by M. L. Ray
Since coming back to Seattle, Anouk had found a renewed love for cooking, even though she was still just learning. Tonight, she was going to try her hand at a Mauritian curry recipe she’d found online, knowing Iris would be up for anything spicy.
She quickly went to the gallery, nodding to the patrons viewing the works as she headed upstairs. The weekend staff greeted her, all friendly, although she didn’t know them as well as she would have liked to, and she went to her office to grab her files. Although she tried to just pick up what she needed, she couldn’t resist checking her work emails. She smiled when she saw a message from Knox:
I bet you’re working on the weekend… GO HOME! K x
That was kind of sweet, and Anouk tried to dismiss the little flutter in her stomach. She almost hit the ‘Reply’ button and stopped herself. Don’t start something you can’t control.
Instead, she saved the email to her ‘Personal’ folder and scanned the other emails. She replied to a few, then clicked on the last email, which had an address she didn’t recognize, and no subject.
You looked beautiful last night.
Reflexively, Anouk jerked, and pushed away from her desk, her sharp intake of breath almost painful. Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. What the fuck? As she stared at the screen, another message popped up.
You smelled beautiful last night.
“Oh, no, no, no…” Anouk didn’t even realize she was screaming until one of the weekend staff came rushing in.
“You felt someone or something sit on the bed beside you, and thought it was the cat?”
The police officer seemed impatient, and Anouk was embarrassed. “Yes. I thought it was the cat, but then I heard the cat in the living room and…” Her voice trailed off and she glanced at Tom. “It’s a big cat.” The staffer had called their boss after Anouk had had a full-on panic attack in the office. Tom had come immediately, and insisted on calling the police.
He cleared his throat now. “And Anouk’s roommate had her key taken last night.”
“Taken, or was lost,” Anouk amended, but it made the most sense that it had been taken by whoever broke into their apartment last night, “but yes, it is missing.”
“And the lock hadn’t been tampered with at all?”
She shook her head. “I checked and double-checked, last night and this morning. Whoever it was used a key.”
And there was only one person it could have possibly been. “Officer, I have an internationally binding restraining order out against my hus… against Shawn Simon.”
“And you’re positive it was him?”
“I don’t see how it could be anyone else.” As she spoke, she suddenly saw Knox Zapata outside her office, talking to Ruby, the intern. What was he doing here?
The police officer asked her a few more questions, which didn’t indicate he was taking her case seriously, then thanked her.
“So, what next?” Tom fixed the police officer with a cold look, as if daring him to dismiss Anouk’s worries. The police officer sighed.
“We’ll make inquiries, of course, but with Ms. Devi the only witness…”
Anouk shook her head as Tom dismissed the officer. As the man left, Knox knocked at the door and came in, his handsome face creased with concern. “Hey Tom, hey, Nook… listen, I don’t want to pry, but I was passing and saw the police cruiser…”
Tom looked at Anouk, who sighed and told Knox what had happened, omitting the detail about Shawn. After all, what if it had been a random guy?
Knox cursed. “I’ll get a locksmith over to your place right now.”
Anouk, despite herself, hid a smile. “Already done, Knox, but thanks.”
Tom grinned and excused himself, shooting an amused look at Knox as he left, and closing the door discreetly behind him. Knox came to Anouk’s side and took her hands.
“Are you okay?” His eyes were searching hers, and Anouk felt a thrill of desire shoot through her.
“I am, honestly I am. Just a little shaken.”
“When I think what could have happened… god.” Knox looked as upset as she felt, and she realized that this man, this sometimes-arrogant, always cocky man cared for her.
“Hey,” she said, comforting him now, and she rested her palm against his cheek for a second, “I’m fine. It’s over and no one got hurt. Iris feels worst of all, I think. I called her to tell her the locksmith was coming, and she’s blaming herself.”
“Oh, damn it.”
“I know. It’s not her fault.”
