The Quelling Tide (The Gifted Realm Book 7)

by Jillian Neal

  Laughing, she feathered kisses across his cheeks. “Mrs. Vindico would like to spend the day with her husband getting lost in Paris.”

  “I think I could probably handle that. Would Mrs. Vindico perhaps like to get lost inside one of the many shoe stores on the Champs this morning?”

  Fionna giggled and then gave him a moan. “Stop it. You’re turning me on.”

  Dan laced his fingers through his wife’s as they proceeded to the Metro station. “I’m shocked you didn’t come to the Champs when you challenged out here.” He was hardly able to believe Fionna had never been to the mecca of Parisian shopping.

  “It was an exhibition, kind of like the one in Vegas. We challenged all day, partied the night before, and then left the next day.”

  Dan caught the deeper regret in her voice. “You party with anyone in particular?” fell from his mouth without him really meaning to ask.

  “Kind of.” She sounded confused.

  “Kind of?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  With a nod, Dan worked through his possessive chauvinistic reactions as the train pushed them rhythmically further into Paris.

  Twenty minutes later, he was laughing outright as Fionna gazed longingly up at a grand shoe store with names like Louboutin, Choo, Gucci, and Blahnik advertised on the signage.

  “Don’t drool, baby doll.” He led her inside.

  “I’ve died and gone to shoe heaven.” She spied a pair of extremely high-heeled brown leather sandals that she grasped lovingly. They strapped around her ankle and had curving swirls that came over her foot.

  Deciding not to point out that as she continued to expand that heels might not be so easy to wear, Dan just grinned at her as she gazed at them. She’d be able to wear them long after little miss Halia made her appearance he reasoned, so no reason he couldn’t spoil her to his heart’s content.

  “Oh, Louboutins!” She rushed to a center display table.

  “I met him once. He’s actually a really nice guy.” Dan commented as he watched her admire the shoes.

  “You know Christian Louboutin?”

  He laughed. “I said I met him once. You know he’s Gifted?”

  “Obviously.” She held up a patented red-bottomed heel. “I just didn’t know you knew him.” She seemed irritated he’d never mentioned that before.

  “Can you get me shoes?”

  “Fi, baby, I met him once. Wretchkinsides tried to blackmail him.” He grimaced as he recalled the details of the situation. “I really don’t know him well enough to get you shoes from him. I will, however, be only too happy to buy you some Louboutins if you want them.”

  Fionna continued to gaze longingly at the seven-inch stiletto heel with a thin black strap of satin that would come over her toe and then thin satin straps up the sides of her ankles that tied with a black satin ribbon behind her heel. The bottoms were signature Louboutin red. Everything about the heel said fuck me. Her favorite kind to wear, and his favorite kind to see her in.

  “They’re expensive, but they’re so completely fabulous!”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I’d say if you wear these for me with nothing else then they’re worth every penny.”

  She gave him a naughty grin and waggled her eyebrows.

  “Fion-na?” drawled from a heavy French accent.

  “Oh shit.” Her face fell into a horrified grimace.

  Dan spun and narrowed his eyes.

  Fionna turned much slower and drew a deep breath. “Pierre, hi.” She made no effort to hide her disdain.

  Instantly aware of exactly who Pierre must be, Dan glared at him hatefully.

  “Vow, Fion-na! Jou look amazing, stunning, a vision.” He was working his accent a little too much in Dan’s opinion. He tried not to think how satisfying it would be to break the guy’s jaw.

  “Uh, Pierre, this is my husband, Dan.” She quickly offered Dan a sorrowful glance.

  “Oh, jou’re married?” He lamented but then began to try and calculate if she was happily married. Dan could tell by the way he studied the rings on her fingers and then her eyes.

  Clenching his jaw so tightly it ached, he put his arm around Fionna possessively daring Pierre to make a move.

  He was a little shorter than Fionna even and not in great shape. Dan shot him a cocky glare.

  “Vhat brings you back to Paris? Jou said you didn’t think you’d be back.”

  Dan chuckled.

