Turbulence (15 page)

“Some housekeeper you are. When you’re done, there won’t be
a house to keep.” She laughed again.

Avalon glared at her. Nyah looked even more beautiful than
yesterday, wearing a crop top, high-waisted jeans, and high heels. She was
confident and attractive. Just the person Greyson should have at his side.

“Is there something I can do for you?” Avalon bit out
through clenched teeth.

Nyah looked her up and down with a disapproving eye. “As if
you could. Nice dress. Made it yourself?” The way she said it, Avalon knew the
compliment was actually an insult.

She glanced down at the light blue fabric draped across her
body. “Yes. I make most of my clothing.”

Nyah checked over her manicured nails, not even bothering to
look at her anymore. “How…nice. What’s your name, housekeeper?”

“Avalon.”

“Avalon. Cute. Where is Greyson? He left me in bed all
alone. I’m surprised he could even get up. He was such an animal last night.
He’s a very virile man, Avalon. But you wouldn’t know anything about that,
would you?”

As much it hurt, Avalon wouldn’t let Nyah goad her into a
quarrel. She had enough drama to last a lifetime. “Greyson left out the
backdoor. I’m not sure where he went, however.”

“Thanks, housekeeper.” Nyah looked up, narrowed her eyes. “FYI,
Greyson will always be mine. I might have lost Dex, but I will never lose
Greyson. No matter where we live, who we’re seeing at the time, or any other
circumstance. Save yourself the heartache and walk away.”

It was time for this woman to leave before Avalon blew a
gasket. But when Nyah and Greyson came back, Avalon wouldn’t be here. “I
appreciate the advice. Don’t forget your jacket on the way out. Don’t want you
to catch a cold.”

“We both know that’s not possible. But thanks for caring.”
She wiggled her fingers in a wave and sauntered away.

----

“You should have seen her face. I thought she was going to
vomit or something.” Nyah laughed loudly and slapped her knee.

Greyson tightened his grip on the steering wheel of his SUV.
“It’s not that funny when Avalon is still at the farmhouse and you’re heading
to the airport. Is it?”

Nyah’s smile dropped, only to be replaced by a scowl. “I
wouldn’t be leaving if you hadn’t forced me to.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that what we had is
over?”

“You never explained why. Not really, anyway,” she pouted
like the spoiled woman she was. “You’re just in one of your moods. You will
change your mind like you always do sooner or later.”

“Not this time, Nyah.” Greyson knew it with a certainty that
he never expected to feel.

“Why?”

“That’s just the way it is.”

He tried to feel something for Nyah, but there was nothing
there. Not even sexual attraction and that was what their relationship was
based on. He explained that to her. They spent hours talking the day before.
She was just too pigheaded and conceited to listen. Greyson even went so far as
to lock his door last night to prevent her from sneaking into his room during
the middle of the night.

Her eyes narrowed. She reminded him of a lethal viper that a
person would do well to stay away from if they did not want to be bit
eventually. “It’s her, isn’t it? Avalon? You said she was the housekeeper.”

“She is the housekeeper.”

“She’s more than that to you. I see it in your stupid face.”
She slapped him upside the head, sending hair into his face. Nyah could be so
petty. She was lucky he didn’t believe in hitting women.

Greyson shook the hair from his eyes. He had avoided
mentioning anything about Avalon to Nyah. It wasn’t her business, but if it
would allow her to get the message finally then he’d just have to tell her.

“Avalon and I have been seeing each other.”

Nyah shrugged. “So what? You see a lot of women. I know
that.”

“Avalon is different. She’s my… She’s just different.”

“Enough to give me up?”

“Yeah. Enough to give everyone up,” he admitted. Who would
have thought Greyson would ever say those words?

Nyah stared long and hard at him like he suddenly grew three
eyes and a horn on his forehead. Then she burst out laughing, throwing her head
back.

“Oh, man. You almost had me, Grey. That was good.” She wiped
the tears streaming from her eyes. “Glad to see your sense of humor is back. I
thought something was wrong with you. You wouldn’t even drink with me last
night.”

Greyson ground his teeth together. “I’m going to kick you
out on the side of the road.”

She sobered up quickly. “You can’t be serious? Her? That
dowdy thing?”

“Just because she doesn’t show off everything doesn’t mean
she is dowdy. Avalon is beautiful.” Greyson wanted to bow at her feet.