Knox nodded, chewed his lip. “Well, how about we go back to your apartment, help her feel better? We could swing by Wholefoods, grab some good food, some alcohol and have a mini-party, try to cheer Iris up?”
Anouk loved that he wanted to do something kind for Iris, and nodded. “That sounds about perfect. I was going to the market myself. I have a Mauritian curry recipe I want to try.”
“Then you’ll need a sous chef,” Knox said with a grin, and she laughed.
“I guess I will.”
He held his hand out to her, and she took it, feeling his long, warm, dry fingers intertwine with hers. It felt nice.
It turned out he was fun to shop with, too. As they walked around, he tried to persuade her to ride in the cart, making her giggle uncontrollably as he attempted to climb in himself. “You will get us thrown out, you demon.”
Knox read the ingredients from the recipe he’d found on his phone, as Anouk shopped. After she’d nodded that she had everything, he grinned. “Now, to the really fun part. Candy aisle!”
“Yeah, baby!” His silliness was infectious, and they raced to the confectionary aisle, arguing over what to buy. Anouk wanted Whoppers and Mike and Ike’s. Knox insisted on Blue Raspberry Twizzlers. They both agreed on a king-size bag of Jolly Ranchers, but then bickered about the best flavor.
“Blue raspberry, obviously,” Knox rolled his eyes.
“You’re obsessed with that flavor.”
“I like the way it turns my tongue blue. What’s yours?”
“I think… grape.”
“Grape?” He was outraged. “No one likes grape.” The look of disgust on his face made Anouk break out into fits of giggles.
“I do,” she said, gasping to catch her breath, “I swear.”
“I bet you’re one of those freaks who likes grape soda.”
Anouk puffed out her cheeks and smiled. “Guilty.”
Knox affected a pained look, considered for a second, held out his hand to shake hers. “It’s been pleasant, but it’s over between us. Goodbye.”
Anouk chuckled again as he started to walk away. “You fool.”
Knox swung around and gave her his best goofy grin. Something shifted inside her at that smile, but for once, she didn’t look away from his gaze. “Shall we get the alcohol now?”
Knox touched her cheek with his finger. “Let us get alcohol.”
The flirty, silly mood stayed with them the whole way home, and soon infected Iris. The three of them cooked way too much curry together, but ate nearly all of it, laughing and poking fun at one another. The wine they bought soon disappeared, and Iris broke out a bottle of tequila, much to Anouk’s protests. She refused it, but giggled as Knox and Iris challenged each other to a drinking contest.
They played board games and watched dumb movies, talking and laughing long into the night. At just after two a.m., Iris stood up steadily and said goodnight, shooting Anouk a meaningful glance.
Alone, Anouk was stretched out on the couch, as Knox leaned back against it. “I might be drunk.” Anouk giggled, and Knox leaned his head back so it touched her hip, turning it to look at her.
“No shit, cutie.” He grabbed her arm and draped it across his chest.
“Are you trying to seduce me?” Anouk said it as a joke, and Knox laughed.
“No, I need burping, can you help?”
She broke out into giggles again. “You are the silliest person I�
�ve ever met.”
“In a good way?”
“In a great way.” She shifted into a half sitting position. “Seriously, thanks for today. I think Iris was pretty down and you managed to cheer her up. Thank you.”
He was holding her hand now, entangling his fingers with hers, and Anouk watched idly as he did so. “It was a team effort.” He looked up at her and she couldn’t look away. His hazel eyes were warm, and so full of… something. Desire? Anouk felt her breath hitch and catch, as Knox rolled onto his knees and came closer. His lips touched briefly to hers, quick at first. Then, when she didn’t object, he kissed her properly, lips moving against hers. Pleasure sparked every cell in her body and she moaned softly.
“Nook….” The way he whispered her name made her sex flood with arousal, and as he covered her body with his, her legs seemed to curve around him of their own accord. God, she wanted him, wanted to feel him inside her, his skin against hers…
His hands caressed her body, but as he slipped a hand between her legs she froze. She broke off the kiss and he stopped touching her. “What’s the matter?”
