizzle
that’d started in the time since I had parked. She grinned and
leaned toward me for a kiss.

“Well there you are,” I said and pulled her
against me. Her skin was a little cold but her lips were warm and
soft for me.

Fuck yes, for me!

I plundered that mouth of hers and held her
face to mine, claiming her with my tongue deeply so she could feel
how much I wanted her. She allowed the invasion at first and I
didn’t let up until she squeaked, telling me I needed to back off.
I released her and leaned to the side in my seat to look at
her.

“Sorry, that was a little beastly of me.” I
gave her my best chastised look.

Her face changed and her eyes got that
searching look in them. Christ, she was beautiful. No wonder
cocksuckers named Alex wanted her naked. I wanted her naked. Like
right fucking now! Her hair was down today and she had on a dark
green jacket and a scarf. The color was lovely on her, picking up
the green and hazel in her eyes, and she had a few drops of rain
sprinkled in her hair.

“What’s wrong, Ethan?”

“Why do you think something’s wrong?”

“Just a really good hunch,” she smirked,
“and the tongue lashing confirmed it.”

I shook my head. “I just missed you is all.
How was your luncheon with those colleagues you wanted to
impress?”

“It was awesome. I got to share about Lady
Percival’s restoration and it really gave them a hook to remember
me by. I hope something comes of it. Maybe it will.” She smiled.
“And I owe it all to you.” She kissed me once on the lips and took
my chin in her hand.