Blood In The Stars (6 page)

Unlike Daria’s pure and innocent heart, Jason’s was not so clean. His soul held black recesses that he dared not explore, hidden crevices that he feared to uncover, and latent darkness that he battled with for control.

Maybe how he looked at Daria was the one thing in his heart that stayed unsullied.

“Is the rest of your family here?” Miller asked after the long silence.

“They will be.” He didn’t know where Alastor was, but was sure he’d come because he knew Jason cared about Daria, and Alastor loved screwing him over. Just as he had done five hundred years ago.

Jason shook it off. “How long will you be around?” he asked Miller.

Miller tapped a finger to his lips in thought. “Until she chooses.”

Chapter 5

Daria gave into the urge to knock her head on the desk in frustration. Numb to the pain of impact of her forehead with the wood, deaf to Miller’s incessant badgering, and blind to the impending deadline, she just wanted to get out of the office.

“We’re not done yet,” Miller reminded her. He sounded less annoyed and patronizing than usual. For the last few hours, he had been quite tolerable and even easy to work with. Maybe lunch with Jason had turned out to be a good idea after all. Miller’s personality had improved.

She lifted her head when her phone vibrated and she pulled it out of her pocket to see a message from Jason.

Making good progress?

She typed quickly.
Sorry! Still working. Go home!

I’ll wait. Take your time.

She moaned. The more Jason said he’d wait, the more rushed she felt. Late nights and long days on the job usually didn’t put her in a bad mood. But tonight it did, because of Jason. The need to do something different with her life wrestled with her inner career woman. She wasn’t sure which one was winning the battle.

“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Miller scolded. “Your boyfriend will still be waiting for you when we’re done.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she tiredly replied, refusing to acknowledge how great such a label sounded to her. “All he did was save my life two days in a row,” she mumbled.

Miller stilled, his fingers suspended on the keyboard of his laptop. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to meet Daria’s. “Jason mentioned it earlier. It seems you’ve been rather unlucky lately,” he noted.

Those huge eyes of his seemed to stare straight through her. Then his intensity vanished and he turned back to his computer, tapping on his keyboard.

Without looking up, he cautioned, “You need to be careful. Maybe take a little vacation at home, where it’s safe.”

Any other day, she’d have thought he was trying to keep her from this big project by pretending concern for her. Today she sensed something very different. The frown lining his lips, the crease on his brow, and the nervous way he typed all showed his genuine anxiety, which seemed odd given they weren’t friends.

Then Miller added, “Jason is really dependable. He’ll watch out for you. You can trust him.”

She frowned at his words. They sounded strange coming out of Miller’s mouth. She had never heard him compliment anyone or anything in the few years she’d known him. He’d always seemed rather self-centered, focusing only on himself and to hell with everyone else. Yet here he sat, telling her to be careful and saying she could trust Jason.

She slapped her palms on the table and leaned in toward him. “Who are you and what did you do to Miller?”

His glare got her laughing.
Same guy, after all
. Maybe people could change for the better. Or maybe she needed to spend more time with him. Either way, she much preferred this Miller.

When he turned back to work, she muttered, “I’d still like to get out of here at a decent hour.”

It was almost eight in the evening. Three hours ago, she had texted Jason saying it might be a late night for her. That she’d take a cab. He had messaged back saying he also had work. Then at seven, he texted to ask her how things were coming along. She told him there didn’t seem to be an end in sight and to go home. Again, he refused. This was already the third text conversation and still he waited.

Unconsciously, she pressed her hand to her heart. Jason could have left for home after all the delays. When given the opportunity to back out, most men would have politely taken the offer. But he stayed. He was a man of his word. Perhaps she had really found a keeper. The possibility made her heart flutter.

Footsteps clacked down the hall and they looked up in surprise to see Mr. Burke, the youngest partner of the estate law firm Stevens, Lowenstein, and Burke. With his thinning brown hair and gangly build, he resembled Miller a bit. Daria had always wondered if Mr. Burke preferred Miller because of that reason—except Miller had a lot more hair.

“Hellerman moved his meeting out to Wednesday. You two should go home.”

