Only in Her Dreams (20 page)

“Make amends? I have not regretted any of my decisions.”

Maxim knew his brother had nothing but regrets in the decisions he’d made over the years.

Chapter 27

Lucessa awoke, the morning sun streamed through her window, heralding a new day. Unfortunately, she felt like she hadn’t slept a wink. The dream still haunted her. Her mother’s scream and Maxim’s eyes were something she’d not forget, not ever. Was her mother warning her about Maxim?

But, it’d been a dream.

She was alive, there was no way her mother would be able to enter her dreams.
But how could she explain his eyes?
The same eyes that’d met her as his arms shook her awake.

Was he also in my dream?
No, that can’t be. He’d been in the next room, under her roof. He couldn’t possibly be there too. If so, she had a lot of explaining to do.

Can you say—Awkward!

Reluctantly, she crawled out of bed, anticipating another day of Maxim and Greg shooting daggers at each other. Could it be possible that two men would fight for her affection?

Affection
. Where’d that thought come from? Suck it up, Sarcona!
The idea that two men wanted her was even more absurd than the possibility Maxim could be attracted to her.

She paused as she removed her shoes from the bottom of her closet. The house was silent. She was scheduled to work the early shift at The Queen Bean and she had about twenty minutes to get there. The early morning coffee drinkers and newspaper readers would be waiting by the front gate. If she arrived one minute late they’d give her hell, but it was all in fun.
Right?

She put her hair in her normal ponytail, slipped on her Doc Martens and closed her door. There were still no lights or noise coming from the lower floor, so Lucessa decided to stop at Maxim’s room. Tentatively, she tapped on his door loud enough for him to hear if he was awake. If not, she didn’t want to disturb him this early.

The door opened quickly.
Was he waiting--listening--for me on the other side?

“Good morning, Lucessa. I hope you rested better after your dream.” He exited his room fully dressed.

“I did,” she lied. “What are you doing today?” She lowered her face, in hopes of hiding her blush.

He led the way down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I figured I’d accompany you to the coffee shop and try a new type of coffee...and maybe a scone.” He smiled at her and her face heated under his gaze.

“That’d be nice, but we’d better hurry. Caffeine addicts don’t like to wait for their early morning fix.” Lucessa grabbed her purse and keys off the hall table and started for the front door.

“Just a minute. Let me put Goosey out.”

How could I forget?
Just because Maxim had decided to stay a few days, didn’t give her the right to neglect her dog.

Maxim walked toward the kitchen before she had time to respond.

The car was chilly as they drove the short distance to the coffee shop, neither of them broke the companionable silence. They parked in the small lot adjoining the building, several people clutched newspapers, books, and laptops. They waited outside the white picket fence for her to unlock the converted house.

“You’d think the cold weather would keep them at home, but they still come--rain, shine, or cold.” She smiled in Maxim’s direction.

“I’ve heard coffee has certain addictive properties.”

She laughed as she hurried out of the car. Partly to let in the customers, but mostly to get out of the cold. Maxim moved in front of her and opened the gate to let her in.

“Thanks.”

“You’re most welcome. How long is your shift?”

“I work until noon, but you can take my car if you have things to do,” she offered.
What could he possibly have to do?

“I’m an Oneiroi. I don’t have much to do but look after you.” He stepped aside as she moved behind the counter.

Question answered,
she thought. She couldn’t help feeling satisfied. He was here for her, only her.
It isn’t fair he spend all his time following me around.

“Maxim, I’ll be working for the next six hours. How much trouble can I get into here?” she laughed.

“Who said I’m worried about you getting into trouble? I’m worried the trouble will find you.”

# # #

“Is that who I think it is?” Julie navigated around customers.

Lucessa glanced at the red rooster clock on the wall as Julie moved in her direction.
Already quitting time, nice!

“Hello, Julie. Yes, my morning is going great. It’s nice to see you too.” Lucessa carried coffee to a man sitting at one of the high tables. She could sense Julie following her, not put off by Lucessa’s swift change of topic.

