Chapter 7
~Closer~
I was frozen in place, staring out at the twinkling lights of the Seattle skyline, too afraid to turn around. Warm hands came to rest on my shoulders, and although his body wasn't touching mine, I could feel him behind me from head to toe. My skin tingled, and I held my breath.
"Breathe, princess."
"I'm trying," I whispered.
His hands disappeared. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched you without your permission."
"It's okay."
After a short silence, he asked, "Are you going to look at me, or do you plan to stand that way all night?"
"I'm not sure." I wandered farther into the living room, focusing on the view outside the penthouse. I considered what might be happening behind any of the thousands of lit and unlit windows in the surrounding high-rises—boredom, sex, violence, depression, excitement. Did anyone feel the strange mix of emotions that I did?
As I drew closer to the windows, Tony's reflection came into view, and I found myself watching this translucent image of him. He stood a few feet behind me, trying to keep his distance. His fists clenched and unclenched, and he held himself stiffly. It made me feel slightly better that Tony seemed as uncertain as I did.
"Please look at me, princess. Even if they're filled with anger and disdain, I need to see your beautiful eyes."
His voice poured over me like warm honey, and I steeled myself before turning to face him. Honestly, I was anxious to take him in without the mask or from across a crowded room or while I was being carried off in the arms of another man.
My gaze focused first on the floor in front of him, moving slowly to his feet—he wore work boots, which I happen to have a thing for—up his jean-clad legs to a snug, long-sleeved, black shirt that accentuated his lean, muscular torso. I finally reached his chiseled jaw, then roamed over the rest of him: repentant green eyes, thick brows, and chaotically mussed, reddish-brown hair. For some reason, I was delighted with the multi-colored strands going every which way as if he constantly ran his fingers through it—completely the opposite of the tame, slicked-back hair from the masquerade. Maybe it was because it made him look less intimidating and put together.
He seemed nervous and was looking me over carefully, his brows drawing together. "You're wearing a wig, right?"
I laughed, touching the odd-feeling hair that haloed my face. "Yes. Angela decided we needed disguises."
"Smart." One side of his mouth lifted, and he stepped closer. "Are the glasses part of the disguise?"
"Yeah."
He tilted his head, taking me in. "They give you a sexy vibe. I don't care for the hair though. Yours is much more beautiful."
I blushed. "Thank you."
"May I?" Tony was within inches of me, asking for permission to remove the glasses.
"Um, sure."
He removed them and placed them on an end table, then looked back at me. "Will you take the wig off? I want to see the real you, and I . . . I want you to know the real me."
"Okay, but I'm going to be a mess."
"I doubt that."
I tugged the wig off and placed it next to the glasses, feeling a bit exposed. You're worried about not looking your best? He's the one who has explaining to do! Despite the truth of that statement, I felt shy and insecure. I wanted to look as delicious to him as he did to me.
"Come." He took my hand, sending a pleasant tingle up my arm, and led me over to the couch, tugging me down with him so we sat facing each other. He reached up and released my hair from the bun it was in, allowing it to tumble over my shoulders and down my back. "That blush looks lovely on you." He traced my cheek with his index finger, leaving a trail of heat across my skin, and I felt the flush deepen.
"Tony . . ."
"Sorry." He shifted away from me, returning both hands to his lap. "I don't mean to crowd you. I know you're here for answers, not for what I want."
Growing bold, I asked, "What do you want?'
"You, princess. Any way you'll allow me to have you. Maybe you don't understand."
"Explain it to me."
"My entire world tipped on its axis the night I met you. I've never felt so alive or"—he brushed his knuckles across my flaming cheek, and his voice grew low and husky—"so filled with desire. Please tell me you felt it too, like a tempest ripping through you."
"I felt it—feel it. I shouldn't be here, and yet I couldn't stop myself."
Tony offered a shy smile, his entire face transforming. "I'm so relieved to hear you say that. I thought I was going crazy."
"I'm glad we both feel this attraction, but in case you haven't noticed, our situation is pretty dire. If my father finds out I have anything to do with you, there's no telling how far he'll go."
"Why do our fathers hate each other so much?"
My stomach sank. "I thought maybe you knew. Aro doesn't tell me personal things."
"Damn it! It's imperative to know what's gone on between them."
"I agree."
"First things first though." Tony took my hands, holding them gently. "I need you to know I had no idea who you were until the night of the masquerade when I saw you at Aro's table. I was devastated when I found out whose daughter you were, but it didn't change how I feel about you. It just makes things more challenging."
I stared him down, my eyes meeting his boldly in an attempt to discern any hint of a lie. If there was any deception, he hid it well. Panic welled up inside me at the thought of what we'd have to face if we tried to forge ahead.
