by Anya Summers
“I think so too,” she admitted.
With reluctance shrouding his features, he unwrapped her legs from his waist and set her back on her feet. “I’ll leave you to get dressed. We have some of the best seafood in the city. Come eat, and then we’ll get you home before you turn into a pumpkin.”
“Okay. Thank you, Michael, for everything.”
He cocked his head as he studied her and nodded before leaving her alone.
She inhaled a deep, steadying breath and put her hand over her heart. It had been bad enough when she was a tad worried about the quixotic pull Dante had on her senses. But now she had two of them to worry about—two men who, with a single kiss, had her going deaf, dumb, and blind to anything but them.
And her unschooled heart quivered. It would be a bad idea to forget for one minute that a billionaire and his best friend would never fall for the lowly maid. They both might want to sleep with her, but love her? Not even in her wildest dreams.
Chapter 10
The next day dawned sunny and humid, with temperatures forecasted to screech into the upper nineties by midday. However, it was something one came to expect living this far south along the Mississippi River Delta: the muggy heat. It was a beautiful day, though, with a cloudless blue sky. Sabrina knew she should be thrilled after yesterday’s events, and about what today would bring. But there was a heaviness pressing on her chest, like she had an elephant sitting there. Setting her empty coffee cup in the kitchen sink, she headed to Alex’s room.
Her heart clutched when she stepped inside. She hadn’t done all that she had over the years out of a sense of duty, or even a promise to their dying mom, but out of love. Alex was her baby brother. As the oldest sibling, she was supposed to look out for him, and had done so her whole life. And as much relief as she might feel at regaining a sense of independence and freedom, she was going to miss seeing him every day. Sabrina could barely remember a time when it hadn’t been the two of them against the world.
She fought back the tears threatening to spill. This wasn’t the time for her to lose it, not if she wanted to convince Alex that he should stay at the facility. This should make her happy. Alex would be cared for better than she had ever been able to do.
“Cissy!” Alex exclaimed, using the same nickname he had used for her since he was a toddler, and shifting with excitement in his bed. All good signs that today would be a better day.
Last night, she’d been forced to restrain him. When he had watched her pack up his belongings and some of hers, it had agitated him and sent him spiraling into a manic episode. The only way around them—around the psychosis he entered—was sedation and restraining him, so he didn’t harm himself or others.
“Morning Alex, did you sleep well?”
“Out now.”
“Yes, we will get you out and dressed. We’re going on a bit of an adventure today. Remember how I told you about the wonderful place that you get to go visit?”
Alex cocked his head as she unbuckled his restraints. “Yes. Cissy come with Alex. We go to the dell that is not hell. Ha ha.”
“Yes, yes, I will come with you.” She ran a hand over his head, thinking that his blond hair—so like her own in color—could use a trim. She wasn’t going to mention that she would leave him there, not yet. She had told him last night, and he had most likely already forgotten most of what she told him after his episode that sent him spiraling. Anything out of the ordinary, anything that changed the status quo and disrupted his routine, made his disease significantly worse.
“There was a mouse in a house, and everything stirred,” he said.
“Is that what you dreamed about last night?”
“No. No. No. They came for me. With the beady eyes, they came with their bad faces,” Alex muttered with the fervent light in his eyes that broadcast his mania, which at times bordered on hysteria.
Sabrina sighed. This was a normal routine for them—his babble. None of it made sense. The doctors had told her again and again that it was all part of the disease. She soothed as he muttered, trying to keep him calm. She helped him up into a sitting position just as Nancy came strolling in.
Alex let out a peal of excitement. For all his eccentricities, he did have his people he cared for, even if he never spoke his feelings out loud.
“And how are we doing this fine morning?” Nancy asked with a beaming smile as bright as a ray of sunshine.
“We’re good, Nancy,” Sabrina said, realizing how much she was going to miss seeing the nurse every day, too.
“Rough night?” Nancy asked as she studied the both of them.
“Yes. But I think the worst has passed—for now, anyway. We’ll see how the morning progresses, though.”
“Well, why don’t you let me get him dressed. I think I saw that young man of yours pulling up outside,” Nancy said with a wink.
“He’s not… thanks. Have I told you how much I’m going to miss you?”
Nancy smiled. “Likewise, child. But I will feel good knowing that Alex will be where he needs to be. Now, you go on. I’ve got this.” Nancy turned to Alex with a smile. He beamed at her with as much emotion as he ever showed.
With a lump in her throat, Sabrina headed to the front door. When she opened it, she felt her breath leave her in a sigh. He’s so handsome, was all she could think. Dante was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome, in a magnetic way that drew a person to him. This morning, for their outing, he’d donned black slacks and a powder blue linen dress shirt. His aviator sunglasses were shoved up onto his head, and his eyes, the dark chocolate pools of carnal indulgence, soaked in her appearance like she was the best thing he’d ever seen. She knew by the light in them that the gauzy sundress in a bright poppy red that fell to just below her knees, and gold sandals, had been the right choice.
