Shit, had Belle brought her harem with her? Sure, I was a very valued and appreciated member of her ‘social club’ that served mostly men with something pretty to look at while they enjoyed a drink. Some, like myself, indulged in other services that her girls provided. I wasn’t ashamed. I didn’t have time to date and honestly, I wasn't the kind to want anything more than a good time. Or I hadn’t been, not till Anne. After the debacle at Shine last year with a dirty retired judge who’d lost his mind and had tried to implicate me in the mess, Belle and I had grown somewhat close. On rare occasions, she’d show up here with a bottle of great fucking Cognac, and I’d bring out cigars and we’d shoot the shit. We were almost friends. We were an odd pair to say the least. What the hell is she doing here?
As I got closer to the living room, I heard Zoey’s sweet giggle and stopped in my tracks, my stomach twisting at the idea of this sweet little girl and Anne around her.
“Anne, this is delicious. Thank you. I can't tell you when I ate my last home-cooked meal.” I watched from the doorway as Belle told Anne.
“It's nothing. Do you eat at your restaurant?”
“Usually,” I heard Belle answer. “My kitchen would love someone like you. You have a talent with cooking.” The idea of Anne anywhere close to Shine made my hands ball into fists and my stomach clench. If I was honest, the idea of going there again, even alone, made me slightly ill.
“Thank you,” Anne responded in a tone as if Belle had somehow made her uncomfortable, and for a moment I wondered if she knew whom she was feeding. There was so much about her that I didn’t know yet, but she was all I could think about. Like a disease that was only getting worse.
I straightened my back, my face expressionless as I walked into the living room. But any chance of me trying to seem unaffected by the unwanted visitor and the beautiful woman in my living room disappeared the moment I laid eyes on the girl in front of me. Shit. This wasn’t good.
Princess Zoey was on the floor, a small soft looking crocheted blanket in various shades of purple was laid out on the hardwood. That little girl melted what some called a heart, or what little I had left in my chest, especially when her huge doe eyes landed on me, and like every single time she saw me, her arms immediately went up.
“Mr. Davenport,” Anne said, and I turned to her, watching her as she nervously stood up from the couch and came straight to Zoey, picking her and the knitted purple blanket up. I’d grown to like that blanket on the floor.
“Sorry about that, sir.” I frowned at her coldness. What was my little kitten up to? “Your dinner is ready and in the fridge. I’ll leave you and your guest. Good night,” she mumbled nervously, not really looking at me. She cooked? After we had made plans? Did she think Belle and I…? Shaking my head, I watched her intently as she got Zoey settled into the stroller that was off to the side.
“John?” Belle asked.
“Belle, I’ll be right with you,” I mumbled, my eyes not leaving Anne as she struggled slightly with Zoey.
“Take your time.” Even her husky voice couldn’t hide the obvious smile Belle was sporting. My heart was racing in my chest, and I wondered why Anne was leaving, why she was acting the way she was.
“I’ll walk you out,” I sternly insisted before she could argue. Anne turned, her body bent, her delectable ass in the air. My body started to react to the sight and memory of her sitting on my face not even an hour ago, my cock hardening against the soft material of the dark grey slacks I’d changed into.
Her face was unreadable, and I didn’t like it as I watched her stand, her supple body mere inches from mine.
“You don’t have to,” Anne responded, her face switching from expressionless to slightly confused.
“I know,” I quickly responded, but didn’t move. Her confused eyes widened a bit. She quickly looked over my shoulder at what I could only guess was a very intrigued Belle before her eyes met mine once more.
“Anne, think about my offer.” Her eyes shifted to her and she nodded before finishing strapping Zoey in. I physically made myself not react to whatever the fuck Belle was talking about.
“Ready?” My tone was slightly harsher than intended. Her eyes met mine and roved down to my mouth. I watched as she quickly and nervously licked that perfect puffy flesh known as her lower lip, and everything in my body awoke and tightened.
