The Secret Trinity Unearth (14 page)

“Yes Mom, it is the opportunity of a lifetime, and the girls will be with me the entire time.” She pressed her lips together and my Dad spoke for her.

“It is a bit sudden, Ari. Don’t you think you should settle into college before you go half way around the world to an unfamiliar place?” My Mom nodded to his response agreeing with his logic.

Liam smiled warmly, “Mr. and Mrs. Darwin, I want you to know how much I care about your daughter. I would never let anything happen to her. Ari and the girls will have their own personal tour guide at their disposal.”

I was grateful that Liam had jumped in. When I first told my Mom about the transfer, her warmth toward him had turned ice cold. She was mad at Liam for taking her baby girl away. I sometimes thought she still saw me wrapped up in that bassinet.

“You should have talked to us before you went forward with the application Aria.” She never called me Aria. She knew this was a losing battle. My bags were already packed and she was pissed.

I sighed, “Mom, I am an adult now, and I knew you would only try to talk me out of it. I know you worry about me but this is what I want. I hope you can respect my choices.” It was the most grown-up thing I had ever said.

Her expression was borderline pouty, “Well you have obviously have made up your mind so there is not much else to say on the matter.” She looked at me thoughtfully, “Okay, you have to promise me that you will be safe.” Her jaw was still clenched with annoyance.

“I promise Mom, you have nothing to worry about.” She looked at Liam with serious eyes, “You look out for my precious gem.” She got up from the table and started walking toward her bedroom.

“Absolutely Madam, I will,” Liam responded to her back. My Dad put his head in his hands and groaned.

“Great, this should be a fun handful of months.” I clenched my lips to suppress my laugh, “Sorry Dad.” He moved his hands from his face combing them through his hair.

“We just love you, Ari. You have to understand how hard it is to watch your only child grow up and leave home, let alone leave the country for months.”

“I understand, but you would jump at the chance to live in a foreign country if you were my age too, right?”

He laughed, “Yeah, I will be telling myself that’s why you are doing this too.” He eyed Liam, “We’re afraid of losing you to more than a foreign country.” I blushed at his comment and with that he rose from the table.

“Do not forget I could wake at any moment in the night with the sudden urge to check on you, so no funny business. Goodnight.”

He kissed the crown of my head and looked at Liam. “Liam, sleep well.” He nodded and walked with trepidation to join Mom in the bedroom. I had a feeling he would not get much sleep tonight. She was probably waiting in bed for hours of pillow talk.

“Well it took weeks, but it all worked out,” Liam said as he stood. “Can I escort you to bed my love?”

He smiled down at me. I took his hand, and we went to my bedroom door. Liam had not been allowed in my room even during the day, parent’s rules, so he was set up in the guest room down the hall. True to his word, my Dad had checked on me every night so I had never risked sneaking Liam into my room. I faced him before entering.

“We have not had any private time all week. I cannot wait to have some alone time in Ireland,” I said. He gave me a crooked smirk, “Me too.” He bent down and gave me a soft kiss.

“I love you, sweet dreams,” he whispered in my ear sending a quiver through me before he turned to go to his room.

I clutched the trinity knot around my neck as I watched him disappear down the hall behind the door. I had not taken the necklace off since Liam had given it to me in the capitol and I never intended too.

*****

Our flight was early in the morning, but I was so keyed up my eyelids did not get heavy until late into the night. I heard my door creak open. I had been restless with excitement all night, so it did not take much to wake me. I internally groaned. It really was not necessary for my father to check on me every night. I kept my eyes shut knowing he would just pop his head in and then go back to bed. Suddenly, the end of my bed caved in as he sat down.

“Dad, I swear I am alone. Go check Liam’s room if you don’t believe me,” I whispered, slightly annoyed. The low dark laughter that came from the edge of my bed was not my father’s and my eyes flew open.

“Good, the thought of him near you...” I felt him shudder on the bed as he trailed off, vibrating my bones.

The familiar hint of an Irish accent registered in my foggy sleep-deprived brain and my heart rate instantly spiked. I shot upright in bed while opening my mouth to scream, but he beat me to it and once again covered my mouth with his hand. It felt like I was in the dark stairwell all over again. I had tried to forget about him, about the fears he lit in my soul, but he kept reappearing in my life refusing to let me forget.