Not waiting for an invitation, he stepped inside with a scowl and cupped her chin. His fingers traced light as mist beneath her eyes. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”
“It was another rough night with Alex. That’s all. Once I started packing our things, he sort of devolved. But I’m used to it.” She shrugged with a frustrated sigh. Trying to explain Alex’s disease and what she had to do to de-escalate the episodes was a bit like trying to explain hieroglyphics. The majority of people didn’t understand.
“You should have let me stay the night on the couch. I should have made you, and instead I let you sweet talk me with your promise to move into the penthouse tonight,” Dante fumed.
She laid her hands over his much larger ones, amazed at the strength in them given how gently he held her, and explained, “It would have caused more problems than it solved. I made that clear. Deep down, you know it’s the truth, which is why you didn’t push, and I appreciated that you didn’t. It was bad enough without you being here.”
“Is this all that’s going, or is there more?” He nodded toward the stack of boxes containing Alex’s things. His clothes, his shoes, his drawing pad, and boxes of colored pencils. Sabrina planned to go shopping for him in the coming weeks. To start replacing some of his threadbare clothes with new items now that she had the funds to do so.
“Yep. That’s all of Alex’s stuff. I haven’t finished packing a bag, but it was because my focus had to shift to him when things went sideways last night. Maybe I shouldn’t worry about it. Maybe—”
“Go finish packing. Right now, while the nurse is getting your brother ready. We’ll wait. Another fifteen minutes one way or the other won’t make a bit of difference,” he ordered, releasing her face from his hands, and jerking a nod toward the hall and her bedroom.
“Why are you being so stubborn?” Sabrina wasn’t used to being ordered about in her private life and at times, over the last few days, Dante’s behavior infuriated her.
“Because I said so, love. When are you going to realize you’re with Doms now? Our reasonable requests are the law. And I’m not letting you come back here tonight. This neighborhood is too dangerous for you to be here alone. I would n
ever forgive myself if I allowed it and something bad happened to you. I’m asking you to do this not only so that you will be safe, but for my peace of mind, so I don’t spend all night being worried about you.”
When he put it that way, it made sense. But still… “But I need to pack this place up for the movers tomorrow.”
“Sabrina, I adore your brave heart and stubborn streak, and I will take delight in teaching you what happens when you buck a Dom’s orders. But in this instance, I’m right, and I won’t back down. You won’t be coming back here today. As for the packing, the movers will take care of it tomorrow. We’ll come back in the morning and it will all get done then. But if you think for one second that I’m going to allow you to come back here tonight, you can think again, love,” he replied in a low, commanding tone.
She shivered. Dante being overbearing served to both arouse and infuriate her at the same time. The confounded man threw her off her axis. “Dante, I don’t see—”
“Clearly. And no more arguing, or you can expect a red ass from me from the spanking I will administer. I’ll get this stuff packed in the Escalade and while I’m doing that, get your bag packed. I’d say any important papers, grab them too, just in case.”
“Why?” she asked, flustered because the threat of him spanking her managed to create the opposite reaction in her body than what would be considered normal. Maybe she had finally lost her marbles if the thought of being spanked made her want to fan her face and heat curl in her belly.
“The gang at the end of the street is eyeing this place. I’d rather you not risk it. Last night, after I dropped you off, I called my buddy Quinten. You don’t know him but he’s a police captain, and he’s asked a favor of this precinct: to do another round of patrols tonight, paying particular attention to this address and street. But even with those measures in place, it’s too high a risk. Please, just do as I say, and be quick about it.”
She opened her mouth to argue, for the sheer fact that she was used to living her life and doing the things that needed doing without guidance or someone else steering the raft.
“Sabrina, you can give me the third degree later. But if we’re going to make it to the assisted living facility on time, then we need to hurry.” Dante tapped his watch.
Rolling her eyes, too worn out to continue at the moment, when all they were doing was going in circles, she conceded. “Fine. But we’re not done talking about this.”
“I didn’t think we were, but it’s going to be done my way, not yours. Best get used to it, love,” Dante asserted, and hefted the first two boxes as if they weighed nothing.
Oooh, the man made her spitting mad. She wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and strangle him for his heavy-handed words, while at the same time, she wanted to plant her mouth on his and not come up for air. Was it any wonder her body sensors were all confused? Riding her anger, she marched down the hall and into her bedroom. She yanked the items she wanted—that she didn’t want potentially vandalized or destroyed—and tossed them into a duffel bag she had laid out the night before. She grabbed her fireproof box from the closet: the small, briefcase-like box held her and Alex’s birth certificates, photos of their parents, her unused passport, banking information, Alex’s medical records on a thumb drive, and so on. She packed up her laptop computer and phone, and a few items that had been her mom’s that she’d not had the heart to part with—like her engagement ring, because it had been her grandmother’s wedding ring.
Dante appeared in the doorway and glanced at her three bags. “Is that everything for tonight?”
“Yes.” She nodded past the lump in her throat. She had no idea why the thought of never sleeping here again bothered her so much. It was moving forward, and was a good thing all round. Her ancient mattress wasn’t even all that comfortable any longer.
“All right, I will get these in my car, and then we can move Alex.”
“We’ll be ready,” she said, following him out of her room. She glanced around one more time; the bed had been made, the curtains were closed. She stared at the life she had lived within these four walls. Flicking off the light, she left without looking back.
