Page 17 of Ruthless Beast

“Yes. I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

“Okay. Send me the pin, and I’ll come right over.”

“Thanks, Ben. Appreciate it.”

“No problem, Lucas.”

I feel better now that I’ve spoken to Ben. I decide to wait until he gets here before I leave. In the meantime, I watch Emily through the glass. She’s talking to a portly woman dressed in Chanel. The two women are standing in front of a large painting displayed on the wall, and Emily is gesticulating. Her movements are deliberate as she mimics the artist’s brush strokes. The portly woman nods and smiles while they chat before moving onto the next piece.

It isn’t long before Ben arrives. He parks before he climbs into my car.

“Good to see you, Lucas. Is that our girl?” he asks, nodding his head in Emily’s direction.

“That’s David’s sister, yes.”

“Wow. She’s gorgeous.”

I find Ben’s comment irritating. I don’t mean to, but I snap at him. Something about keeping this professional and being respectful over the loss of such a valued member of my organization, and so on. Ben stares at me as if I’ve just accused him of being a traitor or something, but he doesn’t retaliate, leaving me feeling like a gigantic dick.

“Keep me informed on her whereabouts,” I bark before Ben gets out of the car.

“Of course.”

“And, Ben. This girl’s been through enough. Don’t fuck this up.”

I drive away feeling better about keeping Emily safe but uneasy about the effect she seems to have on me.

It’s been two weeks, and Ben assures me he hasn’t seen any unsavory characters lurking about. It’s Friday morning, and I find myself parked outside the gallery once more. This is ridiculous. Perhaps if I go in and say hi, I’ll get over myself. It’s worth a shot. Trying to put Emily out of my mind has been wholly unsuccessful, so I may as well try a different approach.

She’s the only one in the gallery when I enter and look around. Will she recognize me? Our introduction was rather brief. I don’t expect her to remember much about me. The poor girl had just lost her brother in a violent manner. I was surprised at how collected Emily was on the day. She’s clearly a strong character.

The woman dressed in Chanel points to the painting she and Emily were discussing and nods. Emily smiles brightly at her before the two head toward a desk, where I assume the purchase is ultimately finalized.

I watch as the portly woman waddles off on stilettos that are honestly not a smart choice considering the load bearing issue. She drives off in a luxury SUV. It’s now or never.

I can see Ben sitting in his car. I nod surreptitiously at him, and he nods back. Emily is alone in the gallery when I enter. She is breathtakingly beautiful.

Okay, Lucas. Stop stalling. This is it. You’re here. Now what?

5

EMILY

It’s been two months since I buried my brother, and somehow life carries on. I have good days and bad days, and I’m grateful to everyone around me for bearing me up. My work at the gallery keeps me sane.

I'm not looking forward to graduating. I was so excited about it when David was alive, but now it’s just another milestone without him. One of many to come.

It’s just after 5 p.m., and I’m about to lock up the gallery. Mrs. Fouché just ordered two paintings, so I’m a happy bunny. I hear footsteps just as I’m about to call it a day. I look up to see who it is.

I know that face. Honestly, who could forget it? Lucas is the perfect specimen of a man. I thought so even when I was in the throes of heartbreak at David’s funeral. In fact, I felt almost guilty about the direction my thoughts had taken when he and I stood talking outside under the trees.

I wonder why he’s here. Is it a coincidence? Is he here to check up on me?

“Hi, Lucas. So nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Emily. I was in the neighborhood.”

I’m lost in his green eyes. I can’t help but wonder why David never mentioned Lucas. He’s not exactly forgettable.

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