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CHAPTERTEN
MALCOLM
Two Weeks Later . . .
Nothing. We’ve found no trace of that motherfucker Dimitri. He’s a damn ghost, and it’s frustrating to no end that a man whose flesh and blood is able to vanish the way he does. It’s nerve-racking.
The only good to happen lately is Désirée moving into my house. When we left the Inferno’s Clutch MC clubhouse, I asked her where she wanted to go. She surprised me by asking to come to my place. She didn’t want to go stay with her brothers at their family home or her apartment—not that any of us would be down with that. Désirée even refused Sabine’s offer to come stay with her. She simply refused to stay anywhere else. Said she felt safe with me.
So, my house is where Désirée’s been, and every night she’s slept in my bed—curled in my arms.
Every night is the same, we go to bed, and Désirée wakes to nightmares. Sometimes my presence helps. Others she curls tighter against me and cries into my chest until she falls back to sleep, tears spilling down her cheeks. She knows I wake when she does, but I don’t say anything usually in these times. She doesn’t need words from me. No, I show her I’m there for her by using my body. I’ll stroke my fingers through her thick dark hair while she cries. Sometimes, I’ll run my fingertips along her spine. But I give her that time to wrap her head around everything as she realizes for herself that she’s safe.
This morning is the first time I’m leaving her alone and going into the office to meet with Félix about the situation. I’d asked Désirée if she wanted to go with me and spend some time with them or even Madelaine.
“I’m not ready to see them,” she whispers, standing at the kitchen counter holding a coffee mug in hand.
“Désirée, you know they love you and want to know how you’re doing,” I tell her, rounding the counter and cupping the side of her face to stroke her cheek with his thumb. “You’re going to have to see them sometime.”
Nodding, Désirée closes her eyes. “I know. I just need a little more time.”
“Okay, I’ll give you thatmon trésor, but only a little.” There are only so many times I can tell Félix his sister needs space. None of the DeLancy brothers liked the idea of their little sister not wanting to see them. To let them in her life. The only one to ignore Désirée’s request is her twin.
Tristan declared he wasn’t about to let his twin sister push him away. That she was going to have to suck it up and talk to him whether she liked it or not. He wasn’t giving her time, not like the others agreed to upon Désirée’s request. Félix, Rémy, and Nicholas didn’t like it, but I report in on how she’s doing each day. They also now have access to the security system I put in the house with the help of Fuse and his brother Brake. The two of them came over a few days ago and put the system in place within no time. I’m surprised at how well hidden the cameras were hidden. There wasn’t even a wire insight. This works since Désirée doesn’t know about it. She just thinks they came to upgrade his usual system.
“Are you going to be okay with me leaving you alone for a while?” I ask, assessing her by watching her contemplate this in her head. I know this is what she’s doing because I’ve seen her do it before—go in her head and debate with herself.
“I’ll be okay,” she murmurs, nodding.
“You sure?” I don’t want to leave her if she’s not ready.
“I’m sure.” She holds my gaze and licks her bottom lip nervously. “I need to start somewhere, right?”
I take in her expression, making sure she wasn’t just saying this for my benefit. What I find is good. Nervous, maybe, but she’ wants to move forward. Overcome the pain she’s been through.
“Right,mon trésor, if you need me, just know I’m only a phone call away. I can be back here in minutes.” I stroke her cheek, and as she nods, I lean in and kiss her forehead. “I won’t be long.”
“Okay,” she whispers, closing her eyes.
I drop my hand and take a step back. “Remember, you need me call,” I say, grabbing my keys to my car.
Désirée opens her eyes once more and nods. “I will. I promise.”
Grinning at her, I carried myself to the entryway reluctantly. With my hand on the doorknob, I twist and pull the door open and glance at my woman, liking the sight of her in my home. This is the first time I’m actually take in the fact she’s here and mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.
Not wanting to go but needing to, I step out of the house, pulling it closed behind me. I reach into my pocket for my phone. I unlock the screen and pull up the app. I need to switch to the cameras as I make my way to the driver’s side of my car. I grin when the feed pops up on my phone.
With my phone in hand, I slide in behind the wheel and place the cell on the passenger seat screen side up. Putting the keys in the ignition, my car purrs to life, and I pull out of the driveway.
It doesn’t take me long to get to the office building and park. Shutting the engine off, I throw the driver’s door open and clamber out, straightening my crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to my elbow. After two weeks of being in nothing more than my street clothes, it’s strange to be in slacks and a dress shirt.
I scan the area as I always do, making sure nothing looks amiss. Other than a car parked across the street, everything seems all good. I make it to the doors of the building when a figure catches my eye walking down the street—phone to his ear. The guy looks familiar, but I can’t place him. I make a mental know to check the security cameras around the office and to look into it. Or get one of the boys to do it.
Heading inside, I spot Léon just inside the door holding a medium size box.
“What do you have there?” I ask, jerking my chin up, motioning toward him.
“Fuckin’ bunnies,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Found them when I was out handling business this morning. Didn’t have the heart to leave ‘em behind.”
