Davenport Harbor (Six Degrees Book 3) (17 page)

“
Today has been one of the most incredible days of my life.
”
The sincerity in his deep voice made my eyes sting and I smiled, unable to respond. It had been better than incredible for me, so many emotions swirling around me, so I just nodded and he smiled.

“
I
’
ll be back in a bit.
”
I nodded again like a nerd, trying not to let disappointment hit me. He was going back to the main house to a beautiful woman, who seemingly had everything. A great car, great style, and she was gorgeous. She oozed class and sophistication the way he radiated masculinity and power.

“
Anne?
”
I looked up at him, snapping out of my thoughts.
“
What did Belle want you to think about?
”

“
Oh...Umm, catering a dinner for her. She liked the meal I whipped up for her.
”
His handsome face scrunched up and his gaze went to the floor as if he was thinking about something.
“
Why?
”

“
Do you want to do it?
”

“
The extra money would be great, but I think I have more than enough on my plate with taking care of your home and freelancing for Nick.
”

“
Good. I
…
I don
’
t like you being close to her,
”
he admitted, his face like stone.
“
She isn
’
t someone you want to work for, Kitten.
”

“
Okay, John.
”
I couldn’t help but answer softly. He looked over my shoulder and stepped into the house.

“
Okay.
”
He sighed in relief.
“
I
’
ll be back, okay?
”
He pulled me in slowly, giving me a chance to push him away, but I didn’t. He could totally be lying about whom Belle was to him, but for some reason I believed him.

“
Okay,
”
I murmured before his lips fell on mine, his woodsy scent wrapping around me as he kissed me tenderly. My eyes were still closed as he walked out, shutting the door behind him. I took a deep breath and smiled to myself, opening my eyes before turning towards the stroller. Zoey’s baby scent surrounded me as I picked her up. I looked around at the place and frowned at a window that was open, wondering when I had opened it. I closed it and before I could come up with an answer, Zoey grabbed my nose and I started to talk to her. I took her and got everything ready for her bath, wondering what the hell I was going to wear for a sleepover.

Men like John Davenport probably had sleepovers with women that looked and dressed like the very one he was walking back to: successful, distinguished, and full of class, even if she seemed a little cold. He probably didn
’
t see women who shopped at clearance racks. Looking at Zoey, I smiled and focused on the tasks at hand, ignoring the burning question of what the hell to wear.

John

My body strung tight, a fucking hard-on that could pound nails, my walk back to my house was more than uncomfortable. I didn
’
t want to leave Anne and Zoey, but I needed to find out what the hell Belle wanted that would cause her to show up at my doorstep on a Sunday night.

***

A file in my hand, I look at Belle in disbelief as she was sipping her second glass of red wine.

“
You want to expand?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
To the east coast?
”

“
Yeah.
”

“
After what happened with Duke, you think that
’
s a good idea?
”
I frowned, looking down at the file once more.

“
He
’
s in jail. He knows better than to mess with me now.
”
She answered confidently, and I looked at her. Dressed in designer everything, white wide leg pants and a bright red sleeveless turtle neck silk blouse, her light brown hair tightly pulled back in a low lying ponytail, she looked utterly carefree, but there was something going on behind her eyes.

“
He messed with you, Belle. He had your hands tied and—
”

“
And one of my girls was hurt, a member threatened. I know, I was there,
”
she sighed as she interrupted me.

“
And you still think this is a good idea?
”

“
California is great, John, but I think it
’
s time I moved on,
”
she announced and I leaned back, sipping my own glass of red, thinking about what she was saying, trying not to let the surprise show.

“
So Shine would what? Just disappear?
”

“
God, no.
”
She smiled,
“
It would be legit, become a restaurant. I don
’
t trust anyone to run it the way it should be run. People get greedy, stupid, and that is when shit goes bad. Shine would be a restaurant and that would be all,
”
she announced to me, crossing one of her long legs over the other, her black patent heels bobbing slightly.

I leaned back in my chair and looked at her. She was a beautiful woman about my age. She was strong, funny as hell, and intriguing. I
’
d always wondered about Belle and how the hell life had twisted and turned to get her to be who she was.

“
What about your girls? They would be out of a job.
”

“
The ones that want to come with me, can. They have a job. The ones that don
’
t, can find new jobs.
”

“
Just like that?
” I was
surprised at the coldness in her response. She was usually all about protecting her girls.

Belle remained silent and took a drag of the cigarette she had lit. She stood up to walk to my book case, acting as if she was looking at the titles, but the empty look in her eyes gave her away.

“
Lucy quit,
”
she uttered softly, shaking her head,
“
I tried to protect her after she was—
”

“
Attacked. Say it, Belle.
”
I remembered the night that Lucy Mack was attacked and Belle had shown up at the corporate suite I had been living in at the time. She had broken down, unlike the woman who sat in front of me right now. Watching her now, I wondered how those two women could be the same.

