Haven Read Online Free Page B

shoulders, warmth to battle the chill icing my skin. “This is not the way.”
    The men talked as if I wasn’t there. “What is the way? You see how she reacts to Maurizio and me. And how she is called to Alexander. It is time to open the door.”
    “I won’t let you hurt her.” Menace didn’t trickle from my brother, it flooded. The room’s testosterone level elevated as the two men faced off.
    Though their conversation put me on edge, I rolled my eyes at the alpha male display. I shrugged off Lorenzo’s grasp and raised my hand.
    “Hold up, He-Men. Who’s Alexander?” Yep, I ignored the disturbing topic—messing with my head—and went straight for info on the hot guy. What a great birthday prezzie he would be.
    Both men ignored me.
    The air cooled and power emanated from Thomas, a living thing filling the room. “You think you can stop me, boy ?”
    “She’s not your toy.” My brother stepped through the chill of it and crowded Thomas.
    To my surprise, Thomas laughed. The power riding the air disappeared with an almost tangible pop. “Believe what you must, Lorenzo, to ease your conscience.” His expression sobered. “But you will not interfere.”
    Lorenzo shoved me behind him. “Or. What?”
    “Do not push us.” The air crackled with energy, thick and hard to breathe through.
    “No. This is wrong,” my brother barked. “You can’t show up here and say ‘ hey, open sesame ’ as if there aren’t consequences.”
    “I can do many things.”
    “That’s beside the point, dammit. Let me talk to her first. Let me explain about the past and her power and what you did to her. Ease her into this.”
    My stomach churned. So, I was a pawn in someone else’s game. Their game.
    Clearly, this was the man my brother wanted me to meet, my uncle, an enigmatic man with power, a power responsible for my memory loss. But how? Why? And the comment about my power? I was strong enough and nimble as a cat, too, but instinct told me he referred to something else. But what?
    The unanswered questions shot ice pick pain straight into my skull and fear into my heart, fear the answers would tear apart me and my world. Memories or no childhood memories, I liked the life I’d built for myself. I was in no hurry to open up some metaphysical door in my brain, thank you very much.
    I stepped between the two men. “You both need to dial down the alpha male hormones. Forget about my head. It’s fine the way it is. And tell me about Alexander.”
    Alexander. His name alone made happy goosebumps dance across my skin.
    Thomas chuckled. “You see her focus, Lorenzo? We must free her mind and unleash her power, open what we closed all those years ago. We must do it now, or she will not survive his call.” He offered me his hand, his green eyes glowing with anticipation—and love? “Come, cara mia . It is time to return you to your full glory. It is time to come home.”
    I slipped my hand into his and let him draw me away from my brother.
    “Damn you, Thomas!” Lorenzo hurried after us.
    His shout snapped me out of whatever hypnotic spell Thomas cast over me. I pulled away. “Whoa there, Mister Crazy. I’m not going anywhere with you. Or you either, Lorenzo.”
    I waved off both men. “You’re both nuts. I’m going home then to my club. You two are not on the guest list so don’t even think about showing up there. Just leave me alone. Both of you.”
    They remained silent. I headed for the hallway and my friends.
    “It was not a pleasure to meet you, Uncle Thomas,” I tossed over my shoulder.
    His husky laugh followed me. “Oh but it will be, little one. It will be.”

Two
     
    The metaphysical mayhem at the W-T left my head thrumming with a wicked headache and my mood black. A pre-club disco nap followed by delivery Thai food and children’s chewable aspirin took the edge off, but I didn’t crack a smile until my goofy friends made me blow out a candle stuck in the sticky rice and mango dessert while they