Divine Vices (36 page)

“Uh-oh,
that’s never a good sign.”

“About
Jane Eyre
,” he said. “Why do you think she returned to Thornfield Hall
after all that time?”

I
looked up at him bemusedly.

“Yes,
I know the book,” said Jack, a guilty grin rising to the surface. “Nothing had
changed in their relationship since she had left. Her dear Edward Fairfax Rochester
hadn’t been able to reach out to her to further apologize for his offenses
against her, so what changed her mind?”

“Nothing,”
I replied. “She loved him, despite his dishonesty. He never meant her harm in
his offenses, and I think that whatever force of nature that compelled her to
return to him knew that as well.”

I
looked back up at him after some time, still waiting for a reply, but he was
without words.

“Jackson
Matthews left speechless? I’d never think to imagine such a sight.”

“I’m
not interrupting anything here, am I?” said Stacy, practically shoving me out
of her way as she cut between Jack and me. “I’d like my date back now.”

“He’s
all yours,” I said reluctantly, looking at Jack who was clearly displeased by
the intrusion.

I
left them for the buffet table and scooped up a cup of punch, which had a bit
more kick to it than I had anticipated.

“I
can’t believe they came here together,” said Gwen, returning to my side. “You
know she asked him to be her date? I mean, how pathetic.”

I
would have said something in return, but my attention had been taken hostage by
a specific individual on the dance floor.

“Are
you okay?” she asked, seeing my eyes begin to tear up.

I
nodded weakly, before a surprising smile broke through.

“What’s
wrong?”

“Nothing,”
I said, looking over at Jack with a laugh.

“Care
to fill me in here?”

I
turned to her and gave her a gigantic hug. “Wish me luck.”

“On
what?” she asked, scared stiff by my surge.

“On
me reclaiming Mr. Rochester,” I chuckled as I released her.

“Babe,
what the hell are you talking about?”

“This
is me not backing down,” I said, throwing myself into the crowds.

Maneuvering
my way through the couples on the dance floor, I took one last inhale to
swallow my nerves before diving in heart-first.

“Hey,”
I called out, catching his attention so that he turned to me.

Without
hesitation, I strode right up to him, my fingers clutching onto the back of his
hair as I crushed my mouth against his. I pulled away just enough to look into
the most vibrant and stunned green eyes of the most beautiful boy I had ever
had the pleasure of seeing.

“H-hi,”
Ian stuttered.

“I’m
an idiot,” I professed.

He
continued to stare at me, completely awestricken. “You’re an idiot for kissing
me, or you’re kissing me because you’re an idiot?”

“For
not doing this back in March,” I said, locking my lips to his once again.

This
time, he returned the gesture. Caressing his hand on my neck, he pulled me in
as a hush washed over the immediate space.

“You
hear that?” he whispered, parted his lips slowly from mine.

“I
don’t hear anything.”

We
both took a moment to look out at the rest of the room which was now at a
standstill. All eyes were directed upon us.

“I
believe that’s the sound of your high school status plummeting,” he replied
guiltily.

“If
I remember correctly, I said not too long ago that I wasn’t going to shy away
from being public about what I loved just because it had been unfairly deemed
as unpopular,” I replied. “I have been eating my words a lot lately, but I’ll
be damned if I do that to these.”

“What
changed your mind?”

“Absolutely
nothing. It just took me a little bit longer to figure it all out.”

We
kissed again, until a hand fell upon each of our shoulders.

“Excuse
me,” said Mr. Randall, pulling us apart, “but you know the rules. Either you
keep the appropriate distance between one another, or you’ll both be asked to
leave.”

“Sounds
like a plan to me,” I replied grinningly.

“Yeah,
I can’t imagine leaving a more profound impression on the night than this,”
said Ian, extending his arm out to me.

We
practically scampered to the door, Gwen catching up to us just as we raced out
into the hall.

“Will
someone please explain to me what the hell just happened back there?” she
called out.

“We’re
very sorry, but we’re gonna be heading out early,” said Ian, wrapping his arms
around my waist from behind as I turned to look at Gwen.

“Yeah,
we had a good time. You did a beautiful job with the decorations,” I replied
gaily.

