Taken: A House of York Prologue Read online

  Those words send shivers down my spine. I smile and press my lips onto his again.

  When we get to my door, I ask him inside.

  I love the way he looks at me and I love the way he wants me.

  I want him.

  And not just because I haven’t had sex in a long time.

  “I’d love to,” he says, giving me another kiss. “But I can’t.”

  “Oh…why?” I ask, caught a little off guard.

  “I have to get back home to my grandma. I couldn’t stay for longer than twenty minutes and I want this to take a lot longer than twenty minutes.”

  Another shock of electricity rushes through me.

  “Really?” I ask, nearly melting in his arms.

  “Yes, really,” he whispers. “So, how about tomorrow?”

  “You want to come over tomorrow?”

  “Yes, I’d love to. But first, I’d like to take you as my date to this party at the Oakmont.”

  The Oakmont Hotel is one of the oldest and most expensive hotels in the city. The cheapest room there goes for about a grand a night.

  “Who do you know that is throwing a party there?” I ask.

  “Hey, I may be a poor poet, but I know a lot of fancy people,” Jamie says, giving me another peck on the lips. “So, will you come?”

  I shrug.

  “Yes, of course.”

  “I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear something nice,” he says, pulling away from me and giving me a kiss on my hand.

  A true gentleman.

  Everly

  When he takes me to the Oakmont…

  A party at the Oakmont. With a man who is quickly sweeping me off my feet. This isn’t real, is it?

  Tomorrow, the day of the party, can’t come soon enough. I spend the morning shopping, but end up settling on a black cocktail dress I have hanging in my closet. It hides all of my imperfections and actually makes me feel pretty. I bought it only a few months ago, and I’d worn it about ten times already.

  When Jamie picks me up, he looks even more dashing than I remember. Big kind eyes. Shiny hair. He wraps his arms around me and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

  Shivers run down my spine.

  There are people out there who can tell you every detail about their date with their spouse. Those people used to make me sick to my stomach. But now…now, I’m wondering if this is the moment that we will be telling our grandchildren about in forty years.

  “You are breathtaking,” Jamie says. I smile. It’s nice to date a poet. That’s not a sentence that’s likely to escape the lips of any regular guy out there.

  “You look great, too,” I mumble. So much less eloquent. I know.

  But I’m the girl. I’m not supposed to be the one making the compliments.

  We arrive at the Oakmont ten minutes later. Jamie valets the car and escorts me inside.

  I’ve heard of this hotel, but I’ve never been inside. It’s old and historic, but it has been modernized with plenty of glass and elegant contemporary fixtures. Glass tables. Marble floors. A small waterfall bursts into a river, which snakes its way through the lobby.

  “Wow, this place is beautiful,” I whisper as we head toward the reception rooms.

  As Jamie holds the door for me, I suddenly feel out of sorts. Every woman I see is dressed in a long flowing gown. My above-the-knee cocktail dress is suddenly in desperate need of pizzazz.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that this was a formal event?” I ask.

  “I didn’t know. I thought it was a cocktail party.”

  I glare at him.

  It’s not a big deal for him because men’s attire is a bit of a mixed bag. Some are wearing tuxedos while others are wearing just nice pairs of pants and matching jackets.

  “So, what kind of party is this?” I ask as we get in line for drinks at the bar.

  “A charity event to raise money for clean water in Africa,” he says, putting his hand around my waist. “I’m sorry again about the dress code. I had no idea that people were going to be this formal.”

  I shrug, unwilling to let him off that easy. He wraps his arm around me tighter and gives me a kiss on my neck.

  “Will you forgive me?” he whispers.

  I smile, unable to resist him any longer.

  “I guess so,” I finally cave.

  After we get our drinks, Jamie excuses himself to use the bathroom and I make my way around the room. I have never been one to be good at starting conversations with strangers, but I guess this is as good a time as any to give it a try. My martini gives me just enough liquid courage to turn to the drop dead gorgeous girl next to me.

  “I love your dress,” I say before I even give it a good look.

  What else is there to say to a complete stranger besides offering her a compliment?

  “Thank you. I love your dress, too,” she says methodically.

  “So…it’s terrible about the lack of access to clean water in some parts of the world,” I say.

  I feel the awkwardness in my voice, but I keep going. Luckily, she doesn’t seem to notice.

  “Yes, it is.” She nods and sways her hips.

  Her black floor-length gown shimmers with each breath. For a moment, I’m mesmerized by how all the beads move in waves around her body.

  “I’m glad that the Bay Foundation is hosting this gala. They do so much good in the world. Oh, I’m Cassandra by the way.”

  “Everly,” I say, shaking her hand.

  “So….is there going to be some sort of auction or something at the end?” I ask. “I’m sorry, but this is my first time at an event like this.”

  “Well, it’s actually a silent auction,” Cassandra says. “You see those tables all around the walls. If you want any of those things, you just write down the amount you’re willing to give and it will go to the highest bidder.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s great,” I say.

  One of Cassandra’s friends pulls her away for some dress-related emergency and I make my way to one of the closest tables.

