12

Andre

When I saw furniture being moved into the house next door, I couldn't remotely hide my shock. That house had been a huge gamble for the builder in this district to raise the stock of those who lived here and bring up the values before he finished the second half of development.

And from what I knew, he'd fallen flat on his face.

A lot of the residents on my street had been annoyed at the mansion that was double the size of our houses. Some complained how out of place it was and gaudy. It really wasn't.

They were simply speaking from a place of jealousy. It was a gorgeous house, and having a front seat for how it was built and turned into the house it became was very interesting. It was definitely the crowning glory of our street.

But who bought it?

I sat outside on my balcony staring at the house wondering. No one knew the answer. I could find out, but all of the contracts and paperwork wouldn't have been completely processed yet for people to look up.

And they wanted to. I'd heard from a few of my neighbors, and catching me was never easy. I was busier than ever. The only reason I finally came home to have dinner was I thought my aides were going to mutiny if we didn't call it an early night.

Or to stop working at the hour we were supposed to. It was odd for me. I didn't know what to do with my night. My house had no food and nothing really to do.

So I'd brought home dinner and was now sitting on my balcony smoking a cigar and being a nosy neighbor.

I wasn't the only one though. Most of us knew the high-class family that house was meant for was still dancing with the king trying to get a title. They thought it was the next step in the progression of their family, but they were way too na?ve and didn't understand how it would probably be the end of them.

They'd found some real luck and made their money fast, trying to leverage that to be awarded a title instead of buying one from a noble who needed to sell. That wasn't looked at as well but was safer. Smarter.

They were taking a dangerous gamble that I'd never seen work out for anyone. Even if they did it, the powerful noble families would get into "business" with them and squish them, reminding us foolish commoners where we belonged.

From what I'd heard, while the head of that family had loved the house, he wasn't as thrilled to live in this district even if it was a high-class one. He really hadn't liked the idea of living next to the commander of the police. I only learned that when the builder had asked me to sell back to him or buy a new house.

I told him if he made the right offer with a better house in the same district, I would hear him out. Probably not, because moving was a pain, but if the man had the balls to approach me over it, then it was a big enough issue to hold back the sale.

I had no problem benefiting from that. Especially when I probably wouldn't want to live next to people who didn't want to live next to a cop.

It was hysterical that they cared in this district. Three captains of the police stations in the capital also lived here. Five captains of the military. A few commanders if memory served. I was pretty sure all of the high-ranking commoners of the palace knights.

While we weren't home very much because our jobs were demanding, we noticed everything, and that made this district one of the safest to live in. The builder was honestly an idiot for not marketing it that way.

Which was why I'd received three notes the day furniture had been moved in at the station asking what I knew. Apparently, it was big enough news and curious enough that people had paid for messengers to get answers.

I just didn't have any yet.

I reached the end of my cigar and put it out before tossing back the rest of my whiskey. I stared at the glass and wondered when the last time I'd had alcohol relaxed like this instead of stressed in my office?

It was sad that I couldn't remember.

A light in the house in the room nearest to me I'd been staring at turned on. I leaned forward to see what I could but could only catch the outline of a woman. So a married couple? It was rare that a woman bought a house on her own in the capital, and not only was this district expensive for a single woman, but that house was more than double the cost mine had been with the extras.

The door opened to the balcony, and I thought I was dreaming when I saw who stepped outside. There she was, staring out at the setting sun, completely ignorant of me being there… Or that I'd been dreaming of her every damn night for weeks.

She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, lost in her thoughts and the coming night. Her hair wasn't pinned all up, but it was still tied back by a ribbon that I cursed. I wanted nothing more than to pull out that offending ribbon and finally see her hair wild.

"My lady?" I whispered before I could stop myself.

She let out a gasp and glanced around, doing a double take when she saw me.

And that blasted fear filled her eyes again. Why? What could I have possibly done to make her afraid of me?

"You moved next door to me, Commander?" she worried, immediately looking away from my eyes.

"Not to argue with you, My Lady, but you moved next door to me," I told her as I stood and walked to the railing. "I have lived here for years."

She flinched, but the tension in her shoulders relaxed. "Yes, of course. How silly of me. Forgive me, I was shocked to see you and…"

"I felt the same." I cleared my throat. "Forgive me. I did not mean to greet you balcony to balcony. I was too shocked that of all of the people who could have moved next door after that house was vacant for so long it was you."

"Yes, that's more than understandable." She cleared her throat and cut a quick glance in my direction. "Well, have—"

No. No, she was going to end the conversation and run from me like normal. "We cannot keep speaking balcony to balcony. I'll come over and greet you formally. I apologize again, My Lady."