“I will, Miss Garibaldi. Thank you,” Anne politely answered, snapping me out of my pre-pubescent lust-filled thoughts. The hell she would be considering anything Belle offered. Placing my hand on her lower back, I muttered something about being back soon over my shoulder as I lead her and Zoey’s stroller towards the front door.
Stepping out of the house and towards the guest house, I helped Anne with the stroller like I had been doing for a while. Only a couple of days ago, these had been the moments I’d looked forward to my entire day while in the office. I’d thought about the way it would feel to touch her lower back, have my hand graze against hers; it’d been great. Now, knowing more about her, like the way she caught fire when I kissed her, like the purrs that came from deep within her when I did things she really liked, like knowing the taste of her and her touch on me was going to kill me. Especially, since I knew that when I left her at the door of the small house that made me feel a part of something greater, I was going to have to walk back to the monstrosity of my place and have to deal with Belle and whatever the hell she wanted, and that was the last way I wanted to spend my Sunday night. Especially one that had held so much fucking promise less than an hour ago.
Anne
His touch. God, his touch. I craved it and I hated myself for it. When Belle Garibaldi had shown up mere minutes after John had left to get dinner, my stomach had sunk. She had looked slightly familiar, yet I couldn’t really place her and figured she just had one of those faces. My stomach sank at the thought of this being a woman that John might be seeing.
Since Zoey and I had landed here the night of the storm, he’d always come home, so I’d assumed he was single. Dear God, what if he isn’t? What have we done?
“You’re quiet,” he stated the obvious, and I almost wanted to roll my eyes at him.
“I… I didn’t know you were going to have company.” I tilted my head back to the main house.
“She’s just a friend.”
“It’s none of my business.”
“It isn’t?” His dark eyes felt as if they could look right through me, and this time, I did roll my eyes.
“Look. We crossed some lines,” I stopped talking because in a blur, he pulled me close, his finger on my lips.
“Shh,” he silenced me and I watched him, “I don’t know what is going on in that little mind of yours, but it needs to stop.” I frowned, and he smiled that damn smile that made my mind turn into goop. “I don’t know what she said or how she introduced herself, but she’s an acquaintance.” Hope stupidly started to filter through me.
“I have to see what she wants, but the moment she’s gone, I’ll bring over dessert and a bag. Tomorrow, I’m not going into work. I might not go into work all week."
“John.”
“I want us to spend time together,” he laid it out so dang honestly that all I could do was nod.
Reaching the front door, he took the key from my hands and helped bring in Zoey’s stroller, then stepped out to where I stood at the doorway. His hands cupped my jaw, his thumb grazing the apples of my cheeks.
“Today has been one of the most incredible days of my life.” The sincerity in his deep voice made my eyes sting and I smiled, unable to respond. It had been better than incredible for me, so many emotions swirling around me, so I just nodded and he smiled.
“I’ll be back in a bit.” I nodded again like a nerd, trying not to let disappointment hit me. He was going back to the main house to a beautiful woman, who seemingly had everything. A great car, great style, and she was gorgeous. She oozed class and sophistication the way he radiated masculinity and power.
“An
ne?” I looked up at him, snapping out of my thoughts. “What did Belle want you to think about?”
“Oh...Umm, catering a dinner for her. She liked the meal I whipped up for her.” His handsome face scrunched up and his gaze went to the floor as if he was thinking about something. “Why?”
“Do you want to do it?”
“The extra money would be great, but I think I have more than enough on my plate with taking care of your home and freelancing for Nick.”
“Good. I … I don’t like you being close to her,” he admitted, his face like stone. “She isn’t someone you want to work for, Kitten.”
“Okay, John.” I couldn’t help but answer softly. He looked over my shoulder and stepped into the house.
“Okay.” He sighed in relief. “I’ll be back, okay?” He pulled me in slowly, giving me a chance to push him away, but I didn’t. He could totally be lying about whom Belle was to him, but for some reason I believed him.
