Chapter 3
Bel jogged down the stairs, Cerberus hard on her heels for his breakfast. Notext message. No note. Just an emptyhouse,and she warned herself not to freak out as she fed her dog. Eamon hadn’t left her in the middle of the night. He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t.
Cerberus’ ears twitched, and with a grunt, he abandoned his bowl. But after a few steps, he twisted to gaze longingly at his remaining breakfast and returned to inhale the last bites. He swallowed themwholewith greedy snorts, and when the final piece vanished into his mouth, he bolted for the front door with a bark. His deep voice echoed off the foyer’s high ceiling, a warning to whoever drove up the gravel drive that this house was protected, and Bel peaked out the window to watch an unfamiliar SUV skid to a halt. She couldn’t see the driver through the tinted windows from her angle, and she wondered if she should leash her dog. Strangers always balked at Cerberus’ beefy appearance and cropped ears, but men with guns weren’t afraid ofpitbullswith fangs, and she didn’t want to risk his safety when confronting this stranger. No one in town owned a car that nice, meaning one of Eamon’s contacts had probably decided to bother him only hours after the holiday’s end.Seemednot even his clients knew he’d disappeared.
Bel opened the door, a blast of icy air slapping her in the face, and Cerberus bolted outside before she could catch him. If her first-thing-in-the-morning visitor was a colleague of Eamon’s, her dog wasn’t in danger, and based on the vehicle’s price, the nature of this intrusion was indeed business.
“Oh good, you’re up,” the driver said as he jumped out of the SUV, and Cerberus leaped into his arms as he rounded the car. “I was rushing to get back before you woke.”
“Eamon?” Bel jogged down the front steps, mad at herself for worrying for even a second that he’d abandoned her in the middle of the night. “Back from where?”
“Getting your Christmas gift.” He captured her in a hug, but before he could kiss her, Cerberus’ head popped up between them, slobbering all over their faces as he greeted his two favorite people.
“Christmas gift?” she repeated, pushing the pit’s messy tongue out of her eyes. “But I forgot to get you one. Between the hospital and being at my dad’s, I didn’t have time to shop.”
“You told me you loved me.” Eamon shovedpastthe pup’s exuberance and planted a kiss on her lips, dog slobberand all. “That was a better gift than anything I could buy you.”
“I still should’ve thought of something.”
“Next year.” He set the pitbull down, and Cerberus ran off down the drive to do his business. “And I forgot to get Baby Beast a present, so I’mslacking. You’ve done a much better job this Christmas than me.”
“He’ll forgive you.” Bel wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to play it cool. She didn’t want him to noticeshe’d woken in a panic. She was embarrassed enough by her reaction as it was. He’d given her his word. They were in this together, and he’d merely left to buy her a gift. “So, what did you get me?” She smiledat him, and he tossed his head over his shoulder as he hugged her waist.
“Wait…” Bel gently shoved him away as she realized what he meant. “The SUV?”
“I returned your rental.” Eamon crossed his arms over his chest. “It was a cheap ride, and you need something safer.
“You got me a car?” Bel gawked at the gorgeous vehicle… theveryexpensive,gorgeousvehicle.
“Blaubart totaled your car when he used the body double to fake your death,” he said. “It’s winter, and with snow coming, you need reliable transportation. You also need something big enough to cart Cerberus between our houses, since you won’t live with me. He’ll like the SUV better than your coupe.”
“You got me a car?” she repeated.
“I know it’s not romantic like heels or jewelry, but you need a safe vehicle. I don’t want you driving around in some piece of trash because some lunatic totaled your car. SUVs are pricy, so this seemed like a perfect gift.”
“Yes, they are pricy, Eamon.” She glared at him. “We talked about this. I’m uncomfortable with excessive gifts. An occasional dress is one thing, but this costs far more than an outfit. I can’t accept this… especially this model. I appreciate the thought, but the rental was enough until I figured it out.”
“See, that’s where I gotyou.” Eamon smirked, his expression entirely too pleased with himself. “You can accept it because it wasn’t expensive.In fact,it cost me nothing.”
“Nothing?” She gawked at the luxury SUV. “What do you mean?”
“It’s one of my cars,” he said. “I drove to the garage to pull it out of storage because I know you. A brand-new car would make you uncomfortable, but if you take this, you’llactuallybe saving me money since I won’t have to pay to park it anymore.”
“Oh, you’re good.” Bel laughed.
“I’m aware.” He handed her the keys and nodded for her to check it out. “I worked with a client a few years ago who lived upstate in the dead of winter,” he said as she climbed into the driver’s seat. “I wanted something reliable in the snow, so I bought this, but I had no use for it when I returned to the city. It’s been in the garage ever since.”
“It gets cold here in Bajka. Won’t you need it?”
“I have my car, my old work truck, and the new truck,” he said as he settled into the passenger seat. “Trucks are best for renovations, and they handle snow well, so I don’t need this. I was considering selling it, but I’d rather you have it. I feel safer knowing you’re driving something reliable. So, in reality, you accepting this gift is for my benefit.”
