Add to that the alcohol, the sedative, and the surfeit of adrenaline she’s had pounding through her system for the past few hours. The last thing she needs is a small child in her face the moment she wakes.
And I might be able to coax the world’s pickiest eater into consuming a whole breakfast if I withhold the temptation of playing with her new best friend.
In her bedroom, I slip off Isabelle’s dress, revealing the expensive lace garments I selected for her earlier. She won’t remember enough of the night to know she didn’t take it off herself.
Her body is lovely. Curvaceous but not soft. I quickly snap the covers into place, my cheeks filling with warmth. It’s not like I have to molest unconscious women to get my needs met. Even if they are put together as carefully as a work of art.
I place Isabelle on her side in case the drugs and alcohol kick in harder than expected, then slip out of the room, locking the door behind me.
* * *
By morning,I’m ragged. Knowing Sergio’s involvement should have made tracking down the other culprits easier, instead his lack of connections leaves me baffled, unable to trace any likely co-conspirators.
I’m in a foul mood when Feliks drops by after eight to alert me that both Sophia and Isabelle are awake. My daughter isn’t used to seeing me until the end of the day, so a quick check-in with loads of hugs suffices.
Her new companion requires a little more.
“Why was my door locked?” Isabelle asks when I stride into the dining room where Feliks brought her to enjoy breakfast. She’s taken a chair at the head of the table, an interesting choice for a guest, and the glare she levels my way is hot enough to melt glass.
The outfit I had the guard deliver to her this morning fits like a glove. The dark blue wool matches to her eyes, the nipped waist and flared skirt accentuating her curves. I hope she’s amenable to being dressed because I could happily spend the rest of my life selecting garments to fit and showcase her luscious frame.
I take a seat one place setting away so as not to crowd her before answering, “For protection.”
Her jaw clenches, the muscles bunching under her ear. “How is locking me in a room protecting me?”
“It isn’t. It was protection for the household in case you weren’t who you claimed to be.”
She rolls her eyes, then spreads such a thick layer of butter on her toast I wonder if she’s mistaken it for pale Nutella. Nope. The smile when she chews makes it clear she likes it that way.
I pour a cup of black coffee, sit back in my chair, and let my eyes travel over her.
It appears she doesn’t appreciate the scrutiny any more than she appreciates our safety arrangements. “Didn’t your mother teach you it’s rude to stare?”
“Unfortunately, she never got the chance.” I sip at my cup, enjoying the play of emotions across her face. Irritation, curiosity, and pity. If we ever play poker, I’ll take her for everything she’s got. Even Sophia can mask her emotions better.
She lands on pity. “Sorry for your loss,” she says, then frowns as though she’s not sure if the phrase applies.
I decide to take pity on her as well. “Thank you.”
“This is lovely,” she says, skewering some rashers of bacon on a fork and adding them to her plate. “It’s ages since I had a cooked breakfast.”
“Glad you’re enjoying it. I’ll pass your thanks on to Nora.”
“Is she your cook?” When I nod, she asks, “How many people do you employ here? No, don’t worry. You don’t have to tell me. Must be a lot, though. I’ve already met four. Five if that doctor’s still hanging around. Is she on staff? I can’t imagine employing your own doctor. That’s just bizarre.”
As if realising she’s talking a lot, Isabelle shoves some bacon and more toast into her mouth, keeping it occupied with chewing.
“The doctor stayed the night because she arrived so late, not because she’s a permanent employee, but it takes a lot of people to keep a house this size running.”
“Oh, yes. It must do.” She twirls her fork in the air before using it to snag a hash brown. “I swear it took ten minutes to walk to my room yesterday. I’ve never been in a place this big. Do just you and your daughter live here? Apart from the staff, I mean.”
“Other members of my team also live here.”
Her eyes widen in alarm. “Please don’t tell me anything more. I’m just babbling. I don’t want to know anything that’ll make you nervous.”
“Nervous?”
She pauses eating long enough to bite her lip. “Like stuff you don’t want me telling anyone else. I can keep a secret, but you don’t know that and I’d rather you didn’t have to worry about me staying quiet.”