  The first item I spot is titled “Your own Learjet to use for a weekend.” In the photo on the table, I find a dapper looking gentleman in his late sixties, presumably the owner, standing proudly in front of the sparkling private plane.

  My mouth falls open. This auction is no joke. Right next to the jet, there’s a brochure of a two-night stay at a five-star hotel in Dubai. Estimated value: $20,000. One table over, there’s a seven-day cruise around Indonesia.

  I stare at the offerings, dumbfounded.

  This is the kind of world that I only read about in books. Are the owners of these things even real?

  My thoughts go back to Jamie. How the hell did he get an invitation to this party? Is he wealthier than he is letting on? My eyes search the room for him, but in the sea of black, I don’t see him.

  “Hello, there,” someone says with a voice as smooth as molten chocolate. “Considering bidding on that yachting weekend in Newport?”

  I turn around. The man standing before me is flawless.

  Dark hair.

  Strong jaw.

  The nose of a Roman emperor.

  Luscious lips.

  Almond-shaped green eyes and long eyelashes.

  “Yes, that’s right,” I say with a coy smile. In moments of intense pressure, my sarcasm button becomes activated.

  “The highest bid is probably around $100,000,” I say. “So, I’d have to work two and a half years at my current job and save every penny just to match it.”

  I don’t know why I feel the need to tell him how much I make, but sometimes the words just come out of my mouth without my control. He winks at me, clearly amused.

  “I’m Easton,” he says, extending his hand.

  Everly

  When I meet someone else…

  As I shake Easton’s hand, Jamie re-appears. He wraps his arm firmly around my waist.

  When I glance at him, I see the possessive expression on his face. His nostrils flare out. His eyebrows furrow.<
br />
  He’s jealous.

  I hate that this makes me excited. But the thing is, I like Jamie. And I sort of like the fact that he doesn’t want another hot guy coming around his girl. If I am, in fact, his girl. The jury is still out on that.

  “Easton, this is my…friend…Jamie.” I make an introduction. The word, friend, gives me a moment of pause, but no better synonym springs to mind to describe our relationship.

  “Actually, I’m her date,” Jamie corrects me. Well, except that one.

  “I was just talking to Everly about the silent auctions here. What will you be bidding on?” Easton asks.

  Jamie inhales deeply. He doesn’t have the money to bid on anything. Or does he?

  “I think I’m going to go for this weekend trip to Paris,” Easton says, filling out the form next to the package.

  “It’s supposed to be a silent auction,” Jamie says, pulling me closer to him. He’s holding me so tightly, my ribs start to throb. I wince in pain.

  “Yes, of course. But I doubt that the foundation will be against a little competition. Especially, if that makes the bid go higher.”

  Easton hands Jamie his pen.

  “Go ahead, kid,” he says, crossing his arms across his chest.

  “Don’t call me kid,” Jamie says, grabbing Easton’s pen.

  “Jamie, you don’t have to do this,” I whisper in his ear.

  “I know,” he says loudly.

  I watch as he makes his way around the tables, evaluating each package.

  I walk up to him again, taking his arm.

  “Let’s just go,” I whisper.

  “No.” Jamie pushes me away.

  “You don't have the money to bid on any of this.”

  “You don’t know anything about me,” Jamie snaps.

  I take a step back.

  He’s right. Of course, he’s right. We have been on one date together. What the hell do I know? Except that the only reason he’s doing any of this is to impress some guy he has known for exactly one minute. Or is it that he’s trying to impress me?

  I have no idea. All I know is that I don’t want to stay for any of this.

  “Where are you going?” Jamie grabs me just as I’m about to walk out of the ballroom. He startles me, and I almost drop my drink.

  The martini sloshes out onto my hands.

  “What the hell?”

  “Why are you leaving?” Jamie asks. There’s a strange desperation in his voice. It makes me pause.

  “I didn’t want to watch you bid on something you couldn’t afford just to impress some rich asshole,” I say.

  “I wasn’t.”

  I shrug. That’s a lie. I know that’s a lie.

  “Listen, I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’m going home.”

  “You can’t,” Jamie says with a pang of desperation. Should I take that as a compliment? The martini seems to have gone to my head.

  “I mean…I’m sorry,” Jamie says. His voice softens quite a lot. Kindness emerges. He takes my hand in his. Gently.

  “I’m sorry, I’m being so…weird,” he adds. “You’re right. That guy did get to me. His suit. His cuff links. His whole attitude and demeanor. He’s just this walking reminder of a life that I want, but will never have.”

  Jamie’s honesty is disarming. I’ve never had a guy talk to me like that. Let alone, on a second date. Quite honestly, I have never met one who was capable of that degree of introspection.

  “Let’s just get out of here,” I say quietly. His face falls.

  “I’m not cutting our date short. I just don’t want to be in this room anymore.”

  I squeeze his hand and wrap my fingers tightly around his and his eyes light up again.

  “Okay,” he agrees after a moment. “But let’s have another drink first.”

  I hesitate.

  “It’s on the house. Please? The bartenders make mean cocktails.”

  I want to resist. I do. But I cave.

