by M. L. Ray
Knox was up now. “Holy fuck. I mean, holy fuck, Anouk.”
“I know.”
“This is fucked up.”
“Yep. Holt says he believes Shawn is behind Tom’s murder. He thinks—and it sounds crazy, I know—he thinks Shawn’s ‘giving’ me everything I could ever want. No other wife, no kids, all the money I could ever want. It’s sick, twisted, and completely ludicrous… except…”
“Except?”
Anouk turned frightened eyes to him. “Except in my gut, I know that’s what’s happening.”
Knox was quiet for a moment. “So, he’s in Seattle?”
She nodded. “And they can’t find him.”
“Jesus.”
Anouk sighed. “Knox, I’m sorry. This is the last thing you need to be worried about right now, with Flynn being sick, but I wanted you to know everything.”
He tried to smile. “Well, at least I get why you didn’t want to have the ‘ex’ talk.”
“Right? Please tell me you don’t have any psycho exes?”
“I don’t.” He hesitated. If Anouk was going to be honest… “But I was with someone, Lily. She was murdered.”
“Jesus.” Anouk dropped her head into her hands. “This fucking world. I’m so sorry, Knox.”
“We were sixteen and she got caught in the crossfire of a school shooting.”
“Oh, god.”
Knox nodded. “Yeah. Which is why I spent so long being a dog with women, never getting tied down; honestly, never getting serious about someone. Until now.”
Anouk smiled at him. “We’re going to get through this, you know. We stick together, we can get through anything.”
Knox kissed her. “Damn straight, Nook.”
“Is Flynn seeing any specialists?”
“A whole raft. Levi is taking her to Sloane Kettering for treatment next week.” Knox shook his head. “You know the reason why she didn’t want to tell me?”
“Why?”
“Because she said she didn’t want me to look at her like ‘Cancer Girl.’ She wanted one person in her life who just saw her having fun and not worrying whether she’d eaten enough that day, or had taken her meds, and so on.”
Anouk nodded. “I get that. I really do.”
Knox smiled at her. “I wish… I wish you and she knew each other better, enough to hang out. I can see her with you and Iris, just chilling.”
“There’s no reason that still can’t happen. Knox, let’s make an effort to include her in stuff. I want to know your family better.”
Knox offered her his hand. “I’d like that. Come on, let’s go home. We can start dealing with everything in the morning.”
Hunched down in his rental car, Shawn Simon watched as Zapata’s car pulled up outside Anouk’s apartment and they got out. Their hands were linked, and the way Anouk gazed up happily at her paramour made Shawn’s gut twist with rage.
Never mind. Let them enjoy the time they had left together. Soon Anouk would know where her future lay, and who she belonged with.
Who she belonged to.
Chapter Seventeen
Anouk smiled at Flynn as she approached her. They were meeting at the mall to buy Christmas gifts for Knox and Iris, and Flynn hugged Nook hard. “Listen,” she said, an amused look on her face, “I know he’s told you, so let’s get this out of the way. I feel fine. I get tired easier than I used to, but the painkillers are the good shit. My appetite isn’t what it used to be, but steer me towards French fries and I’m anybody’s.”
Nook chuckled. “Fair enough. And word, sista. I know a place that does match-stick skin-on fries with enough fat and salt on them to make you swoon.”
“You temptress.” Flynn grinned. “Now… let’s get shopping.”
They spent a very happy hour or so shopping, then found the place to eat that Anouk had suggested. With large glasses of ice-cold soda and a platter of French fries, they chatted as if they had been friends for years, and Anouk was grateful for the younger woman’s company.
The last few days had been stressful. She’d tried not to be paranoid about Shawn, but it was difficult not to always be on watch, on the lookout for him.
Tom and Ramon’s funeral had been haunting. Anouk had sat at the back of the wake, wanting to disappear into the ground. Tom’s family had been told of the will and she could hardly bear the accusatory glances. She’d wanted to tell them she had nothing to do with his death, that she didn’t want anything from him, they could have it all, but it still remained a weight on her shoulders.
