Chapter 46

Trinity

The morning after Lucian left, Mark called me.

“What do you mean you know?”

“I know,” I said. “He told me---”

“Trinity---”

“And I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine!” He cried. “That monster---”

“Don’t call him that,” I said. “He’s… been honest with me. He’s not a monster. He was just protecting me.”

“Don’t be naïve,” Mark growled. “He wants something. He’s just---”

“Mark, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

“But—”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Really. I can handle it.”

He was about to protest, but I hung up. I looked at the screen as it flashed his contact information again and again, but I didn’t pick up. I didn’t want to hear any more warnings. I didn’t need to hear it and I wasn’t going to do anything that Mark thought I should. Lucian had been so honest with me. He loved me, and I loved him.

Finally, the phone stopped ringing. I knew that probably wasn’t going to be the end of it, but Mark was off somewhere for something. I didn’t know when he’d be back, but I didn’t care either. I got ready for the day and headed to work. Lucian had been gone for a while when I left, but he sent a car to pick me up and take me to work. It was much better than having to catch the bus.

I worked all morning before Sindia swung by my office and pulled me out for lunch at the café on campus.

“What’s the occasion?” I asked.

“Nothing. We haven’t had lunch together in a while, so it’s overdue. Just because I’m not your direct supervisor anymore doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Sindia.”

“You’re looking in better spirits,” Sindia said. “Better than you have been in a while. The police finally leaving you alone?”

“That too,” I laughed.

“How’s your dad doing?”

I grinned. “Hopefully going on a date soon, but all healed up!”

Sindia grinned. “That’s great. Are you planning to move out of your friends’ place soon?”

I worried my lip. “We’ve talked about it, but not with him. I don’t… want him to feel like we haven’t appreciated it.”

She waved her hand. “If he’s really your friend, he’ll understand you and your dad’s need to have your own space and invited you over for chili on Saturdays.”

I laughed as we got to the café, ordered and snagged a booth in the corner. Then, she gasped.

“And who gave you that?” Sindia asked.

I wrinkled my nose. “My… boyfriend.”

Sindia lifted an eyebrow at me and my face heated what else was I supposed to call Lucian?

“Well, I know you said you were worried about money a while ago, but…” she eyed the necklace. “There’s a necklace that’s in a bunch of different history books that looks a lot like that from the paintings it’s been in. If that’s the real thing, or even a damn good copy, you could be a millionaire already.”

I blinked. I tried not to be weird as our food arrived. Lucian was a vampire, so it wasn’t likely that the necklace was a fake.

“A millionaire?”

Her lips twitched. “At minimum. Maybe more.”

I couldn’t think straight. What was he thinking giving me something so valuable to just walk around in? It was way too expensive to give me. I pulled out my phone and texted him.

When are you free?

“It was a gift,” I said slowly. “If I knew how valuable it might be… I don’t think I would have taken it.”

I tucked it beneath my shirt and ate with Sindia, trying not to check my phone every few seconds for a reply. As soon as he was free, I was going to return the necklace to him.

After lunch, we headed to the hospital to work. I did my best to keep it covered. My heart was racing. I felt like everyone was looking at me. I didn’t know how long it had been since I had lunch with Sindia, but my phone rang as I was getting some paperwork together.

I’m downstairs at the hospital.

I set the pages aside, relieved that he’d finally replied. I headed downstairs as quickly as possible. As I headed toward the main foyer, I saw him speaking with a nurse who looked like she was ready to give him anything that he wanted. He looked up at me and smirked before excusing himself.

He led me into a private meeting room and pulled me into his arms for a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. He pulled back slowly.

“Have you missed me so much?” He asked with a smile. “I have nearly half an hour before I have somewhere to be.”

I bit my lip and pulled back. “I just wanted to return this to you.”

He frowned as I took off the necklace and gave it to me. The red and gold of his eyes shifted, seemingly starting to glow as he glanced down at the necklace.

“Do you not like it?”

I shook my head. “I do. It’s just… It’s too expensive for me to just wear it around all the time.”

I winced. “It’s too expensive. I can’t accept it.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “No one but me can assign a value to it. It’s a family heirloom.”

“But…”

He unclasped it and slipped it back around my neck. “Do not worry so much. We’re already together, the value of this trinket isn’t important.”

The look in his eyes as he put it back on and adjusted it on my neck left me speechless. He looked so happy to see me in it.

“Okay,” I said, unable to refuse. “I’ll keep it if that’s what you want.”

“It is.” He frowned. “Yet, you don’t look happy. Are you unhappy with your work here at the hospital?”

I said nothing, holding the necklace in my hand.

“I can send you to a private psychological counseling hospital.”

I wasn’t entire surely that I registered what he was saying as I stared at the necklace. It was so nice to get gifts. He was being so nice to me, but I didn’t have anything I could give him in return.

At least, I didn’t think I did.

“You seem tired,” he said and cupped my face. “Go home. Rest for a few days. I’ll come to you in a few days.”

“Okay.”

I don’t know what he said to my supervisor, but soon, I was in his car being driven back to Mark’s. I walked in the house a little dazed and still wondering what I was supposed to give him in return. I didn’t have anything valuable. I knew there wasn’t anything I could really buy that would help.

The car came back to take me to give blood over the next few days, and I didn’t hear from Lucian in that time. It gave me time to think about it.

“What’s on your mind?” My dad asked, coming out of his room, looking like he was getting ready to the house. I sat up and eyed him.

“Have you asked her out yet?”

He smiled. “I did.”

“And.”

“Soon,” he said. “What’s got you looking so lost in thought?”

I tilted his head. “I’m… trying to figure out a gift.”

“What sort of gift?”

“To my boyfriend.”

He smiled. “Well, I’d suggest a home-cooked meal, but you can’t cook.”

“Dad!” I groaned. “Be serious.”

“Well, what does he like? Is it his birthday?”

I didn’t even know when Lucian’s birthday was. Would he even understand what that was? Did vampires even celebrate birthdays?

“No, and I’m really not sure.”

He eyed me. “You’re sleeping with this man, and you don’t know what he likes?”

My jaw dropped. “Dad!”

He shrugged. “I’m not judging. I’m just saying. Are you sure he’s your boyfriend and not just your---”

“Dad!” I cried. “We… We’re… It’s just---”

He put a hand on my head. He ruffled my hair. “Relax. I’m just teasing. It’s good to see you… happy. Okay?”

I pouted up at him. “We are dating.”

He smirked. “You young people wouldn’t know what dating was if it bit you in the face, but sure. So, take him somewhere nice.”

I scoffed. “He has plenty of money. He can… go wherever he wants.”

“Then give him something he can’t buy,” he said and stretched. He grabbed his lunch out of the refrigerator and kissed my head. “I’m sure he’ll like it, even if it’s just some new underwear.”

“Dad!” He cackled as he laughed.

I didn’t want to laugh, but it was hard not to. Dad was in such a better mood these days. It was almost like we were both healing from everything that had happened.

Still, his words gave me an idea.

A few days later, my phone rang and it was Lucian.

“Can we meet?”