Shifters Storm by Tia Didmon
Chapter 4
Nick exited the elevator on the top floor of Evie’s apartment building. While the structure was older, it was in immaculate shape. It surprised him to find his mate lived in the penthouse suite. Nothing in her background suggested she came from money.
The spacious entryway boasted white and black tiles with mortar wall sconces. The white pillars with green planters atop them gave the apartment a Grecian feel. A state-of-the-art sound system, flat-screen TV, and opulent fireplace were recent additions.
Evie exited a room down the hallway, pulling on a light cardigan as she approached. “Thanks for picking me up. The apartment is so close I walk to work. I’ve never needed a vehicle.”
Nick pointed at a glass sculpture in the corner of the large room. “The artwork in here is amazing. You have quite an eye.”
Evie shook her head. “This isn’t my apartment. It’s owned by my boss. It’s a perk of working for him. Except for the M. Strucker painting, the rest came with the apartment.”
Nick’s eyebrows arched. “A Strucker painting?”
Evie motioned him toward the front room. She pointed at a picture on the wall in the hallway.
The landscape was pristine, with blades of grass bending in the artist’s wind. A single structure sat in the distance. The small hunter’s cabin with a tiny porch had a woman in a long blue dress and a white bonnet gazing toward the setting sun. Hues of pink and orange accented the blue sky.
Evie touched her chest. “I love this painting. My mother bought it when I was just a baby. It cost a fortune, but the painter was a woman from the mid-eighteenth century who’s known for her landscape portraits. Her work gets more popular as the years go by.” She leaned so close to the painting her nose brushed the canvas.
Nick swallowed the familiar lump in his throat. “Shall we go to the restaurant?” He held out his arm, smiling when she linked her arm in his.
The elevator music was calm and relaxing, but it was Evie’s presence that soothed his soul. His cat purred in his ear as her scent infused his senses. Her lavender and honey shampoo added to the intoxicating aroma that was unique to her.
The restaurant was only a few blocks away, but each step was torture as his body reacted to the sexy creature walking beside him. Their conversation was more to distract him than her. He pointed up the street. “I hope you don’t mind walking. The eatery is near by, and it’s such a beautiful evening.”
She smiled up at him. “It’s nice. I walk everywhere. I’m not sure why people bother with vehicles in the city.”
He nodded. “I hate confined spaces. I only drive when it’s necessary.”
She pursed her lips. “Honestly, I’m claustrophobic. Did you have an unpleasant experience?”
His eyes narrowed. “No. Did you?”
She was quiet for so long he wasn’t sure she would answer. “Yes.”
Nick stopped at the eatery. He glanced at the men two blocks away in black jackets and combat boots. The same bodyguards from the zoo. “What happened?”
Evie fiddled with the silver locket around her neck. “My mother was murdered when I was ten. She put me in the closet when the man arrived. I heard the muffled voices before she screamed. Then came the silence and darkness. I waited for hours before I found her body, but soon that darkness will become my reality.” She gazed down the street as if she saw past the traffic and the pedestrians hustling the sidewalk.
“What do you mean by that?” He turned her face towards him.
She shook her head curtly. “It’s nothing.”
The slick lie skated over his skin like ice. His cougar growled his displeasure, spurning him into action. He took her hand, darting down the alley beside a bakery, then through a back entrance to an adjacent restaurant. A server stood in a black and white suit. “Hey, Nick, your table is ready. “
He shook Marty’s hand. “Thanks man, I appreciated it.” He led Evie to a table in the corner of the quaint Italian restaurant.
“What was that about?” She sat down with a quizzical look.
He winked at her. “I know the back streets in Florence. I think you will like this place.”
She glanced at the door. “Don’t lie to me or I’m leaving right now.”
He sucked in a breath. “I would never lie to you, Evie. I thought someone was following us. While I could be wrong, crime is at an all-time high.”
She took a deep breath. “Fair enough.”
He wanted to ask her why she assumed he was lying to her, but a server came to take their order and it wasn’t Marty. The scantily clad waitress looked Nick over like he was her next meal.
“What would you like to drink, sweetness?” She licked her plump red lips.
Nick met Evie’s gaze. “What would you like? The red wines are excellent with the pasta here.”
Evie’s eyes narrowed. “Maybe we could get a drink menu?”
The waitress barely glanced at Evie as her eyes roamed over Nick. “I could make a couple of suggestions to whet your appetite.”
Nick continued to assess his mate. “The menus would be great.”
The obnoxious server left as Evie nibbled her lip. “Anything you pick is fine.”
He hated the defeated tone in her voice and wanted to reassure her, but the sultry waitress returned with two glasses of water. If he hadn’t been so focused on Evie, he would have caught the glass before it spilled over his chest.
He grabbed the ice cubes, but had no way to stop the icy liquid from saturating his white cotton shirt.
The girl went to her knees and began wiping his shirt. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I have a dryer in the back. I can fix this up for you in ten minutes.”
Nick graciously removed her hands from his chest. “It’s just water, I’m fine. Please get us two glasses of your house red and ask Marty to bring me another shirt.”
The waitress rushed away as Nick reached across the table and took Evie’s hand. “I’m sorry about that.”
Evie swallowed hard. “This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”
Nick frowned. “Why would you think an accident is your fault?”
Evie shrugged “Weird stuff always happens to me.”
His cat grumbled its disapproval as Marty approached the table.
Marty put his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Man, I am so sorry. I’ve assigned Lola a new table and will take care of you myself.” He handed Nick a black dress shirt.
Nick took off the wet shirt and put on Marty’s black one. It was snug, but he could fasten the buttons and had enjoyed the spike in Evie’s pulse when he had bared his chest to switch attire.
Marty was true to his word. The meal and wine were amazing, and Nick learned about the animals Evie cared for at the zoo. Her eyes lit up when she talked about Lotte. A female cougar she had nursed back to health after a hunting incident.
Shouting at another table interrupted the pleasant conversation, making them turn as a patron swore at the server. Evie looked down as Nick grabbed her hand. “This has nothing to do with you.” As he said the words, he wondered if he was wrong.
Fire raced through his bloodstream as if a candle had lit his soul. A matching fire lit her eyes as the growl vibrated in his chest. His cat didn’t care where they were or who was watching. It would claim its mate right there if he didn’t get a hold of his emotions. “Let’s head over to the clinic.”
His cat rose, assessing his woman. His eyes were amber and should have enlisted a question from his mate, but his chest squeezed when he realized she didn’t see it.