  “Yeah.” She sighed but then a devious grin came over her. “Actually, we’re on our honeymoon. We’re just in here looking for something for our little girl.”

  “Oh, jou have a baby?” Pierre seemed thoroughly shocked.

  “Well, we’ll have another one here in a few more months.” Fionna pushed her stomach out and arched her back as she rubbed her barely existent bump. “But we were shopping for our eldest.”

  Running his hand over his mouth to hide his chuckle, Dan nodded. Fionna pulled her phone from her purse and supplied a picture of Aida and Dan lying on the couch watching TV.

  His eyes goggled. As Aida had long brown hair and an olive complexion with beautiful deep brown eyes, she could easily be mistaken for Fionna’s biological child. Judging by the look on Pierre’s face, whenever Fionna had played the exhibition game in Paris it had been in the last seven years.

  Pierre was speechless, and Dan fought not to guffaw as he added, “Yep, that’s my baby girl. She’s beautiful isn’t she? Just like her mama.” He proudly kissed the side of Fionna’s head as Pierre nodded his mouth hanging open stupidly.

  Finally regaining the ability to speak in English, Pierre gasped, “But jou never said, and I mean you don’t look like you ever, and I didn’t know. How old were you when she was born?”

  “Well.” Fionna was thoroughly enjoying herself. “She’s seven, so I was twenty-three when she was born.”

  Pierre nodded. “And jou’re on your honeymoon?”

  Fionna leaned and kissed Dan’s jawline. “Yes! He’s amazing. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

  “And she’s yours?” He pointedly asked Dan.

  “And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Of course she’s mine!” He had no trouble letting the menace he felt leak into his voice.

  Pierre seemed to suddenly take in Dan’s sheer size and his strength. “Sure, vhatever. I hope you can keep her happy.” His voice cracked slightly as he handed Fionna’s phone back.

  “I certainly plan to.”

  Another store employee walked by and ordered Pierre to go to the stockroom. Dan caught that much in the quickly spoken French.

  Smirking, he handed him both of the shoes Fionna had selected. “She’ll take those in an eight, that’s in American of course. I feel certain you can do the conversion, right Pierre?”

  “Of course.” Pierre huffed indignantly. “This just came in actually. Louboutins. Very popular.”

  “I didn’t know you worked here.” Fionna draped herself across Dan.

  “I worked at that bar when we met, but that was several years ago. I just started working here last week.

  “The shoes!” Dan demanded. He enjoyed watching Pierre’s eyes goggle.

  “I’ll get them.”

  Dan shook his head. “Okay, first, that was a little bit mean Mrs. Vindico, and second, him, really?”

  Her face the color of the back of the Louboutin’s he’d just sent away with Pierre.

  “His friend was way cuter, but Chloe wanted him, and he was such a tremendous jerk. There was a reason I told him I was never coming back to Paris.” She shuddered disgustedly.

  “And did he do anything that I should remind him about now with my fists?”

  “Uh, no, darling, but are we a little bit jealous?”

  “You could say that.” He would never lose his overly possessive desire to injure anyone she’d ever been with before him, but he tried to make it dissipate long enough to buy her the shoes.

  “Do you want to leave?”

  “Nah, this is k
ind of fun, actually.”

  With an abashed giggle, she leaned in a whispered, “I didn’t sleep with him. We started to, but he didn’t quite make it that far. He never even got his pants off, but he acted like it was my fault, so I threw him out. I don’t know why he’s being nice now. He was such an ass.”

  “I suddenly like Pierre a whole lot more.” Dan smirked. “And he was being polite because for a few hopeful minutes there he thought you might let him have another shot.”

  “Well, I’m a very happily married woman to the man of my dreams with a seven year old little girl and one on the way. I’m not a party girl anymore, and even if all of that weren’t true, hell would freeze over first.”

  Before Dan could respond, Pierre returned with the shoeboxes. “Here you go, Fion-na. Jus’ sit there. I’ll help you put them on.”

  Dan shot Pierre an extremely cocky grin. “I got it Pierre. Wouldn’t want you to get ahead of yourself there.”

  Fionna covered her mouth to hold in the laughter.

