Episode 88

Episode 88

To Be Continued

RHODES

I stared into Maia's soulful eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. Her bottom lip trembled. "You don't understand," she croaked and clung to my shirt. "She left a note. I had them read it to me."

Misery filled the air around us as we stood pressed together on the balcony of Alana's country estate. The cool wind across my arms and face sent a shiver down my spine.

"And what did the note say?"

"She told me things were worse than before… And to never come home," Maia whispered and then face-planted against my chest.

I tucked my face into the crook of her neck. "We're going to figure this out. All of it. Your family and mine. But first, I have to get Emily back home. It's what she needs to feel safe."

Maia nodded against my chest. "I agree, but my time to help my mom and siblings is running out. What if he's done something worse to them than what I experienced? What if Derrik is touching Maisie? What if my stepfather is physically abusing all of them? For my mother to make such a harsh demand that I never return…" Her knees buckled as a sob tore through her body, muffled against my chest. I kept her upright, a sturdy support she could lean on no matter what.

"While we're on the plane, I'm going to make some calls. Have a tech expert I know do some digging into the family. I'll have them pull bank records, medical records, school records, anything we can in order to secure more information. Then we'll head to Colorado for your grandmother's funeral once we get Emily settled."

Maia straightened. "But Emily…"

I cupped her cheeks and wiped away her tears. "Emily will be safe and protected in California. Besides, that's where Marisol is."

"Marisol?"

It suddenly dawned on me that I'd never mentioned Marisol, the other member of my household.

"Her nanny. My house manager. The woman behind the man." I chuckled, remembering how Marisol and I had met under the strangest circumstances. I'd taken a leap of faith in hiring her all those years ago, but now she was part of my family.

"Emily's going to be fourteen. She still has a nanny?" And there was the leeriness I had come to expect from my skeptical fiancée.

"It will all make sense when you meet her. Now come on. Emily is waiting for us in the kitchen, stuffing her face full of more—"

"Let me guess…crepes!" Maia snickered, her drying tears leaving a glimmer of a smile in their wake.

"Bingo," I murmured as I put my arm around her shoulders and led her inside.

When we entered the kitchen, we were greeted by Emily, Christophe, and Alana at the table. Much to my surprise, Inspector Antoine Moreau, was also there, merrily sipping a cappuccino, with a freshly made crepe on the table before him.

Emily was stuffing her mouth full of her favorite breakfast, her head down to avoid making eye contact with the inspector.

"I sure hope you're not interviewing my daughter without her parent present?" I asked with enough venom the man put his cup down and shook his head anxiously.

"Not at all. Just enjoying the kindness offered by the Toussaints. However, if you'd like to get the interview underway, I'm amenable. I've gotten most of what I needed from Mrs. Toussaint. Still, I'd like to go over everything Emily remembers. The slightest detail might help us catch Angus Sokolov more quickly," he shared.

I grunted and stood behind my daughter, resting my hands on her shoulders. I bent and whispered in Emily's ear. "You ready to talk about all this with the detective so we can go home?"

She nodded.

"I'm right here, Em. Nothing bad is gonna happen to you again," I reminded her.

Maia slipped into the chair next to my daughter and reached for her hand. Emily grasped the support, holding onto Maia while edging closer. Maia took the hint and scooted her chair right next to Emily's so the two were hip to hip, as close as possible. Then Maia glared at the inspector, ready to jump between him and Emily at the slightest provocation.

Pride in Maia's actions and Emily's bravery filled my chest to almost bursting. We were a family of three. A pyramid, each holding the other up. Stronger together.

"I'm ready. Ask me anything," Emily said, directing her question to the inspector.

Four hours later, the three of us had said our goodbyes to Alana and Christophe and were on the private jet I'd chartered, headed back home to Los Angeles, California.

* * * *

On the plane, I'd called Joel Castellanos' cousin, Bruno. Unfortunately, he didn't answer personally. My call had been rerouted to a man named Jonas, who introduced himself as Bruno's second-in-command. I explained my connection to Joel, which he already seemed to know. Since time was of the essence, I didn't mince words and told Jonas the entire story about Maia, how we met the same way Joel and Faith had, and that her family situation was dire. He cataloged all the information, names, places, and even the grittier details about Maia's abuse at the hand of her stepbrother, which seemed to not only anger Jonas, but set a fire under his fingers as I could hear the rapid-fire clicking of keys on a keyboard.

Once done, he simply told me they would look into it and that I'd have preliminary information by the time the flight landed in California. He also explained their services were not cheap. I responded that I had money but not the resources to get what I needed. Which was sensitive information about Maia's family members.

After we hung up, an invoice for a hundred thousand dollars appeared in my inbox. I transferred the funds immediately, then cuddled up with my girls and slept like the dead all the way to California. When we landed, there was a file in my email.

I ignored the document, wanting to get Emily situated and Maia introduced to Marisol and her new home before I dug into what Jonas sent. The moment the SUV rolled through my security gates and then up to our driveway in front of the house, Marisol was standing at the door waving with excitement. Two security guards were positioned a few feet away. I scanned the length of my property and saw several others walking the perimeter as my security advisor had instructed.