And Knox too… she ached for him, for his sadness about his sister’s illness, and the fact he felt utterly useless to help her. She studied Flynn now, saw the resemblance between her and her brother. Both were beautiful to look at, and both had the same mischievous twinkle in their eyes. No one looking at Flynn would ever guess she was sick.
Flynn grinned at her now. “You’re doing it.”
“What?”
“The staring thing. The wondering if Flynn is okay thing.”
Anouk chuckled. “Yeah, well, suck it up. I’m not going to pry, but I’m not going to pretend that everything is peachy either. The reality is you are sick, and not being a doctor, I can’t do anything about it. It doesn’t mean I won’t take care of you.” She flushed a little, wondering where that had all come from. “I’ve… I grew up in the foster system. Family is new to me, but you are part of it, Flynn. Whether Knox and I last as a couple, you all will be in my life forever—I hope.”
Flynn smiled at her. “I hope so, too. And for what it’s worth, I think you and Knox will last. He’s crazy about you.”
Anouk’s blush deepened. “I feel the same way.”
Flynn stole a French fry from Anouk’s plate. “Nook… he told me about your ex. I’m so sorry. What a fucking psycho.”
“That’s just it… there’s no proof of that. Circumstantially, yes, it’s likely to be him. But Flynn, what is strange is… I had no idea when I was with him. There were no signs. He wasn’t possessive—or so I thought—he wasn’t the type to go off when I talked to another guy. He was very good at being someone else. I was completely, and I mean totally, fooled. But does that make him a murderer?”
“Jeez, I have no idea.” Flynn was wide-eyed. “But people can be…” she cast around for the right word, “fucked up.”
“Yup.” Anouk sighed and looked around the restaurant. “I haven’t told Knox this, but I find myself always on alert now, and I hate that. Even at night, when I know I’m safe and secure, my mind will go crazy, working out every way someone could break in. I worry about Iris, about Knox, about you.”
“You will go mad if you keep thinking like that.” Flynn was silent for a while. “Don’t you have a restraining order out on Shawn?”
Anouk nodded. “But it’s just a piece of paper. It won’t stop Shawn from coming near me.”
“But if he does, you could get the police to bring him in. Maybe something like that would get him deported.”
“He’s an American, Flynn. He was born here.”
“Oh, sorry. I thought, because you lived in London… never mind.”
“Why?”
Flynn shrugged. “I just thought we could arrange a little entrapment.”
Anouk grinned. “Sneaky, but I doubt it would work.”
“But still,” Flynn paused to sip her soda, “if he breaks it, he’s going to jail, right? At least for a while?”
“I don’t know what the penalty is here in Seattle.”
Flynn frowned and got out her phone, opening up a browser. For a few moments, she flicked through various websites. “Here it is. Breaching a No Contact Order is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine.”
“Up to. Yeah, that doesn’t fill me with confidence. He’s broken it once, to be sure, but apart from that… look, the police are looking for him as a suspect, but that’s all circumstantial. Maybe Tom and Ramon were killed by a
complete stranger, or maybe it was what it looked like.”
“A murder-suicide?” Flynn looked as skeptical as Anouk felt, and she sighed.
“Yeah, I don’t think so, either. God, what a fucking mess.” She felt the weight of grief come down on her again. “I would give anything to talk to Tom again. Anything.”
Flynn squeezed her hand and Anouk felt guilty. “Sorry for the maudlin. I swore I wouldn’t get like this.” She smiled at Flynn. “Are you up for more shopping, or are you getting tired?”
“I’m a little wacked, I have to admit.”
“Well, then, how about we go back to my place and watch a movie, get some hot chocolate in us?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Knox met Iris as they were both returning to her apartment that evening. As they went inside, Iris chuckled. “Look at these two cuties.”