  Defiance cast Pierre’s face. “I can do it. It’s my job.” He bragged like putting on a pair of shoes was a ratifying accomplishment.

  “Nah, Quickdraw. Don’t worry about it. I’ll get the job done.”

  “Dan.” Fionna stood. “I’ll do it.” She reached for the boxes but Pierre jerked them away. Fury seared through Dan. He narrowed his eyes and stepped in front of Fionna.

  “Sit down, Fion-na.” Pierre ordered angrily. Dan clenched his fists. His eyes flashed dangerously, and he felt his biceps flex in anticipation. “How about this, Pierre. You touch her foot I’ll put mine so far up your ass you’ll be tasting boot leather. Now give her the damn shoes.”

  Huffing and rolling his eyes, Pierre shoved the shoes towards Dan. He quipped several words in French that Dan was certain weren’t kind before turning and stalking away quickly.

  “I told you he was a jerk.” Fionna rolled her eyes as Dan handed her the shoeboxes. Shaking his head, he caressed her back while she slipped on the shoes. He didn’t want Pierre to ruin her day.

  “Well, let’s see them, baby doll.”

  Her smile returned immediately. She squealed slightly as she stood and modeled them for him.

  “Very, very nice. I can’t wait to see them later.”

  “Really? You like them?”

  “Oh yeah. I like them.” He swallowed down the lust building quickly in his body.

  They exited the store hand in hand after Fionna shot Pierre a derisive glare and waved with her left hand letting the large diamonds on her finger sparkle in the sunlight before she planted a kiss on Dan’s jaw line.

  “All right, Mrs. Vindico, where shall we go now?”

  “Is there anything you want to see?” She turned back into his sweet girl once they were out of Pierre’s line of sight.

  Chuckling, Dan wrapped his arm around her. “I want to keep doing things that make you smile like that all day, and then tonight I want you to put on these heels and let me make you smile all over again.”

  “I’m kind of in a naughty mood.”

  Dan let a low growl sound in her ear as they walked. “Does that mean I should take you back to Fitzroy’s and take you on their kitchen counter while they’re out?”

  “No, because every time I walk in their kitchen, I’ll laugh hysterically, and they’ll know what we did.”

  “But I like to take advantage of each and every naughty mood I get.”

  He let his right hand slip to her backside and squeezed it discreetly.

  “I’ll be naughty for you tonight, but right now I had another kind of naughty thought.” She gestured her head to a passing city bus.

  Dan’s turned his head to see the advertisement plastered along the side. “Le Musee Erotique” was scrawled in red letters over the black background with a picture of several fertility goddesses underneath.

  “Ever been to the red light district, Mr. Vindico?”

  He gave a slight chuckle. “Yes, I have.”

  She scowled. He knew that was coming.

  “Not for that, and you’ve also been to the red-light district, sweetheart.”

  He’d crossed a lot of lines in his wilder years but prostitution was most definitely not one of them.

  “I have?”

  God she was adorable. He couldn’t contain his laughter. “Yes, baby. You were there a few nights ago. That’s where the Gifted Parliament is along with the Iodex precinct.”

  “Really? I mean I thought it was a little shady there but….” She shrugged.

  “It’s been there for centuries, so I’m not certain it was the red-light district when they built the Parliament there, but this is Paris so anything is possible

  “Will you take me to the museum?”

  Hesitant to tell her no, Dan hemmed. “I really don’t think you’re going to like it, sweetheart.”

  “Please, I think it’ll be fun. We don’t have to stay long. I just kinda want to see it while we’re here.”

  “All right, I’ll take you, baby, but you have to promise me if we get down there and something scares you or you don’t like something you see that you’ll tell me so we can leave.”

  “Dan, I’m not a baby. Plus I bet they have a gift shop.”

  His breath tangled in his throat. Clearly Fionna’s libido was in overdrive for this particular day. He was extremely pleased with this pregnancy related hormone.

  “You don’t have to go to the erotic museum for that kind of shop, baby doll. They’re all over Paris. I’d much rather take you to those.”

  “Come on, Dan. The museum will be fun. Have you ever been?”

