Finding Wilder:

  A Guardian Series Novella

  G.K. De Rosa

  Copyright © 2015 G.K. DeRosa LLC

  All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, G.K. DeRosa.

  Distributed by Smashwords.

  Published in 2015 by G.K. DeRosa LLC

  Palm Beach, Florida

  www.wilderbook.com

  Discover other titles by G.K DeRosa

  Wilder: The Guardian Series

  Wilder Destiny

  To all my dedicated Wilder fans without whom I would have never had the courage to create and continue the story of Celeste Wilder and the Constantin brothers.

  G.K. DeRosa

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Acknowledgements

  Author Biography

  Chapter 1

  It’s strange being back in Oak Bluffs after so long. And it’s even stranger that I’m taking classes – again – at the local community college. But it’s important to keep up appearances. Of course, I’ve attended some of the best universities around the world, and I can’t help but laugh at the irony of finding myself in an introductory European history class. Glancing at the eager faces of the young freshmen surrounding me, an attractive co-ed catches my eye. She’s rather striking with full pink lips and sun-kissed chestnut hair. She stares unabashedly at me as she chews on the end of her pen; her glance is somewhat insinuating. I toss her a smile, then turn my attention back up to the professor.

  Before I’ve even gotten out of my seat at the end of class, the attractive young girl appears in front of me.

  “Hi,” she says with a coy grin.

  I flash her my own million-dollar smile, and she’s suddenly speechless. I’ve always had that effect on women, and I can’t say that I don’t enjoy it. It has gotten me out of almost as many dangerous situations as it’s gotten me into.

  Finally, she finds her tongue and continues. “I’m Dani Lynn,” she says, extending her hand. “You have to be new in town because there’s no way I wouldn’t have run into you by now.”

  “I am. My name is Nico Constantin, and my brother and I just moved to Oak Bluffs.” I purposely omit the back part.

  We carry on with the usual “getting to know you” conversation, and eventually she invites me to her place for a party. Since I never say no to a party, I agree to come, and she walks away happy after we’ve exchanged phone numbers.

  Not bad for the first day at a new school.

  Walking into our stylish apartment, it occurs to me that perhaps we over did it with the place. It’s doubtful that the average college twenty-somethings would be able to afford such a nice space. Staring out through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the great room, I catch sight of the peaceful blue pond below and push aside my hesitation. The apartment was worth it.

  Kicking off my shoes, I stretch out on the black leather sofa as I grab the remote, noting that the 60-inch wide screen television was also totally worth it. As I flip through the channels, my ever-brooding brother walks into the living room.

  “How was your first day?” he asks as he takes a seat beside me. Roman and I have an interesting dynamic. As the older brother, he often takes the parental role, as he is right now.

  I decide not to give him a hard time about it and answer him honestly. “You know, the usual – lectures, homework, and pretty girls throwing themselves at me.”

  Roman shoots me a displeased look. He’s always had a more difficult time fitting in than I have, but it’s certainly not because he couldn’t. I would never admit it to him, but he might even be slightly more attractive than I am. We both have similar physiques, tall and well-muscled with classic features. However, where I have dark brown eyes, he has the most crystal clear blue eyes I’ve ever seen. If I were a girl, I’d be all over that. Still, his astonishingly good looks seem to elude him, and he ignores all overtures from the opposite sex.

  “We’re invited to a party tonight,” I tell him. “All of Oak Bluffs Community College will be there. You should come.”

  “I don’t think so,” he answers predictably.

  “Why not? It would be good for you to get out.”

  “I have been getting out,” Roman responds.

  “Oh yeah, that’s right.” I thought I had heard him sneak out of the apartment late yesterday evening. “Where have you been going in the middle of the night?”

  “Nowhere important,” he responds with a shrug, and I know the conversation is over.

  Looking at myself in the bathroom mirror, I apply a bit more gel to my spikey hair to get the purposely-messy look just right. I adjust the collar of my aqua button-down shirt and tuck it into the midnight blue Armani jeans I bought in Rome last spring. I douse myself with a few sprays of cologne, and I’m almost out the door when Roman stops me.

  “Be careful tonight. You never know who might be at the party,” he says, grabbing hold of my arm.

  “I’ll keep my eyes open for her, if that’s what you’re getting at,” I respond. Roman loves to be dramatic. I know there are important things going on around us, but sometimes a party is just a party. It’s so typical of him to constantly obsess about our safety.

  “You heard Stellan. We are to stay away from her,” he continues. “If this get-together is as big as you say it’s going to be, she could very well be there.”

  “Right, I got it,” I say and shake loose my arm from his grasp.

  Climbing into my new fire engine red BMW M5, my heart races with excitement. Another not so prudent purchase, but well worth it in my opinion. As I press the start button, the engine roars to life. I slam my foot on the gas and peel out of our quiet complex, the balmy breeze blowing through my hair and perfecting the tousled look. The party is a short drive from our place. Oak Bluffs itself is a small town and a person can pretty much drive all over it in ten minutes. As I pull into the condo, I note streets that are teeming with parked cars, a stark contrast to the empty lot I just left.

