Page 42 of His Haunted Desire

“A few months,” Raiden says. “A date here, a date there, though things are getting more serious lately. Right, Aurora?”

He looks at me intently, and I know that playtime is over. He needs his partner–no, his employee–to play her role to perfection now. “Yes, it’s true.”

“And you’re only telling me now, this weekend?” Evangeline says, perhaps wondering if she’s being tricked. But there’s hope in her voice. It’s like she wants to believe it, desperately needs to know her grandson has found someone.

For the first time since this started, guilt threatened to bury me.

Is it fair to trick her?

Reality check, Aurora. This isn’t my responsibility. I need the cash for Grandma. That’s all there is to it.

“I didn’t want you to get excited before I knew this, us, was going to be more than a few dates,” he says. “What if I told you then we broke up?”

“I’m just happy to seeyouhappy… and settled for the Retreat. It’s so wonderful.”

“Thanks, Grandma,” Raiden says, shifting awkwardly in his chair. He clearly doesn’t enjoy deceiving his grandmother.

“I should be thankingyou.” Evangeline beams at me. “I can’t express how happy I am to see my grandson like this. Head over heels. I never dreamed I’d see it. Have you thought about children?”

“Easy, Grandma,” Raiden says, laughing tensely. “It’s only been a few months.”

“I didn’t ask if you’re going to have them right away, did I? I merely want to know if the thought has crossed your mind. Is that so bad?”

“We haven’t discussed it,” I jump in.

This could be one step too far: promising an elderly lady she has a shot at grandkids when I’ve got no intention of ever seeing Raiden again after this weekend.

“Well… don’t wait too long.” Evangeline winks. “Listen to me! I shouldn’t pressure you. That’s not fair. Enough talk–let’s eat!”

As I take a pastry and pour a mug of coffee, my heart is hammering and my throat is suddenly dry.

I feel dirty, guilty, seedy somehow.

I push it all deep down. I can’t dwell on this.

Sure, I’m giving this sweet old lady false hope. But it’s necessary. I have to give Evangeline false hope to give my grandmotherrealhope.

It’s a price I’m going to have to get comfortable paying.

CHAPTER 16

RAIDEN

As we walk back through the estate, Aurora seems more withdrawn. Her hand is on my arm., She doesn’t say anything, but it’s… her energy. Damn. That sounds stupid. But I can feel something is off.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

She stops, looking up at a painting of a Victorian hanging, the crowd gathered around, baying for blood. “That didn’t feel good,” she says. “Lying to her–making her believe there’s a chance, even a small one, that I’m going to give her grandchildren one day.”

“It didn’t,” I agree. “This was her deal though. She didn’t say anything about long-term commitment. Just this weekend. Just the Retreat.”

Aurora grabs my shirt lapels, looks up at me, her eyes confrontational from within the mask. “And you’re fine with this?”

“I didn’t say that,” I tell her. “It’s just the way things have to be.” A pause. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t need to.”