“I’m so happy you’re finally seeing someone,” Julie shrieked.

Lucessa looked around, several customers staring their way. Coffee delivered, she grabbed Julie’s arm and pulled her toward the kitchen, before Maxim heard them.

“Shhhh! He’s sitting right there.”

“The question is,
why
is he sitting there? Spill it, Lucessa!”

Lucessa leaned on the kitchen counter. “Okay, we’ve been hanging out a bit. It’s nothing big, just a few dinners.”

“Tell me everything!”

“I have more to tell you than that. Greg’s back.”

“Okay, what in the hell is going on? Greg’s back? We go two days without working together and you have a husband and a boyfriend? This is amazing. But I don’t understand...”

Lucessa had a lot of explaining to do.
I wish
I
knew what’s going on.

“It is definitely an interesting story, but right now we, correct that, you have customers. I’m clocking out.” Lucessa removed her apron and hung it on the hook next to the swinging door.

“Really, Lucessa? You’re going to leave without giving me any of the juicy details?”

“I sure am. We’ll do lunch next week and I’ll tell you all about him.” Lucessa winked and pushed through the kitchen door. She wouldn’t be able to stall Julie for long. Right now she wanted some alone time with the guy who’d been staring at her for six hours.

# # #

They left the restaurant, Maxim carrying two brown bags. The smell of Chinese food filled the car as they drove home. He was happy Lucessa had agreed to Chinese food again after the wasted meal the other night.

“Let me get that door for you.” She hurried and opened the passenger door.

“Thank you.” He set the bags on the floor board and slid onto the seat.

What an enlightening day. He’d watched Lucessa for six hours straight. Any normal person would’ve been bored and prayed for the time to pass quickly, but not him. She conversed with customers in such a natural way, quick to laugh at jokes but compassionate if bad news arose.

This woman will never stop amazing me.

At the coffee shop, he’d wanted to be a part of every conversation, a party to every joke, and there to hold her tight when Mr. Jacobs spoke of his cancer. Instead, he’d receded into the shadows, not wanting to impose on her life any more than necessary.
I’ll be gone soon enough. My place is here...in the background.

All too soon the car turned onto Lucessa’s street. Maxim stared out the window, scanning the area as they pulled into the driveway. Two sets of glowing eyes watched from across the street. Lucessa and Maxim made their way up the front steps and into the house.

He glanced over his shoulder as he pushed the door closed. The eyes were gone.

# # #

“That was indeed wonderful.” Maxim stood from the dining room table.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m going to clean up and head to bed, another early morning for me.”

“Can I help?” he asked.

“No, it’ll only take a minute.”

“See you tomorrow then.” Maxim headed out of the kitchen, stopping to check the lock on the front door before she heard him start up the stairs.

Lucessa dropped their paper dinner plates in the garbage can and put the leftover food in the fridge. She wondered if Maxim would accompany her again tomorrow. It’d seemed awkward to have him sit in the shop all day and watch her work. She couldn’t deny how safe she felt with him there.

They’d had such a lovely dinner. She hadn’t seen Greg all evening. It’d been nice to eat with Maxim without Greg complicating the situation, but she wondered where he’d run off to.
Will he disappear again? Probably gone without a good-bye.
Her fears were quashed when she opened her bedroom door.          

He sat on her bed.

“Finally! I’ve been waiting in here for hours. What were you doing down there?” Greg asked irritably.

His presence and question took her by surprise. “I was cleaning up dinner. What’re you doing in my room?” She backed out the door.

“I need to talk to you, but you’re always with
him
.”   

“Like I said, until you’re ready to tell me where you’ve been and what you’ve been doing, you’ve no say with whom I spend my time.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

His face contorted in a sneer. “I just wanted to warn you. He isn’t who you think he is.” His face relaxed. “God, Lucessa! I’m trying to help you.”

“I know who he is.”

“Do you?”

“I do, he’s been completely honest with me.”

“So, he told you he works for your father?”

