by M. L. Ray
As they neared home, the driver suddenly cursed. “Ma’am, they’ve closed off this road for some reason. I’ll have to take another route.”
Anouk looked out of the window. “Hey, no, don’t worry. I’ll get out here. My place is only a couple of blocks.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, thanks. Here,” she handed him his fare and a generous tip, “have a good night.”
“You too, Ma’am. Thanks.”
Anouk got out of the cab, glad that she never wore heels, and walked the couple of blocks back to her apartment building. It wasn’t until she reached the entrance that her skin prickled at the base of her skull. The feeling of being watched was palpable, and Anouk stopped, turned and scanned the darkness for… what? Someone? Something?
She was aware that her throat was closing. Stop it. You’re being paranoid. She turned and pushed open the door to the building. Inside, the main lights were out, and she quickened her pace as she took the stairs two at a time.
It was only when she was safely in the apartment that she breathed again. She turned the dead bolt on the door as Iris came to greet her. “What’s up?”
Anouk let out a long breath. “Just spooked myself. No biggie.”
But she was rattled. Iris looked worried, but Anouk just shook her head. “I’m… it was nothing. I’m just beat.”
Iris looked at her sympathetically. “There’s plenty of hot water if you need a bath.”
“You read my mind.”
“Want something to eat afterward? Not sure what we have, but I can make grilled cheese and some soup?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Anouk went into her bedroom and dumped her bag on the bed, seeing her mail on her bed. She sorted through it, seeing a letter from her lawyer in London. Seeing that postmark didn’t help the tension any. She tore it open and read through the letter.
As far as we are aware, Mr. Simon has not been charged in connection with bigamy in either London or the United States. However, the permanent restraining order you requested has been formally approved. Should Mr. Simon attempt to find you, please contact the police in regard to this matter.
Anouk sighed. Good news and bad. Good that she had the restraining order. Bad that Shawn would never pay for his crime. Fuck you, Shawn, just fuck you.
She felt the tears threatening, and shoving the letter into the drawer in her nightstand, she went to take her bath.
Outside, the man who had followed Anouk home took out his cell phone and dialed an international number. After it connected, he heard the voice on the other end of the phone and spoke.
“Yeah, it’s me. I found her.”
Chapter Six
Flynn stole a handful of fries from Knox’s plate as he rolled his eyes. “I asked you if you wanted any fries and you said no.”
“It’s more fun to steal yours,” she said with a grin. Knox grinned at his younger sister. Since he had been back in Seattle, he’d seen Flynn almost daily, growing to adore his younger sibling as much as he anticipated he would. He looked at her now. She was tall, lanky, like only a teenager could be, but there were dark shadows under her eyes, and he wondered if she was studying too hard—or being pressured to study too hard. She was also way too thin for his liking, but he knew better than to comment on a woman’s weight or appearance.
Flynn was grinning at him. “So, how’s the sexy art dealer? Nailed her yet?”
“Kid, that sounds so gross coming out of your innocent mouth. And no, not yet.”
“But you want to? Don’t blame you. I’ve seen her photograph on the gallery’s website. Dang, bro.”
Knox was laughing. “I am supremely uncomfortable right now, but yet, I cannot stop laughing.”
“At least I won’t ask you if you ‘tapped that’. Ugh.” She stole another fry. “A guy at college literally asked his friend if he’d tapped me, right in front of me.”
“Want me to kick his ass?”
“I handled it.” Flynn’s smile was wide, and Knox suddenly saw the resemblance between him and his younger sister. “So, you going to ask her out?”
“I don’t want her to get in trouble with her boss.”
“Ah,” Flynn said suddenly, “you mean, she’s not interested?”
Knox opened his mouth to protest, then just laughed. “Unclear. But something tells me there’s a story there.”
“A story?” Flynn was fiddling with her cup of soda, and Knox noticed she had gotten pale.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Yeah. I’ve just been getting a little sick the past couple of days. It’ll pass in a sec.”