Her head snapped up so fast and her eyes went wide, clearly not ready for the bold move. "I-I—we, it's—"

"I'll come right over," I hurried on, knowing full well it was the whiskey making me this bold.

And desperation. I couldn't take it anymore that she was afraid of me. I could understand avoiding men after what she'd been through, but I'd helped her. Why was she afraid of me?

I didn't think she disliked commoners like a rude noble. No, Alec had told me that she was possibly the nicest noble he'd ever known and made the count look rude at times.

So what was really going on?

I hurried downstairs and locked up my house before jogging over to her gate. It was locked, so I hopped it and then was at her door knocking. It took a few minutes, and I bit back a smile wondering if she was going to be so brazen as to not even answer after having talked with me.

She opened the door but tried to fill the doorway. "Sir, please, your attire. I cannot—I am a single woman now. It's after dinner, and you are at my door in that state when I live alone."

I frowned but then looked down, my eyes going wide. I hurried to give her my back and cursed several times as I hurried to button up my shirt. I'd completely forgotten that I'd unbuttoned it when I'd taken off most of my uniform. "I apologize, My Lady. I was not paying attention. Truly. Please forgive me."

She cleared her throat. "Yes, well, we relax in many ways in our homes that we do not register." She was slightly shaking when I turned back around.

Shit. This wasn't what I wanted. "I do want to speak with you, My Lady. Please? A few things do not add up to me and are upsetting." I wracked my brain on what to do when she didn't seem to know what to do. "Could we have tea on the terrace? It's cold but—you have a firepit? I do."

The relieved look she gave me meant everything. "I do not have one yet. Wood either." She glanced past me as if worried the whole neighborhood was there to judge her. "I could bring over tea to your garden if you would build a fire. That should be acceptable."

For now.

Still, I agreed because I would have agreed to anything to spend time with her with the way I was obsessed with her.

I went back to my house and even grabbed a blanket for her for outside before starting the fire. I met her by my gate just in time to open it for her and lead her behind my house to the garden. "I apologize for the state of it. I am not home to tend to it and never have time to hire someone to manage it."

"Oh, well, I cannot ask you for a recommendation then," she mumbled, sounding uncomfortable.

I took the tray from her and set it on the table before offering her the chair with the blanket. She thanked me and sat down, pouring us both tea before quietly sitting and staring at the fire.

And that killed me.

"Why are you so scared of me?" I blurted, mentally cursing the whiskey. "I do not understand, My Lady. I have not—I have helped you. What have I done to scare you?" I rambled on when she opened her mouth. "I thought you had an issue with commoners and that was why you would not look at me when we met, but Alec said firmly that you treat him with respect. I do not understand."

She cleared her throat and shifted how she sat a bit. "No, I have no issue with commoners. My only issues with people are the bad ones. Honestly, I find too much nonsense in the class system, and it annoys me when people put so much importance on it. I have been guilty of using it to my advantage, but I have many other disadvantages as a woman."

"That's more than fair and understandable, but it does not answer my question," I pushed. I sighed when she didn't answer. "Please, it truly bothers me, My Lady. We cannot be neighbors now on top of—"

"How well do you know my ex-husband?"

Of all of the things she might have said, that was not what I'd been expecting. "Barely. I have met him a handful of times and normally in my professional capacity because he's a horrible person."

The look she gave me that she didn't believe me cut me deeply.

I jumped to my feet. "Did that asshole say something to make you think that I would ever be his friend? I am not. I hate your ex-husband and his family. Please believe me, My Lady."

Her eyes were full of shock now. "Yes, he did. Several times."

I threw back my head and laughed. That fucking… Wow. There was no one more delusional than David Matthias. Seriously.

I got myself under control and mumbled to her to wait for me before racing into the house. I grabbed the truth stone and brought it back outside. I offered it to her. "You know what this is, right?"

She studied it a moment before extending her hand. "A truth stone. I have only seen a couple." She nodded when I snorted. "Yes, my—David did not like them around him for obvious reasons. My father hated their ‘foolery' as well, and I only figured it out later why."

"Because there's only been one recorded instance where someone was actually able to bespell one and change the outcome," I told her as she took the stone. I nodded when she was shocked. "It was a delegate from a country visiting the king to make a deal and the head of the tower managed the magic to fool the stone for one hour. That was it. That was all—"

"His vast magic was able to manage," she whispered, seeming impressed. She stared at it. "I love David." Her eyes went wide as the stone emitted a deep red light. Very deep red, meaning it wasn't a slight fib but a huge lie. She glanced up at me with an excited look. "How do I get one of these? I think this is the answer I have been looking for."