“More beautiful than me?” Nyah inquired with not a little
attitude and a lifting of her chin. “That’s not even possible.”

Greyson blew out a breath of air. Though Nyah like to
portray herself as confident, she was insecure and unsure of herself. It showed
in questions like that. “It’s not a contest. You are both gorgeous in different
ways. And just so you know, it’s not her outward beauty that makes me want
her.”

Nyah crossed her arms over her chest. “This is all a pile of
baloney. After all the years we’ve been together, not once have you ever gotten
rid of the other women for me. You won’t do it for her either. You may think
you will, Grey, but you will not be faithful. It’s not in your DNA.”

“To hell with you, Nyah. You don’t know shit.”

“That’s why you’re irritated. You know I’m right.”

Greyson bit his tongue—literally—and bided his time until he
dropped Nyah’s pretty ass off at the airport. Thanks to her, things were on the
rocks with him and Avalon. Granted, he hadn’t exactly made Avalon feel
comfortable or secure about her position in his life. He had to shoulder a
great deal of the blame.

Greyson had a lot of butt kissing to do. If Avalon would only
let him.

Chapter 15

Avalon pulled the needle and thread through the purple
fabric then held it up to inspect the stitch. It wasn’t as straight as she
would have liked, but it would do for the dress she envisioned in her mind.

Though she loved to read in her spare time, she also liked
to sew. It relaxed her while keeping her busy at the same time. In the quiet of
her bedroom, it was what she needed after the week she had.

She pulled the needle through again, wincing when she poked
herself in the finger. Again. Usually it didn’t happen so often, but she
continued to stick herself with that darn needle. Avalon suspected it was
because her mind continued to glide back to Greyson every five minutes. She
told herself she wouldn’t think about him or give him anymore of her time than
she already had, but it was no use.

He was all she could focus on. How good looking he was. How
wonderful he made her feel. How no other man would ever take his place in her
heart. Yet those things could not trump how betrayed she felt by him. He called
a handful of times—she didn’t answer—and apologized for how things went down
with Nyah. Apparently, the other woman went back to wherever she came from.

Though Nyah leaving was a good thing for Avalon, she
couldn’t help but still feel threatened by the woman. Why would Greyson end
whatever he had with Nyah just for her? Yeah, he wouldn’t and the truth of that
hurt.

Her cell phone rang. Dex’s name popped up on the screen.
That was odd. He didn’t usually call her. It must be an emergency.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Avalon. Sorry to bother you, but I need a favor.”

“Anything. What is it?”

“Lily and I have plans tonight for a nice quiet dinner in
town. Something came up and I’m not going to be able to make it. She already
left. I tried calling her and she’s not answering. Would you mind taking my
place? I don’t want her to think she’s being stood up.”

Avalon planned to stay in for the rest of the night, sewing
and watching movies when her hands got too tired. However, Dex had been so nice
to her from the beginning that she couldn’t really say no.

“Okay. I can meet her.”

“Great. Thank you, Avalon. We’re meeting at seven at that
new Italian restaurant. It’s about sixty thirty now and the last van taking
people into town is leaving. I’ll tell them to wait for you.”

“All right. I’ll hurry.”

“You are a gem, Avalon. I owe you.” He hung up.

Avalon laid her sewing kit and the fabric to the side. She
changed into a new dress. It was green and shorter than the others she wore—a
little below knee length. It was her attempt at being more modern and free. She
re-braided her hair and tucked it back into the usual bun.

The van was still waiting when Avalon got there. The seats
in the back were all filled, so she sat beside the driver in the front. The
vans were Dex and Greyson’s idea to ensure whenever people went into town they
didn’t go alone, especially when it got dark. It was convenient for people like
Avalon who did not own a car.

She arrived at the restaurant ten minutes after seven. It
was strangely quiet in the eatery, enough so that she was able to hear the instrumental
music wafting from the speakers clearly. Now that she was looking around, it
was also oddly empty. Not one person there beside her and the host waiting near
the entrance.

“Are you Avalon Mills?” the young host asked. He looked
barely old enough to be working.

“Umm, yes.”

“Awesome. Follow me.” He practically skipped away and Avalon
figured he was probably in high school like Raleigh—the teen that liked to hang
around Ross and occasionally stopped by to visit Lily.

He led her through the empty restaurant and to a table. Lily
wasn’t there yet. “Here is your menu. Your waiter will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you.”