“We have been over this, Ari. I am not going to hurt you.” He kept his hand on my mouth and I could feel my rage rise. I bit down hard on his hand still covering my mouth.

“Ouch,” he kept his voice at a whisper but retracted his hand. “You almost broke skin. I’m impressed,” his grumbling laughter returned.

“Who are you, you freak? What do you want from me?” I was trembling with anger.

“Ouch…freak. That hurt more than the bite,” he huffed.

“I want you out of my room and out of my life!” A bitter tear had escaped down my cheek. I was seething. I felt his weight leave the bed, but I could not see where he went. It was too dark in my room.

“Ari.” He sighed my name and his warm breath hit my cheek. I spun around and stood up putting the bed between us. My heart was pounding out of my chest trying to escape from this lunatic. I clutched my chest and bent over trying to keep the room from spinning as my heart thudded in my ears.

“Listen to me,” he breathed, “you cannot go to Ireland. Your life depends on it.” My stalker doesn’t like the thought of an ocean between us, but I would swim there to put distance between us at this point.

“Who are you? I cannot listen to some crazy stalker who makes the earth quake.” I tried to keep my voice even as my chest heaved with fury.

“What you mean this?” He scuffed his foot, and the floor boards began to move under me.

“Stop, stop it, stop it.” I tried to scream the words but they hardly came out of my throat as sparks pulsed through me in waves like an aftershock. He stopped the quake, and I collapsed on the bed trembling, trying not to go into a catatonic state.

“How did you do that?” I managed to choke out.

He let out a small grunt, “That was nothing compared to what you are up against, Ari. That is what I have been trying to tell you. You cannot go to Ireland. Far more is at stake than you could possibly comprehend. It will be difficult for me to protect you there.”

I almost laughed. “Protect me? You do nothing but scare the hell out of me!” I had found my voice again and my words came out louder than intended.

Before I could blink he opened my white bedroom curtains. The moon beamed through the window and his back was to me. I could feel him hesitating. His raven hair gleamed in subtle waves against the moonlight slightly curling at thee knap of his neck. His muscles looked defined. Even under his track jacket you could tell he was extremely ripped, to the point of menacing. I had never seen him so close, and I realized this was my only chance before I left for good.

I whispered to him softly, “Please tell me who you are. I need to know the truth. What do you want?”

He bowed his head down, “I can’t tell you. And even if I could, I promise you, you wouldn’t believe me. Liam is playing you, and if you go to Ireland you are as good as dead. That is all the truth you need.”

I sucked in a sharp breath. How dare this crazy stalker talk about the man I love that way? How dare he even say his name to me with that threatening tone? I had enough.

“You are just a jealous psycho who thinks I somehow belong to you because we’re both different. I love Liam, so get over it and leave me alone. You have no claim over me whatsoever. I want you to stay away from me, forever!”

Another angry tear escaped down my cheek, “Get out! If you keep stalking me, I will get the police involved. Now get out!” I spewed out the words with venom. This man had terrified me to the core, haunted my dreams for years, night after night, but I had found my inner bravery.

“I can see now it’s too late. I thought I knew you but I did not realize how naive you were.” He spewed back.

Simultaneously his black hair shimmered in a blur as he swiftly opened the window and jumped out taking off in the woods just as my bedroom door swung open across the room. I jumped up from my bed and got to the window in two strides trying to see if I could get a glimpse of his face in the moonlight, but he was gone.

I turned to face my door and Liam crept in with a look of concern on his face. His normally neatly combed hair was astray. I must have awakened him. When he saw me standing in front of my open window his forehead creased.

“Ari, are you okay? I thought I heard noises. It’s the middle of winter, why is the window open?” he whispered softly, but I was too scared to move. He crossed the room and closed the window. I wrapped my arms around myself suddenly chilled by the brisk air that had swept through my room.

“What is going on? You know you can talk to me, right love?” The bitter tear had dried from my cheek but the emotions were still raw.