Daria blinked in disbelief, stifling the groan from her throat long enough for Mr. Burke to turn the corner. Then she huffed and stood to gather her papers. Things never went according to plan. That was the story of her life. Now even the client was screwing with her social life.

“There’s no need to rush. I’m sure Jason is still down there waiting for you,” Miller said.

Yes. He was. She felt as confident of this as the sun rising the next day. She didn’t rush because she worried he’d grow impatient and leave. She rushed because she didn’t want him to wait any longer. She hurried because she wanted to see him.

Miller was right about something else. Instinctively, she knew she could rely on Jason. He had surely proven as much after saving her twice. Through each harrowing escape, having Jason by her side calmed her fragile nerves and reassured her fearful heart. Of course, they couldn’t remain too close for long. When he was near, she had to force herself not to push him against a wall and tear off his clothes.

She sighed at such a risqué thought. If only she were that brazen. After blushing from merely kissing him on the cheek, Daria figured she’d never be one of those girls who initiated the first move. Too bad, since Jason didn’t seem to be moving fast enough for her.

They finished clearing their things. Miller shut down his laptop and stuffed his papers into the proper folders. Then as they left the meeting room, he spoke up. “Jason’s a good guy. Be nice to him.”

The unexpected show of sentiment amused her. “What? You think I’ll break his heart?” she joked.

“Maybe.”

She tilted her head curiously at his strange comment. She never broke hearts. Wasn’t it always the other way around? When she was sixteen, her first boyfriend had told her it was better that they were friends. She had wondered why the world hadn’t stopped, because time had stood still as a wave of frost swept over her, blood seeming to leach from the surface of her skin. Her first broken heart. But she had gone on and the sun still rose the next day.

Two months later when a fatal car crash killed her parents and miraculously she had been thrown from the car, she again wondered why the world hadn’t stopped because her heart had shattered irreparably.

But the world never stopped when it should. It continued on its heavenly trajectory, oblivious of everyone’s pain, unfeeling of sorrow. It knew only one path and followed it doggedly.

Daria kept a bitter smile from appearing on her face. She was no different either, endlessly pursuing her definition of success, blindly completing goals.

She always became attached to the wrong guy too fast, too early. Sometimes they didn’t even know. They thought her cold, said she never shared anything about herself. A sigh rose to her lips. She liked them but found it hard to open up. When these guys finally broke up with her, the attachment lingered, dying a slow death.

Miller needn’t worry about her breaking anyone’s heart. She was always the one picking up the bits and pieces and attempting to glue them back together. No one ever cared. Maybe this time someone should think about being nice to
her
instead.

Her indignation vanished as quickly as it had risen. ‘Nice’ seemed an understatement for Jason. He emanated kindness and consideration. If he stayed that way, she would gladly give him her mended heart. Though cracked and misshapen due to bad relationships and her parents’ death, some parts remained untarnished by life, untouched by reality. And it was all she had.

As they walked to the elevator, Daria noted, “Jason sounds like the sensitive type.”

“I’ve known Jason my whole life. He’s the kind of guy that gets serious about a girl only once in a lifetime.”

What a romantic thought
. It made her smile to think of that kind of ‘once in a lifetime.’ Jason had claimed he searched for the woman who was his other half. She hadn’t believed in fairytales and princes in a long time. But since meeting Jason and after everything he had done for her, Daria found she wanted to believe again.

Still, she worried. “Miller, you never seemed like the sentimental sort.”

“You don’t have to believe me.” Miller shrugged. They’d entered the elevator before he spoke again. “Just don’t get too close to him.”

Daria hadn’t gotten the chance to bask in the idea that she had actually found a good guy, before Miller had to burst that bubble. “What?” She laughed. “You were singing his praises a second ago!”

The double doors slid apart and they stepped out. Jason sat on one of the leather stools littered around the edges for guests. He stood as soon as he saw them.

“Hey,” Miller called. “I just told Daria not to get close to you.”

Daria opened her mouth to smooth out the situation but Jason beat her to it. “That’s fine.”

Her brows rose. Not quite the reaction she expected. Jason seemed to take it in stride, as if he had anticipated such a warning. Were they joking or being serious?