"Challenging is an understatement." I squeezed his hand. "I believe you didn't know who I was, and I'm sorry I reacted the way I did. I should have given you a chance to explain."
Tony let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "I don't blame you. It looked bad." He traced the lines on my palm with his index finger, causing a shiver of pleasure to run through me.
"You said Tony is a nickname . . ."
"My given name is Edward Anthony Masen Junior. My friends call me Tony." His face hardened, and his grip on my hand tightened. "I'm not my father, and I resent sharing his name."
I was taken aback and somewhat confused by the venom in his voice. "I don't understand. He just announced you will be learning the family business, working by his side."
"It's not what I want, but I don't have much of a choice. Do you have a lot of choices in your family, princess?"
"No, I guess not. But . . ."
"Oh, because I'm a man, you think I'm immune to being ordered around? My father is a powerful, cruel man. I'm considered the weaker son, but he's determined to mold me into his image." He swiped a hand over his face and looked out at the night.
"You have siblings?"
"An older brother and a younger sister. Emmett is fully embroiled in the family business. I love my brother. We're really close, but we disagree about our father. Alice is my sister. She's . . . a free spirit and our father's favorite. She knows exactly what's going on, but she pretends not to. She's an up-and-coming fashion designer."
"They weren't at the masquerade? I only saw a teen at your family's table."
"Emmett doesn't do those parties, and the 'teen' you saw was my sister Alice. She's going to love hearing she was mistaken for a teenager!" Tony snickered. "Alice has a lot of nicknames—pixie, Tinkerbell, Taz. She's actually just shy of five feet tall and twenty-three years old."
My eyes widened. "Well, don't tell her what I said!"
"Alice is used to it. She always says her big personality makes up for what she lacks in height. She's not lying either."
"If Emmett is in the family business already, why is your father pulling you into it?"
Tony grimaced. "My brother is built like a tank and loves to dish out punishment with his fists. What he doesn't have is a mind for business. My father wants me to be the brains and Em to be the brawn."
"Can't you just . . ."
"Say no? How do things go when you say no to your father?"
My face burned, and I ducked my head. "Not well."
Tony put a finger under my chin. "Hey . . . it's okay."
"No, it isn't," I whispered. A lone tear spilled over, and I was mortified, swiping it away angrily.
He cupped my face in his large palms, using one thumb to wipe away a second tear that escaped. "Don't let this throw you. I'm pretty agreeable until someone tries to keep me from what I want." The tone of his voice caused me to look into his eyes, and I was captured by the steely determination in his intense gaze. "And what I want is you, princess."
Tony's words and the hungry way he looked at me sent a wash of heat through my body. He looked down at my lips and moved in slowly, pressing his perfect lips to mine. The kiss was soft and tender, his lips brushing back and forth lightly, our breath mingling. He tucked my hair behind one ear and slid his hand around to cradle the back of my head. His lips traveled a slow path along my jaw, and he sucked the lobe of my ear into his mouth, swirling his tongue around. I've never been so happy I forgot to wear earrings.
"Oh . . ."
"Hmm . . . you like that?" he whispered.
"Uh huh." I sank my fingers into his chaotic hair, reveling in the softness. "I love your hair."
"You do?" I could hear the smile in his voice. He licked a hot trail along the side of my neck.
I was relaxing into him, satisfied as a cat in a patch of sun, and then the room erupted into chaos. An alarm sounded, the elevator dinged, and Jasper stalked into the room.
"Heads up! Emmett is in the elevator, and you don't have time to hide her."
"Fuck!" Tony jumped up, running his fingers through his hair.
I grabbed the wig and used my reflection in the windows to straighten it, then put on the glasses. I waved Jasper over. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Not currently."
"Sit on the couch with me. I'm your date, Kelly, and if Angela comes out, she's my friend, Gina." I jabbed a finger at Tony. "You—sit across from us."
Tony smirked. "So bossy."
Jasper and I sat close, appearing cozy with one another, and Tony sat across the coffee table from us, relaxing against the cushions with his arm thrown across the top. The elevator opened, and a huge bear of a guy hurried out.
"Edward! Don't you check your fucking texts?"
There was an edge of panic to the giant's voice, and Tony sat up straighter, his face tight.
"Over here. What's wrong?"
Emmett stopped short, walking into the living area at a more normal pace. "Hey, so sorry to interrupt. I didn't know you had company."
Jasper nodded. "No damage. Emmett, this is Kelly."
I gave Emmett a little wave but didn't speak. The less he knew about me the better.
"Hi, Kelly."
Tony and Emmett stared at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation.
"Problems?" Tony asked.
"I'll say. I really need your . . . expertise with a situation."