“My father?” Lucessa’s arms fell to her sides and her hands balled into fists. “That’s just cruel and hurtful. You know as well as I do my father died twenty-two years ago. You believe this?” He was jealous and trying to ruin a relationship that didn’t even exist.

“Yes, I guess technically he did die, but now he’s the leader of some place called Erebos. And, how sure are you he’s even your father?” He paused, taking in her expression. “Maybe Maxim hasn’t been as honest as you first thought.”

What does he mean he’s not my father? How does he know about Erebos?
“I need to talk to Maxim. I don’t believe you.”
But it was too late. The wheels in her head were spinning, connecting the dots. Maxim’s appearance at the crash...his arrival in her dreams...his desire to protect her.

But...how does he know this?

“Oh, and there’s so much more.” It was Greg’s turn to cross his arms, a satisfied look firmly on his face.

“Like what? What more can there possibly be?” Her heartbeat increased as the blood pumped through her body at an accelerated speed.

“There’s plenty of time to talk...after you throw him out.”

Chapter 28

“He saw us, I’m sure of it,” Alexander said.

“That’s what we wanted,” Darius countered.

“Then why did he ignore us?”

Darius tired of Alexander’s continued questioning. “Because he hasn’t told her the whole truth, you idiot! That means we can still get to her.”

Understanding bloomed across Alexander’s face. “Of course, Master. This is just as you planned.”

“My twin needs to know we’re here...watching. Close enough to take her.”

“What do we do now?”

“We wait.”

“Wait for what?” Alexander turned a questioning stare at Darius.

“For Flynn to complete his task and bring her to us. You did let him in on a few of our secrets?”

“Of course. I was very discreet, as you asked.” His second in command stood a little taller.

“That’s good. He’ll tell her and then she’ll turn away from Maxim. The trust between the two must be broken. With the break will come our hope.” Darius smiled to himself, proud his plan was coming to fruition under the three days the Dark One had given him. He’d hate to kill the lovely Dr. Adams. He hadn’t yet had the breakthrough he hoped for with her. She still resisted him and he continued to chase her. He’d zigged and she’d zagged. Maybe a bit of courting was in order.

“Let us return home to wait.”

# # #

“You bastard!” she screamed. The bedroom door crashed into the wall behind it. She couldn’t keep this inside. First, the dream of her mother, and secondly, the information her father was alive, somewhere.

And Maxim knew! Had known all along. They’d reminisced about their childhoods together. The topic of their parents’ deaths had been discussed, the perfect opportunity for him to clue her in. Something like, ‘...and by the way, your father’s alive, and doing well. As a matter of fact, he’s running a damn kingdom.’

Maxim shot out of bed. “Excuse me?”

She stalked to the side of his bed. “You work for my father!” It wasn’t a question. She knew the answer.

If it had been a question, she wouldn’t have needed an answer. The guilt showed clearly on his face, his eyes never met hers.

“Well, what do you have to say? I thought you were honest with me.” She couldn’t stop the words. “I was an idiot to welcome you into my home--without question or explanation. You and Greg are the same. You both have secrets and enjoy keeping me in the dark.”

She should’ve felt better after she vented her anger. Instead, emptiness consumed her. She couldn’t trust Maxim, was never able to trust Greg, and she hadn’t a soul to talk to about it. Her shoulders and chin dropped. She turned, ready to withdraw from the room without another word.

“It’s true, I haven’t been completely honest with you Lucessa. But you’re wrong about Greg, he and I have nothing in common. I have kept things from you--to protect you--and because it wasn’t my secret to share. Surely you understand.”

How can I possibly understand?
“Tell me what I should understand. I want the truth, the whole truth. This is my life!” Desperation took over her body and her words. Desperation to know what was going on and how her father, her beloved dad, fit in to all of this.

“Please sit down and let me explain.” He gestured to the bed.

She continued to pace the room. The last thing she wanted to do was sit down.

“Okay, then continue pacing.”

“Do not tell me what to do!” she yelled. Her hands shook.
I’m losing control.