“
He found her,
”
she shared, still talking in that soft, unrecognizable tone. She cleared her throat and kept sharing,
“
He
’
s been following her around, spooking her.
”
Her face flushed in obvious anger, she looked at me, her eyes sad,
”
She said I can
’
t protect her and she
’
s right. I mean, look at what happened to Liz Del Rio. What could have happened to you, John?
”
Her fingers went to her mouth and she sat back down, taking another slow drag.

Running my fingers through my hair, I looked at one of the most powerful women in California, hell, on the west coast.

“
I can have him taken care of,
”
I offered and she laughed, glancing at me with twinkling amber eyes.

“
That
’
s so cavalier of you, John. Fact is, so could I,
”
she said, smiling.
“
If it wasn
’
t for his father being the fucking Governor, he would already have been taken care of.
”

“
The fucking prick,
”
I muttered under my breath. I remembered going to see Lucy Mack in her apartment with Belle the day after that little shit did what he did. The girl was beautiful in her own way, soft, sweet, and classy. She looked nothing like her birth mother. Not really. You only saw it if you really paid attention to their eyes.

“
So tell me about the housekeeper,
”
Belle demanded, her perfectly shaped eyebrow rising.

“
Belle,
”
I started to warn.

“
Oh, come on. Did you think I wouldn
’
t ask? You know me better than that.
”
Her husky voice was trying to mask a smile, and I rolled my eyes.

“
Belle.
”

“
She
’
s gorgeous with those Bambi eyes and mile-long legs. Is she the reason you haven't visited Shine or had my girls visit you the last couple of months?
”
She asked, getting to the point.

“
Belle.
”
My frustration with her intrusion was apparent and she frowned. I stopped my warning, shocked at what she had to say.

“
She looks familiar, John.
”
Her words clung to the air and momentarily, I couldn’t breathe. Her to look familiar to Belle could mean many different things, most of which I didn’t like. I stayed quiet, trying to hide my unease.

“
What do you know about her?
”
She inquired, and I saw something in Belle
’
s eyes that I couldn’t read. It wasn
’
t as if we were close, but we were always honest with one another.

“
Not much,
”
I rubbed the back of my neck.
“
Other than the fact that she
’
s running away from something or someone who isn
’
t very nice,
”
I confided in her.
“
How does she look familiar?”

“
She didn
’
t work for me if that
’
s what you
’
re asking,
”
she disclosed, leaning back, getting more comfortable in her chair. I looked out the window.
“
I
’
m not sure, but I feel as if I have seen her somewhere before.
”
Her cautious tone made me look back at her, noticing that she seemed slightly nervous.
“
Maybe she has one of those faces." I studied her, but she seemed extremely nervous.

“
Cut the shit, Belle, tell me. Where do you think you know her from?
”
I told her bluntly and she watched me. We sat in silence for a bit. Belle was good with her damn dramatics, but I had to relax.

“
Two years ago, I went to an event at the Governor
’
s summer home, up the coast in Monterey.
”

“
And? Do you have a point?
”

“
She was blond.
”
She shook her head, her hand out,
“
That
’
s why I couldn
’
t place her.

“
Belle.
”

“
She was dating the very little shit we were just talking about,
”
she confessed, and the room fell into a deep silence.

Shit.

“
Downey?
”
I frowned at her.
“
But she
’
s
…
Holy fuck!
”
I slumped back into my chair and looked at her.
“
Are you sure, Belle?
”

“
Yes. I noticed her right away. After what he did to Lucy, any time I had to be around him, I would keep my eye on him. I remember thinking that the way he was with her didn
’
t sit well with me, but as long as he wasn
’
t trying to get near Lucy and his dad kept his promise, it was none of my business.
”
Regret was shining in her eyes.

“
You
’
re sure it was her, Belle? Because like you said, it was two years ago.
”

“
It
’
s her, John. I would bet money on it. Do you think she
’
s running from Downey?
”

“
If she is, that means Zoey
…”

“
Shit.
”
We both stayed silent as the possibilities ran through my mind, connecting the dots with what she
’
d told me. No wonder she thought I couldn
’
t help. She didn
’
t know my reach.

“
You okay about Lucy?
”
I asked, watching her intently. She made a noncommittal sound, shrugging her shoulder.

“
It
’
s time. She needs to go on her own,
”
she shared, yet the sound of her voice was more than defeated.

“
But she
’
s your
…”

“
Don
’
t,
”
she snapped, taking the last sip of her glass.
“
I have no idea why I told you that. I should have died, taking that with me to my grave.
”

“
You felt bad that your daughter was attacked.
”

“
My daughter shouldn
’
t have been working for me to begin with,
”
she said, and I couldn’t help but agree, yet how the hell the world had brought the two of them together in that situation, was beyond my understanding.

“
She doesn
’
t know?
”

“
No idea, her parents never told her she was adopted.
”
Pain was raw in her husky voice. I watched her close her amber eyes slowly.