Demand (Careless Whispers #2)(68)

“Or maybe you were just blocking it out,” he suggests. “You obviously didn’t want to remember Neuville.”

A memory from the club tries to surface and I shove it aside. “But I said I couldn’t read the note because it was in another language. Since I speak French, wouldn’t I be able to read it?”

“Speaking a language and reading it are two different things.” He sits up and grabs a pad of paper and a pencil next to the bed, scribbling something down and handing it to me. “Let’s see if you read French.”

I study the sentence. “The sky is blue and the sun is yellow.” I hand him the paper back. “I can definitely read French. Something feels off about this restaurant theory. Could Pierre Remy be Italian? Does it translate to here?”

“It could be, but you were in France and the restaurant has no franchises here. And there’s every indication that Niccolo had no idea you were connected to the necklace, but that Neuville did and set the entire David situation up himself.”

“I don’t have clarity on that, but yes,” I say. “I believe I somehow found out that Neuville set up the David situation.”

“Pierre Remy therefore somehow connects dots between David and Neuville.”

“That makes sense, but I can’t help but feel like it’s something different altogether.”

His phone buzzes again and he reads the message and eyes me. “Marabella has hot croissants just out of the oven, and wants to know if we want some.”

“Are we even considering an answer other than yes?”

“Exactly my thoughts,” he says, typing a reply. “I’ll tell her to bring them up.”

“Wait, though. What time is it? We’re supposed to have lunch with Giada.”

He glances at the clock on his phone. “It’s ten o’clock, but I cancelled with Giada and told her tentatively tomorrow. I didn’t know how you’d feel today.”

“Thank you. I’m eager to talk to her, but today is not the day. And is it even safe, anyway?”

He scoots closer and slides his arm under my knees. “Neuville won’t come here. And now not only do you have me and Evil Eye protecting you, which Niccolo knows, by the way, but he himself has any number of reasons to do so, as well.”

A knock sounds on the door, and we hear, “Brunch in bed! Are you decent?”

Kayden and I both smile, and he murmurs, “For once, we are. You up for this?”

“Are you kidding? Who wouldn’t be?”

He kisses my nose and calls out, “Come in, Marabella,” and that silly, tender action has me ridiculously giddy when he releases me and gets up to help her.

A few moments later the room is enveloped in the scent of hot bread and coffee, as well as Marabella’s chattiness, and I have this surreal moment of family and belonging. My mind shifts to Sara, my friend in the States, and I know then that she’s as alone as I am, but we’ve found a sisterhood in each other. A bit like what I hope I can give Giada. Thoughts like that remain on my mind after Marabella leaves and Kayden and I head to the bathroom to shower.

“How about we have a date day?” he suggests, tearing his shirt over his head, giving me a distracting view of his naked torso. “We’ll go buy us both ridiculously expensive watches, explore the neighborhood, and then go to dinner.” He steps to me and reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head before sliding his arm up my back and molding me to him. “You need to know your neighborhood.”

“Right. I want to, but I think . . . I’m just feeling gun-shy.”

“That’s why we need to do this. And know this, Ella. I hate Niccolo, but I will partner with him to destroy Neuville, if that’s what it takes to give you peace.”

“Niccolo killed Kevin and Elizabeth. You can’t—”

“Patience is a virtue that keeps people alive and gets you what you want. Niccolo will get what he has coming to him, but right now, you are what matters. Neuville is in my sights, and he has no idea what is coming his way.”

“What are you going to do?”

“The list is long. Think kid in a candy store of weapons, and I’m the kid.” He lifts me and sets me on the sink, pulling my arm and the bracelet between us. “This is a showpiece you can wear anywhere and anytime, but today we’ll also get you a Hawk tattoo to match mine. A message to anyone who dares touch you, that they will die.” He tangles his fingers in my hair, dragging my gaze to his. “They will die painfully.” Then he kisses me, and that promise of protection is on his lips, but there’s more. Something darker. Something that makes me kiss him deeper and, once we’re in the shower, f*ck harder. Something that feels way too much like dread.



Kayden and I dress casually, both ending up in black jeans and T-shirts, with lace-up black boots. While I feel quite chic in my Chanel coat, he’s ruggedly handsome in his black-and-gray biker jacket. We take a car service to the Spanish Steps and spend the afternoon shopping, walking around the high-end stores nearby, where he indeed buys a ridiculously expensive Rolex for himself and tries to buy one for me as well, but I refuse. I want my tattoo on one arm and my bracelet on the other, a choice that warms his eyes. We are growing closer, stronger. We laugh and talk easily, my memories of my mother and father blossoming, and I share them as they come to me.