Chapter 38
Chapter 38:
Street Scene: Tribeca.
Aurora was walking the last block. She didn’t have an umbrella. The rain plastered her hair to her face. Her blazer was soaked. She was shivering, but she kept walking, head down against the wind.
A car pulled up alongside her. It slowed to a crawl. The window rolled down.
“Get in,” a voice commanded.
Aurora stopped. She looked into the dark interior. She saw gray eyes.
“Mr. Thorne p>
“Get in, Aurora. You look like a drowned rat p>
“I’m fine,” she said, though her teeth were chattering. “I’ll ruin the leather. I’m soaking wet p>
“The leather is replaceable,” Elias said smoothly. “You are not. Get in p>
Aurora felt a flush of heat that had nothing to do with the temperature. It was a rare event for her to blush. She opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
The car was warm. It smelled of sandalwood and expensive climate control. Soft classical music played from the speakers—Rachmaninoff. Graves, the elderly driver, nodded politely to her in the rearview mirror.
“Seatbelt,” Elias said.
Graves pulled back into traffic.
Elias’s phone, mounted on the dashboard, rang. The Bluetooth system engaged automatically.
Caller ID: Beatrice Thorne
Elias sighed. He tapped the screen. “Mother p>
“Elias!” Beatrice’s voice filled the car, cultured but imperious. “I found her! I found a wife for you p>
Discover new books gαℓησν𝒆ℓs․com
Aurora froze. She tried to make herself small in the seat, pressing against the door.
“Mother, I am occupied,” Elias said, glancing at Aurora.
“Listen to me! She is the daughter of the Texas Oil Tycoon! She has excellent breeding and a Ph.D. in Art History!” Beatrice ranted. “You need a woman, Elias! Someone with fire! Someone like that wonderful girl I met in the hospital garden weeks ago. You know, the one who put those arrogant doctors in their place! The one Julian told me about p>
Aurora stopped breathing. She was the girl from the garden.
“She had backbone!” Beatrice continued. “She didn’t care about my last name. That’s what we need in the dynasty p>
Elias’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk. He glanced at Aurora, who looked horrified.
“Actually, Mother,” Elias said, his voice dripping with amusement, “I am with the doctor right now p>
Silence. Dead silence on the line.
“Oh!” Beatrice gasped. “You are? In the car p>
“Yes p>
“Well!” Beatrice’s tone shifted instantly from nagging to delight. “Don’t let me interrupt! Bring her to dinner! We have much to discuss! Goodbye p>
Click.
The call ended.