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  TIAGO

  A Night Of The Kings Novel

  Shayne Ford

  Copyright © 2019 by Shayne Ford

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, organizations and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features mentioned in this book are the property of their respective owners and have been used without permission and in an editorial fashion only, with no implied endorsement.

  The publication/use of these trademarks is not associated with, approved of or sponsored by the trademarks owners.

  This book is for entertainment purposes only. The author and publisher disclaim any and all responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly in relation to this book.

  This book is intended for mature audiences only.

  Written by Shayne Ford

  www.shayneford.com

  Twitter:@ShayneFordBooks

  Cover design by Shayne Ford

  The image on the cover is a licensed stock photo, and it is used for illustrative purposes, any person who may be depicted on, is a model.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Also by Shayne Ford

  About the Author

  1

  EVE

  “I think I’m gonna die alone,” I say with a quiet voice, trying to remain expressionless as I utter the monotonous words on my phone.

  Furtively, I watch the man who pulls his SUV in front of the sports club not far from where I stand, propped against the light pole, waiting for my spin class to begin.

  Sitting behind the wheel, he riffles through his things, while I wait for him to climb out.

  “What are you talking about?” Rain asks, her voice echoing in my earbuds.

  I keep my eyes rooted to the driver.

  “What makes you say that?” she asks again.

  “I’ll tell you in a second,” I say as I study the man a little more.

  Something makes him drag his feet–– perhaps he reads something on his phone, so I move my eyes back to the busy street.

  The temperature is mild, considering that this is the last day of October, but it’s hardly a surprise. The entire month felt like the end of the summer.

  The days are shorter now, and the light is different–– tinged with warmer, subdued hues, the leaves displaying tones of red and copper, yet other than that, nothing suggests that fall is here.

  A soft breeze sweeps the streets, spinning the colorful leaves at the feet of the people who walk briskly up and down the avenue.

  A mother with two small children sporting cute Halloween costumes catches my eye for a moment before my mind wanders away and my stare goes blank.

  It’s been several years since I’ve taken residence in New York, first as a student, and then as a graduate and now as a young professional, and yet it’s the first time when I finally feel at home.

  The last few weeks have been exceptionally good.

  I’m happy at work. My place is welcoming and cozy–– I’ve recently redecorated it, and my social life is more than satisfying.

  I frequently go shopping and visit new places, not passing up the chance to meet new people. I go to shows, eat in a new restaurant every week, enjoy the art events, and walk in Central Park as often as I get the chance.

  My gym workout is a constant in my life as well, a weekly routine I look forward to, a way to keep myself in shape and my mind clear.

  One thing hasn’t changed, and I don’t expect it to be any different soon.

  My dating life still sucks.

  But... But... I no longer take it at heart.

  Occasionally, I remember what James said a while back, but despite his words of wisdom, I have a hard time to believe that the right man is out there, waiting for me.

  That doesn’t mean that I’m giving up.

  I’m still going out, trying to connect with people, doing what everybody else does, hoping that one day I’d surprise myself with something that even I didn’t see it coming.

  In the meantime, I became a fine observer of human nature. And that’s why, now, I have my eyes on the man who slings his gym bag over his shoulder as he’s finally ready to exit his SUV.

  Clad in my favorite workout gear–– gray sweatpants, a pink T-shirt, matching sneakers, and a backpack, I keep my eyes on him, and wait.

  Despite the human river flowing down the street, and separating us for a moment, something tells me that he has noticed me too.

  “Whatcha doing?” Rain asks quietly.

  “I’m watching a man,” I say silently as well.

  “Oh. Exciting,” she says, giggling at the other end.

  “Mmm-hmm,” I mumble just as the man pushes the door open and swings his legs out of his ride.

  He throws a glance in my direction before he pulls his gaze away from me, ignoring me on purpose.

  No surprise there.

  “Is he the reason why you said you’d die alone?” Rain asks.

  “One of the reasons.”

  I try to keep my voice even.

  “It’s that bad?”

  “Nope. It’s the way it is.”

  She goes quiet again while my gaze stays rooted to the man.

  He thrusts his chest out before he tips his gaze down to his phone, acting preoccupied.

  His gym bag keeps sliding off his shoulder, prompting him to push it back a few times. His motions are clipped and spastic.

  “What is he doing?” Rain asks.

  “He’s acting as if he doesn’t know that I’m looking at him.”

  “Is he cute?’

  “He’s okay.”

  She laughs again.

  “Why are you looking at him?”