“Oh, you’rereally good.” Bel slipped the key into the ignition, grinning as the engine purredto life.
“Good enough to convince you to accept this?” Eamon leaned over the center console.
“I have to test drive it first, obviously,” she teased. “Cerberus! Come on, buddy. Wanna go for a ride?”
The pitbull came charging, and she helped him into the backseat before slipping into the front. She wasted no time throwing the vehicle into drive, and with a smile at Eamon, she slammed on the gas. The SUV launched forward, and for the next ten minutes, Bel sped through the expansive Reale Estate.
“You canreallyhandle a car.” Eamon beamed when they finally skidded to a halt a few miles from the mansion. “It’s unreasonably sexy. Why do I always drive when we’re together?”
“Driving a squad car in New York City taught me a thing or two.” She shifted the gear stick to park and leaned against the headrest with electricity running through her veins. “You’re still a better driver than me, but I can handle a car. Especially one this nice.” She ran her fingers over the steering wheel. “Do me a favor. Never tell me how much this costs. I love it, but I’d never be able to afford something this beautiful.”
“So I’ll just buy myself another when this breaks down.”
“Eamon…”
“Isobel…” He furrowed his brow at her. “This SUV should last you years. By the time you need a replacement, we won’t be having these conversations because what’s mine will be yours.”
“What’s yours is mine?” Bel’s smile fell. “I panicked this morning when you weren’t in bed. I knew you wouldn’t do something so cruel, but I couldn’t help it. It made me nervous,” she admitted. “I’m not saying this to make you feel guilty… I guess I just wanted you to know.”
“I’m sorry.” Eamon reached across the console and gripped her thigh. “The idea struck well after midnight, but I didn’t want to wake you, so I snuck out. I was rushing to return before you woke up so I could surprise you.”
“It’s a lovely surprise, and it’s a gift Ireallyneed.” She slid her palm over his knuckles. “It’s justwhen you say what’s yours is mine, I want to look forward to that. I don’t want to worry about you abandoning me.”
“I would never abandon you,” Eamon said. “But seeing you dead did something to me. I’ll never forget the image. I’ll never forget that pain, so I didn’t suggest leaving to scare you or make you feel inadequate. Something broke inside me when I saw your death on the news. It’ll take time for that wound to heal. Even now, seeing you alive, feeling your warmth below my palms, hearing yourheart beatand your lungs breathe, all I can see are your vacant eyes staring up at me from the slab in the morgue. I have to force myself to believe you didn’t die in that car accident. It’s partially why I left in the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep. I just kept watching you to make sure your chest was moving.”
“Blaubart told me you found out about my faked death on the news.” Bel wiped the tears from her eyes. Every time Eamon opened his mouth, she understood more and more why he’d mentioned leaving. Was that why they’d spent hours tangled in the sheets last night? Had he wanted to feel her gasping for breath against him so that he knew she was alive? Had he been too afraid to sleep for fear that she’d stop breathing beside him?
“He made that Jane Doe look just like you,” Eamon whispered.
“Thinking about that makes me sick.” She peeled his hand off her leg and pressed it against her chest so he could feel her heartbeat. “I’m still here, though. It will takea lotmore than a madman to steal me from you.”
“Promise?”
“I love you, remember?” She lifted his fingers to her lips and kissed them before returning them to her heart.
“I could never forget.” He leaned across the console and pulled her into a kiss, lingering against her until she was gasping for breath.
“Thank you,” she whispered against his mouth.
“For what?”
“For the car, for being honest.” She kissed him again before leaning back in her seat. “For letting me be honest. I was so mad at you for contemplating leaving… but then Ihearwhat you went through, and Iunderstand.Most men would bottle up their emotions andjustleave.They’d assume they were doing it for myowngood, and I’d be left angry and alone with unanswered questions. But hearing the story from your perspective? I probably would’ve done the same thing in your shoes.”
“The past month has been hell for both of us,” Eamon said. “There aremanythings I wish I could do differently.”
“But we’re still here, and we’re still together. I think we’re going to be okay. We’re the couple that makes it to what’s yoursismine, aren’t we?”
“Detective Isobel Stone.” Eamon smiled.
“Okay, slow down,” she laughed, swatting his chest. “We’re not there yet.”
“Right… gotta convince you to move in with me first.” He winked.
“Exactly. I’m just saying we’ll be okay. If we can survive this, we can survive any fight.”
“We better. Cerberus likes this car,” Eamon said as he glanced at the pitbull who’d fixated on a squirrel outside his window. “He’ll be upset if he doesn’t get to con goodies out of me.”
“That’s low.” Bel captured Eamon’s face in her hands and kissed him. “Using my dog against me.”
“It’s a guaranteed win.”
“You, sir, are good.” She settled back into her seat and shifted the gear stick. “I love you… now can you help mereallydrive this car? It’s so nice, and most of Bajka is residential. I won’t get many chances to test her.”
Eamon leaned closer and brushed a seductive kiss over her scars. “I thought you’d never ask.”