Knox frowned, but soon enough, the color returned to his sister’s cheeks. “You should get that checked out, boo.”
Flynn smiled at him. “I’m good. So, this girl, woman, I’m sorry, woman. Anouk. You said there was a story?”
“I’m just speculating but she’s… there’s a vulnerability there that I don’t think is inherent, you know? Like something happened to her and now she’s a little guarded.”
Flynn chuckled, and Knox grinned at her. “What?”
“It’s just, hearing you talk like this. So sensitive to another person. It’s not the image you typically put out to the world. You’re Knox Zapata. You can have anyone you want, and you usually do. But that’s not really you, is it?”
Knox shrugged. “I’m just who I am. And I’m getting older. The whole playboy thing is kind of tacky.”
“Or you met this girl, and she’s gotten under your skin.”
“I barely know her. And who knows, it might just be a passing fancy. She’s pretty focused on her work. After the show, she might just disappear, move onto the next artist.”
“You make her sound like she’s flighty.”
Knox hesitated. “Not flighty, per se… but definitely a flight risk. But you know what?”
“What?”
He chuckled softly, not even believing what he was going to say, himself. “There’s one thing I would like to be to her, even if nothing else happens.”
“What’s that?”
Knox smiled. “Her friend.”
***
After lunch, he hugged Flynn goodbye, and nodded when she told him firmly to call his brother. “Start with Levi, bro. Dad will come later, but get Levi on your side. That’s the key.”
“Yes, boss.”
He was still smiling when he strolled into the Granger Gallery. Anouk came down to meet him and he kissed her cheek. “Hey, Nook.”
“Hey, yourself. Listen, we need to talk guests, who you want at your opening, who should be at your opening.”
“So to speak.” He grinned, as she flushed at her unintended double entendre. “So, straight to business then.”
“We have limited time, Knox, so yes. Come up to my office.”
He liked this bossy side of her. As he followed her upstairs, he admired the sway of her hips, the way her curves filled the blue jeans she wore. She wore a simple white linen top, a long silver pendant, and sneakers. He wondered at the contrast between Tom Granger, always suave, and this tomboy, who looked like she never wore heels.
Today, her dark, wavy hair was loose, tumbling down to the middle of her back. It was thick and lustrous, and Knox wanted to wind it around his fist and pull her to him…
“Knox?”
He blinked, realizing he had been staring at her. Anouk’s face was a little flushed, but her eyes were amused. “Still with us?”
“Sorry. Just… being inspired.” Ugh. What a line, and he grinned away his embarrassment.
Anouk rolled her eyes, but smiled, anyway. “Come to my lair,” she joked, “and see what havoc you’ve caused me.”
In her office, Knox started to laugh. There were papers, folders, photos of his pieces, all over the floor, and Anouk sat down, cross-legged, in the middle of the mess. “You’ve destroyed my life,” she hissed, then laughed. “Sit, sit, we have work to do. Ruby is brin
ging coffee and snacks for us, so I hope you’ve cleared your schedule for today.”
“For you, of course.” He sat down in one of the few empty spots on the carpet. “Jeez, Nook…”
“Yup. Let’s get to it, Tiger.”
For the next couple of hours, they talked, argued and laughed, trying to put together a guest list for the first night of his exhibit. At one p.m., Ruby, the gallery’s intern, brought them drinks, potato chips and spicy port tortas from Marination Station, which Knox had never had, but was instantly converted to.
Anouk sipped her zero-sugar soda from an enormous cup and grinned at him. “God, I love food.”
“You’re a foodie, huh?”
“Hell, yes.” She patted her belly. “Although I may have gone overboard with that sandwich.” She pulled a potato chip from the bag and munched it. “Clearly, I won’t stop eating, though.”
Knox grinned at her. Nook wore black, thick-rimmed spectacles as she worked, and with only a bare minimum of make-up, she looked as young as Flynn did. Knox suddenly had an idea. “Hey, you up for meeting my kid sister?”
Anouk looked up, surprised. “What?”