My voice trembled, “Liam, why do you want me to go to Ireland?”

He eyed me curiously, “What do you mean? What’s going on? You look a bit shaken.” I ignored his questions.

“I need to know the truth. My whole life feels like a lie. I need to know the truth Liam.” My words sounded short and choppy in my throat.

Liam took my face in his hands and looked into my eyes, “I want you to go to Ireland because I am in love with you, and I want to be with you. All I want to do is protect you, but I can’t do that if you’re not honest with me.” He did not move in to kiss me. He just held my face and stared at me, waiting.

“That is your only motivation… love?” I breathed.

He smirked, “Of course love, I have found you and I’m never going to let you go.” He gave my forehead a light kiss. I rose to my tip-toes to meet his lips for another.

“I love you too, but you need to go before my Dad catches us.” He kissed me one more time.

“I know something is going on with you. I have known since the day we met. I am here whenever you are ready to tell
me
the truth, Ari.” He walked to the door and gave me one last look before exiting.

I took a deep breath and stared out the window for a long time, gazing at the stars. A tepid energy washed through me helping to calm my nerves. Maybe I should tell Liam the truth, but I didn’t know where to start.

I thought about how to begin that conversation. “Hey Liam, a crazy jealous stalker is trying to keep me away from you, or any man I dare to love, and he also has paranormal powers. Oh, and by the way, I have powers too.” It sounded completely nuts. It was still hard to believe myself.

I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing Liam now. It would be like losing my heart. My stomach did an unwelcome twist at the thought of him running away screaming when I confessed the truth. It wasn’t fair that I had dragged him into the mess I call my life. I will have to tell him soon, somehow.

Chapter 20: Jet Lag

It was even more spectacular on this ethereal island then I could have imagined. The fog cast over the rolling mossy hills. It felt like you had stepped into another plane of existence, somewhere so beautiful it seemed an untouchable world. You’d breathe in the thick air like a magic salty elixir that lights sparks inside you until your skin starts to glow.

The moment I stepped outside and drank all this in I truly felt alive in a way I had never experienced before. The colors of this world were so vibrant it made me think that all of the flowers had been individually hand painted and the field’s crops had been dusted with green glitter. I was reborn and I closed my eyes letting the dewy air wrap me in its blanket.

“Ari, Ari wake up.” I slowly pealed my eyes open and sat up. For a moment I forgot where I was. I looked over my immediate surroundings landing on Kayla and Morgan in the kitchen. I was sitting on the brown sofa. I guess I had dozed off.

“Hey sleepy head, you might want to run a comb through that knapped ball you call hair before we meet Liam,” Kayla laughed. “What time is it?” I said groggily. “It is almost seven so you better hurry up,” Morgan answered.

We were supposed to meet Liam at a pub for dinner. We had parted ways at the airport hours ago and he went to unpack at his place. Kayla’s Dad had a lot of business contacts, and he was able to get us set-up in this temporary housing apartment, just blocks away from downtown Galway. Since the college did not have tri-room dorms, we were so excited to all be together and right in the city center.

The apartment was small and cozy with the kitchen open to the living area. There were only two bedrooms off of the living room but this time Kayla and Morgan insisted I take the single room for fear of walking in on Liam and me in a compromising position like the night in the dorm. I did not object. After the confrontation with my stalker the other night, it was nice to have space to myself to think.

I went to my bedroom to survey the damage. Kayla was right. My hair was a bird’s nest. I had fallen asleep with it wet after I showered, and it had dried in funky kinks pressed against my head. I plugged in my flat iron and went to the closet while it warmed up. I changed into dark jeans and light pink camisole. I added a pale grey wrap sweater that tied at my hip, because unfortunately it was still winter outside, even in Ireland. My present from Liam was in full view, framed by my v-neck camisole, and I smiled when I thought about seeing him soon.

I stared at the emerald for a minute, watching it dance in the light when I swayed slowly back and forth. I had never seen a gemstone glimmer so brilliantly. It is as if there were a light within it shining from the inside out. I was completely entranced by its delicate beauty, and I still could not believe Liam wanted me to have this stunning heirloom.