This was strange. Why would Lily and Dex want to have dinner
in a restaurant with no patrons? The few times Avalon had walked past the
eatery it had always been full of customers. From the article she read by the
local food critic and what she heard from individuals who ate here before, the
food was really good. The lack of people made no sense.

Avalon simply shrugged to herself and perused the menu. She
would not be a pig like the last time she ate at a restaurant with Ross. One
entrée would do.

“Good evening. I will be your waiter tonight. What can I get
you to drink?”

That voice. Avalon glanced up. Her mouth dropped open.

“Greyson. What are you doing here?”

“I’m serving you. Drink?”

She was too stunned to answer him. His hair was pulled back
into a neat low ponytail. He wore starched black pants, a white dress shirt and
a red vest. Greyson usually didn’t wear anything other than black. And with his
temperament, he certainly didn’t work as a waiter.

Avalon couldn’t believe this. What was going on?

He tapped his pencil against the notepad in his hand.
“Avalon, I’m not going to stand here all night. What would you like to drink?”

“Lemonade,” she croaked over the lump in her throat.

He scribbled it down and nodded. “Do you know what you would
like to eat?”

“What’s good?”

“Since I’m also the chef tonight and I recently learned how
to make spaghetti, that’s what is waiting in the back. So I’d say spaghetti.”

“Then I’ll have spaghetti,” she stated.

“I’ll be right back.”

Not more than five minutes later, Greyson returned with a
tray balanced expertly on one hand. He slid her plate in front of her followed
by the glass of lemonade. He put his own plate across the table along with a
glass of wine then placed the tray on one of the other tables before sitting
down.

The spaghetti looked delectable. There was even some type of
white cheese sprinkled on top. She’d never had this dish before, but she dug
in. Her brows lifted in surprise. It tasted as good as it looked.

“This is delicious. Did you really make it?”

His lips twitched into a smile. “Yep. The real chef at this
place taught me how to make it.” Greyson sipped from his wine glass. “You’d be
proud to know this is grape juice. I’m trying to be good.”

He was indeed trying and making strides with his addiction.
She was proud of him. But even if Avalon wanted to pretend things were fine
between them and this was just a regular date, the last week would not allow
her to do so.

“What is this all about, Greyson? I thought I was meeting
Lily.”

 He put his glass on the table. “You want to do this now?
Fine. I got Dex to help me get you here. You weren’t answering my phone calls.
I needed to see you, sunshine.”

“You could have just walked down the road. My address has
not changed.” She expected him to drop by. Had waited for it.

“True, but I knew you wouldn’t see me. You haven’t come to
work for days. So I rented out this place and wore this dumb uniform just for
you.”

“That was very sweet of you.” It warmed her heart like
nothing before had. “But if you think this will excuse your behavior, then you
are greatly mistaken.”

“I don’t think that at all. I have been trying to
apologize,” he said, his face somber and heavy with remorse. “My actions hurt
you and I’m sorry. I jumped all over you for not telling your grandmother about
me and then the whole Nyah thing was like icing on the crappy cake. I swear I
did not know she was coming.”

“I believe you.” When he saw Nyah was in the farmhouse, he
had been surprised.

He leaned across the table and took her hand. “I should have
told you about Nyah. She and I go back, but she means nothing to me. I told her
that I’m with you and only you. I ended things with all the other women I used
to mess around with. Nyah. Jalena. Everybody. I only want you, Avalon.”

“So nothing happened between you and anyone else either?”

“Not since you and I have been together. I haven’t even
looked at another woman with lustful intentions. Believe me when I say I am
deeply sorry for everything, Avalon. Don’t give up on me.”

Either because she cared for him more than words could say
or because of the guilt and honesty in his cocoa brown eyes, Avalon felt her resolve
melting into a puddle of sympathy.

“I forgive you. That doesn’t mean things are perfect between
us. We have a lot to work on.
I
have a lot to work on. You are the first
man I have ever dated. This is all new to me, Greyson.”

“I know. It’s new to me too. That’s why I want you to move
into the farmhouse with me.” He released her hand and sat back, reaching for
his fork to finally eat his meal.

Avalon barely managed to keep from choking on the food in
her mouth and had to gulp down lemonade to stop coughing. “You’re not serious.”