“You just reminded me of her, is all, and I know you’ve only just moved back to the city. Flynn is a lot of fun.”
“Sure.” But she seemed a little awkward, and Knox regretted his words.
“No biggie. But just in case you needed another girl friend.”
“I’m sure I’ll meet her at some point. You’re inviting your family to the opening, right?”
Knox nodded. “Of course. Well, at least my siblings.”
Anouk took another potato chip. “Are you close to your parents?”
“My mom passed a few years ago. My father… not so much, no.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” He smiled softly at her. She really did look adorable with her cheeks puffed out from chewing, her large green eyes behind those spectacles. There was a speck of mayo on her cheek, and without thinking, he reached over to swipe it away with his finger.
Anouk froze for a moment, and Knox held his finger up to show her the mayo. “Oh. Thanks.”
“Sorry, I should have told you.”
“It’s okay.”
Knox studied her. She had some emotional walls, that was for sure. “What’s your story, Nook? I know there’s something.”
Anouk looked away from him. “I’d rather just talk about the work, if it’s okay with you.”
“Of course, I wouldn’t want to pry. Just… I know you have Iris, but if you need someone to talk to…”
She smiled at him and their eyes met… and held. “That’s very kind, Knox, but I’m good. Shall we get on?”
“Sure.”
***
Knox said goodnight at about eight-thirty, after trying to persuade her to have dinner with him. “I already promised Iris a girl’s night in,” she lied smoothly, “maybe some other time.”
He took her at her word and said goodnight, but as she watched him walk away, Anouk realized that she’d had a wonderful day with this man. Of course, he was her client, and a flirt, and someone she could never get involved with… but she liked Knox Zapata.
It’s more than like, you liar. “Shut up,” she hissed to herself. She wasn’t dumb enough to form a crush on a man like Knox, not with his reputation.
But she enjoyed his company. He was funny and self-deprecating, and he teased her as if they had known each other forever. What a shame that he was so… pretty. His dark hazel eyes crinkling at the corners, that goofy smile—he had a range of those. There was the confident player smile. That one she could live without. It was way too cocky and practiced. But the other smiles, the laugh, the way his nose wrinkled up when he was in fits of laughter, which was often. She made him laugh. That was kind of cool.
Nope, do not get a crush. The last thing you need is a man like that. Trouble, which is why she turned down his dinner invitation. That’s what Knox Zapata was, trouble, and she’d had enough of that to last a lifetime.
Anouk tidied up her paperwork. In the midst of the fun, they’d actually managed to get a lot of work done, and now she felt some of the pressure ease.
She said goodnight to Tom and went home. Despite her white lie to Knox about a girl’s night in, Iris was actually on a date, and Anouk had the apartment to herself. She ordered pizza, and took a shower while she waited for it to come. Sputnik, Iris’s huge ginger tom cat, camped out with her on the couch while she watched television, stealing snippets of cheese from the plate when Anouk wasn’t watching him. She scratched the top of his head and stroked his thick, dense fur, then lay down on the couch with Sputnik sprawled on top of her. His rhythmic purring made her sleepy, and before long, she closed her eyes.
It was freezing cold when she opened her eyes, at a little after two a.m. Sputnik had long since deserted her, and Anouk rolled stiffly off of the couch and shambled sleepily to her room. Iris clearly wasn’t coming home for the night.
She stripped off, throwing her t-shirt and shorts on, and climbed into bed, shivering at the coldness of the sheets. Closing her eyes, she was hovering at the edge of unconsciousness when she felt Sputnik jump onto the bed, a distinct dip in the bed behind her. Anouk smiled to herself. Sputnik could never stand to be alone, usually sleeping with Iris.
Then she heard him yowl… from the living room. Her eyes shot open. Sputnik wasn’t in bed beside her so what, or who, was?
She couldn’t breathe, the sudden fear paralyzing her. Had she imagined the cat jumping on the bed beside her? She strained her ears, imagining she heard someone breathing. She couldn’t move without the intruder knowing she knew, and what would he do if she did? Kill her?