  They headed towards the Metro station. “No, anytime I was down there I was either working with Fitzroy or after one of Wretchkinside’s guys. He had quite a set up in Pigalle. So, I never stopped to take in a phallic display or to see pagan sex statues, but like you said, it is a fairly rough part of town.”

  “I really want to go, do you mind?”

  “I don’t mind. Let’s take you to see the original vibrator.” He guided her off of the train.

  Taking in her surroundings as they exited into the crowded train station into Pigalle, she began to study the fairly mundane area. He walked her to the steps that headed out of the station and led to the street level. She noted the advertisements for show girls, brothels, and peep shows but didn’t comment.

  Dan studied her closely. He could have taken her off of the train one stop closer, but he’d wanted to make certain that she was comfortable before they began an exploration of eroticism.

  They passed by a heavily graphittied building with several woman leaning on the front stoop. Shuddering, he whisked her to the other side of the street.

  On the next block, there was another grouping. They were calling out their prices in Euros and then in dollars.

  “Wow!” Fionna gasped.

  “You wanna leave?”

  She shook her head. “Who did you chase through here?”

  “Wretchkinsides used to have quite an installation here until Fitz slowly and methodically took them out, and he moved operations back to Germany temporarily. That’s why I was here so often. Hey, do you remember that story Alex wanted Fitz to tell about that old abandoned house? It’s just a few miles from here, actually.” He pointed back down the street the direction they’d come from.

  “The one where you took out two guys with one shot through a window.”

  “It was a lucky shot.”

  “I doubt that.” She always made him feel like a king though he’d never admit that to her. “Does it bother you to be here?” She stopped suddenly, and he almost chuckled. She was just as worried about him in the middle of the red-light district in Paris as he was about her.

  He shook his head. “I’m fine baby, as long as I’m with you.”

  The museum was flanked by sex shops, X-rated movie houses, and a brothel on both sides.

  “Nice.”

  “Just say the word and we’re gone.” He offered again.<
br />
  “No, I want to see it, and it’s not like we can just drop Aida off with my parents and go to an erotic museum in D.C. for an afternoon. While in Paris….”

  Dan tried to envision what kinds of things he was going to be exposing his wife to inside the museum. He knew that Fionna definitely had a sex-goddess side, one he loved to indulge on a regular basis, but she was also demure. She was definitely not inexperienced, but Dan had no interest in corrupting his sweet baby.

  She was the perfect mix, nine parts heavenly angel with that one part hellcat that drove him wild. He never wanted her to change. He also knew that she might like him to leave a hidden hickey a few places for their eyes only, or for him to slap her ass occasionally, when she was in a more carnal mood. She was definitely willing to explore different sexual avenues, but it wouldn’t take much of the licentious side of the act to turn her off completely.

  He paused at the darkened entrance doors, but before he could ask again she giggled. “I’m sure. I’m fine, and if I decide I want to leave then I’ll just whisper something dirty in your ear. No, wait, I’ll just say I want to leave that way I can whisper naughty things in you ear anyway.”

  “Got it.” After purchasing their tickets, they cued up behind a church tour group, which they both found hysterical.

  The first display was individual photos of the two men who’d founded the museum. They were both dressed in suits and ties and looked thoroughly normal.

  Dan kept a close eye on Fionna. He knew she intended to slowly torture him throughout the entire museum in effort to make him so turned on he could hardly walk, so he braced for the incoming comments.

  She pulled him away from the church group as they moved into the main floor of the museum. “I’m a fairly dirty girl. I don’t want to corrupt the church group.”

  “I’m very fond of your dirty side, baby doll.” He found it adorable that she qualified herself as a dirty girl, though he would never tell her that he thought otherwise. They turned a corner to take in a frosted glass sculpture of a life sized female tigress. It was actually an oil lamp. The oil remained ever burning in the loins of the tigress.

  “Aww, poor thing,” Fionna drawled, “I get that. Sometimes you just need somebody to put you out.” She delightedly watched his body seize against his will. He wasn’t going to make it through seven floors of comments like that. He’d take her in the bathroom.