“I can’t.” She whispered. She wanted to scream that she wanted to. God, she wanted to make love to him so badly, but there was a block inside her that she couldn’t shift. “I’m sorry… I can’t.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “It’s okay, sweetheart. It’s okay.” He moved his body back to the floor and grinned up at her. “I should go.”
The thought of him leaving made her want to throw up. “No… don’t go. Please. I just…”
He took her hand again. “Okay. I can sleep on the couch, no biggie.”
Anouk got up and went to get him a pillow and a blanket. When she came back, he took them from her, arranging them on the couch. “Thanks, boo.”
“Well,” she said a little awkwardly, “goodnight.”
She turned to go, but he caught her hand. “Hey.”
He drew her close and held her. She sank into the warm comfort of his broad, wide chest, and felt safer than she had in months. He tilted her chin up so he could meet her eyes. “Friends?”
“Always,” she said, and knew she meant it. He brushed his lips softly against hers.
“Goodnight, Nook.”
“Goodnight, Knox.”
He smiled. “We should form a detective agency. Nook and Knox, solving crimes and eating candy.”
She giggled softly. “That sounds like a career move. Night.”
“G’night.”
Anouk went to her bedroom, but left the door slightly ajar, not wanting that barrier between them. Ironic, she thought to herself as she climbed into bed. She savored the memory of his body on top of hers, and god, how much she had wanted him to make love to her, but then Shawn’s face had flooded her mind, and she felt sick. If he had found her…
God, please no. Not now. Not when I just found my place in the world.
She was allowing the despair to sink in again, when she heard gentle snoring from the living room. Her mood lifted instantly, and she turned onto her side. No one was going to break in again. No one could spoil this night. Anouk closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Eight
“You look like you’re about to throw up,” Flynn said to her older brother. Knox rolled his eyes as, in the front seat of the car, Levi chuckled. Knox caught his brother’s eye in the rearview mirror.
“It’s just Dad,” Levi said reassuringly. “He’s changed a lot, you know. You’ll see.”
As they drove up to the vast compound that Gregory Zapata called home, Knox braced himself to see the house he’d grown up in. It had always seemed too big to him, too many drafty, silent corridors. He preferred cozy places, bookshelves lining the walls, art on the walls, mess.
Like Anouk and Iris’s apartment. He smiled to himself. That had been two weeks ago now, the night he’d spent with them, and since then, there had been something palpable between Anouk and himself, something he’d never had with anyone else. It was as if, without actually being ‘together’, they were a team, a friendship, buddies mixed with something more.
The morning after that night, he’d been awoken by banshee cries, as both Anouk and Iris threw themselves onto him on the couch, like toddlers, to wake him up. He’d laughed so hard he’d fallen off the sofa, which made the women giggle uncontrollably.
“You have no right to be this energetic, you fiends,” he told them. They had given him fresh towels and a new toothbrush, and when he emerged from the shower, they’d made breakfast- stacks of buttery pancakes, bacon and strong black coffee. Sunday morning, and they lingered over breakfast, chatting easily. He’d finally left just after lunch, having promised Flynn he would come see her.
At the door, Iris said her goodbyes and disappeared. Knox had placed his palm against Anouk’s cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the gallery?”
“You will.” She smiled as he kissed her again. “Not at work, though, you understand.”
He grinned. “You’re the boss.”
And he’d kept his word, not wanting her professionalism to be called into question, with her boss or anyone in the gallery. But there was an obvious bond between them. That much was obvious, and now, when he invited her for dinner, Anouk readily accepted, or invited him over to spend the evening with her and Iris.
“You’re grinning. Are you thinking about that girl, again?”
Knox rolled his eyes, regretting telling Flynn about his friendship with Anouk, but he’d found he needed to talk to someone about her, and Flynn was the closest person to him.