“Okay,” I murmured before his lips fell on mine, his woodsy scent wrapping around me as he kissed me tenderly. My eyes were still closed as he walked out, shutting the door behind him. I took a deep breath and smiled to myself, opening my eyes before turning towards the stroller. Zoey’s baby scent surrounded me as I picked her up. I looked around at the place and frowned at a window that was open, wondering when I had opened it. I closed it and before I could come up with an answer, Zoey grabbed my nose and I started to talk to her. I took her and got everything ready for her bath, wondering what the hell I was going to wear for a sleepover.
Men like John Davenport probably had sleepovers with women that looked and dressed like the very one he was walking back to: successful, distinguished, and full of class, even if she seemed a little cold. He probably didn’t see women who shopped at clearance racks. Looking at Zoey, I smiled and focused on the tasks at hand, ignoring the burning question of what the hell to wear.
Chapter Seventeen
John
My body strung tight, a fucking hard-on that could pound nails, my walk back to my house was more than uncomfortable. I didn’t want to leave Anne and Zoey, but I needed to find out what the hell Belle wanted that would cause her to show up at my doorstep on a Sunday night.
***
A file in my hand, I look at Belle in disbelief as she was sipping her second glass of red wine.
“You want to expand?”
“Yes.”
“To the east coast?”
“Yeah.”
“After what happened with Duke, you think that’s a good idea?” I frowned, looking down at the file once more.
“He’s in jail. He knows better than to mess with me now.” She answered confidently, and I looked at her. Dressed in designer everything, white wide leg pants and a bright red sleeveless turtle neck silk blouse, her light brown hair tightly pulled back in a low lying ponytail, she looked utterly carefree, but there was something going on behind her eyes.
“He messed with you, Belle. He had your hands tied and—”
“And one of my girls was hurt, a member threatened. I know, I was there,” she sighed as she interrupted me.
“And you still think this is a good idea?”
“California is great, John, but I think it’s time I moved on,” she announced and I leaned back, sipping my own glass of red, thinking about what she was saying, trying not to let the surprise show.
“So Shine would what? Just disappear?”
“God, no.” She smiled, “It would be legit, become a restaurant. I don’t trust anyone to run it the way it should be run. People get greedy, stupid, and that is when shit goes bad. Shine would be a restaurant and that would be all,” she announced to me, crossing one of her long legs over the other, her black patent heels bobbing slightly.
I leaned back in my chair and looked at her. She was a beautiful woman about my age. She was strong, funny as hell, and intriguing. I’d always wondered about Belle and how the hell life had twisted and turned to get her to be who she was.
“What about your girls? They would be out of a job.”
“The ones that want to come with me, can. They have a job. The ones that don’t, can find new jobs.”
“Just like that?” I was surprised at the coldness in her response. She was usually all about protecting her girls.
Belle remained silent and took a drag of the cigarette she had lit. She stood up to walk to my book case, acting as if she was looking at the titles, but the empty look in her eyes gave her away.
“Lucy quit,” she uttered softly, shaking her head, “I tried to protect her after she was—”
“Attacked. Say it, Belle.” I remembered the night that Lucy Mack was attacked and Belle had shown up at the corporate suite I had been living in at the time. She had broken down, unlike the woman who sat in front of me right now. Watching her now, I wondered how those two women could be the same.
“He found her,” she shared, still talking in that soft, unrecognizable tone. She cleared her throat and kept sharing, “He’s been following her around, spooking her.” Her face flushed in obvious anger, she looked at me, her eyes sad, ”She said I can’t protect her and she’s right. I mean, look at what happened to Liz Del Rio. What could have happened to you, John?” Her fingers went to her mouth and she sat back down, taking another slow drag.
Running my fingers through my hair, I looked at one of the most powerful women in California, hell, on the west coast.