  “Because he’s like an accident waiting to happen,” I mutter just as he shoots me another glance. “I knew it,” I add curtly, yet reining in my reaction.

  Agitated, he checks the inside of his car a couple of times, glances at his phone three times, and tugs at his earlobe once before he finally slams the door shut and moves away from his SUV.

  His eyes start darting back and forth between his phone and the busy street, no more glances in my direction.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in my spinning class,” I mutter, my gaze accompanying him all the way to the stairs.

  A brown T-shirt hugs his muscular physique, the color popping out against his blue shorts and green sneakers.

  He vanishes behind the glass doors, and I barely disconnect my gaze from him when he shows up again.

  “He’s back,” I say as he rushes down the stairs.

  Within seconds, he steps off the sidewalk, rounds his car and opens the door.

  He almost gets himself killed a couple of times, the cabs honking as they swish by, a whoosh of air twisting his hair.

  T
ension grows in my chest.

  I hope my words from a few minutes ago were nothing more than a figure of speech, not a creepy premonition.

  Bending at his waist, he starts searching for something. A moment later, he jerks back up, a cup of coffee in his hand.

  As if he needed it.

  He makes the trip back and reaches the top of the stairs when he grips the doorknob of the wrong side of the door and without waiting to see if it opens, he lurches forward and rams into the wall of glass, face first.

  The impact makes the doors shudder, and the man grunt.

  I cringe.

  “Ouch...”

  “What happened?” Rain asks.

  “The accident I was talking about.”

  Dazed, he takes a step back, most of his coffee spilled on his T-shirt.

  Quickly, he regains his composure, tries the other side of the door, and makes it inside.

  Speechless, I remain standing on the sidewalk, convinced that I would never find the man to spend my life with.

  2

  EVE

  It’s later on in the evening, after I work up a sweat, get back home and spend half an hour in the shower when the man from the gym comes to mind again.

  I was right about him.

  When Rain said that I see through men in a way that scares them away, I didn’t think that she envisioned the degree to which I’m capable of doing it.

  What is wrong with me? And why do I have to do it anyway?

  It does me no good.

  I breathe out a quiet sigh before I fish out a chocolate-dipped pretzel from a bowl and absently, start chewing on it.

  The snack is crunchy and sweet and salty, the dark chocolate melting in my mouth.

  Sitting on my favorite chair at the small kitchen table, I glance at the window a couple of times.

  My apartment is high enough above the ground, not to let in the noise lining the streets.

  Sunk in thought, I take a sip of tea, and shift my eyes to the bowl of snacks, debating with myself whether I should eat another pretzel or not.

  I choose a few pieces of walnuts instead and pop them into my mouth.

  Fresh and tasty, they are filled with aroma.

  For a moment, they take me back to Colorado and my parents’ home, the picturesque town where I grew up and the breathtaking landscape.

  The memories of the high school years come back to me with Rain and Daria, our schoolmates and my parents, all of it making me smile.

  Fall was always the busiest time of the year–– the schedule packed with parties, school events, the highly anticipated Halloween and of course Christmas, all adding charm to our lives.

  Who knew that between the two of us, I’d end up living in New York and Rain would move back home? Who knew that I’d be alone after all these years, while she’d be married, hoping to have a baby?

  Who knew that the men who captivated us and ignited our imagination back then–– the Kings, ‘the living legends’, would be married, one of them expecting twins?

  Who knew that our lives would turn out like this?

  My smile slides off my lips.

  It’s hard to visit the past when you created the future already.

  Since I remember, Rain always knew what she wanted in life, and she believed in it. She trusted her fate. And fate took care of it.

  I thought I knew what I wanted, but looking back, I’m not so sure. Even if I did, some of the things I dreamed off pulled away from me all these years.

  At times, I find myself looking at other people’s lives, filled with regret.

  They seem to have everything I want.

  They seem to have everything they want.

  While I’m still waiting.

  It often feels as if I hopped on the wrong train of life and missed the one that could’ve taken me to the desired destination.

  Perhaps, a lot of people feel that way.

  Hoping on the wrong ride of life rushed, pushed by their innocence, or ignorance, or whatever.

  Riding on sheer enthusiasm, going blindly with the flow, unaware that they would end up in a different place that they intended to, writing their life chapters with the wrong people.

  Or taking the express train of life, zipping by the stations–– unknowingly missing out on the entire journey, realizing it too late perhaps, or when the train pulled to a stop for the very first time, and a good slice of their existence had simply vanished.

  No train can take you back. And that’s how dreams die.

