But I knew my avoidance couldn’t last for long. She’d push and push until my house of cards came down. I gently brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. “You remind me about everything good in life while my friends and most of my family showcase the dangerous aspect of our jobs and the world my ancestors created.”
“What good things might that be?”
I took a deep breath. Since I’d met her, she’d found a way to challenge every single aspect of my thoughts, and my very being with her pointed attitude. She wouldn’t accept a weak answer like that she deserved a strong man in her life. “I’m no poet, Fleur.”
“I don’t need a poet. You’ve told me twice that you care about me and I think it’s only fair you share with me the reason.”
“I can tell you there’s more than one. You’re the breath of fresh air after a thunderstorm on a spring day. You’re the sun creating a splash of color across the ocean’s surface just as the first rays sparkle the horizon. You’re the puppy refusing to listen tocommands while still being adorable even during the Tasmanian phase. You’re the raindrops falling lightly on soft flower petals. I meant what I said. I care about you because you don’t allow anyone to tell you how to live your life. You create incredible art and fill your home with suncatchers. You smile at everyone who walks into your store, and you are genuinely happy they came to see you.”
“I am!”
“I know.” I tugged on her chin, easily able to smile as usual. “I have a strong suspicion that even if someone was very rude to you that you’d offer a sweet smile and forgive him.”
“Now, hold on there. Weren’t you awake when I was chastising you for being… well, you?”
“Mmm… Yes, and I adore the fire furrowing deep within your heart and soul. You reserve your only spiteful moments for a man like me.”
“You mean insufferable?”
“Something like that. Your uniqueness is very special and for the most part, you are a sheer joy to be around.” I meant what I’d just told her, which should no longer be a surprise. I’d heard someone say a long time ago the woman he’d fallen in love with had made him want to be a better man.
Hell, maybe that was my brother. He’d softened since meeting the love of his life. Both Alexander and Sinclair had fewer rough edges.
She brushed her hand up my chest. “I think that’s the nicest thing any man has ever said to me.”
“Zane was a piece of shit.” There was nothing wrong with the frankness of my words.
A slow, lazy smile curled across her lips. “Yes, he was. The worst part was that he really was sweet at first.”
“How did you meet him?”
“By accident. I ran into him at a coffee shop. We chatted for a few minutes, but I had to get to work. I was working in an art gallery and he showed up about a week later. We hit it off. We went on a couple dates, one thing led to another, a whirlwind of what I’d thought was an amazing relationship. Only after he asked me to move in a month later did I start to see cracks in his veneer.”
“Did he interact with Danny?”
She bristled slightly when I asked the question, her eyes misting over. “Another by accident. Danny and I already had a tense relationship at that point. He popped over on the day I was cleaning out my apartment, ready to move in with Zane. I didn’t even tell Danny many details, but Zane showed up and things got a little ugly. After that, I didn’t want the headache of dealing with my brother.”
“You knew then he was working for the Russian Bratva.”
“I suspected. Zane confirmed it later and he managed to twist my relationship with my brother, making it even worse. The man was a master manipulator and I didn’t see it coming. Danny didn’t stop trying to see me, which infuriated Zane. Things began to unravel after that, Zane all but insisting we get married. If only I’d followed my instincts at that point. I wanted to be happy, ignoring every sign. I thought Zane was one of the good guys, an attorney with a Fifth Avenue firm and a bank account to go along with it.”
“People can easily fool you if they have money and powerful friends.”
She looked me directly in the eyes. “Are you trying to fool me?”
I didn’t need to hear every gory detail of her relationship with Zane. My instinct was telling me Danny knew exactly how corrupt Zane had become even then. “If there’s one thing I can admit it’s the person I’ve become. I call a spade a spade. What point would I have in trying to fool or lie to you?”
“That’s what bothers me so much, I don’t have a clue. I have no money, no powerful friends, and the only people I influence are those considering purchasing a gift.”
“That’s exactly why I adore you.” I cupped her face, rubbing my thumb across her cheek before tugging her closer until she curled up in my arms. The closeness was as peaceful as I’d felt in a very long time.
“Nothing can happen to you,” she said so quietly I strained to hear.
“Don’t worry, little flower. Nothing will happen to either one of us.”
I only hoped the promise was one I could keep.
CHAPTER 25
