Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(131)

But it didn’t halt the thoughts assailing his brain.

Joshua Bennett, James Bennett.

Brenna Addison, Belle Abbot.

Caleb Caldwell and Calvin f**king Cole.

Belle had been married. Married to a man that hurt her.

Again and again.

Just like Brenna.

He already understood the coincidences that bound him to Joshua and Brenna to Belle were more than coincidental. He’d heard Lewis’s disembodied voice. He understood the impossible was happening.

Now he knew it deep in his soul.

And this meant Belle was not safe.

Brenna had been tossed over a cliff.

This was not going to happen to his Belle.

I love you, Jack Bennett.

The words Belle whispered to him twenty minutes ago after he’d made love to her, while he still held her in his arms, she held him back and just before she’d drifted off to sleep sifted through his head.

And as they did, they settled into his heart.

No, Jack thought, his jaw tightening, not one thing was going to happen to his Belle.

He heard the door open behind him but he didn’t turn.

He still didn’t turn when he heard Olive’s voice.

“You called?”

The view stopped working, his chest got tight and that heavy weight settled in his gut.

“I want you to find someone to find Calvin Cole,” Jack told the window. “And when he’s found, I want him dealt with.”

“Are you going to be specific about how you want him dealt with?” Olive asked.

Yes, he most certainly was.

“When it’s done, he’ll have absolutely no desire whatsoever to see Belle again.”

“And do you have a limit as to how much you’re willing to invest in this project?”

Jack’s torso twisted so his eyes could fall on the shadow of Olive standing several feet in from the open door. As he did this, he heard dog tags jangling as Baron and Gretl’s heads came up but they otherwise didn’t move.

“As pertains to who you hire, your budget is unrestricted. But Calvin Cole will be convinced he has no desire, ever again, to see Belle and he’ll be convinced of this without money changing hands.”

There was a hesitation before, with a smile in her voice, Olive murmured, “I’ll see to it.”

She began to move to exit the room when Jack called, “I’m not done,” and she stopped.

Jack took in a breath.

Then he ordered, “I want Mickey Dempsey brought to me.”

There was another hesitation before, with uncertainty in her voice, Olive asked, “Jack, are you certain that’s wise? He’s a member of the media. You’re used to it but Belle’s plagued by it. She doesn’t need any more attention. And if you anger this man, he might see she gets it.”

“He had an agenda with that article and it wasn’t to harm Belle. It was to expose Cole.”

“I noticed that but I don’t understand why you –”

Jack turned fully to her while cutting her off, “He’s an investigative journalist. He uncovered something that the rest of the media, even after a year of her being under scrutiny, didn’t find. He has skills. As I’ve explained it to you, you’re aware that we’re currently involved in an unusual situation where we have very little knowledge of what’s going on considering what precipitated it happened over two hundred years ago. The story is old, the trail is cold and his skills might prove useful.”

“I see,” Olive muttered.

“Bring him to me,” Jack ordered.

“Consider it done.”

He always did after he gave Olive a directive.

Without another word, Olive left.

Jack turned back to the view and listened as his dogs again settled.

He studied it until it brought him peace.

Then he turned from the window, strode through his house with his dogs at his heels and he went to his and Belle’s bedroom.

He disrobed and pulled on some pyjama bottoms as he heard Baron and Gretl settle on Belle’s side of the bed.

Then he slid in beside his sleeping Belle, curled into her warm body and the peace he’d garnered from the view settled deep.

I love you, Jack Bennett.

Curled into Belle, Jack fell asleep.

Chapter Nineteen

Beyond Belief

Jack

“So, when will you be home?” Belle’s honeyed voice asked in his ear.

It was afternoon the next day and Jack was sitting behind his desk in his London office. As he listened to Belle, his eyes went to the door which had opened.

Olive stuck her head through.

Her lips moved, no sound came out but he saw them mouth, “Dempsey.”

He lifted one finger to her. She nodded, ducked out and closed the door.

Jack went back to Belle.

“I have one more meeting and then I’ll be on my way home.”

“So, you’ll be home for dinner,” she murmured, sounding slightly uneasy and Jack’s back went straight.

But his voice was gentle when he asked, “Is there a reason you sound concerned about my being home for dinner?”

“Just that, um, Dad has decided to commandeer the kitchen.”

Jack closed his eyes.

“And,” Belle went on, “he’s done this because he’s decided to introduce you all to American food.”