8. Killian

Chapter eight

Killian

T he pocket doors opened at four in the morning, and I opened one eye, watching Jules hurry to the bathroom. The toilet flushed, the water turned on in the sink, and after it shut off, the bed dipped behind me.

A cool hand patted my cheek. “Papa,” he whispered. “I’m hungry.”

I rolled over, scooping him up and tucking him into my chest, causing him to giggle.

“Papa, get up,” he laughed.

I sighed and sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Did you want breakfast?”

“Ooh, what’s for breakfast?”

We ended up in the kitchen, and I showed him his fridge before making coffee. I hoped he slept longer if he ate enough during the day.

He found a container of fruit in his fridge, counted spaces to the island, and I made him a cup of juice, bleeding into it.

Sophie answered the call of coffee, and I made eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. She didn’t say a word about the time and even made Jules laugh, which was good. He needed to trust her since she was living here.

Jules and I cleaned the kitchen after breakfast, and Sophie went to get dressed. My phone calls started at five in the morning, and I hoped that after the first meet-and-greet, we could establish a decent time for Pride business.

Cressida had given Jules sidewalk chalk, and he took it out to the pool room after he was dressed and I’d braided his hair. Sophie had settled onto a chaise and told me she’d watch him long enough for me to shower. I hurried, and when I walked out of the closet, dressed, Sophie was drawing with Jules. She was on the phone, still discussing business, but she and Jules were having fun and communicating through facial expressions.

I snapped a photo of Jules’ artwork, and he grinned at the screen. Cressida was pleased after I sent it to her. I sat down with him, and we drew together, making him very happy. Sophie asked questions as she talked to Pride members on the phone, and I answered so she knew what to tell them. It seemed she didn’t mind having a cub around, and I was thankful. Blood-rights didn’t have nannies anymore. It’s how most of them were lost in the past.

The doorbell gonged at nine-thirty, and I put my hand on Jules’ head before leaving him to answer it.

Indy Bonnie stood on the other side of the glass with the twins, Alex and Rhys, who were the same age as Jules. I let them in and then grabbed the three bags sitting on the porch.

Enzo sent us to play, Indy thought, wrinkling his nose. Cassandra has commandeered Gio, Killy.

Ah.

Jules stood on the threshold of the open French doors leading to the kitchen, having a quiet standoff with Alex and Rhys.

“Jules, these are your, um, cousins. Rhys is a Cendres like Granpa, and Alex is a Flèche like you,” I said.

“Enzo can touch Jules?” Indy whispered.

“He can, yeah,” I said.

Jules held out the chalk in his left hand, and Rhys crept closer, looked back at Indy to be sure, and then took it from Jules’ palm. Rhys giggled then, hugging Jules, and they walked back to the other side of the pool, with Jules telling them the house rules.

“That’s why Enzo sent us,” Indy nodded. “So, you’re the new King of the MacLaden Pride.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Sophie is my First. She’s taking care of things for me.”

She’d left the boys to draw when Rhys and Alex were afraid to sit down.

The boys were now chattering to each other in rapid French, and Jules was thrilled to have playmates.

I handed Indy his things and pointed to the row of French doors. “All those lead to bedrooms. Pick one.”

“Thank you, Killy,” Indy smiled, told the boys what he was doing, and I stood there to keep an eye on the little ones. He walked out a few minutes later dressed to swim, holding towels and the twins’ suits. “Jules, do you want to swim with me?”

“Papa?” Jules whispered.

“You can do that. Count spaces to the tiles if you get tired, and stay with Indy. Let me get your suit?” I raised my eyebrows, and he grinned.

It took me five minutes to get him ready, and when we made it to the pool again, Indy had three floats. The twins were waiting on Jules, and Indy walked them in, talking the whole time about being careful and telling him when they were tired. I didn’t have to tell Indy Jules was still learning. He’d figured it out.

“Killy,” Sophie called me from the kitchen, and Indy told me to go. He was just as happy his sons had a new friend as they were. She held out her phone to me as soon as I entered the room.

“This is Killy,” I greeted.

“Gio won’t let me have the penthouse!” Cassandra whined.

I rubbed my forehead. “Cass, someone lives there. He’s not moving anyone for you.”

“Oh. He didn’t say that. He just said no,” Cass grumbled.

“Gio doesn’t owe you an explanation.”

“Oh.”

I took a deep breath and smiled, hoping it sounded in my voice. “Cass, you have a new home, you’re downtown, and you can get your nails done. You have a clothing allowance at Styles, and Josh will deliver your food. You’re getting a housekeeper who cooks.”

“I can’t go home?” she whispered.

“No. Gio has other things to do now, so listen to him and do as he tells you.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.” The call ended, and my cell phone vibrated in my back pocket as I handed Sophie’s back to her.

“I’m going to town. I have a meeting with Barnham,” Sophie said.

“Fine Furnishings,” I raised my eyebrows.

“The very one.”

“Oh, good. Be careful.”

“I will.” She left me then, and I checked my phone.

Gio: Thank you. Papa told me to deal with her. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t.

Me: I know. I can’t be there, or I would take care of it.

Gio: How’s Indy? Papa sent them to play. Whatever that meant.

I turned around and snapped a photo of Indy in the pool with the boys and sent that.

Gio: Ah. Who’s the little one?

Me: My son. He’s a Flèche. Rhys is ecstatic. Enzo can touch him, according to Cressida.

Gio: So, Papa sent the twins on a play date. Where are you? It looks nice.

Me: My house. It’s huge, and you and Dante are welcome. The pool is indoors. I have a games room and a fully stocked bar.

Dante: Give us an hour.

