AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Surely, she wasn’t foolish enough to go back home.
On a whim, I got on my Harley and drove up to her house. There was a van parked outside her door and through the window, I saw Celine standing in the middle of her room, with Rose on one hip, chatting with a man who was fixing the broken window panes.
So, yes. Shewasfoolish enough to go home, I thought savagely as I parked behind the van and strode up to her front door.
CHAPTER 8
CELINE
Iwas trying to chivy the man fixing my window panes when there was a loud banging at my door. I hit the ground hard, trying to shield Rose, who thought this was all a game, and babbled excitedly.
The window guy shot me a confused look.
“Someone’s knocking at your door,” he pointed out.
I felt foolish as I got to my feet. It was just a knock, not gunshots, I told myself severely. It wasn’t a madman trying to kill me, just a very angry man trying to break down my door because I ran out without telling him.
I knew Marcus was going to find me. I had just hoped to have my windows fixed before he did.
When the cops called me to tell me I could return home, I’d jumped at the idea. It was all very well for Marcus to be willing to foot my hotel bill, but I didn’t like being a charity case. It was especially important to draw that line when you were in a profession like mine. As it is, people thought I was just one step above a hooker. I didn’t want to reinforce that image by staying in a fancy hotel at a billionaire’s expense. No, sir! Celine Kramer paid her way. Always.
I opened the door hesitantly and Rose cackled gleefully when she saw Marcus. His furious gaze softened when it came to rest on my daughter, but the glare he cast upon me was incendiary, to say the least.
“Do you know how worried I was? I thought Monani got to you. Damn it, Celine!” he yelled.
I came out and shut the door behind me because I knew the window guy was listening avidly.
“I came home because the cops told me it was safe to come back. Why are you making such a big deal about this? ”
“Because I can’t believe you ran out on me,” he bit out. “You didn’t even tell me you were going.”
“Would you have let me go?” I asked drily.
“You know I wouldn’t! I would have tied you to the bed in the hotel room. You can’t be here, Celine.”
“The cops say I can,” I shot back. “And I refuse to mooch off you any longer, Marcus.”
“You aren’t mooching off me, honey. It is my responsibility to keep you safe.”
“Says who?” I demanded.
He cast about for an appropriate answer.
“Says my conscience,” he said finally.
I snorted in response.
“Well, your conscience is not the boss of me, and neither are you. I’m a grown woman and I can take care of myself. So stop over-reacting.”
“Really? And what happens the next time Monani shoots up the house and Rose is in it?” he asked angrily.
“It won’t happen again, because the cops had a word with him. They wanted me to press charges, and I said I wouldn’t as long as he left me alone. If he even looks at me again, I will press assault and intimidation charges right away. Look, the cop gave me his number and everything,” I replied, showing him the text message from the cop. “He won’t bother me again.”
“I don’t believe that for a second,” argued Marcus.
“Well, that’s a ‘you’ problem,” I said snidely. “As far as I’m concerned, this chapter is closed.”
Marcus took a deep breath and looked up and down the street.
