“Everything but one.”
Yuri paused and drew in a sharp breath. “Have I made a mistake? I followed your list exactly.”
Atticus tuned out the noisy birds in the nearby tree and cleared his throat. “The fresh fruit wasn’t in the bedroom.”
“I am sorry. I was rushing to get everything ready last night and must have forgotten.”
“Details are important, Yuri. You’re more than a manager. I trust you above anyone, and that’s why I pay you well. The fruit isn’t the issue. It’s remembering a task. One day, it could be something crucial, and I need to be able to count on you.”
“How can I make it up?”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
“Of course.”
“The details and presentation are splendid. Thanks for coming out on short notice. I have a substantial bonus you can look forward to this week.” Atticus admired a butterfly that landed on his arm. “Keep your phone with you. I’ll need more produce soon and don’t care to leave for such a frivolous task. Can you manage the club yourself?”
“Without question.”
“Remember what I said about only allowing local Vampires inside. If you or your employees don’t recognize them, keep them out. I don’t want them on the property. Make sure the kitchen employees topside are all wearing sunglasses. You heard about the interlopers causing trouble in town. I don’t want them in or near my club.”
“How long is the ban in place?”
“Until those men are caught or dead. I’ll let you know. Talk more soon.”
Atticus ended the call and lingered on the steps a moment longer to admire his estate. Yuri knew nothing about the situation with Joy, and like a good employee, he didn’t ask questions about setting up a guest room. Atticus had learned in his three thousand years that loyal men were incredibly difficult to find. Being a Mage, Yuri didn’t have family. He lived for work and took pride in his job. Atticus had spotted his ambition early on and ran a background check before promoting him to more important roles.
The butterfly flitted around him before taking its leave to migrate south.
Once inside, Atticus assembled a bowl of fruit, meticulously washing and drying each piece. There were oranges, apples, pears, and red grapes. The refrigerator had several cantaloupes, and he hoped they were ripe.
Atticus thought of his home as an investment, but it hadn’t occurred to him how unnecessarily spacious it was until he had to walk that fruit bowl back to her room. Perhaps he should have placed her in one of the rooms near the kitchen, but he wanted to give Joy the best view each morning when she woke up.
He tapped on her door, but when she didn’t answer, his Vampire hearing picked up on her heavy breathing. After silently stepping inside, Atticus set the bowl on the table. Then he approached the oversized chair and gazed down at the radiant Shifter. Joy’s champagne curls were an elegant shade of blond, and he guessed she kept her hair cut above the shoulders because anything longer would be difficult to maintain.
He’d never seen her sleeping, so he stole the moment to admire her lovely face. Her rosy cheeks made his heart quicken. Being a Vampire, he noticed the way blood colored a person’s skin. The way capillaries and veins became more prominent when angry, excited, or lying. The way the nipples flushed when aroused. Even the tiny blood vessels in the eyes gave away a person’s emotions.
Her steady heartbeat almost drowned out the one inside her belly, which was beating abnormally fast.
It troubled him. The unnatural beat had prompted him to call the Relic. While Joy assured him that everything was fine, he wanted to hear it from the Relic’s mouth.
Atticus bent down and gently lifted her into his arms. She was incredibly light due to his Vampire strength. Instead of placing her inside the covers, he set her down on herside in the center of the enormous pregnancy pillow. Though he didn’t spend time around pregnant women, Atticus was somewhat familiar with modern comforts after one of his former employees raved over her pillow. So he put it on the list and hoped Yuri could get one on short notice. Yuri had connections and could accomplish anything in record time.
He lifted the long end of the pillow and gently placed it between her legs. While Joy snuggled into it, Atticus got a good look at her side profile.
She should be larger. Something’s not right.
Instead of lowering the noisy shutters, he closed the drapes. The silence that normally filled his house was now replaced with a rhythmic symphony of breaths, heartbeats, skin rustling against the pillow, and amusing stomach gurgles.
Atticus stood by the bed and inspected the room. As instructed, Yuri had removed the original paintings and replaced them with calming pastorals. Even the poetry books were curated. The fragrant flowers were uplifting, and he’d even bought her every color of yarn. Knowing she liked to knit, he had Yuri bring up a comfortable chair for her to sit in for extended periods.
Nothing about this preparation was carelessly thought out or superfluous. He had even ordered clothes to be delivered. The only feature her room lacked was a fireplace, and she might need one soon the way the weather kept fluctuating.
The thought of her indefinite stay made him look forward to things he could do for her. Cooking her meals, surprising her with flowers, getting to know her. He wanted Joy to feel at home.
Closing the door, he took one last look through the narrow crack. He had known countless beautiful and powerful women and yet never once felt an inkling of what he’d experienced the first time he laid eyes on Joy. Her radiant aura lit a fire within him. He still remembered the alluring fragranceof her floral perfume, the warmth of her bubbly laugh, and his disappointment when discovering that she had a mate. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, given her condition. Even if shehadbeen single, was he presumptuous enough to believe he could’ve caught a Shifter’s eye?
Finding out that she and Salem weren’t mated didn’t fill him with hope. Instead, it pissed him off to know that someone had only pretended to love her.