"Marisol!" Emily screamed through the car's open window. When the SUV stopped, Emily bolted out and raced into Marisol's arms.

The older woman rocked my daughter back and forth, thanking God while staring at the open sky. I'd had to tell Marisol what happened to Emily prior to our arrival. Since Marisol was like a grandmother to Em and had escaped her own version of hell back in Mexico, I knew she'd be another ideal person to help my daughter through her traumatic experience. Marisol placed her hands to the sides of Emily's head and kissed her entire face. "?Mi bebé! ?Te extra?é mucho!" My baby. I missed you so much.

"I missed you too, abuela ," Emily gushed, tears in her eyes as she kept her arms wrapped around Marisol's round waist. She rubbed her face against the ever-present apron Marisol wore. The woman was always cooking or organizing special things to make us feel loved. . She'd slowed down over the years as she was now in her late sixties, so I hired a few staff members for her to manage. They do the day-to-day cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and whatever else is needed. The transition to house manager was hard for her since she liked full control of everything, but she'd gotten the hang of it over time. Her once black hair was streaked with silvery white strands that accentuated her kind and pretty face. Still, the woman was a formidable force of good in the Davenport household, and I was thrilled to see her.

I folded out of the vehicle and held my hand out for Maia.

"Is Marisol Emily's grandmother?" she whispered.

"By choice, yes. Though she has six children and a dozen or so grandchildren of her own. They are all living beautiful lives up and down California. Being a single woman in her sixties with grown children, she lives here and is paid to take care of us. A job she has perfected over the past thirteen years."

"Wow, that's awesome," Maia breathed, her gaze taking in the surrounding area. "You have a big house. Kind of like a mansion."

I chuckled and interlaced our fingers. "It's not as big as it looks. Only seven bedrooms, thirteen bathrooms, and a guesthouse."

Maia's mouth dropped open in pure shock. "Holy shit."

I lifted her hand and kissed the back. "Come, let's meet Marisol," I tugged on her hand until she jolted into action.

"Mari, I'd like you to meet someone. My fiancée, Maia. Maia, this is Marisol, a treasured member of our family. She takes care of me, Emily, and this home."

" Hola , Maia. I am happy to meet you. Bienvenida ." Welcome, she made a sweeping gesture with her hand toward the entrance. The door was wide open.

" Gracias . I don't know a lot of Spanish, but I'd love to learn more," Maia shook Marisol's hand.

Marisol gifted her a beaming smile. "I shall teach you all that I know!"

"Be careful Maia, pretty soon she'll stop speaking English. One day in the future, when she thinks you know enough, she'll put you to the test," Emily shared.

"Shhh…don't give away all my secrets just yet, mija ," Marisol winked at Em.

"Did you make lunch?" Emily hedged.

"?Por supuesto!" Of course! She pretended to be offended in that endearing way Emily and I were used to. "I feed my family. Come!" She clapped her hands. "We eat, then I will unpack you," she commanded, nudging Emily forward.

"Did you make beef enchiladas?" Emily pushed.

" Sí ." Marisol clipped. "I know what your favorites are," she harrumphed, continuing the charade.

"And rice and beans…" Emily added, asking for what she already knew was there, just to get Marisol's goat. It was playful and so normal my entire body started to relax, the tension and nerves about getting out of France and bringing my family home finally dissipating.

" Sí . It is not my first day as your abuela . Now, go wash your hands!"

"Okay, okay!" Emily turned to leave then suddenly plastered herself to Marisol. "I love you, Mari."

Marisol put one hand to the back of Emily's head and the other around her shoulders hugging her once more. Then she dipped her head and whispered, "Te amo, mi preciosa." I love you, my precious. "Now go clean those filthy hands. Airport muck, eeeeyyyyeeee!" She made a disgruntled sound.

Emily bolted down the hallway into one of the bathrooms.

"Mari, I'm going to take Maia on a tour of the house and show her our room. Did you have Esmerelda do her thing?" I asked, referring to Marisol's eldest daughter, a fashion stylist to the stars.

" Sí . Everything is there. She left notes and said she'd make an appointment with Maia to get more specifics and learn her taste."

"Specific taste about what?" Maia asked.

"Your preferences in clothing, fashion, and the like. I had Marisol set her daughter to work on crafting a wardrobe for you. During our shopping days in France, you didn't get more than a handful of outfits, and you salvaged so little from your place in Las Vegas. I want you to be entirely comfortable in California and I noticed you had no interest in shopping, so I had Marisol work out a solution with her daughter Esmerelda."

"I'm a problem now?" Maia pursed her lips so she didn't give away her smile, but I saw through her shenanigans.

I pulled her against my body, lifted her chin, and pecked her lips. "No, you're the woman in my life. My fiancée and that position holds some influence."

She grinned. "Oh?" Her hands went from resting on my hips to reaching around and grabbing my ass.

I hummed against the sudden swelling of a certain appendage as she ground against me. More than anything I wanted to carry Maia upstairs bridal style, toss her on the bed, and have my wicked way with her, but I needed to make sure I kept an eye on my daughter too. Taking the less chivalrous road, I kissed Maia hungrily, tasting her sweet mouth and allowing her spicy vanilla scent to invade my senses. I was hard as a rock when I ripped my mouth away and rested my forehead against hers.

