Page 30 of Ma Belle Marguerite
“Well, we better get started since you said you can't stay long,” I say. “I already told you that you’ll be making the same amount as your job at the hospital, so money should not be an issue. Plus, you’ll have free housing and travel for you and the children. I will have my men at your house this afternoon to help you move the essentials to my place. We can work out a time during the week that everything else can be moved over.” Maybe glossing over it will make this easier. “I would like you to...”
Before I can continue any further, Bella looks at me like I have three heads. “Did you not just hear what I said to D out there? Have you ever considered conversing with someone and not just demanding things?” She plops down into my chair behind the desk and spots the photograph of us on my desk but chooses to ignore it.
She continues her rant. “I will not be told what to do. I’m the one that does the bossing in my house. If you need something after school hours, you just have to make sure I have one of my babysitters available. There is nothing wrong with where I live now.”
Before she continues, I butt in, “It makes the most sense,Ma Belle. You will be working for me, and things may come up at the last minute. Besides, my line of work can be dangerous, as you know. Having you and the twins safe at my place will give me peace of mind.”
“No, you don’t—you don’t get to play that card. That is not fair! You know I want my children to be safe.” She huffs and glares at me. It’s all I can do not to reach across my desk, grasp her face, and kiss her. “I will consider your opinions and text you tonight with what I decide. I don’t think I can listen to any more of this today. Between you and D, I need a stiff drink.” Bella moves to get up and tries to leave my office, but I get up quicker and step in her way before she makes it to the door.
Placing my hands on her hips, I pull her to me, lean close, and whisper into her ear, “Ma Belle, things are different now. I will give you until eight o’clock tonight to be packed and ready, or I will put you over my shoulder and bring you to my place. Don’t push me; I will push back.”
I feel her body shiver under my touch, and I don't resist the urge to kiss softly down her neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps all the way to her collarbone. She doesn’t pull away; instead, she leans into me. I take that as an okay to keep going. I grab her ponytail and pull her head back. She lets out a soft needy moan, but just as quickly as she leaned into me, she pulls away.
“Rex, we can’t do this. If I’m going to be working for you, then sex is off the table.” Her voice comes out breathy. “We still have so much to figure out, too.”
Smirking, I whisper in her ear while running my fingers up her arm softly, “That’s fineMa Belle. I have a couch in here, and I don’t need to bend you over my desk to make love to you, even though that would be hot as fuck.”
Bella tries to punch me in the arm. “You know what I mean! I will text you later.” Her voice is still breathy and quiet.
Before I can answer, my office phone starts to ring, and she takes advantage of the distraction and is out the door before I can stop her. I walk over to my desk to see it is D calling. I ignore the call and pick up my cell to text my driver, who is always downstairs, to take Bella wherever she needs.
As soon as I send the text, my office phone starts ringing again.
“What is it, D?” I ask.
“Hey, boss, you weren’t answering your cell. I didn’t want to interrupt, but Josh found some information you’ll want to see in person. I’m almost at the office to pick you up,” he says quickly. “Is your lady still there? Will we need to drop her off somewhere?”
“No, she just left. How far out are you?” I’m already walking to the elevator. This better be important to interrupt my time with Bella.
“I’ll be there in two minutes,” D replies and hangs up.
By the time the elevator reaches the main floor, I see D pulling up out front and Bella arguing with my driver. Smiling, despite the inconvenience of our time being cut short, I walk over to where she’s currently flailing her arms all over in clear exasperation.
“Bella, he will take you wherever you need to go. Consider him your personal driver.” I place my hand on her lower back, guiding her to the back of the blacked-out SUV.
She jumps slightly as I startle her but quickly rolls her eyes at me before reluctantly getting in. “Don’t get used to this asshole,” she says, and closes the door, leaving me standing here with a smile on my face like an idiot.
I watch the SUV pull away until they turn a corner and head towards her house, hopefully for her to start packing. I hear D pull the truck up beside me. “Get in, boss, we need to get going.”
“Let's go. I have a feeling she’s going to fight me about moving to the house tonight. She wouldn’t listen to what I had to say.She sees me as bossing her around when I’m just concerned for her safety and well-being,” I grumble. This woman is infuriating, but I wouldn’t want her any other way.
Laughing, he says unhelpfully, “You need to look at things from her point of view, boss.”
What the fuck?“Who’s side are you on, D?” I ask, “It better be mine.”
He gives a slight shake of his head and ignores me, turns up the music, and drives to Josh’s apartment. I’m not angry at him, but I don’t like it when we’re not on the same page or he questions my plans. This needs to happen; there is no other way my plan will work without her moving in with me.
As we pull up to Josh’s building, D turns down the music and looks at me. “I’m always on your side, boss, but you know I will be honest with you when I think you’re wrong about something. That is part of my job, after all. You need to think about how she viewed things all the years she was gone. Even if she was wrong, it was all she knew. You can’t hold that against her, just like she can’t hold what you saw as the truth against you.” He turns off the truck and waits for my next move.
It’s my turn to ignore him as I get out of the truck and head into Josh’s, not waiting to see if he’s following me. I don’t have time for this bullshit.
“What did you find out, Josh?” I ask as I walk through his door.
“Hey, boss man, I’m doing good. Thanks for asking.” God, he’s such a smart ass. “I found information on the car following you and D when you were heading to the bunker.” He looks at me. “I haven’t found anything more on that Amara chick yet, or who was with her.”
“Well, what did you find? I don’t have all day. I need to get back to Bella.” I can hear the annoyance in my own voice. I knowit isn’t his fault, but fuck, I just want to make sure she is at my house and safe, not be dealing with all this other bullshit.
Josh raises his eyebrows as he looks at me, “Whoa, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Anyway, look at this and see what I found for you.”