  Following him back to the bar, I let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps we can salvage this date after all. The truth is that I don’t know the first thing about him. I have no idea how to read his reactions or his triggers.

  “What can I get you, miss?” the bartender asks.

  “A mojito please.”

  Jamie raises his eyebrows in surprise.

  “Decided to pass on the vodka this time,” I say.

  “So, you think rum will be a better choice?”

  I shrug.

  “It’s a summer drink. An island drink. Refreshing. Minty.”

  “Hey, there’s no need to explain. I love a good mojito,” Jamie says. His hand settles at the small of my back. When I take a sip, I feel all the tension from the evening starting to dissipate.

  We find a small secluded table in the far corner of the room.

  “So, why did you invite me here?” I ask. He glares at me.

  “No, I didn’t mean it that way,” I clarify. “I was just wondering why you were going to this event in the first place?”

  “I thought it would be a nice place for a date. My professor had two tickets he couldn’t use so he gave them to me.”

  I nod. We sit together for a while. We talk about everything and anything. His classes. My job. His writing. My desire to write. People mill all around us, laughing, tossing their hair, shaking hands. But here at our table, engulfed by darkness, we are slightly apart from the party taking place all around us.

  As much as I want this moment to go on, all the alcohol that I have consumed catches up with me. I excuse myself and head to the bathroom. After completing my business, I emerge to find Easton standing outside.

  “You need to leave,” he says, looking up from his phone.

  “What?”

  He repeats himself, getting closer to me. I can feel his breath on my lips. I try to move away from him, but when I take a step backward, my shoulders collide with the wall.

  “You’re not safe.”

  “What are you talking about?” I slither against the wall to get away from him.

  “Something bad is going to happen.”

  “You’re crazy,” I say, walking away from him.

  “You have to believe me.”

  “I don’t have to do anything,” I say, turning around. “And who do you think you are, anyway?”

  “I’m trying to protect you.”

  “From what, exactly?”

  “Your date,” Easton says.

  Everly

  When he tries to protect me…

  His words crash into me like waves into a cliff. A pang of anger rushes up to the surface of my skin. Who does he think he is? I stare at him in disbelief. Why is he trying to ruin this for me?

  “My date is a nice guy. That’s more than what I can say about you,” I insist.

  He’s just trying to scare me, I say to myself. Get a rise out of me. Just ignore him. I should bite my tongue and get out of here, but my mouth gets the better of me.

  “What the hell is your problem with Jamie, anyway? You just met him,” I say.

  Easton hesitates. “I can’t tell you. But he’s one of them.”

  “Who?”

  “He’s going to hurt you.”

  I shake my head. “You’re just fucking with me,” I say, walking away. But Easton grabs my hand.

  “Don’t go back in there,” he hisses.

  “Let me go!” I snap. “Or I’ll scream.”

  If he’s just trying to freak me out, it’s working. I pause for a second before walking through the ornately-carved double doors. But can you blame me? There’s a lunatic standing here scaring the shit out of me. But what if he’s actually trying to protect me from something?

  “Why are you doing this? Do you get some sort of high from this?”

  “No, not at all,” Easton says.

  His demeanor changes. The stark expression on his face softens. He blinks and his eyes get less intense.

  “I don’t want to frighten you,” he says. “I just do
n’t know how much time you have. I can’t tell you much. I just need you to run. Run home, get inside, and lock the doors and do not open them for anyone.”

  I shake my head. I don’t believe him. Is he taking me for a fool? Or am I making the biggest mistake of my life?

  “Everly, please,” Easton pleads. “Please believe me.”

  “But my purse is in there.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “No, I need it to get home. How am I going to pay for a cab?”

  “I’ll give you money,” Easton says, reaching for his wallet.

  “Hey there!” someone says, putting his hand around my waist. It’s Jamie. I already know him by his touch.

  “You again.” Jamie glares at Easton. Then he turns to me and gives me my purse. “Let’s get out of here.”

  I take my purse and we head toward the exit.

  When I turn around to look back at Easton, I see him mouth something to me.

  What? I mouth back.

  “Run! Run!” he whispers.

  “What the hell is that guy’s problem?” Jamie asks when we get outside.

  It would be a lie to say that the experience did not shake me up. Jamie tries to take my hand, but I push him away. I wrap my arms around myself and try to decide what to do. It’s not every day that some stranger comes up to you and says the things that Easton had said to me. So, the question is, why would he do that? Who is he? And why would he go out of his way to convince me that I’m in danger if, in fact, I’m not?

  The truth is that I don’t actually know anything about Jamie. Maybe he is someone dangerous. Maybe I should stay away from him. But should I believe some stranger I just met over this guy who, by all accounts, is totally normal?

  I know Easton even less than I know Jamie. Can I believe him?

  “So, do you want to come over to my place?” Jamie asks.

  I shrug. “Actually, I don’t feel very good. I think I’m going to go home.”

  “What did Easton say to you?” Jamie demands. His eyes turn into little beads, sending shivers down my spine.

  “Nothing,” I mumble.

  “I don’t believe that.”