"They're not cheap and have limited uses, but I can—" I was going to say I would tell her where, but then realized I was going to miss an opportunity like an idiot. "—show you where to go and how to check them. I am glad they could help." I slowly dropped to one knee in front of her. "But I want this resolved between us."

"As you wish." She glanced from me to the stone as if curious if I would really do it.

"I love David," I said, glad when her lips twitched. The stone emitted a red light but not as deep as hers. That made sense after all that man had put her through. "I hate him." The light was clear this time indicating I was telling the truth. "I would never work with him or his corrupt family." It did it again. I decided to go for broke. "I am not a spy for them or anyone."

She let out a shaky breath when the light was clear. "Thank you, Commander. I apologize. I…"

"Could you tell me what happened?" I asked as I took my chair, letting her hold the stone if it would help her.

She took a sip of her tea and then set it down. "It's well known that you do not get along with the king and grand duke. I do not know the details and David clearly did not either. He said several times that it made you his friend and someone he could enjoy working with, and the marquis agreed. It was the same phrase he used for people in the family's pockets."

I blew out a harsh breath and wished the tea was more whiskey. "For the first time, I am glad that your husband is a—"

"Ex-husband, sir," she corrected, her shoulders tense again.

"Yes, of course." I turned to her and waited for her to at least cut a glance my way. "I apologize. It was a slip. I have—I am exhausted. My aides forced me to go home on time for once. I had a few drinks and—"

"I smelled the whiskey," she whispered.

I swore again. "And if you thought I held hands with the count you… I am so sorry, My Lady. I would never behave in such a way. I never meant to scare you."

She let out a slow breath. "I am sorry it hurt you. Truly. You did help me and were honorable." She gave a slight snort. "You certainly did not ask for anything in return as the grand duke and everyone else has."

So something had happened there. "That explains why you purchased a house and moved out of the Follan house so fast." I mentally winced when I realized I'd said that out loud.

"Yes, and the count was less than thrilled," she drawled, but then glanced over at the tea before meeting my eyes. "Do you still have that whiskey? A drink sounds much better than tea now that I can trust you to be honorable."

I wasn't working for or with her former in-laws… That didn't mean my intentions for her were pure. Still, I wanted to see this side of her too. "Have you had whiskey or spirits before?"

"No, only wine and champagne. I like the smell though."

"It's very strong. I would recommend cutting it with something or I might have to carry you to your bed after one drink." I nodded that I wasn't kidding. "I have seen worse with youngsters their first time." I snorted. "I was one my first time having it in the war. Two swigs and I was on my ass. I only learned later it was because we had such little food."

"Fascinating," she whispered. "Yes, thank you. I will take your suggestion." She swallowed loudly and then met my gaze fully. "If we are to be neighbors and apparently chatting friends at night, we can move past formalities. Please call me Mabel."

Wow. Bold.

Good for her."Andre. I am glad you moved in, Mabel."

She nodded and then a giggle slipped out. "The agent did not know who lived next door, and the sale happened so fast that I did not look. I was worried about that, but apparently I lucked out on more than the house. I do not have to be so scared about my situation with the commander of the police right next to me."

Except I was rarely home.

Well, now I had a reason to be.

But something else she said irked me. "I find that hard to believe depending on the agent. The people that house was intended for did not want me living here. The builder asked me to sell and was trying to lure me out with a discount on a newer model."

She shook her head. "Fools. Money does not make—that title will be the end of them if they get it. Pride will make them think that they can handle it when others were fools, but the truth is they are just as big of fools."

"I was just thinking the same thing earlier while wondering who moved in." I cleared my throat and stood. "You should know many people are curious. It might be better to get out in front of that instead of letting the whispers get louder and draw more attention."

"Kathy said the same, but I have no idea how to handle that sort of thing," she admitted. "I have never acted as the lady of a house either before my marriage or after. I was…"

"Talented in business," I finished for her, nodding that I knew that truth. I paid attention after all.

"Right, of course. You were at the meetings. I apologize. They were so overwhelming and—it's all a blur."

Fair enough. I couldn't even imagine what she'd been through.

"You were impressive at them and in court. Exceedingly impressive." I didn't give her a chance to respond, heading to the house and making us both drinks. I cut hers with more orange juice than mine and brought both glasses outside.

She thanked me as she accepted it but then waited until I sat down. "And thank you for what you said. I did what I needed to, but I felt it was too much."

I considered that as I took a sip. "I think no matter how you acted it was not a reflection upon you, bad or otherwise, Mabel. You were backed into a corner and forced into that position. You did not go to them and behave a certain way. But I saw nothing you did as anything to be embarrassed or hesitate over. I was truly impressed, especially after all you've been through."

