Chapter 46
CHAPTER
FORTY-SIX
Maxim
I was going to have a talk with Sia. There were certain details about my life that I wanted her to know, but that she couldn’t. They were dangerous for her, yes, but I also didn’t want her affected by them.
She’d been understanding so far, but I wasn’t lying that I didn’t want to see those dark eyes of hers affected. They would be if they were exposed to some aspects of my life. It’d be natural and well, I couldn’t have that. There were some things that needed to be pure and stay that way. They were things I needed to stay grounded. I’d never be on the right sight of the light. I’d seen too much. I’d done too much, but there were still things I wanted to come home to. Things like Sia and her beautiful soul.
I was a selfish man, and I knew that. Sia Reynolds kept me a little bit human, and I couldn’t help but yearn for that.
“Sia?” I reached for her on the bedsheets, still groggy from sleep. I cracked my eyes open. “Sia…”
Her side of the bed was cold, the fireplace out. I’d gotten up in the middle of the night to turn it off.
Stretching, I sat up and saw a note on the pillow.
Lettie and I took Polly out for a walk. We’ll be back later. Sleep in.
Sia and I typically took Polly out together, lately.
How much had changed.
There was a time in my life where the last thing I felt I needed was a dog, let alone a companion. My life had too many complications to have a woman in it, and I had far too many enemies to allow for something like that. Sia Reynolds changed the fucking game for me whether I wanted it or not.
The fact that Lettie had been so open to having Sia in both our lives only solidified Sia’s place in our family. She belonged with me, and that was where she’d be.
I took my Rolex off the table, studying the time. I didn’t know when Lettie and Sia left, but the property was big and they could be gone for a long time. Especially if they trekked through the vineyards like Sia and I enjoyed doing with Polly sometimes.
I smiled to myself. What a different man I’d been. I used to be what one would consider a workaholic. Now, I couldn’t have enough time at home with Sia Reynolds beneath me. My hunger for her stoked the beast within, but I chilled the fucker down with a cold shower that morning. I made it quick, wanting to have breakfast ready by the time Lettie and Sia returned.
Again, what a different man I was. I wasn’t quite sure I even knew my way around the kitchen until Sia came. I picked up a few things from Sophia over the years so I could cook for Lettie on occasion. She liked my Mickey Mouse pancakes, and I always put chocolate chips in them for her. She was a bit too old for those now, but she might find that fun since she was home, and I was sure Sia would enjoy them. What woman didn’t enjoy chocolate?
Once more, I chuckled at myself. I was actually excited to head to the kitchen and didn’t balk at all the things my daughter had filling my house. She had wedding stuff everywhere, but that didn’t bother the anal fucker in me. These things only meant my tie to Sia would be permanent soon, and that was something I needed.
I wasn’t surprised to see Sophia in the kitchen when I came down, but what threw me was the appearance of another. People weren’t just in my fucking kitchen without authorization, or at least without me knowing about it.
Natan didn’t need authorization, but it was unusual to find him there. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Maxim. Good morning.”
My strides slowed. Sophia appeared to have made a spread of toast and jam for him. He ate it at the center island in the middle of the kitchen on a barstool. My hand touched the island. “Good morning. Did we have a meeting? I’m sorry if I…”
I was going to say missed it, but I didn’t miss things. Especially when it came to him and double when it came to him in my home. My adoptive father didn’t need an appointment, but I always knew if he was coming.
“Oh, no. We didn’t,” he said, watching as Sophia placed a cup of coffee before him. She avoided his eyes when she did, then mine when she passed me. It wasn’t unusual Sophia did that to Natan. He could be intimidating, but when it came to me she always had her head raised. Natan sat back. “You didn’t miss an appointment and pardon my intrusion today.”
He didn’t have to apologize, but this was different. I’d given him notice I wouldn’t be working this week, and that was going to be longer now. Sia and I planned to wed before Lettie returned to school, and after that, I had my own plans to extend that time off further. I wanted to give her a proper honeymoon, amongst other things.
“I hear you’re getting married,” Natan said, and something unsettled in my core. I hadn’t purposely gone out of my way not to tell Natan about the engagement, but since I hadn’t he shouldn’t technically know about it. I never said anything. Natan grinned. “And to the young woman who’s working for you. Sia Reynolds. Correct?”
I wasn’t sure who told Natan this, and though it wasn’t secret, I hadn’t told anyone but Val. Of course, my staff knew but word in my house didn’t leave it.
“Yes,” I said. Again, my upcoming union with Sia wasn’t secret, but everything happened so quickly. I honestly hadn’t been able to tell Natan, but I planned to once everything settled. He would be invited of course, and Lettie would see to that. I nodded. “Yes, I am. It all happened really fast.”
It had all been a fucking whirlwind, but the best ride. Natan’s head lowered. “Then I believe a congratulations is in order.”
His next move was to pull out a cigar for me. This was a generous gift as he only smoked the best Cubans. He had two, one of which he lit before handing me the other.
“Thank you,” I said, but decided not to smoke it yet. It was too early in the day for me. “And sorry I didn’t tell you about the engagement right away. Like I said, it all happened really fast. Lettie is planning the wedding. We plan to have it before she goes back to school in the spring.”
“Well, that is fast,” Natan continued, focusing more on his smoking cigar than me. He studied the smoke. “But how happy of an occurrence. Again, congratulations. My son deserves to be happy.”
I appreciated that, but I still didn’t know why he was here or how he found out about Sia and me. It was the latter that kept my eyes on him. It was rare I didn’t know things, and though I wasn’t required to know all of Natan’s ins and outs, I did when it came to me. I lifted a hand. “Would you like to move to the study? We can talk. Catch up.”
He was obviously here for a reason.
“Mmm. Yes.” He gestured for an ashtray, and Sophia came quickly with one.
Her head dipped quickly out of the kitchen after she gave it to Natan, and I opened up my phone.
I texted Val.
Me: Can you contact Lettie or Sia and tell them to take Polly out by the lake? They took her for a walk, but I want them to stay out of the house for a while.
Val: Sure thing. Everything okay?
I wasn’t quite sure.
Me: Natan’s here.
“Maxim?”
Natan was waiting for me by the door, and I put my phone away. I lifted a hand with a smile. “After you.”
He knew his way around my home and nodded, allowing me to follow after him. I was sure him being here was just my paranoia. I’d been having a lot of paranoia lately when it came to him.
Probably because I created a reason for it.