Gio: Let us pack some clothes.

Dante: We’ll bring steaks.

The conversation ended there, and I could just imagine them conferring about time alone and their boys having a friend.

This wasn’t how I expected the day to go. I’d hoped for a private conversation with Zander, but Enzo was worried about Jules. Couldn’t blame my grandfather. Maman was a Flèche, too, and Ignatius killed her for her magic.

The ham was done, and I took it out to cool while I sliced the bread. Indy was having fun with the boys, so I didn’t worry about Jules. I did keep an eye out, though. Indy didn’t have much going on at his house until the meetings on Thursday and the Friday night get-togethers for the Pride. His First was on a honeymoon, and Indy still had time to be here. I was still figuring my way around the damn house.

I glanced at the pool then, noting Indy and the boys were gone. My phone told me it was ten, which was usually when the twins lay down for their nap. They’d be up at noon for lunch and then more activities. What would the boys do then?

I listened to Jules’ thoughts, finding him in his room, and hurried in that direction. When I made it, Indy had put the toddler mattress on the floor, and all three boys were on it, going to sleep. I backed out slowly, and Indy turned the monitor on, grabbing the second handset. He’d put the first one on the charging base. I’d forgotten that.

Indy patted my shoulder as we left the room. “You’ll get it,” he said when he closed the French doors. “I told them we’d be in the kitchen, to take the hall, and no detours. Does the house have a sound system?”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I have no idea. Yesterday, Jules and I played find the bathroom after he had lunch because I didn’t know where it was in the front part of the house. Then we found all the bathrooms.”

Indy blinked at me, and then he laughed. “I’ll find it. I bet it’s in the gamesroom.”

“I have been through that room,” I nodded.

“Killy, you need to see your house.” Indy put his arm around me and waved at the room at large. “This is the kitchen and den, used for movies, possibly games, and cooking.” He pulled me towards the small hall leading to the library, and we stopped in the center of the room. “This is the MacLaden Library, which needs a librarian. Nice comfy chairs to read, a table with special gloves for the old and moldy books, and,” he jerked me towards the gamesroom. The bar was to the left of the door and fully stocked, as I’d told Gio and Dante. Pool table in the center of the room, and pub tables on the wall by the pool rack. “Behold! We have a door!” Indy said as he let me go and opened it. “Holy wow, you have a nice setup!”

“Whatta Man Gotta Do” by Jonas Brothers blared through the speakers. I laughed as he danced out of the little room, singing.

Dante and Gio added backup as they found us, and I leaned against the bar while they danced with Indy. Gio had loosened up a lot, and I discovered he could dance. He sang, too. Just not in front of others. I’d been let into their circle because Indy trusted me.

My cell vibrated in my back pocket again, and I checked the message. Zander had arrived, and he wanted to see me outside. I left the gamesroom and hurried to the front door, turning off the alarm before joining him in the yard.

“Sorry. Dante, Indy, and Gio are here. Enzo is worried about Jules,” I said, giving Zander a one-armed hug, making sure my skin touched the back of his neck. Watching Dante and Gio with Indy had given me ideas of things I’d never had, and I wanted them.

Zander’s hand slipped into my free one, and he breathed me in. “I got nothin’,” he whispered.

“Good.” I smiled and backed away. “They are spending the night; if you want to come back after lunch or just stay? I’m not sure what your day looks like.”

“I have a meeting at two, but I can be back by five?” He raised his eyebrows.

“That works.” I tried not to look at how well he wore those dark denim jeans and cleared my throat. “So, I wanted a couple of things. One is a pavilion out there somewhere, possibly covered, with a bathroom. Not bein’ mean, but I don’t want them in my house.”

“I can do that,” Zander nodded and made notes on his phone. “You want something with picnic tables and maybe a grill?”

“Whatever you think?” I shrugged. “I don’t have a clue, Zander.”

“Zee,” he murmured. “My friends call me Zee.”

“Mine call me Killy,” I smiled, and he winked.

“What else can I do for you, Killy?”

“What are the property boundaries? I want to set a shield, but from the house back. I’m hoping there’s room to run out there.”

“You haven’t seen the backyard?”

I shook my head.

“Well, come on. The doors out here are from the back of each hall,” he said, letting me through the side gate beside the one for the vehicles. Dante’s and Gio’s SUV was parked in front of the third bay. The door opened, and we waited as Indy stood by the door into the house, and Gio walked out to park it.

Dante joined us. “Killy, you need a shield.”

“We’re discussing that. Hello, Dante,” Zander greeted.

“Hey, Zee. It’s good to see you,” Dante smiled, and we continued to the back of the house.

“The stone goes back to the trees there,” Zee said, pointing beyond the basketball court. “There should be plenty of room to run furry back here. I also put in a playground for Jules,” he said, leading us around the house.

We passed the first set of French doors, and I stopped to take in the view. I had a patio, with another pavilion away from the house done in cedar. It was covered with a tin roof and housed a full outdoor kitchen. Just beyond it was a fenced-in playground with a slide and swings.

“This is sweet,” Dante whispered, and Gio walked out of the French doors leading to the gamesroom.

“Oh, I like this. Dante, set a shield,” Gio said.

“From the front porch back?” Dante asked.

“That works,” I nodded, and Dante disappeared. The magic rippled around the house like a wave and glowed white in the treeline, giving me a reference point for the boundary.

“Perfect,” Gio murmured and headed back into the house.

Indy joined us then with all three boys. Each one had a juice cup, and Indy carried a plate of ham and a basket of bread. Gio followed with a bucket of beers and a tray filled with condiments. We were eating out here.