“I can have him taken care of,” I offered and she laughed, glancing at me with twinkling amber eyes.
“That’s so cavalier of you, John. Fact is, so could I,” she said, smiling. “If it wasn’t for his father being the fucking Governor, he would already have been taken care of.”
“The fucking prick,” I muttered under my breath. I remembered going to see Lucy Mack in her apartment with Belle the day after that little shit did what he did. The girl was beautiful in her own way, soft, sweet, and classy. She looked nothing like her birth mother. Not really. You only saw it if you really paid attention to their eyes.
“So tell me about the housekeeper,” Belle demanded, her perfectly shaped eyebrow rising.
“Belle,” I started to warn.
“Oh, come on. Did you think I wouldn’t ask? You know me better than that.” Her husky voice was trying to mask a smile, and I rolled my eyes.
“Belle.”
“She’s gorgeous with those Bambi eyes and mile-long legs. Is she the reason you haven't visited Shine or had my girls visit you the last couple of months?” She asked, getting to the point.
“Belle.” My frustration with her intrusion was apparent and she frowned. I stopped my warning, shocked at what she had to say.
“She looks familiar, John.” Her words clung to the air and momentarily, I couldn’t breathe. Her to look familiar to Belle could mean many different things, most of which I didn’t like. I stayed quiet, trying to hide my unease.
“What do you know about her?” She inquired, and I saw something in Belle’s eyes that I couldn’t read. It wasn’t as if we were close, but we were always honest with one another.
“Not much,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Other than the fact that she’s running away from something or someone who isn’t very nice,” I confided in her. “How does she look familiar?”
“She didn’t work for me if that’s what you’re asking,” she disclosed, leaning back, getting more comfortable in her chair. I looked out the window. “I’m not sure, but I feel as if I have seen her somewhere before.” Her cautious tone made me look back at her, noticing that she seemed slightly nervous. “Maybe she has one of those faces." I studied her, but she seemed extremely nervous.
“Cut the shit, Belle, tell me. Where do you think you know her from?” I told her bluntly and she watched me. We sat in silence for a bit. Belle was good with her damn dramatics, but I had to relax.
“Two years ago, I went to an event at the Governor’s summer home, up the coast in Monterey.”
“And?
Do you have a point?”
“She was blond.” She shook her head, her hand out, “That’s why I couldn’t place her.
“Belle.”
“She was dating the very little shit we were just talking about,” she confessed, and the room fell into a deep silence.
Shit.
“Downey?” I frowned at her. “But she’s…Holy fuck!” I slumped back into my chair and looked at her. “Are you sure, Belle?”
“Yes. I noticed her right away. After what he did to Lucy, any time I had to be around him, I would keep my eye on him. I remember thinking that the way he was with her didn’t sit well with me, but as long as he wasn’t trying to get near Lucy and his dad kept his promise, it was none of my business.” Regret was shining in her eyes.
“You’re sure it was her, Belle? Because like you said, it was two years ago.”
“It’s her, John. I would bet money on it. Do you think she’s running from Downey?”
“If she is, that means Zoey…”
“Shit.” We both stayed silent as the possibilities ran through my mind, connecting the dots with what she’d told me. No wonder she thought I couldn’t help. She didn’t know my reach.
“You okay about Lucy?” I asked, watching her intently. She made a noncommittal sound, shrugging her shoulder.
“It’s time. She needs to go on her own,” she shared, yet the sound of her voice was more than defeated.
“But she’s your…”
“Don’t,” she snapped, taking the last sip of her glass. “I have no idea why I told you that. I should have died, taking that with me to my grave.”
“You felt bad that your daughter was attacked.”
“My daughter shouldn’t have been working for me to begin with,” she said, and I couldn’t help but agree, yet how the hell the world had brought the two of them together in that situation, was beyond my understanding.
“She doesn’t know?”
Davenport Harbor (Six Degrees Book 3) Page 11