Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Marie knew she’d shocked Isaac when she hadn’t shown any surprise at his suggestion she stay with him. Part of her had always known it was heading in this direction when he drove them here instead of her apartment.
Knowing that the people after her knew where she lived, going back to her apartment had been the last thing she wanted to do. If she’d had to stay in a hotel, then that’s what she would’ve done. But staying with Isaac was much better.
His home was sparsely furnished, as if he didn’t want to make it too comfortable, because he wasn’t sure if he was going to stay long. Considering the bare minimum details of his past he’d given her, the lack of personal touches and warmth in the room made sense.
There was so much that made up Isaac that she wanted to learn. To ask. To find out about his time in the cartel, because that had to have changed him. There was no way it couldn’t have.
“Are you really sure you’re okay with this?” Isaac asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
“I am.” She patted his hand, and he grabbed it, holding it tight before she had a chance to pull it away. Not that she wanted to. She found that she liked touching Isaac. Liked him touching her.
How was feeling this connected and safe possible?
It seemed as if they’d been together for months, not three days.
But it had felt the same when they’d been in Guatemala.
The second she’d seen him, she’d felt safe, so safe that she’d exposed her vulnerabilities to him and had then fallen asleep in his arms.
Something deep in her soul had latched onto Isaac that day and hadn’t really let go.
“You make me feel safe, Isaac,” she said. “If I want to be really truthful with you and myself, I was glad you brought me here to your place instead of my apartment. I don’t know if I’m ever going to be comfortable living there again.”
Was she being a bit over the top by saying that? Possibly, but right now she felt like she’d been violated. They’d known where she lived, because they’d placed the tracker on Isaac’s car while it had been parked there.
These weren’t amateurs they were dealing with. These were people who were able to disappear in a way that they couldn’t be located.
“You’ll be able to live normally, I’m going to make sure of that. And yes, you are safe here. The house is very secure, Cass made sure of that.” If he was prone to rolling his eyes, Marie imagined he’d do that talking about Alliez’s computer expert.
This wasn’t the first time she sensed there was something more between him and Cass than work colleagues.
The relationship was almost familial. “Are you and Cass related?” she asked, wanting a change in topic.
While she knew there was still more to discuss and sort out, for a little bit, she wanted to learn some more about the man who was her self-appointed bodyguard.
His eyes took on a faraway look and a soft smile teased the corners of his mouth. However, there was still a little bit of tension in his shoulders. “We’re not related, but she’s been a part of my life for a long time.”
Well that was clear as privacy glass.
Should she push for him to tell her more or wait? She didn’t have to wait long.
“I first met Cass when she was a small child. Her family history is complicated, and what we did to her–what I did–had far reaching consequences that I couldn’t have imagined at the time when I’d made the decision I did.”
There was a tortured tone to his voice, and she wanted to tell him to stop, but she also wanted him to continue, because she felt like this story was important. That it made him the person he was now.
“Whatever it was you did, it hasn’t affected your relationship with her. I can hear in your voice how much you care about her.”
“Cass is a remarkable person. She’s far more forgiving than she should be. I’m grateful for her compassion and empathy that she could accept the decision I made and how it changed the trajectory of her life.” He looked at her, his eyes bleak and cloudy as if he hated himself.
Instinctively, she reached out and took his hand with hers, stroking the top of it with her finger.
“No matter what you say. Or what you did, it’s in the past. I can tell that it’s something you haven’t forgiven yourself for.
If you didn’t care about what you did, you would be reacting completely differently. ”
“I don’t deserve this,” he said as he lifted their joined hands and kissed her knuckles. “I admit, I’m worried about what you’re going to think of me after I tell you the whole story.”
“I can promise you it won’t change anything.
” Marie knew that this was going to be a turning point in their short relationship.
But isn’t that what relationships were all about?
Secrets and truths shared because of the trust built.
Sometimes trust was built over weeks and months, and other times it was earned within days.
And that’s what had happened between her and Isaac. The trust had been instant.
“Before I start, do you want something to eat or drink? Or do you even want to change? Didn’t you say on the ride over here that you wanted a hot shower? I can’t believe I haven’t considered what you need after a long day.”
Was it a delaying tactic? Or was he being sincere?
Hadn’t she just told herself that she trusted Isaac?
He was going to tell her, of that she had no doubt.
She had to admit, though, she wouldn’t mind having a shower, washing off the grime of the day, regardless of the quick shower she’d had before she’d met Isaac.
Also getting out of her clothes and into fresh—wait—she wasn’t at her apartment.
She didn’t have fresh clothes to get into.
She may take a bag to work with a change of clothes, but they were usually ones she’d worn the night before, after she’d gotten off from work and changed into.
“I would but,” she waved a hand down her body. “I’ve got nothing to wear but these and I don’t want to have a shower and then put these clothes back on.”
Isaac ducked his head, as though he was embarrassed she’d talked about changing clothes which was totally ridiculous. “Umm, I may have taken some liberties.”
“Liberties?” What was he talking about? He hadn’t—no, he wouldn’t have—would he? “Did you get some clothes from my apartment?”
He gave a short nod. “Not me, but after knowing that we’d been followed, I wanted to make sure that they hadn’t gone to your apartment. I asked Eveline if she’d go to your place and get some things for you. I gave her everything she needed to get in.”
Marie didn’t know what to make of Isaac sending a person she’d met briefly, into her personal space. At least it was a woman who’d gone through her things, but still, it was very presumptuous of him, not to mention an invasion of her privacy. “You sent Eveline by herself?”
That was what she was going to ask? Not blast him for taking without asking her permission.
“No, I didn’t send her alone. First Ox would’ve had my balls if I put his wife in danger.
Second, I wouldn’t put her into a dangerous situation without her having backup.
