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We'd get there, though it would take a little time.
I had found the perfect home for us. Close to Place des Vosges, it was just a fifteen-minute walk from the bakery. In addition to five bedrooms and six baths, it had a gym, sauna, and a heated swimming pool in the basement. But what I knew Elsa would love was the gorgeous kitchen and front garden. Okay, so it wasn't exactly a house but a mansion and she'd freak when she saw it. I'd have to convince her slowly. But I was getting to know my wife well and was starting to find my way around her.
"You sure?" Dean asked, looking at Elsa.
I smiled. "Yeah, I'm sure. I'll get back into the office this coming Monday. When are you flying to Hong Kong?"
Elsa nodded, speculating about where my head was at. I hadn't told her that I'd contacted Vincent, and she'd never asked. I didn't want her to lower her guard or fight me on security until the threat was removed. Now, I couldtell her. Now, I couldbreathe without worrying about her and our baby all the time.
"Monday night," Dean said absently. "Have you heard from Dom?"
"Yeah." I stroked Elsa's shoulder. "He came by Délices d'Elsa yesterday."
Dom was feeling better and had come to apologize again to Elsa, who'd told him there was nothing to forgive. He'd saved her life, and in fact, she owed him. Dom told me I was a lucky son of a bitch, and then left, saying he was going to be out of the country for a while.
"You working with him?" I asked when Dean didn't say anything.
Dean looked at Angelique and Thierry and gave me a warning look.
"Thierry already knows everything, and Angelique doesn't give a fuck," I retorted.
Angelique nodded. "It's true." She picked up her glass of wine. "You can talk about whatever."
Dean sighed. "Yes, I'm working with Dom."
"Can you tell me about what?" I asked carefully.
"No."
I didn't push him. I knew how things were when you worked with Dom.
"You need support; you call me," Thierry offered.
"Yeah?" Dean looked at him speculatively.
"You know, he's more than a baker, right?" Elsa leaned into me. "He just works part-time for me to take care of me."
Thierry smirked. "I've been doing it for years, Els and I will keep doing it. You know that."
"I have Lisette now," Elsa looked at Thierry tenderly. "And, I have an overprotective husband. If you need to just be my friend and not my assistant baker, that's fine, Thierry."
Her friend waved a hand. "We'll see how things go. For now, nothing is changing unless you need help, Dean."
"You have any contacts in the Ivory Coast?”
I grew concerned. Côte d'Ivoire had recently been in the news with regards to some stolen antiques. It was not a coincidence.
"Maybe." Thierry raised his glass and toasted Dean.
"Let's talk later," my brother murmured, his head obviously somewhere else.
I worried about him, but he was a grown man, and I knew I had to let him find his own way. As the oldest sibling, I'd always been there for my brothers—even though Damian, the CEO of Archer Arts & Antiquities, was technically my boss. Despite this, I still felt it was my responsibility to look after Damian and Dean.
As if she could read my mind, Elsa squeezed my hand.
"He's going to be fine," she whispered.
"Yeah?"