With an old Christmas movie still playing on the flat screen television, Anouk and Flynn were snuggled on the couch, under a blanket. Flynn’s head was resting on Anouk’s shoulder and they were both asleep. Knox felt a surge of gratitude towards his lover. She had obviously made Flynn feel comfortable with her.
Anouk opened her eyes and smiled at them, mouthing hello. Knox leaned over to kiss her. “Everything okay?”
She nodded. Flynn woke up then and they ordered pizza, and talked for the rest of the evening. When Knox took Flynn home, she hugged Anouk tightly. “Promise me we’ll do this again soon.”
“Whenever you want. See you soon.”
Iris had gone to bed, and as Anouk waited up for Knox to return, she flicked through her emails. There were several from Tom’s lawyer, asking her to contact him regarding the will, but she ignored them for now. As far as she was concerned, she wanted nothing from the estate. She would direct his lawyer to transfer everything to Tom’s family. She did hope they would keep the gallery open, but knew that they would be unlikely to want her to stay on. God damn it.
Anouk rubbed her eyes and was about to shut down her computer, when an onscreen message popped up.
We should be together at this time of year.
Her eyes narrowed. Shawn?
Who else? I miss you, baby.
Asshole. Did you kill your children, Shawn?
She waited for his reply, tapping the table impatiently.
Of course not. I’m beside myself at the news. Who do you think I am?
She smiled without humor. We already established that I have absolutely no idea who you are, asshole.
I deserve that. I did something unforgivable. But you have to know, it’s over between Martha and I. I hate myself for thinking it, but I think she killed the children. I never thought she would do something so… devastating. If I could have one more day with them…
Anouk wasn’t fooled. Shawn, it is over between us. I never want to see you, hear you, or talk to you again. I have a restraining order, both here and in London. The next time you break it, I’ll have the police take you in.
Her fingers hovered above the keyboard as she hesitated, then: Did you kill Tom?
The reply came back immediately. Who the hell is Tom? Anouk, I’m not capable of killing anyone. Surely, if nothing else, you know that?
I don’t know you at all. Leave me alone, Shawn. Please.
I can’t. I can’t let you go. I love you too much. We belong together.
No.
You belong to me…
Anouk was getting angry now. I don’t belong to anyone, Shawn. I’m not an object to possess.
You are mine. I will never let you go…
I’m in love with somebody else. A good man. He’s worth a million of you. Do yourself a favor, Shawn. Leave Seattle. Forget me.
I can’t. I won’t.
You can’t have me. Do you understand that?
There was a long pause and Anouk stared at the blinking cursor before Shawn’s message came back to her, and she felt an icy cold shiver pass through her.
If I can’t have you…
But he didn’t say another word, and the message window disappeared, leaving Anouk frozen and numb with fear.
Chapter Eighteen
Christmas was subdued, even though Anouk tried her hardest to get into the spirit of it, for Knox, Iris and Flynn’s sake. She and Knox had decorated the studio with thousands of strings of white lights and a huge Christmas tree, and Iris, Knox’s father, brother and sister had joined them for dinner, cooked in their tiny kitchen.
It had been an Instagram perfect day, as named by Flynn, but Anouk had hidden her distress well, all day. When she and Knox had said goodbye to their guests, Knox turned off most of the lights, except for one string, and he and Anouk had made love on the floor in the studio.
Afterward, propped up on one elbow, Knox ran his fingertips down her stomach, circling her navel with his forefinger, before kissing her mouth and smiling down at her. “Nook?”
“Yeah, babe?”
His eyes were soft. “I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been for, god, almost since the beginning. Since you kicked my arrogant ass that first day. Hell, I don’t know since when, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in love with you.”
His words, spoken with such tenderness, broke the wall she had built up all day, and she burst into tears. Knox laughed and gathered her to him as she sobbed. “Is that bad news?”
“No,” she gasped through her tears, “I love you too, Knox Zapata… it’s just… you had to pick the perfect time to say it, didn’t you?”
He chuckled, as she tried to calm herself, and he dried her tears for her. “Oh, sweetheart… you’ve been holding that in, haven’t you?”
She nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “God, yes. I’m sorry. I’m exhausted from all of the crap, Knox. Tom’s family is being… they won’t take anything back. They say if Tom wanted me to have everything, I should have it, but it’s not like they’re saying that with goodwill. I need to reopen the gallery to honor Tom’s legacy, but I just… can’t yet. And…” She drew in a deep breath. “Shawn.”
Knox waited for her to speak again, rubbing her back to comfort her. She looked at him. “I don’t think he’s going to leave me alone, Knox.”
“He’d better. Aren’t the police looking for him?”
She shook her head. “James Holt called me today. There’s absolutely no physical evidence that anyone else was involved with Tom and Ramon’s deaths, and Holt’s superiors won’t let him pursue that line of enquiry. As for the Metropolitan police, they’re treating Martha Simon as the chief suspect. They say Shawn was already out of the country by the time the children died.”
“I don’t believe it. It’s too coincidental.”
“I know.”
Anouk moved closer to him and he kissed her forehead. “He’ll never leave me alone, will he?”
“Yes, he will. If I have to make him understand that you don’t want him, I will.”
She looked up at him. “Don’t get involved.”
“Too late.”
She smiled, but shook her head. “This is my mess to clean up.”
“Sorry, beautiful, but I’m in this, too. You have a partner in this now.”
She gave him a strange smile, and he looked confused. “What?”
“A partner. You didn’t say I belonged to you now.”
Knox rolled his eyes. “You’re not a possession.”
“Exactly. I love you, Knox Zapata.”
“Right back at you, gorgeous.”
She pulled his head down to kiss him, and he rolled her onto her back, hitching her legs around his waist. His cock, already stiffening, nudged against her sex, then slid in, filling her as they began to move. He took each of her nipples into his mouth in turn, as they made love, teasing them with his tongue until they were rock-hard and uber-sensitive.
Anouk moved below him, her own lips against his throat, trailing along his jaw, her eyes meeting his eyes as his pace quickened. �
�You are my world,” she whispered to him, then moaned as he drove his cock deeper and harder into her, setting every cell in her body alight.
As she came, she pressed her lips to his, listening to him groan, reaching his own climax. “God, Nook… my Anouk…”
They collapsed back onto the floor, breathing hard, still locked together. Anouk looped her arms around his neck. “Stay inside me for now,” she said, “I need to feel you inside me.”
Knox brushed the damp hair away from her face. “Move in with me, Nook. This place… when I bought it, I knew I wanted to live here with you, but I didn’t want to scare you off. I know things are messed up at the moment, but we’re not. You and I, we’re the thing that makes sense, the one thing I’m certain of right now.”
Anouk smiled up at him. “Yes,” she said, simply, “yes, Knox, we are. I love you, and I would love to be here with you.”
“But?”
“But nothing. Yes, I will live with you. Like I said, you are my world.”
He crushed his lips against hers. “Thank you,” he whispered, “all I want is you.”
Anouk opened the gallery again after the New Year, and it soon filled with people who were more concerned with the murder of the owner, than they were in the artwork. Anouk soon got irritated, and she was grateful to the staff who fended off most of the questions for her. She met with Tom’s family lawyer, and insisted that she transfer everything to Tom’s brother and his children, but the Granger family wouldn’t hear of it. “He wanted you to have it,” the lawyer said kindly. “And Tom’s brother has his own money.”
“But the will is probably a forgery.”
“We don’t know that for sure. Tom was very fond of you.”
It was frustrating, but Anouk was too tired and too sad to argue any more. So, now she was not only the owner of the Granger Gallery, but a multi-millionaire. It didn’t sit right with her.
The day she moved in with Knox at his studio, was a day of much needed joy. Although she was sad to leave Iris’s apartment, and apologized over and over to her friend for abandoning her, Iris wouldn’t hear of it. “Hey, look, I’m taking credit for your love nest,” she said with a grin, “and to be honest, my walls are way too thin to listen to any more of your sex games.”