“Right...”
remarked Gwen, slowly stepping back inside smilingly. “It took you two long
enough.”

“Shall
we?” said Ian, directing me to the staircase.

“Absolutely.”
I looked him over and smiled. “You look quite dashing this evening, if I may
say so.”

Everything
from his elegant black brocade tailcoat, red and black tapestry vest, and
damask silk puff tie was striking, but what I couldn’t stop staring at most
curiously was the stubble shadowed across his jaw. Accompanied with the
arresting contrast of his brilliant green eyes to his black filigree mask, he
exuded such a rugged sophistication. I had to admit, he was downright sexy.

“And
it appears we match,” he said, admiring my black and red gown. “You’re
beautiful.”

“Well,
I can hardly take credit for that. Thank you, for the dress. You were right.
Sheila has good taste.”

“Told
you I’d take care of you.”

I
pulled him in closer as we walked through the main lobby and rested my head
against his shoulder. “Yes, you did.”

He
reached into his jacket to pull out his claim ticket when I snatched it from
his hand. To his surprise, I handed mine to the valet instead.

“We
can pick up the truck later,” I said. “Trust me, you’ll want to take my car.”

He
smiled at me curiously. “You got your Baby back?”

“Nope.”

“He
didn’t...?”

I
nodded.

“The
Cutlass?”

“And
it’s now entirely up to you as to where you want to take her,” I said, drawing
him in by the lapels on his jacket. “One condition.”

“Speak
it.”

“We
ride with the top down.”

He
nodded and grinned roguishly. “I have an idea where we can go.”

“I’m
all ears.”

“Unh-unh,
it’s a surprise,” he said, pulling out his cell. “Give me a minute.”

Ian
strolled outside and walked down the front steps before dialing in the number.
I waited comfortably inside, still shielding myself from the cool autumn air.

“Excuse
me, miss?” called out the receptionist at the front desk, beckoning me over.
“You have a call.”

I
looked around to make sure she was referring to me. No one other than a few
businessmen was present, so I picked up the receiver she had resting on the
counter.

“See,
I told you he was a threat,” said the voice on the other line before I even had
the chance to say a word.

I
smiled, immediately feeling his presence nearby. Sure enough, I turned toward
the dual staircases to see Jack leaning against the banister at the very top,
his cell pressed against his ear.

“You
said his friendship makes you happy.”

“Indeed
it does,” I gladly replied.

“So
what inspired you to extend a more profound invitation his way?”

“'Love
to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and
unconfined, and breaks all chains from every mind,'” I recited grinningly. “And
it doesn’t hurt that he has one hell of a kiss.”

He
chuckled. “Ah, my dear Shakespeare. I knew I shouldn’t have been so demure. If
I hadn’t, we may have been having a different conversation all together.”

“I
like the one we’re having. But I am sorry.”

“I
meant what I said. You deserve better. You deserve to be happy, even if the
time for that is fleeting,” he replied gravely. “There’s a storm brewing. You
can feel it, too.”

“Are
you going to tell me what I’m up against here?”

I
could hear a slight smirk in his voice when he replied, “I may be a bastard,
but I’m not that cruel. Not to you. And not tonight. Tonight, you deserve to be
normal.”

I
smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“Have
a good night.”

He
didn’t wait for a reply. Jack simply closed his cell and nodded to me before
heading back to the banquet hall.

“Car’s
here,” said Ian, bouncing up the steps to greet me at the door.

“Sure
you can handle her?” I asked as he ushered me into the passenger seat.

He
pulled the top down. “Just you wait and see.”

Easing
out of the lot, we rolled down the open path all the way back to Main Street.
The pedestrians on the sidewalks were still dressed in Knight’s Athletic wear,
and some even waved VICTORY signs at the cars passing by. Breaking free from
the parading traffic, Ian pulled the Cutlass onto Van Dorian, and we rode the
trek through the woods.

Assured
by the isolation and the brief straight stretch of road, I turned up the volume
on the radio and rose from my seat.

“Are
you crazy?” he chuckled, seeing me spread my arms out like wings as I stood up.

I
kicked my head back, and let my skin sink in the chilling winds rushing over
the windshield. “You noticed?”