Fox, Jag, and Eveline all went together.
Fox checked the apartment was clear before Eveline went in and Jag kept a watch outside. ”
This was getting worse and worse. Not only had Eveline been inside her place, but Fox had as well. “I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe you did that.”
He sighed. “I know. I know. It was wrong, and I should’ve spoken to you first, but you were at work.
It’s not like you have a job where I can call at any moment and you answer.
But I should’ve. I should’ve worked out a way to ask you.
Not just assume that it was my right to do this after spending one night in your home and bed. ”
Under any other circumstances she would’ve walked out and told Isaac she didn’t want to have anything to do with him. But these weren’t normal circumstances, if it were, there was no way Isaac would’ve done what he did. There would’ve been no reason to.
The whole attempted kidnapping and being followed had changed the goalposts.
Everything was more heightened because of it.
Things that wouldn’t normally happen had to happen.
It was just the way her life was at the moment.
Everything was mixed up and chaotic. Nothing was normal, and she had to accept that.
If she believed Isaac, and she did, then eventually her life would return to the hectic life it had been before some mad men tried to take her against her will.
“I get why you did it. It’s the situation we’re in. I’m sure everyone was very respectful.”
“They were. Eveline called me as soon as she arrived and left. They were in your place for twenty minutes at the most. She dropped the bag with your things in my spare room.”
“She has a key to your place?”
Once again Isaac nodded. “We all do. It’s part of what makes us a good team. If anyone should need help or anything, one of us is ready to leap into action and do what we need to do.”
That seemed weird to Marie, there was no way she’d ever consider giving her work colleagues, past or present, a key to her place. Then again, her world was different to the one Isaac lived in. A world her mom and dad were a part of. Did that mean? “Do you have keys to my parent’s place?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
That wasn’t very fair. “What if something happened to them? What if they needed help and no one could get in?”
Why was she arguing the point? She should be glad that her parents’ privacy was assured. They weren’t getting any younger though, and if one of them should fall, or worse, someone broke into their house, shouldn’t they know that the Alliez Security guys would be there in an instant to help them.
Isaac held up his hands. “Ox may have spoken to Yolanda about the whole key situation and she declined. Or he may have not. That’s something you need to check with him and your parents. But I’m sure your mom knows that anyone would be a phone call away should they need help.”
Given the way her mom talked glowingly about the people she worked with, it was highly likely that the subject had been brought up in the past. “Maybe it was, and instead of everyone having a key, only one does. Like Ox, seeing as he’s the boss.”
“That could be the case too. It would be something Ox would do. He doesn’t like anyone to be vulnerable and he can be very persuasive when he wants to be.” He grinned wryly.
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Let’s just say that when I returned, I wasn’t sure Alliez was the place for me. Ox made me see the light.”
“I’m sure Cass may have persuaded you as well.”
Isaac laughed. “You don’t know how accurate you are. Now”–he stood and held out a hand–“how about I show you where all your stuff is and then you can shower. I’ll order some Chinese, and then I can tell you the story of Cass and me and how I ended up at Alliez.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
She placed her hand in his and together they walked to the guest room which was a couple of doors down from the living room. A queen bed took up most of the space and was covered with a pretty rose patterned comforter. There were a couple of throw pillows with the same pattern as well.
The whole room looked out of place with the rest of his house.
“Huh?”
Isaac’s reaction told her everything she needed to know. “I take it this isn’t how you left this room before you came to my place?”
“You would be right. I mean the bed was there, but the comforter was blue and there were no frou-frou pillows.” Isaac picked up one, examining it before tossing it back on the bed.
“Frou-frou pillows?” Marie snort-laughed. “Tell me you’re a heathen male without telling me you’re a heathen male.”
“I suppose it does look better and more welcoming for you,” he grumbled, walking over to the dresser and picking up the bowl that had some potpourri in it.
“I think it’s lovely, and I’m sure it would’ve been just as comfortable even without the extras.”
“Now you’re just appeasing me. This is the nicest room in my house.
It feels like a house should. Eveline has to be responsible for this.
I didn’t ask her to do it, but she knew you would need something warm after having to leave your own space.
How it was before wouldn’t have been very welcoming at all. ”
There was something about the way he stood in the middle of the room, as if he was lost, that called to her.
Her earlier thoughts about how stark his house was came back to her, cementing her opinion that he always had a foot out the door.
That he couldn’t relax because someone, or something, always came up.
“I guess it’s hard to get used to being in one place and making it your own after having to move around a lot. ”
“Yeah. Anyway”–he tossed her a smile and pointed to one of the doors–“there’s a bathroom through there, and I figure that Eveline’s probably added personal touches there too.”
“Do you mind that she did this to your house?” That was something she wasn’t sure she could be comfortable with, someone coming in and changing her décor. Or adding things that wouldn’t normally be added.
Isaac shrugged. “Eveline didn’t do this to put me down or anything. She’s not like that. She did this because she knows what it’s like to have to move into a place on short notice and not have all your belongings around you.”
“Sounds like there’s a story there too.”
“Yep, there is.”
Marie wanted to probe him a little more about it, but she had a feeling he’d probably mention it when he told her about him and Cass. Then again, maybe it was more Eveline’s story to tell than his and he wouldn’t say anything. “Right.”
They stood there for a few seconds, and Marie felt awkward for the first time since they’d met. As if he sensed it as well, he nodded at her. “I’ll go order the Chinese. Anything I need to avoid? Any allergies?”
“Nope, no allergies, and the only thing to avoid if you can, if not I can pick it out, is corn. I’m not a fan of it.”
“Got it. No corn. Take your time. There’s no rush.” He closed the door, and Marie sat on the edge of the bed wondering how complicated her life had gotten in the last few days.