Sputnik did jump on the bed then, purring, rubbing his head on her face. He didn’t seem freaked… fuck this… Anouk sat up and banged the switch of the lamp on her nightstand, and looked around. There was no one in the room with her.
Anouk let out a long breath, and a relieved laugh. The cat must have jumped off of the bed without her knowing it. “Jesus, Sput, you scared the crap out of me.”
Still, she got out of bed and checked the lock on the front door, and made sure the window that led to the fire escape was closed and locked. Anouk knew she was being paranoid, but it didn’t stop her from checking all the dark corners and closets of the apartment before going back to bed. Sputnik followed her around patiently, then curled up with her again as Anouk went back to bed. She buried her face in his thick fur. “Don’t scare me again, puddy tat.”
Sputnik rested his head on her cheek and soon they were both asleep.
He had been so close, so close to her, and it took his breath away. For just a second, he had thought about touching her, but she would have gotten scared and screamed, and all this preparation would have been in vain. So, he stayed, just a second, breathed in her scent, listened to her breathing. For just a moment in time, then quietly, he’d crept from the apartment. As he reached the sidewalk in front of the building, he’d seen the lights go on, saw her silhouette moving around.
So, she’d sensed someone was there? He hoped so. He wanted her to know he had found her, that he was here to claim her back.
Shawn Simon watched as Anouk—his Anouk, his love, his wife—switched off the lights, and then she was gone from his view. “Goodnight, my angel,” he whispered, turned and disappeared into the inky Washington night.
Chapter Seven
Anouk opened the door and grinned at her roommate. “Why are you ringing the bell?”
“Lost my key.” Iris grumbled. Anouk stood back to let her friend in, snickering at the shambolic state of Iris’s clothes.
“Good night, boo?”
Iris grinned, despite herself. “Yes, indeed.”
“So, the date?”
Iris shrugged. “He was okay. Okay company, I mean, but a terrific screw.”
Anouk pretended to be disapproving. “I’m disgusted at you, you sla
ttern.”
“Hussy.”
“Trollope.”
Iris laughed. “I shall smite thee with my leather glove. God, is that coffee I smell?”
“Yup, just brewed a fresh pot. Help yourself.” Anouk followed Iris into the kitchen. “Want something to eat?”
Iris looked green, shaking her head. “Nah, thanks. Jeez, why? Why do I always insist on ending the night on a double Tequila?”
“Dutch courage. How did you lose your key?”
Iris rolled her eyes, draining one cup of coffee in two mouthfuls and pouring another. “Lord knows. I had it with me last night, before the bar, and I didn’t look for it again until just now. Weird thing was, it was on a key ring and—” she reached into her purse and pulled out a bunch of keys, “I still have the rest of them.”
Something prickled up Anouk’s spine. “You lost it at the bar?”
“It could only be there, but I don’t remember getting my keys out of my purse.” Iris didn’t seem to notice Anouk had stiffened. “And what’s weirder is that, if someone took it, why not take my wallet? My car keys?”
Anouk swallowed and looked away, not wanting Iris to see her distress. “Maybe it fell off.”
“Maybe. Listen, I’m going to grab a shower, then sleep for a few hours. I know it’s Saturday and our day together, but I need to crash. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, honestly. Get some sleep and refresh, and I tell you what. I’ll go into the city, do some grocery shopping, get another key cut for you, then I’ll cook for us tonight. What do you say?”
Iris smiled at her gratefully. “Did I ever tell you you’re the best?” She leaned over and kissed Anouk’s cheek. “I hate what you went through, but I’m glad you’re here, boo.”
“Me, too. Now grab a shower, you harlot.”
Iris grinned as she laughed her way to the bathroom. Anouk tidied her breakfast mess up, then yelled a goodbye as she headed out. She had to drop into the office to pick up some files anyhow, and the idea of pushing a cart around the grocery store was strangely comforting.