“I am serious. I want a future with you, Avalon. I’m not
going to lie to you and say it will include bonding and children because
chances are more than good that it won’t. Nevertheless, I want you in my life.
I can’t imagine being with anyone else. I hope it’s the same for you.”

It was the same. Avalon didn’t even want another man. None
could compare to Greyson. But was moving in with him a mistake? Things hadn’t
exactly been ice cream and rainbows. Would taking this next step mean giving up
her dream of someday being a mate and mother? It seemed like it. But Avalon was
willing to sacrifice for them to work.

“What about my grandmother?” she wondered. “I can’t leave
her.”

He twirled spaghetti around his fork. “You’re not leaving
her. You’re moving five minutes away. You can see her every day. You have a
life, sunshine. She understands that. I guarantee it.”

That was all true, but it still felt like she would be
abandoning Veeva. Nevertheless, it was time Avalon stepped out. Maybe living
with Greyson was what their relationship needed. “Okay. I’ll move in with you.”

The grin Greyson gave her was bright enough to light the
whole Earth for days. “That makes me extremely happy, Lonnie Girl.”

He snapped his fingers and a man with an instrument that
looked like a tiny guitar pressed between his chin and shoulder appeared out of
nowhere. Greyson informed her that the instrument was called a violin. Whatever
it was, the sound coming from it was lovely and romantic.

The man played while they finished their meal and conversed.
It was so perfect. The only thing that could spoil the evening was another
visit from Nyah.

----

Avalon walked hand in hand with Greyson down the street.
They didn’t really have anywhere to go and she didn’t mind the aimlessness of
it all. She didn’t even mind the cold since Greyson was keeping most of it away
from her with his talent with air.

He bent down to kiss her for what seemed like the hundredth
time. He couldn’t seem to stop and Avalon had to admit that she liked it.

“I feel like a youngster again with you, Lonnie Girl. I
might even start writing you sappy letters.”

She wrinkled her nose. “No. You wouldn’t do such a thing.”
Love letters was very un-Greyson. The image of it would not even materialize in
her mind.

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Who knows? You make me
want to do things I never do.”

“I hope that’s not a bad thing.”

“It’s not. You’re good for me.”

She smiled. Her heart filled with joy. “You’re good for me
too. And you’re really sexy.”

“So you just like the way I look, huh?” Greyson wagged his
golden brows. “I am pretty good-looking.”

“Yes, you are.”

He snorted. “Who said girls weren’t shallow.”

“I’m not shallow. I just—”

“Quiet!” He threw his hand back and halted her steps. Like
an animal, he cocked his head, listened to the sounds around them. Avalon’s
pulse kicked up a notched. She hadn’t noticed before, but the air around them
felt thick with malevolence. It gave her goose bumps.

They had turned off the main street a few blocks back. The
street they were on now was quiet. A little too quiet.

“What’s happening?” she whispered.

“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.” Even through a whisper,
his voice sounded grim.

Just then, the streetlight above them seemed to blow up.
What felt like water rained down on them. Greyson grabbed her hand and dragged
her backward.

“When I tell you to run, run as fast as you can. Okay?” His
eyes darted back and forth, scanning something Avalon couldn’t see.

She swallowed deeply. “I won’t leave you. I can help you.”

“Don’t argue.” He released her hand. “Run! Now!”

Even though she didn’t want to, Avalon turned and ran as
fast as her legs would carry her, her dress flapping in the wind. Greyson’s
morning runs had come in handy. Whatever was back there, she knew he could
handle it. He was strong. He could fight.

But what if it was something he couldn’t fight? What if it
was whoever had murdered Davie Riddick and they planned to kill Greyson? Avalon
skidded to a stop. She had to go back. If something terrible happened to
Greyson, she would never forgive herself.

Avalon sprinted back to where she left him. There were two
bodies on the ground. One had a knife sticking from his chest as he lay in a
pool of dark blood. The other’s head was twisted at an unnatural angle. Neither
of them was Greyson. Thank God.

She found him exchanging blows with another male. The other
man was not as tall or as powerfully built as Greyson, but he was just as
dangerous. Maybe even more so since he didn’t seem as experienced. He was a
scrapper. He punched Greyson in the stomach so hard that Avalon gasped.

It was a small sound, yet the man looked at Avalon and she
felt chilled right down to the bone. He had the face of very young man, but
those eyes… His eyes were jet black and cold with death. They flashed a lush,
impossible green before turning back to black.