"Thank you. Truly." Her face flushed red enough that even I saw it in the light of the firepit. She took a drink and gasped. "Oh, that's lovely. Very refreshing."

"I made yours easier than mine, but there is a full shot in there," I warned her. It was cute the way she nodded and held the glass gingerly in both hands as she took another drink. I wasn't sure what to say next, groaning as I went to move my ankle to my knee.

"Are you hurt?" she worried, her full attention on me.

And I liked that. My nostrils flared as those green, doe eyes were locked on me intently. "Old injury. I was wounded badly at the end of the war and—the army surgeons weren't sure if I was going to be able to walk again."

"Will you be a test subject for me?" she blurted… Shocking me once again for the night.

"I am sorry?" I asked after blinking at her for several moments.

She cleared her throat and focused back on her drink. "I apologize. That was crass of me."

"No, you are fine, and we're friends now so—I am simply confused, Mabel." I bit back another groan for a completely different reason. I loved saying her name… And her reaction to hearing me say it.

She liked it too.

Or maybe finally hearing it spoken by someone nice to her?

"I know a bit about herbs," she explained, clearly not telling me the full truth from the way she was acting. "I want to work—I have some ideas on a way to help my scars and body. I can start on it now that I have my own house and space." She snorted. "And not worry about the grand duke watching over my shoulder and demanding answers like I work for him."

I snorted next. "I pity anyone who works for him and yes, I include myself as someone who reports to him."

"Yes, he's too…" She shook her head.

I couldn't believe I was about to say what I was, but I couldn't let her think all bad about Ian. "It was not all for what you could help the royal family and kingdom with. Do you know anything about his older sister?"

She frowned. "The princess was killed by…" Her eyes went wide and she looked at me.

"Yes, her husband. She was horribly abused, and the former grand duke did nothing. I have a lot of issues with the grand duke, but I knew him from the war and we were once close. I can tell you that he would have helped you even if you could not possibly bring down that family. He was overbearing because you could. There is a difference."

"I understand, but it's hard to see," she admitted. "Maybe with some space, but… They are both a bit hypocritical. They preach that we're equal, but then the lectures and headaches they gave me when I bought this house and moved as if I was their ward were too much."

I sighed. "To be honest, I would have had the same objections, Mabel." I nodded when she couldn't hide her shock. "Moving before you had guards was not the smartest idea."

"I actually did have them hired, but they suddenly quit," she grumbled. "Without reason and very suspiciously."

"The Matthias family got to the mercenary guilds," I sighed.

"I assume but honestly, I would not put it past the grand duke after how he behaved. The more he learned from what I turned over, the more he became insufferable."

I snorted. "That is probably the best word for Ian. Insufferable should be his middle name."

She let out a slight giggle and took another sip. "It's nice to have someone to talk to about this… Andre."

Shit, I loved hearing my name from her sweet lips.

"I will figure out something for your guards," I told her, shaking my head when she tried to argue. "It could help some of my injured officers who need the money while they heal. You need a deterrent at home, one who can legally have a gun. I will think on this and see—please trust me."

"Okay." She let out a slow breath. "I will listen to whatever plan you think of, but please let me have the final say. That is what they kept skipping and upset me."

I snorted. "You are an adult, Mabel. I do not treat adults like children. I promise." I glanced at her as she had another drink. "So you know herbs? And you need someone else to work on scars?"

"No, I have more than enough to be the test case," she said so easily that it hurt my heart. "I assume you have muscle damage or—your injury is not new and has settled. I would like to see if I could do something in that situation. I think I can."

I almost dropped my drink. "Mabel, if you could make my knee not hurt as often or help the swelling after working all day, you will officially be my favorite person for a long, long time."

"Swelling. I think it's something that can help with swelling. It's different than what I am planning for my scars and—I am going to try."

I opened my mouth to ask about a million questions, but her shoulders went tense and I wasn't drunk, so I behaved. "I think that's amazing. I am here for whatever you need." I waited until she nodded and took another sip. "I am curious and have a lot of questions, but no one wants to feel interrogated when opening up."

"Thank you for understanding that," she whispered, relief in her eyes when she glanced at me.

I nodded. "I cannot say that I will not. It's an occupational hazard. So please, please always tell me to stuff it if I do. I will not get upset with you. I promise that I will not. It's hard to turn off especially when you are the boss." And I had a feeling that was exactly what happened with her and Ian.

But I wasn't going to say that and defend the asshole.

She promised she would, seeming amused even that I said what I did. We finished our drink, and I walked her home wanting nothing more than to follow her inside and take her to bed.

One day. One day very soon I will treat you like a woman, Mabel.