Chapter 9 #2
“I would have loved to have a big brother I could look up to, but Ash was determined to hate me,” he continues. “You saw what he was like yesterday. He almost strangled me. That was his way of laying claim to you.”
“I’m no one’s to claim,” I remind him, glancing to where his grip is tightening on my upper arm.
Barrett lets go, but he isn’t finished. “You don’t belong to him, Belle. You don’t belong in his life. Nor does Piper,” he insists. “Would you have wanted her there yesterday, consorting with not one, but two crime families.”
“What do you mean?”
“Katarina was representing the Barkovs, but Killian McConkey was there too. The McConkeys are Ash’s Irish mafia friends.”
I already know who Killian is. I’d first heard his name six years ago, from Ash.
“The one thing all mobsters like to do is make a show of benevolence whenever they can. It’s good optics, and it keeps their image clean,” Barrett scoffs.
“The Griffins set the refuge up for the same reason, but they can’t do anything without courting danger.
Who knows how the situation could have degenerated if the Barkovs and the McConkeys had decided to trade blows?
You’re best out of it, Belle. I want to look after you.
And if I’m lucky, one day you’ll let me into your heart. ”
I’m already shaking my head. “I do care about you, Barrett,” I say, and it’s mostly true. I simply don’t care for him in the way he wants me to.
I thought we’d reached an understanding a long time ago. We’d been on precisely one date back in our college days, but it was obvious from the start that there was no spark, for me at least. There’s only one man who seared his name into my heart, and he did it within hours of us meeting.
Barrett’s hand shoots up and he presses a finger to my lips.
I’m not sure if he thinks the move is sensual, but his fingertips don’t have the same effect on me as the man who haunts my dreams as well as my nightmares.
This moment with Barrett simply feels awkward.
Much like the one kiss we shared on our wedding day.
I’d kept my lips firmly closed as if I were kissing an elderly aunt.
“Don’t say another word,” Barrett whispers. “Leave me with a little hope.”
I step away. “I need to get dressed and packed.”
“It’s such a shame we can’t stay longer in Chicago,” Barrett says.
“I would have loved to take you out to dinner and show you off some more, but can you imagine how awkward it would be if we bumped into Ash and Katarina on their date?” He chuckles.
“On second thoughts, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe we should stay.”
I couldn’t think of anything worse. I don’t fool myself into thinking Ash hasn’t moved on.
With his looks, he must have women falling at his feet constantly, but I’d rather not see it.
“I don’t want to be anywhere near Katarina and her family.
Or the Griffins,” I add because that’s how I should feel.
“I’m not going to rest easy until we’re back at your estate. ”
“You mean, back home,” Barrett corrects.
“And you’re right, of course. We have so much to do now that you’re officially Mrs. Emerson.
” He glances at Piper and lowers his voice when he adds, “And I don’t want to push, but one of those things needs to be finding a suitable nanny for Piper.
I know you like Tandy, but let’s not forget that she’s a friend of Quinn’s. ”
So am I, I want to say but don’t. I’ll leave that particular argument for another day. “I trust Tandy, and I don’t need a nanny.”
“I don’t think you appreciate how busy you’re going to be,” Barrett replies with a dismissive sniff. “We can talk more later. Let’s get home first. We can leave as soon as we’ve had breakfast.”
I’d be happy to put that conversation off indefinitely. “Shall I order room service?”
“No need. Already done. You just concentrate on getting ready.”
Before Barrett retreats back to his room, he lets his gaze travel down my body.
He gives the smallest of shrugs, which I’d like to think is one of acceptance.
I’m willing to remain married to Barrett for as long as he needs, but only if those needs are practical ones and not some misplaced yearning for things that could never be between us.
“Don’t be too long,” he says, finally moving out of the way so I can close the interconnecting door. As silently as I can, I turn the lock.
As I get ready, I don’t hear a sound from my daughter except for the wisp of paper as she turns the pages of her book.
“Piper, you were supposed to be putting those away, not taking more out,” I scold as I start to gather up the books she’s left scattered over her bed.
She’s become a voracious reader in recent months, and my challenge has been to find books that match her thirst for knowledge while being age appropriate.
“Did you know that wombat poo is square-shaped?”
I tease the wildlife book from her hands. “I do now, but honey, maybe save your interesting facts until after breakfast. We don’t want to gross Barrett out.”
“Fine,” she mumbles, scrambling off the bed to help me tidy up.
My phone pings on the nightstand and I give a start.
Now that I’ve crashed into Ash’s world, will he assume he can contact me directly?
If it is him. Or am I being paranoid? Idiotically hopeful?
He may not even have my number. Who am I kidding?
Quinn would have given it to him when she shared his contact details with me. If he didn’t have my number already.
Piper reaches my phone before I can get to it. She knows my passcode, which I hadn’t considered an issue until now. “It’s a message from Tandy. She’s downstairs having breakfast with boring Ray,” she says.
I frown at her. “Did Tandy call him boring Ray?”
Piper has the affront to match my glare. “I was just adding clarification in case you didn’t know which Ray I was talking about.”
“Let’s not call people rude names,” I say, fighting to keep my face straight as I take my phone off her. “You never know when someone might hear, or repeat what you say. And we wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, would we?”
“Sorry,” she says with a pout. “Can we go downstairs and join them? I’ll be extra nice to Ray. Promise.”
I tap out a reply to Tandy as I talk. “We’re having breakfast with Barrett. We’ll join Tandy later, and you can share all those interesting wildlife facts you’re storing up with Ray.” It might make him less boring, I think but don’t say. Piper giggles anyway.
Piper trails me into the vast living space of the hotel suite.
The wall-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the Chicago skyline from the top floor of one of the most prestigious hotels in the city.
I should have guessed the hotel owner would know Barrett, and the Griffins.
They live in a different world to anything I’ve ever known, and one where the elite mingle seamlessly with their counterparts in the underworld.
It makes me long for the simplicity of a rural life.
Barrett is seated at the dining table, hiding behind a broadsheet as he flicks through the pages. I give Piper a prod.
“Morning, Barrett,” she calls out.
He lowers his newspaper and beams a smile at me. “There my girls are. I hope you’re hungry.”
Piper takes a seat at the table furthest from Barrett, and I lift up the cloches covering the breakfast platters. There’s salmon and a rice dish. A selection of fruit and what I guess is kefir fermented yogurt because it’s one of Barrett’s usual selections.
Piper makes a face. “Where’s my cereal?”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t think,” says Barrett as he helps himself to the salmon. There was a time when he’d tried to impress Piper, but she’s been hard to win over. Since we’ve married, it’s as if Barrett’s given up.
“How about some fruit? Or the rice?” I ask her. “It smells nice.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Please, can I go down to Tandy,” she whines.
I’m about to say no, when Barrett gets there first. “Of course you can.”
“No,” I insist, directing my answer to Piper. “I want you to stay with me.” I glance meaningfully at Barrett. “It’s safer. I’ll ask room service to send up cereal.”
My cheeks flush with annoyance, and I dip my head to use the app on my phone to place an order.
I wish I could stop thinking about Ash with that little girl yesterday.
She’d squealed with delight when she’d seen him.
In contrast, my daughter is silently scowling at her step-father, who’s hiding behind his newspaper again.