  Slowly.

  Quietly.

  In utter anonymity.

  Angrily, I wave my thoughts off.

  It’s useless to think about it now.

  Besides, my life is good in so many ways.

  I pick up my phone with one hand while I brush off a few crumbs with the other, and slide my thumb onto the screen.

  Slowly, I sift through the photographs I took at James’ birthday party this past summer.

  Rain looked so lovely. So did Thea and Dahlia. My eyes linger on Ed and Lex, and then on David Moore.

  Seconds later, I study James’ picture.

  A bittersweet grin pulls at my lips while a crazy thought gallops through my mind. What if something different would’ve happened that night when Rain and I broke into the Dark House?

  What if James’ good intention to prevent a bad experience altered my direction, messed with the secret algorithms of life and shifted the tracks for me.

  What if by protecting me from his friends, he unknowingly put me on a path of disappointing failed relationships?

  What if not letting me satisfy my curiosity, he sabotaged my love life in a way?

  What if he accidentally planted the seeds of doubt in me, and all I did from that point on was sell myself short, convinced that I wasn’t attractive enough? Or interesting enough?

  What if I’m right?

  Up to this day, I still find him and his friends intimidating, although my feeling toward them has nothing to do with them.

  It’s all in my mind.

  What if he did the best thing he could, and yet, he sent me spinning toward a love life of bad decisions, and wrong picks.

  Looking back, I realize that the men I met after that knew that I was on the wrong track. That something was off. That I wasn’t a good match for them.

  Andy and Sam and the others.

  They probably couldn’t explain it to themselves, but they knew that no matter how good I was, or pretty or loving, I wasn’t a good fit for them.

  I was on the wrong train. And I’ve been in it for so long.

  When they realized it, they moved on.

  Of course, they did. They found women they paired better with, and now they’re happy. And their women are pretty, and educated, and accomplished. Like me. Just a different kind of everything.

  No matter what I did, I couldn’t make things work.

  The fact that I had failed so many times instilled self-doubt in me and made me cautious about trying something serious again.

  I’m sure my intuition got shut down as well, and that explains the bad choices that I made and the fact that I repeated them in perpetuity.

  Ugh.

  Fuck it.

  Annoyed, I pick the bowl of pretzels, my cup of tea, and my phone. Joggling them, I push my chair back and shuffle to the living room.

  Two fluffy pillows, one purple, and one coral sit on the plush goldenrod sofa, a soft light glowing over the walls.

  I set the cup and the bowl on the dark coffee table, turn on the TV, mute the sound and spread a red wool blanket on the couch.

  I shed my robe, and slip under the blanket, clad in my favorite soft flannel pink pajamas.

  I drag the bowl of treats closer and sink my head into the pillow. My gaze swings to my phone as I start fiddling with it again.

  I check the time. It’s too late to call Rain.

  I send her a text.

  Me: Are you awake?

  I set the phone down and drink more tea.


  My phone vibrates next to me.

  Rain: Yes.

  I snatch the phone from the blanket and start typing.

  Me: Can you talk?

  Rain: Yes.

  Right after I receive her message, a call flashes on my screen.

  “What’s up?”

  She sounds very much awake.

  “I thought you were sleeping or you were out or something,” I say.

  She laughs.

  “I could say the same thing about you.”

  “Well, I’ve been out every night this week,” I say, smiling. “So I’m taking a break tonight. Kate and another girl from work invited me to have dinner with them and a few friends of theirs. One of them might’ve been a blind date, I suspect, but I’ve kind of had enough of those. And I was too tired to go out after the gym. Anyway, where is James?”

  “He’s here with me.”

  “Oh, my God. Why don’t you say so? I wouldn’t bore you with the details of my life.”

  She chuckles again.

  “Shut up. I was teasing you. He’s downstairs with Lex and Ed. And a few other guys. I was trying to read something, but nothing held my attention. I’m glad you texted me. What did you want to talk about?”

  I suck in a short breath.

  “I don’t know if this is a good time...” I start hesitantly. “I know it’s late, and James could be there any moment...”

  “Don’t worry about him. He’ll probably spend some time with Lex and Ed downstairs.”

  A smile beams in her voice.

  “I don’t want to impose. Besides, I want this to stay between us.”

  “What are you talking about?” she asks seriously this time.

  I pause for a moment.

  “It’s nothing... I mean, nothing new.”

  I breathe out a chuckle, but I’m not fooling her.

  Not a bit.

  “What is it, Eve? Is everything okay?”

  I sigh.