Chapter 2 #2
I open the door as soon as Kellan, Bash’s driver, pulls to a stop at the curb. Hurrying over to Ella, I take her in my arms for a tight hug. I step back, looking her over. “Where’s the rest of your things?”
“This is about it,” she says, looking down at the backpack. “The apartment manager nailed the broken door shut. He said he’ll order a new one…we’ll see if he remembers.”
“I hate that this happened. Are you okay? When was the break-in? Was anything stolen?”
Bash has climbed out of the car and he hugs her before she can answer. Her voice is muffled against his shoulder as she says, “Just my keyboard.”
“That’s a weird thing to take,” I say, frowning. “Not the computer?”
“Wrong kind of keyboard,” Bash says. “You had one for music, didn’t you?”
Ella blinks rapidly. Her eyes are wet with unshed tears. She’s putting on a good show, but she’s a wreck inside, I can tell.
“Come on, baby,” I say. “We’re taking you to my apartment and we’ll feed you and take care of you, okay?”
“Okay…but I thought we were going to Sebastian’s?”
“King’s is closer,” Bash says as we get into the car with Ella. “You can stay with me, though, if you want.”
“Will we all be together, either way?” she asks, her voice sounding small.
“Yes,” I say, taking her hand while Bash buckles her in between us.
“Okay, wherever is closer,” she says, looking exhausted.
“Kellan, we’re going to King’s,” Bash says.
His driver nods, and Bash raises the privacy screen.
“Now,” Bash says, “tell us what happened.”
Ella nods. “I’ve already spoken to the police.
But basically, I came home after my cleaning shift to change clothes, and found my door broken.
The police came, and…that’s it. We don’t know who did it.
I hate to think it was my brother, but he always needs money, and…
no. I can’t think that about him. He wouldn’t. ”
I exchange a look with Bash over Ella’s head. He nods. We’ll find this brother of hers. We’ll buy her a new keyboard. Hell, I’ll get her a new apartment if she’ll let me.
“What did the police say?” I ask.
She gives a snort of annoyance. “Nothing helpful. It’s Bellefleur. This kind of shit happens all the time.”
“Did you tell the police it could be your brother?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “No. No way. I don’t want him to get in trouble. He’s got to be desperate if he’d steal my keyboard. It’s not even worth that much. Maybe he really needs the money, and…” She stops talking and sighs. “I don’t want to think about this anymore.”
We reach my building and Bash exchanges a few words with his driver, who leaves. I’m glad we’ll all be together tonight. I thought it would be longer before I had Ella in my arms again. I hate that this happened to her, but at least she’s with us, where she belongs.
Once we’re inside my apartment, Bash goes straight for the kitchen to start gathering food.
Ella looks around momentarily before meeting my gaze. “I’m crashing with you tonight,” she says. “But I’m going to find a permanent arrangement.”
I take her hand. “The permanent arrangement is you’re staying with me. Or Bash. Both of us.”
“Yep.” Bash nods.
Ella laughs in disbelief. “No, the permanent arrangement is I am an adult and I’m going to find my own arrangement.”
“What if we find you a place?” I say.
“ You’ll find me a place?” Her forehead crinkles in annoyance.
“I can find an apartment for you. Somewhere in Dorado Heights.”
“Um, no. Hell no.” She lets go of my hand and takes a step back. “I can’t afford anything here.”
“It’ll be safer, though, and I’m going to pay the difference.”
She folds her arms across her chest. “No, Kingston.”
Bash leans back against the counter. “Why the hell not?”
Ella’s cheeks are turning pink. “First, I’m not accepting housing from guys I’m fucking. Second, you guys taking control of my life is a red flag. Third, I have a place to crash.”
“Where?” I ask.
“A friend’s apartment.”
This little girl is trying my patience. “What friend?”
“You don’t know her,” she says, throwing her hands up in frustration. “See, you don’t know my friends. You don’t know my life.”
“We’re trying to change that,” I say.
“I know. I’m just saying, I need some space in the meantime. And I have a couch to crash on while I find a new place.”
“We have beds ,” Bash says.
Ella rolls her eyes.
“Kingston has a pool ,” Bash adds, pointing helpfully at the balcony outside the living room, where the pool is lit with a soft, blue light.
“What could I want with a pool right now?” Ella asks. “It’s fifty degrees outside.”
She doesn’t know it’s heated. I stalk toward her and stop when my toes are just two inches from hers. She’s forced to tilt her head back to look into my eyes.
This close, I can see that the brown of her irises is flecked with yellow.
Her pupils dilate as I bring my face closer and closer to hers.
She smells delicious and sweet, like cherries.
I run my nose along her cheek, then tilt my head so that our lips nearly touch.
I don’t kiss her, though. I hover millimeters away.
She tries to lean forward, but I take her cheeks in my hands and keep her still.
Her eyes are half closed as I step back. She’s still waiting for that kiss.
Folding my arms across my chest, I give her a smile that promises wicked things, and say, “Strip, baby girl.”