He smiled at his sister. “We’ve been working on the show a lot lately. It’s coming up in five days, can you believe it?”
“I can, dude, yes. Can’t believe how quickly they’ve got the show together, but I can’t wait to see it.”
“What did you expect from the Granger Gallery?”
Was he imagining it, or did Knox hear a note of pride in Levi’s voice? He put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “You got that right, bro.”
As the car finally reached the house—the driveway was pretentiously long, Knox had always thought - they got out and walked up the stone staircase. The house was nothing, if not ostentatious.
Inside, Flynn went ahead, and Levi put his hand on Knox’s arm. “Just a warning. He’s… he’s old. I mean, older than you would expect, not just in appearance. But try not to show any shock or surprise. It pisses him off.”
Knox was grateful for the warning, when he stepped into his father’s study and saw the hunched, shrunken man that Gregory Zapata had become. “Hey, Dad.” He kept his features smooth, a friendly smile his only reaction, but his shock was complete. He didn’t recognize this man, and with a jolt, realized that surely, his father was sick and hiding it. He glanced at Levi, who was stone-faced. Shit. It was true…
“Dad?”
Gregory was gazing at his son as if he was trying to remember who he was. “Knox. How are you, my dear?”
My dear? Knox was floored. “I’m good, Dad. How are you? You’re looking well.”
Gregory snorted. “Bullshit, but thanks.” He moved slowly, as he came over to his son and put his hands on his shoulders. Gregory studied Knox. “Still a good-looking fella, then. Any women I should know about?”
Knox felt floored. Gregory had never taken an interest in his love life, even before he’d left home. “Nope. Still single.” He wondered why he felt a jolt of disloyalty to Anouk. It wasn’t as if they were dating, but he didn’t want to jinx anything, and besides, there was nothing to tell, yet. He saw Flynn grin, out of the corner of his eye, and willed her to keep quiet.
Lunch was a more relaxed affair than Knox remembered. Although his father still sat at the head of the long table, the French windows of the dining room were open, and when Daisy, their cook, brought the food in, Gregory waved her into a chair too. She smiled at the old man. “You’re very kind, Greg, but I have that appointm
ent, remember?”
“Oh, of course. Well, we’ll save you some. Do you need the car?”
“I’m good. Knox, darling, how lovely to see you.”
Knox hugged the woman tightly. “It’s been too long.”
“That it has. I’m sorry I have to rush off. Will we see you again soon?”
“I promise.”
The meal, a simple but delicious salad and soup combo, followed by a glorious red fruit pavlova, passed with Flynn doing most of the talking. Gregory interjected occasionally, teasing his youngest child in a way that Knox found astonishing. What had happened to change his father entirely? Or had Knox built him up in his head as this humorless, unfeeling monster all these years?
And the man had to be sick, that much was obvious. Knox wanted to ask, but there was never a good time, and so, by the end of the meal, he wanted to scream it out. “Dad?”
“Son?”
“Is there anything I should know?”
Gregory smiled. “About what?”
Knox hesitated. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Of course. I’m just getting old, is all. Yes, I saw the look you gave me when you saw me. I got old, Knox, but otherwise, I’m in perfect health.”
The other two had fallen silent then, and Knox didn’t understand the tension in the room. “Is there something going on?”
“Why would there be?” Levi spoke now, his eyes on his brother’s, as if darling him to make a fuss, and ruin what had been an enjoyable family day.
Knox just shook his head. Fine, if they wanted to keep their secrets. He changed the subject. “Listen… the opening is in five days. I would be honored if you came.”
“Of course,” Flynn said, and Gregory nodded.
“I wouldn’t miss it. Flynn has been keeping me up to date, showing me your works. They are spectacular, Knox.”
Okay, this was just weird, now. “What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
Knox stared at his father. “There’s a thing called Capgras Syndrome. Have you heard of it?”
