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After dinner alked around, holding hands, talking about nothing in particular, just laughing and enjoying each other’s company I couldn't have asked for a better birthday The last few had been pretty shitty, spending them by myself

We passed ht lass s displayed the roo froraphy

“Co the way inside

“You want to buy some art, baby?”

“Maybe”

“Is that right? Mine not good enough anymore?”

She shrugged, grinning at me as we made our way to one of the other rooms

“Way to crush ato kickhurt

“There’s actually this really hot new artist that I have been dying to show you”

“The fuck?” I breathed out

“Briggs,” the oalked over to us, interrupting our conversation “Is this hi only at me

She beamed

“Austin, right?”

I nodded

“Rafael”

We shook hands

“I told Briggs I had been dying to reat addition to uard

“Excuse me?”

Briggs cleared her throat, stepping in between us

“I’ht back”

Rafael nodded in understanding

“Baby, what’s going—”

“Close your eyes”

I arched an eyebrow, cocking my head to the side

“Don’t you trustme a kiss

I caught it in the air and placed it near my heart

“Withmy eyes

It didn’t take long to walk through the s our destination

“Keep them closed, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am”

She let go of my hand and turnedbehind me, she placed her hands over my eyes

“Happy birthday, Austin,” sheher hands away

I blinked et rid of the haze I stood face to face with the picture I drew of Briggs the day she toldof her first tattoo Except, it didn’t have the date written over her clavicle bone anymore, it had been replaced with…

Daisy

Briggs

I had wanted to tell him whatfor the right ti to art school and it not being possible, I i up

There were very few people in New York that my uncle didn’t know When I asked hi with the owner of the art gallery, the sa for several ation of why from my uncle

He didn’t

He hung up, and an hour later he texted me the date and time

Austin turned around to face me with a look I had never seen before He sers found htly up and down I leaned into his e of his wararettes

He broughtme a few times and murmured, “Nice to finally meet you, Daisy”

His bright blue eyes weren't telling me what he wanted to say like they normally do I waited on pins and needles

“Daisy, I’m in—”

“Daisy,” I heard a voice call out, pulling my attention from Austin

I gri dropped Austin frowned, taking in host And in a way I had, the reaction froer existed Austin followed the voice from behind me

My torlds were about to collide

“Daisy, is that you?” he added, co closer

I shut atherhavoc on aze into my future, Austin, with a concerned expression on his handsome face

Taking a deep breath, I turned to peer into my past and said,

“Esteban”

Chapter 20

Briggs

I nervously coaxed, unsure of what to say or what to do

He looked older No longer the o His once blue, familiar, warm eyes were cold and dark Sad even

“Wow… you look Different,” he laughed

I looked down at lad to see you… alive,” I blurted

I never knehat happened to hied his bloody body from my room The last tih courage to ask ht To be honest, I didn’t think he would ever tell me the truth anyway

Austin stepped besideoff of hi into my skin

I reached over and held his hand, trying to ease his answers

“Aren’t you going to introducetoward Austin

“Right Esteban this is my umm…” I frowned not sure how to introduce hi a hole in the side ofto hear hoould respond

“U my hold on his hand to reassure him

“I’m Esteban” He reached out his hand and Austin shook it “I used to be Daisy’s bodyguard”

Austin nodded, unsure of how to proceed with the man that knew my real name

“Look at you all grown up now,” he said, turning back toto

Austin twitched besideThe hold he had on htly toward hie

“How long has it been now?” Esteban asked, cocking his head to the side, looking only at me now

“Uht?”

“Too long I’lad to see you’re okay”

We stood there in aard silence Austin wouldn’t look atat Esteban

“Well, I will let you two get back to your evening It was nice to see you again, Daisy,” Esteban acknowledged, leaning in and kissing my cheek

I nervously smiled

“Take care, Austin,” he added with a nod

Esteban looked at me one more time with an expression I couldn’t quite place before he turned and left

I glanced at Austin as still intently looking at Esteban

“Austin—”

“Not here”

“I know, but—”

“Not Here,” he gritted out

We walked back toward Rafael and Austin thanked hiallery Rafael told him it was a pleasure and that he had my number and would call as soon as any of his pieces sold

We took a cab back to my apartment Austin still hadn’t said a word to arettes he smoked on the ride back

The door closed behind me as alked into my apartment

“Austin, I—”

He i my back to hit the door from the

impact of his built fra He glared atme with his arms Our faces a few inches apart and our bodies maybe a foot

Both our chests heaved profusely

Our e wild

His eyes were dark and daunting with an intense, crazed stare as he looked me up and down It was the first time I had ever felt him in that way The first time I had ever seen him lose his cool The man in front of me wasn’t the Austin that I knew, the one that I’d spent over a year with

The one I had fallen head over heels in love with but hadn’t voiced s yet