Their eyes met and she searched his face, hoping for an explanation. Instead, she received a strange little smile she didn’t understand.

Miller heaved an exaggerated sigh and left them with a quick wave. “My car is across the street. Have fun, kids.”

She watched his retreating back, wondering why Miller had warned her. It didn’t make any sense. But it was nice to know that people like Jason and Miller at least worried about her. Perhaps somewhere along the way, she and Miller had become friends without her realizing it.

“What was that all about?” she asked. When a bemused smile played on his lips, she added archly, “Do I even want to know?”

Jason reached for the stacks of files on her arms. “Let me help you with those,” he said, as if avoiding the topic.

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” She held the files closer.

“Daria.” He adopted the patient expression of a parent ready to discipline a child. “It’s okay to ask for help once in a while. I won’t think any less of you.”

Shocked speechless, she didn’t get another chance to wave him off as he relieved her of the burden. She glanced at him as he steadied the files in his arms. They just met. How had he seen through her so completely?

It wasn’t that she
wanted
to do everything herself or cared about other people’s opinions. But she had become so
accustomed
to doing everything on her own. It never occurred to her to ask for help, because she had no one else. She certainly didn’t want to put Jason out and she wasn’t one of those women who thought men were obligated to carry shopping bags.

“Thanks. Sorry you had to wait so long,” Daria apologized as they stepped through the revolving doors to the outside. “Hellerman cancelled the meeting, otherwise we might still be up there.”

“No worries, I don’t mind waiting.” His sidelong gaze sent heat to her face. “I’d wait as long as it took.” His words implied more than the delay tonight.

“What if I’d taken too long?” She had to pick at the subtle vulnerability she heard in his statement.

He smiled. “Never.”

Her heart skipped. No teasing, no innuendo. He threw it out there as fact.

She thought they’d walk to her condo, but Jason hailed a cab. Disappointment tore through her. Walking back gave them time to chat; a cab ride cut their evening short.

Daria tried to look on the bright side of things as they piled in the taxi. After all, it was a Monday, and pretty late. They had an entire week ahead and he probably wanted to get home to unwind. It was already very nice of him to wait for her for so long and—

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked, breaking through her thoughts. “Want to go somewhere after we drop off your stuff?”

She looked at him in surprise. She had thought Jason called the cab because he wanted to get home earlier.

“If it’s too late—”

“No it’s fine,” she interjected before he could change his mind. Did she sound desperate? Hoping to save some face, she quickly flashed a smile. “You’ve rescued me twice now. The least I can do is take you out, right?”

“I thought we agreed I was taking you out,” he teased, a twinkle in his eye. Then he reached across the cab and took her hand. “Saving you is thanks enough.”

His eyes held hers and that steady gaze made her stomach flip. Though they sat swathed in darkness and separated across the back seat of the taxi, she knew he saw the blush staining her cheeks. How could he not when it felt like her face was on fire?

“Are you always out saving damsels in distress?” she breathed.

He squeezed her hand. “Not damsels, Daria. Just you. The only one I care to save is you.”

“You can put them on the table.” Daria pointed toward the dining room. “I’ll just be a minute.”

She threw her purse on the kitchen counter and disappeared down the hall. Jason placed the files on the table and looked around.

A three-seater, tan leather sofa lined one wall. Two matching armchairs sat at each end around a coffee table. Jason moved to one of the armchairs.

A jingle sounded from Daria’s purse and she ran out of her room. She snatched the bag from the counter and fished out her cell phone, staring at it for a brief second before releasing a groan.

“What is it?” he asked, standing.

“The Hellerman meeting is back on. The partner wants to see a copy of the files tonight. Ugh!” She bit her lip and hesitated. “I don’t think I can do dinner. I have another hour or two of work ahead.”

Daria had always been a driven person. He admired that trait of hers. No matter the obstacle, she worked toward her dreams and goals. Despite everything happening around her, she never lost focus.

“You have to eat, Daria,” he insisted, moving to stand next to her. “Your partner isn’t going to thank you when you faint from hunger tomorrow.”