  Partygoers are spilling into the streets as I walk up the stairs. This is going to be some fiesta. Dani Lynn, the hostess, runs up to me as soon as I cross the threshold. She’s wearing a low cut halter-top, revealing some of her best assets.

  “I’m so glad you made it!” she announces triumphantly as a gaggle of girls turn my way.

  I lean forward and give her a kiss on each cheek, and I’m pretty sure she’s going to faint. It amazes me how much young people in America lack regarding old world civilities. She recovers from the momentary lapse and introduces me to her sister, Jessica, who is peering over Dani Lynn’s shoulder.

  I shoot Jessica a smile and opt out of the double-cheeked kiss for fear her younger sister may collapse on the spot. The two girls usher me toward the crowded kitchen and present me with tempting options from their fully stocked bar. As I sip on my chosen beverage, a Jack and Coke, I peruse the area around me as Dani Lynn chatters on. Before long, I notice that I’m surrounded by a throng of young college girls. I have no choice but to regale them with stories of my travels in Europe, as they stare at me open-mouthed.

  “That’s so cool that you lived in London,” says a pretty blonde one.

  “I am totally going to do a semester abroad there my junior year,” says another.

  Amid the steady babble, I smile and laugh politely, giving each of the girls my attention. They all appear very sweet and most are quite attractive. As I contemplate which one I’d like to take home with me tonight, I’m suddenly hit with the oddest sensation. It’s as if an unseen force is pulling my eyes toward the door. I’m completely powerless to fight it, and I turn helplessly in that direction only to see a curly haired blonde walking over the threshold. She seems hesitant to enter, but her bolder brunette friend coaxes her in. There is a boy close by her side, but I stare only at the girl, strangely transfixed. She is beautiful, there is no question about that, but I doubt that is the explanation for the peculiar pull that I’m feeling.

  I pretend to carry on the conversation with the young women around me, but my gaze never shifts from the newest arrival. Suddenly, Roman’s words come to mind. Could that be her? I vaguely recall reading accounts of a strange preternatural attraction. I briefly contemplate sending Roman a text message, but then I dismiss the idea. It’s his loss; he chose not to come. A few moments later, I notice that the girl’s cute brunette friend is leading her in my direction. I observe the look of panic in the blonde’s face as they circle around me, and I avert my eyes in consideration. I want nothing more than to turn around when a few more minutes pass, and they have yet to approach me. But I keep my gaze straight ahead, rapt in conversation with the raven-haired beauty in front of me. Finally, I feel a light tap on my shoulder. I spin around to find myself face-to-face with the vivacious brunette as the blonde lingers uncomfortably a few steps behind.

  There is a moment of speechlessness from both girls as they take me in from head to toe. I have to smother the smile that creeps unbidden across my face. After the brief silence, the brunette introduces herself and her friend.

  “Oh hi,” she says, “we just wanted to introduce ourselves, my name is Natalie Meadows and this is Celeste Wilder.”

  Celeste Wilder� �� it is her!

  I overhear the blonde murmuring, “It’s not him” to her friend under her breath, and I wonder what she is referring to. I smile at the brunette, Natalie, and reach out my hand to take Celeste’s in mine. As our skin makes contact, the familiar pull strengthens. I bend my head to kiss her hand, and I can feel her pulse racing. It’s exhilarating.

  After the introductions have been made, I notice that the guy who arrived with the girls is making his way toward us. He interrupts the conversation and places himself protectively next to Celeste. I wonder if this is her boyfriend, but find out only that his name is Brian and that he is a wrestler. As the conversation continues on, I explain that my brother and I have moved here from New York City for a chance at a quieter life. The girls ask me the typical getting to know you questions, and after a bit Natalie and Brian leave me alone with Celeste. She looks at my shyly as my eyes peer into hers. I’m desperate to know everything about her.

  The hours pass as we engage in conversation, having finally found seats on the balcony as the place began to clear out. I find her absolutely charming. She’s intelligent and sweet with just the right amount of naivety. I feel a slight pang of pity for the girl: if she is who we think she is, she will have a rough time ahead. I bring my thoughts back to the present and continue to tell her about my time spent traveling throughout Europe. She’s completely enthralled by the conversation and her warm hazel eyes sparkle in delight. The entire time we speak, I am intensely conscious of the pull I am feeling toward her. It’s like polar magnets drawn together by forces beyond my comprehension. I briefly wonder if she feels it too.

  Before long, we are interrupted by her friends. Glancing at my Rolex, I realize it is late. My time with the charming Celeste Wilder has flown by. I am saddened to see her go, and she seems to be as well. I give her a parting kiss on the cheek as she turns to leave, bringing on a rush of pink to her skin. My eyes can’t help but follow her slim figure until she disappears out the door. Once she is out of sight, the strange sensation begins to fade, leaving me feeling inexplicably empty.

  The best part of the party now gone, I decide to call it a night as well. It’s too late to tell Roman about my evening now, but I look forward to hearing his thoughts in the morning.