The
leaves overhead burned under the scarce streetlamps, all their bright hues
alight like torches guiding us our way. Every muscle is my body eased before a
burst of adrenalin ignited, sending me into a blissful freefall with no ground
in sight. I howled out as the wind soared under my arms, making me feel weightless
in the October air. In spite of all the external tribulations, both present and
to come, I had found, for the very first moment in my life, true serenity. I
had found happiness. Or maybe he had found me.

The
Cutlass pulled into the entrance at the mall where there were only a few cars
scattered across the parking lot. Ian claimed a space in the front row and
opened the passenger door for me before putting the car’s top back up. Racing
into the entrance, we hollered out gaily into the empty spaces of the desolate
main building.

With
no fear of foot traffic, I kicked off my heels and we ran all out through the
shopping center. Trotting down the enclosed stone staircases to the third
level, we passed Gate House Records and Ian took me to the end of the shopping
square that backed the woods. He jumped over the gate that blocked the entrance
to a small dirt trail leading deeper into the forest.

“Ian,
what are you doing?” I asked, taking notice to the sign posted across the
barrier. “This is private property.”

“You
trust me?”

I
nodded.

“Then
come on,” he said, unlatching the lock and pulling the gate open.

I
linked my arm around his, and he directed me down the path into the woods after
closing the barrier behind us. Visibility worsened the further we headed, but I
could still see small stone blocks on the grass beside the trail. My embrace on
him tightened when I made out the towering silhouettes just down the way.

“It’s
okay,” he whispered. “They’re just statues.”

I
realized where we were. A graveyard. “Ian...?”

Thin
droplets of light burned through the thicket of trees ahead of us. A curtain of
willow branches draped over a ruined archway.

“Ready?”
he said, pulling it all back.

I
stepped through, only able to gape in awe at the overwhelming splendor of a
cobblestone relic courtyard to a ruined church glowing warmly under dozens of
string lights hanging in the looming tree branches overhead. Complete with a
basin cast stone fountain, it was nothing short of heavenly. Otherworldly. Ian
went over and grabbed a remote control sitting on a nearby stone bench. With a
tap to the device, an angelic piano ballad began to play throughout the
courtyard.

I
looked overhead, taking notice to the half dozen speakers mounted into the
trees. “When did you do all of this?”

“Today,
with the help of Jerry.”

I
turned to Ian as he approached. “How did you know...?”

“I
didn’t,” he said blushingly, “but I thought that if there was even the
slightest chance that you’d pick me, I didn’t want to be unprepared. This time,
I’d do it right. I’d sweep you off your feet for good.”

He
extended his hand to me and pulled me in close as I took his offer. Taking my
right hand into his left, he placed his other hand on my small of my back as I
hooked mine onto his shoulder. The beat guided each of our steps as Ian led me
into a slow dance, the two of us swaying back and forth harmoniously to the
melody. Ian backed away and spun me around, dipping me down as I returned to
face him. He leaned in closer, but I pressed my finger against his lips.
Drawing my hands up over the back of his shoulders, I pulled the strings to his
mask loose.

“I
want to see
you
,” I said, removing it from his face.

“What
do you see?”

“My
best friend.”

“With
quite the collection of battle wounds,” he said wincingly as I looked at his
beaten cheek that had been so cleverly concealed behind the mask.

“It
adds character.”

He
removed my mask as well. “Trust me, I’m already riddled with it.”

“Undoubtedly,
and that’s what I love about you.”

Sweeping
me into his arms and leaning me back, he kissed me. Long and proper. We both
dropped the masks in our hands, pulling one another in as close as we could
once he brought me back up.

Ian
looked down at me, soaking in every ounce of my being. “You scared?”

“Terrified.”

“Why?”

“Because,
good guys aren’t supposed to kiss like that,” I replied, all too smilingly.

 “Really?”
he said, brushing his lips across my cheek grinningly. “Well, I’m sorry, but
that’s not gonna change.”

“Oh,
I’m not arguing.”

Suddenly,
a knot wrenched inside my stomach, and Ian too reacted to the swift sense of
menace that swooped into the atmosphere as the music quieted.