"Let me grab my shit."
Tony's demeanor became completely different. He was cool and clinical, moving more like a mercenary as he left the room, coming back moments later, wearing a snug jacket. I saw the telltale bulge of a gun, and fear rose up inside me, but I couldn't say anything.
"Right behind you," Tony told Emmett, then faced me and Jasper. "Jazz, so sorry for the interruption. I'll call you later." His eyes met mine, and he mouthed, "Wait for me."
"No problem, man. Take care of business."
Then the elevator closed, and they were gone.
I looked at Jasper. "What the fuck was that?"
His blue eyes met mine frankly. "He told me you know who he is, so I think you know what that was—a situation that needs to be handled. It's likely someone will end up dead or in a hospital—hopefully, not one of the Masen brothers."
"That was blunt. Thank you." I paced in front of the windows, looking out over the city. "I need some liquid courage."
"That I can help with." Jasper went behind the small wet bar. "Jasper's Pub is now open. Name your poison."
Two hours later, Angela and I were sitting on bar stools, sipping drinks and listening to Jasper's stories. He was surprisingly charming and funny. We found out he's a self-taught tech geek, programmer, and hacker and owns Hale Technologies, a billion dollar company. He and Tony went to the same private school until they graduated. Tony went to college abroad, and Jasper stayed behind and started his company. They remained the best of friends, and he claimed to know all of Tony's secrets.
"Well, you shouldn't have told me that!" My voice was a bit louder than normal as my inhibitions broke down. "Tell me a secret."
Although Jasper was drinking right along with us, he seemed perfectly sober. And now his face grew serious. "He fell hard for you. I've never seen him so affected or twisted up before."
Angela socked me in the arm, and I nearly fell off the stool. "Told you!"
I gripped the edge of the bar and stared into the amber liquid in my glass, unsure of what to say.
"Hey." Jasper waited for my eyes to meet his. "Don't hurt him, okay? He's a badass when it comes to many things, but he has tender spots. You're one of them."
"He told you that?"
"He didn't have to. I've known Tony since we were eight. He's my brother."
By two thirty, we still hadn't heard from Tony. I was drunk and worried. Angela was fast asleep on the loveseat, and there was no way we were driving home in our condition. Jasper invited us to spend the night. The penthouse was huge, so we each had our own room. I was thankful since the last time I slept in a bed with Angela, I had a backache for two days.
Jasper lifted Angela in his arms and carried her to a guest room, putting her down on the bed gently and covering her. She sighed in her sleep and tucked a hand under her cheek.
I texted Aro to let him know we were spending the night in the city with friends. As long as I was with Angela, Aro was agreeable. I'm not sure why, because she was the wilder one of us. She usually managed to pull off the mature and innocent act quite well though. I wasn't the best liar, but I was determined to improve my skills immediately; I'd have to if I wanted a chance to see what was between me and Tony.
Jasper showed me to the room next to Angela's and gave me a soft, old T-shirt to change into. In the en suite, I donned the shirt and removed the wig and glasses. Pulling a brush from my purse, I gave my hair a good hundred strokes, not because my hair was snarled up—which it was—but because of the soothing motion of the bristles moving through my hair, eliminating the knots until it was glossy and shimmering around my shoulders. Putting something back in order was what I craved, even if it was just my hair.
Jasper checked in on me on his way to bed. He looked down at me with sympathy when I confided how worried I was about Tony.
"He always comes home, Bella. And now he has an even better reason to."
"Thanks for the hospitality and for being such a good friend to Tony."
"Thank you. He's been lost for a long time."
Jasper left me in the bedroom with my swirling thoughts for company. I stood by the window, looking out at the dark night, wondering where Tony was and praying he was all right.
At three thirty, I could no longer keep my eyes open. I slid between the smooth sheets and fell into a deep slumber with Tony's handsome face behind my eyes.
~*oOo*~
A/N: They finally got some time together! It's not going to be an easy road, but I feel sorry for anyone who tries to get between Tony and Princess. What do you guys think?
A number of you mentioned you aren't receiving notifications. I do post teasers and links to updates on my blog and on Facebook in the No Rules Twilight Fan Fiction and It All Started With Twilight groups.
Thanks and gratefulness as always to my awesome betas, SassySue (chayasara) and Wendy wmr1601. These ladies make my stuff much more presentable!
My new drabble-ish story Animal was featured on The Lemonade Stand Sneak Peek feature on September 24th, teasing the summary, part of a chapter, and the banner. Animal started posting on October 1st and will update on Saturdays. Come check it out!
Follow me: Twitter atSaritaDreaming, Facebook SarahAislingAuthor, blog saritadreamingdotwordressdotcom.