"Tonight, when Emily is sound asleep, I'm going to eat you alive," I warned.

Maia sighed dreamily. "I think I'd like that very much."

"Oh, you're not only going to like it, you're gonna love it. I'm going to fuck you so hard and for so long, you'll be walking bowlegged tomorrow."

"Holy hell, Rhodes," Maia whispered as she pressed her belly against my erection. "Are you trying to get me all hot and bothered?" She wrapped her arms around my neck and pecked my lips twice in quick succession.

I smiled a devilish grin. "Now you know how it feels. I take one look at your beautiful face or that tight ass of yours in the jeans you wear and I'm rock hard. It's your turn to burn with no fire extinguisher in sight," I bit her bottom lip then soothed it with a swipe of my tongue.

"Rude," she groaned but continued to rub her little body against me in all the right ways.

"Seriously? We've been home like two seconds and you're already making out?" Emily griped from several feet behind us. "Mari, you see what I have to live with? You should feel sorry for me," she complained, heading toward the kitchen. "And that sorry should come with a Friends marathon after lunch in the movie room," she called out as she disappeared from sight.

"Whoops. Guess we got caught." Maia giggled.

I slid my hands from her ass along her hips, over her waist and just under her breasts where I dragged my thumbs over those erect little berries hiding behind her clothing. I loved sucking Maia's breasts because she was incredibly sensitive there. My mouth watered at the memory of her taste, and I couldn't help but palm her small tit. "Fuck I want to taste these right now," I dipped my head and nuzzled along the V of her shirt, slicking my tongue along the tops of her breasts.

Maia mewled and gripped my hair before she arched back, serving up her body as if it were the most natural thing in the world to her.

I lifted up the hem of her shirt, shoved down the cup of her bra and plumped up one juicy breast. Without further thought, I bent my head and swirled my tongue around the pert nipple, sucked it hard, and let it go with an audible plop . With my thumb and first finger, I pinched the tip until Maia's eyes rolled back, and she gasped.

"I could make you come right here, right now, just by sucking on these beautiful breasts." It was an erotic threat but one I was perfectly ready to carry out, right in the middle of the entrance to our home.

"Rhodes, please. Emily…" she reminded me.

It was as though a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over my head. My cock ached behind my restrictive clothing as I covered Maia's breasts and shook my head free of all carnal thoughts and put my mind back on the matters at hand: Emily's comfort and Maia's homecoming.

"Damn, I got a little out of control there," I admitted and could feel my skin flushing with the knowledge.

Maia grinned wickedly. "To be continued?" She cocked a brow.

"To be continued." I cleared my throat as I readjusted the steel pipe between my legs. "Let me give you the tour then meet Em and Mari back in the kitchen for her shredded beef enchiladas. She's an incredible cook. I hope you like Mexican food because we eat more than our fair share around here, by request. Marisol actually likes cooking an array of international cuisine, but Emily constantly asks for homemade Mexican, and I love it, too, so I don't discourage her."

"I will never turn down free food. Liking it has never mattered to me. Food means survival. I learned early on to be happy about whatever I was given." Maia shrugged. "I'm easy."

I shook my head and clasped her hand. "You're anything but easy, but I understand what you mean. With enough time feeling safe and secure in your new home, I'm sure you'll figure out the foods you like and dislike. Marisol will have fun trying to learn your preferences. I'll enjoy watching her stumble through that process the way I did into your heart."

"But you did…"

"Did what?"

"Stumble into my heart and set up shop there." Her cheeks turned rosy as she quickly looked away and pretended to study the art on the walls.

"Are you saying you like me?" I swung our arms as I showed her the living room, the den, the game room, and so on.

"I more than like you," she said under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I pulled her into one of the many bathrooms and pressed her body up against the vanity. "Say it again."

She licked her lips to give herself time to figure out what to say. I watched that slippery tongue like a hawk tracking its prey.

She firmed her jaw and lifted her chin. "I said, I more than like you."

"I more than like you, too, Maia." I stared deeply into her eyes. "I've more than liked you for a while now."

"Oh?"

I cupped her cheeks. "You being here makes me so happy. I didn't know what to expect after all that we've been through, but just having you in this house with my daughter and Marisol, it finally feels real. You and me, it's real . It feels right. Do you feel it?"

She nodded. "You're the only thing that has ever felt good and right."

I reminded her of the truth I'd shared on her birthday. "I love you, Maia, and I'm not going to let anything get between us. Not Portia. Not some criminal with a vengeance against Alana. Not anything. If you're not there yet, it's okay. We have all the time in the world…"

Her body trembled in my arms, and her gaze pierced mine as though she was pained by what she was about to share. "But I am in love with you…and I'm so scared I'm going to lose it."

"No, sweetheart, no." I hugged her so hard I wished I could merge us into one. "I'll battle the devil himself to hold on to you and your love."

Her breath was warm against my neck as she whispered, "I hope you mean that, Rhodes, because you might have to."