It took both Sabrina and Nancy to get Alex into Dante’s vehicle. Sabrina sat in the backseat with Alex, and Nancy followed them in her car. She wanted to see Alex off, help make his transition into the facility as easy as possible—another reason why Nancy had been the best nurse possible for her brother.
They drove without music, because today it agitated Alex.
“We go. I don’t like to go. It’s not right. There are bad people,” Alex said, shaking his head in the manic way he did, and rocking against the constraints of the seatbelt. Sabrina had to keep moving his hands from the clasp to keep the belt on him.
“No, where we’re going, Alex, there are really good people. You’re going to love it, I promise,” she said, trying to assuage her guilt and keep him calm at the same time.
“Cissy coming too?” Alex asked, his confusion evident at what was transpiring.
“For a little while,” she said, giving him a big smile, one that she didn’t feel.
He prattled on, and descended into his babbling that he stated was other speak. Which Sabrina always assumed he meant was like another language, and in a way, it was, because she couldn’t make out a word. She soothed him, held his hand, and responded to his questions no matter how crazy they sounded. She caught Dante watching her—them—in his rearview mirror with an inscrutable expression.
She knew Alex was different. That many people would shy away from him because of his strangeness, his uniqueness, and because he tended to make people uncomfortable. But that was just because they didn’t understand him or his illness, and that he would never harm them.
“Oh, the white house with the mouse.” Alex clapped with excitement. For whatever reason, he was fascinated by mice, and it was a constant topic of conversation.
“Well, I don’t know that there are any mice here, Alex, but yes, it is a white house, isn’t it?” Sabrina murmured as they pulled up to the front doors.
The director appeared with some nursing staff dressed in blue scrubs. Nancy joined them at the Escalade and helped Sabrina get Alex out.
“Welcome to Houmas House, Alex. We’re very pleased to meet you. Would you like to come in and see your room?” the director asked with a huge, friendly smile on his face. All the staff wore similar expressions.
Alex studied the building, the bushes, the staff, and looked at Sabrina with a question in his eyes.
“Yes. Cissy come?” Alex asked her expectantly, without a hint of fear.
She’d never been prouder of him, of his bravery, than she was in that moment. Blinking back the sudden moisture in her eyes, she nodded. “Of course, I’m coming with you. Let’s go see your room.”
“I’ll get his things from the back and join you in a bit,” Dante murmured, his warm chocolate gaze giving her encouragement to take the next steps. They were big ones—some of the biggest of her life, and his confidence in her provided her with the strength to proceed.
With Nancy flanking Alex, the three of them entered Houmas Assisted Living Facility—or Houmas House, as they called it for the residents. Sabrina talked and pointed out the different places inside to Alex, like the art room. And, wonder of wonders, her brother smiled. It was precious because the genuine ones were so rare. He didn’t smile at her, but at the other people who were like him whom they passed in the halls, shuffling along with their nurses.
When they reached his room, she asked him, “What do you think, Alex? Would you like to stay here?”
“I can?” he asked, his voice laced with excitement, and clapped his hands. “Big white house, fit for a mouse. Ha. No beady eyes. No siree.”
The display of enthusiasm and wonder in his eyes took away a smidgeon of the guilt weighing Sabrina down. She walked with Alex around his new rooms, showing him everything that would be his in the bedroom and bathroom, and the small living room with the
television. Dante and a few orderlies arrived with his belongings. Nancy sat with Alex while Sabrina folded and hung up his clothes, stored his art supplies, and handed over his medications to one of the orderlies, who stowed them in a locked medicine cabinet.
They ate lunch with him in the dining room. Sabrina didn’t have much of an appetite and pushed her food around. But it was good seeing Alex’s excitement. She studied him, worried that he would end up spiraling at some point.
And when it was time to leave, when the director signaled it was time for her to give Alex space to adjust to his new home, she went and sat beside her brother on the couch, where he was already involved with a game show and oblivious to everything else.
“Alex, it’s time for me to go.” Sabrina held his hand and squeezed. “I’ll be back to visit in a few days, okay? The people here are going to take good care of you. Cissy loves Alex very much.”
“Bye, Cissy, bye. Who lives in the attic? Not a rabbit,” Alex said, like it was any other day.
Sabrina glanced at Nancy, who nodded at her with a smile, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I’ll stay a bit longer. You keep in touch now.”
She gripped Nancy’s hand. “Thank you, for everything. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You would have found a way.” Nancy squeezed her hand back.
Dante helped her to her feet. She looked at Alex, at the room where he would live, at the orderlies and nurses waiting to take care of him, and knew he was in better hands. But that didn’t make leaving any easier. That didn’t make taking Dante’s hand and walking out of that room simple.
Sabrina had devoted the last ten years of her life to Alex. There were no words for the emptiness she felt; it was as if a chasm had opened up inside her and she no longer had a purpose. Her feet moved. She breathed. She followed Dante because there was no other choice.
But she couldn’t stop the numbness from settling over her as he helped her into his vehicle and drove her away from her last living relative—a relative she had all but washed her hands of taking care of anymore.