  Chapter 2

  I’m up the next morning with the sun, which is very unusual for me. I’m typically a creature of the night, and yet I can’t seem to contain the excitement building inside of me. I want to tell Roman everything about the lovely Celeste. I push off the black silky sheets and make a mental note to tell the cleaning lady to switch them out for the cotton ones. It’s getting much too hot for these.

  “How was the party?” asks Roman as I emerge from my room, stifling a yawn. “It couldn’t have been that great if you are up this early.”

  Roman is typically an early riser. He’s usually had his coffee and been out for a run by the time I drag my butt out of bed. I’m sure he’s surprised to see me. “You are quite mistaken brother. It was probably the event of the year in this quiet town,” I say with a smirk. “But most importantly, she was there.”

  “She?” he asks as his cool façade crumbles.

  I nod knowingly and say nothing for a moment, keeping him in suspense.

  “And?” he asks exasperated.

  “She’s pretty hot,” I say casually as I make my way to the stainless steel coffee maker. A cappuccino is exactly what I need right now. Before I make it to the cabinet to pull out a mug, Roman is in my face. His expression is unreadable and for a second, I worry I may have gone too far with the teasing.

  “Tell me everything,” he growls.

  “Whoa, take it down a notch brother,” I say as a side step him to get to my coffee. I’m just messing with him, but as I look into his stormy blue eyes, all the fun drains out of it.

  “Please tell me you didn’t talk to her,” he says.

  “I can’t do that because then I’d be lying,” I say nonchalantly as I take a sip of my frothy cappuccino.

  “Nico, you know we are supposed to stay away from her. Didn’t you listen to a single thing Stellan said?” he asks. He’s staring at me intensely, and his face is filled with so much emotion that I am slightly startled. It takes a lot to rile up my brother, and I seem to have succeeded. What is it about this girl?

  “Relax, no harm was done. I met her friends and we talked for a few hours – that’s it.”

  “A few hours?” he asks and his eyes look like they’re about to pop out of his head. “What did you talk about?”

  “You know, normal stuff. Nothing to get so worked up about.” I pat his shoulder casually as I make my way past him to the table.

  I see Roman take a deep breath as he runs his hands through his hair. That’s his signature move when he’s stressed. I can’t understand what has him in such emotional turmoil. Sure, Stellan told us to stay away from her, but since when have we always done as he tells us?

  “We’re going to have to tell Stellan about this, you know. And he’s not going to be happy,” Roman says.

  Stellan is an old friend of the family. After our parents died a few years back, he took it upon himself to watch over us. He lives just a few hours outside of Oak Bluffs, which was one of the reasons why we moved here. The other reason centers around a certain beautiful blonde I met last night.

  “I don’t think we need to worry him about this, really,” I say. I’m in no mood to be reprimanded.

  Roman grunts and buries his head in his hands.

  What is going on with him?

  “There is one thing though,” I say hesitantly. I still haven’t told him about the strange pull I felt for her, and I believe it’s fairly important. “There’s something about her, some invisible force that drew me to her. It was the strangest thing.”

  “I know,” he mutters into his hands.

  I look up at him puzzled from across the kitchen table. “What do you mean you know?”

  He clears his throat as he tries to back-pedal. “I’ve heard that there can be a certain attraction – ”

  I cut him off before he can continue. “You’ve seen her too! You felt it, haven’t you?”

  Roman shakes his head stubbornly, but I know my brother well enough to know when he’s lying. “How can you give me so much grief about accidentally running into her at a party when you’ve obviously encountered her yourself?”

  “Because I know how to handle myself,” he responds gruffly.

  “Right, because you seem to be totally in control right now,” I counter. His hand is clasped so tightly around his coffee mug that his knuckles have turned an inhuman shade of white. Again I wonder what is it about this girl that has us both in such a frenzy.

  I take a calming sip of my cappuccino and decide to drop the entire Celeste Wilder conversation. Now fully caffeinated, I feel like I have energy to burn. I look up at Roman and though his breathing has definitely normalized, his brows are still tightly knit together. I have an idea that will do wonders for us both.

  Outside in the early morning sunshine, I take my position. The grass is soft beneath my toes and warm rays of the sun beat against my shirtless back. This is just what I needed. Roman is across the lawn from me, about fifty yards away. I see him nod his head, and we sprint toward each other. Running at break neck speed, I don’t slow down as we draw ever nearer – five feet, four feet, three feet, and then I leap into the air. I do a somersault over his head using his shoulders as a launching off point, then land in a graceful crouch just behind him. Before I can turn around, though, he spins and sweeps his leg out to knock me off my feet. I fall flat on my back just as I see his body hurtling toward me. I quickly roll to the left as Roman lands with a thud on the dewy grass.

  I’m back on my feet in a flash as he pushes himself up off the ground. Turning to face me, he throws a punch, which I quickly deflect with my forearm. I have to go on the offensive now, choosing a roundhouse that narrowly misses his head. He ducks just in time to avoid my foot and lands a punch squarely in my gut. I double over as the wind is knocked out of me.

 

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