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“Where is he?” she asks as she takes in the space.
I point toward the hall.
He calls out, “I’m just getting decent. I’ll be there in a second. I’ll make us all some pancakes. You hungry, Alannah?”
Alannah turns to face me, and her eyes are practically crossed. She’s got alarm in all of her features as she mouths, “Pancakes?”
I lift my index finger and draw air circles around my ear.
Derek comes out and sees this. He lets out a little snort of laughter.
He’s dressed in second-skin faded jeans. He’s buttoning a white dress shirt. His hair is still damp, he’s barefoot, and he hasn’t shaved in a few days. I know Alannah is taking all that in. It’s hard not to.
“It should be a crime to look that good and be a psychopath, shouldn’t it?” Alannah says under her breath.
“I’ll make you a coffee,” is my reply.
Because I don’t know what else to say. I don’t know what to expect here, because Derek is completely unpredictable.
Alannah looks around and then speaks. “Listen, pal. I realize you’re accustomed to getting what you want. And we all know Chloe Turner is the whole package, but just because she’s been sweet so far–”
“Let me save you some trouble,” Derek interrupts, lifting his palm. “You don’t have to worry about Chloe. She’s going to be just fine. More than fine. I’ll see to that personally. I agree, I am accustomed to getting what I want. Because I go after it. With purpose and intent. I wanted her and here she is.” He gestures in my direction. “What you also need to know is that this girl has never been safer. She’ll never want for anything. She’s here because I worked to get her here and I’m not about to do anything that’d hurt her. On the contrary, I’m happy I get to work on my goal with no distractions. Doing whatever it takes to make her happy.”
“Happy?” Alannah asks.
“Happy. Personally. Professionally. Physically.”
My feet are still glued to the spot, though my eyes are bouncing between my best friend and Derek, shocked at his matter-of-fact declaration. I’m braced to see what Alannah does next.
“I’ve heard some concerning facts as well as rumors about your family.”
Derek shrugs.
Alannah continues, “Most concerning that several women have gone missing when they get tangled up with the Steele brothers,” she states.
“That’s inaccurate,” he corrects.
My jaw is about to hit the floor. Missing?
Derek gives me a sharp shake of his head. “One of my brothers had his girlfriend vanish without a trace. But it was a miscommunication. It’s since been sorted. She’s fine and living her own life in San Diego. But I guess Craig left that part out?”
Alannah looks contrite at the same time as pissed off. “And what about Thad’s two dead wives?”
What? My eyes widen.
“They weren’t missing and then reported dead. They both met untimely ends. Thad is dead. He was problematic. He’s no longer a problem because his bullshit caught up with him, finally. You girls want pancakes?”
He opens a kitchen cupboard and takes down the yellow box of pancake and biscuit mix along with a glass jug of maple syrup. He opens the fridge and pulls out bacon, eggs, and milk. “Did you want coffee or tea, Alannah? Chloe seems a little groggy still. You drink some of your coffee yet, baby?”
I stare at the full cup in my hand and then my eyes bounce to Alannah who is watching Derek as he pulls down a mixing bowl. He turns the kitchen tap and soaps up his hands.
“I don’t want coffee or tea or pancakes, man. I want you to stop this… whatever it is… you’re doing with Chloe. You blackmailed her. You’ve threatened her.”
“Yeah, I did. To get her here where I want her. Now that I have her, I can do what I intended.” He stares at Alannah expectantly.
He’s waiting for her to ask the obvious question, so that he can answer it.
“And what’s that?” she demands.
