Cherry Creek - Dani Matthews Page 0,9

once again shifts back to Khristos Deveroux. He seems kind of young to be so successful. I don’t even know what he does, because I never thought to ask. He had indeed spent some time at the apartment, but I’d been closed off to him. My mind has been a jumbled mass of thoughts since the attack, and I’d balked at doing anything with him, because the man puts me on edge.

I swear he’s not my uncle.

Yet…I can’t deny the resemblance. We do look alike. His blond hair is darker than mine and my mom's, and he has dark, navy blue eyes like mine versus the light blue my mom has. Only my eyes have a hint of darker violet to them. They've always had just a faint trace of purple, but it has become more distinct in the past year. I don’t know how that’s possible, but my eyes have begun to change.

The lady next to me shifts in her seat before going back to reading her Kindle. I glance at her briefly, and then turn back to the window. I’d been grateful Khristos had to leave two days earlier than he’d intended, due to some type of business emergency. I’d thought I could talk some sense into my mom while he was gone, but it hadn’t worked. Now, I’m flying to Minnesota on my own, and I’m glad to have some alone time to pull myself together. What awaits me in Cherry Creek? Who is Khristos really? He’s up to something, because I can feel it.

***

A couple hours later, I enter the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after walking through the arrival gate. I’m feeling uncertain and nervous, because someone is supposed to meet me here at the gate. I look around, clutching my backpack. The fact that my ‘uncle’ couldn’t meet me himself has me disliking him even more.

There’s something odd about the way he looks at me. Like he’s curious, but yet he’s so…reserved. Kind of untouchable. Some people are naturally friendly, and he’s definitely not one of them. I guess I don’t care if he’s unfriendly. It’s what he wants from me that’s the problem. Rich uncles do not suddenly pop out of the woodwork and offer to take their niece back home with them. I don’t think he did it out of the kindness of his heart. There’s an ulterior motive. But what?

The only thing that’s keeping me from panicking is the fact that I turn eighteen in September. I have three months to deal with this guy, and then I can bolt if he turns out to be some sort of freak. It’s the next three months that will be a bit tricky.

Dang it, mom. I want to go to the nearest phone and rail at her again. I’d asked her over and over again why I had to leave before I'd gotten on my flight. I never did get a solid answer that made sense. All she kept saying was that getting out of Missouri would be good for me. That she’ll be fine on her own. She supported us for sixteen years before I was old enough to get a job, she’d make things work.

I love my mom and would never think bad of her, but that’s just not like her. I’m going to go live with a rich relative, and my mom should have been begging to tag along. She would have insisted on it and would have bugged Khristos until he'd caved just to get her to leave him alone. Instead, she couldn’t get me out the door fast enough.

“Livia Vauss?” a masculine voice questions from behind me.

My body tenses, and I turn to look at the owner. Standing before me is a man that looks to be in his early to mid-twenties. His dark brown hair reminds me of the color of coffee, and it falls almost to his shoulders in slight waves. Some guys look stupid with long hair, this guy—he looks utterly masculine and sexy. Like really sexy. Light, silvery gray eyes stare back at me from an arresting face with broad cheek bones. I feel the ridiculous urge to run my hands through his soft hair. To move closer, so I can touch him in some way, no matter how small.

I blink hard and try to snap out of it.

“Livia?” he asks again.

My eyes are drawn back to his gray eyes, and I’m envious of those long, dark lashes. This guy should be a model. Women