Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(152)

She smiled into the pillow. That worked for her too.

Then she sighed.

After that, she whispered, “I love you, Jack Bennett.”

“And I you, poppet,” Jack replied.

Belle blinked into the dark room.

On the third blink, her eyes didn’t reopen and she drifted into sleep in the protective embrace of James Bennett.

Chapter Twenty-One

Possessed

Belle

Belle sat in the chair in the bay window in Jack’s study as Jack sat behind his desk.

She had her sketch pad in front of her but her eyes were trained on the view.

She wasn’t seeing the view though. She was thinking of the last four days through all of which nothing had happened.

Not one thing.

Well, not exactly

She woke up with Jack, she went to bed by Jack and she loved doing both. Jack also made love to her and, sometimes, he was adventurous in a gentle way and she loved that too (maybe even more). She always had breakfast with Jack and usually, due to the hour, they were alone and she also loved that. If he was at home, she usually had dinner with Jack, though they were never alone but were surrounded by family so she loved that as well. And Jack always came home in time for both of them to take Baron and Gretl for a walk and she loved that too.

She also went to work but spent half her time working, half her time trying to convince Belinda that Dirk was not her prince charming come to St. Ives to sweep her off her feet except he didn’t know it and had to be convinced. Belle was failing in this endeavour just as Dirk was failing in that same endeavour. This made work interesting and sometimes amusing if it didn’t help to get it done.

Her father was still there which meant anything could happen but luckily he was behaving himself and mostly spending his time sightseeing, sometimes alone, sometimes with Rachel. This meant, if he was (or they were) causing mayhem, it was luckily somewhere else.

But although she’d seen and spoken to Myrtle and Lewis several times since Sunday, it was only to get to know them. And the more she got to know them, the more she liked them and the more determined she was to get them “home”.

Other than that, nothing had happened. No great stroke of genius hit her as to how to release the children to the next plane. Lewis hadn’t come up with anything. And neither did any of the Ghost Helpers.

“Calm before the storm, love, enjoy it,” Jack had muttered when she’d shared her impatience with him.

And he was right. Something was coming.

She just wished it would get there so they could deal with it, she could take care of those children and everyone could move on.

But she currently had something else on her mind and that was the fact that Joy had finally talked Miles into having a chat. She, Cassandra and Lorna were with him at Yasmin’s as Belle sat in Jack’s study at The Point not seeing the view.

So she was also worried.

“Belle,” Jack called.

“Yes?” Belle answered the view.

“Love, look at me,” he ordered gently, her head turned to him and her eyes caught his green ones. “It will all be fine.”

As ever, he knew her thoughts and he knew when she needed his reassurance.

That said, she wasn’t exactly reassured.

“You keep saying that, Jack, but nothing’s happening,” she reminded him not remembering you should be careful what you wish for because just as she said it, she heard the door fly open.

Jack’s head whipped to it as he swiftly rose from his chair and Belle leaned and twisted to look around the back of her own.

Angus was advancing, looking agitated.

“Laddie, we got a –” he started to tell Jack but didn’t finish.

This was because Miles stormed in after Angus, his face red and his expression murderous.

With just one look at his face, not even fully taking in his threatening gait, Belle’s body froze solid.

“I cannot f**king believe you!” he shouted, stalking straight toward the desk and thus Jack.

Angus moved in front of him and Belle gasped and jumped from her chair, tossing down her sketchpad and pencil as Miles put his hands on Angus, threw him bodily to the side and Angus went flying, kilt awhirl, arms wheeling.

At that, the room became a bustle of action.

Jack quickly rounded his desk, growling, “Belle, do not move,” just as Lachlan, Cassandra, Joy and Lorna came flying into the room, in that order.

“Miles, calm down,” Jack ordered and Miles stopped in front of Jack, lifted a hand, planted it in Jack’s chest and pushed off but Jack stood solid and didn’t even sway. However, he did lift an arm to shove his brother’s hand from his chest.

“Jesus, I cannot believe you. I cannot…” Miles leaned in, his face getting redder, “f*cking… believe you!”

“Miles, I will repeat, calm down,” Jack said in a low, even voice.

“Did you tell Belle that shit?” Miles bit out. “Did you tell Belle like you told Mum that I f**king pushed your woman down the stairs?” he bellowed the last words in fury.

Oh goodness gracious!

Suddenly the room again filled with action as Miles didn’t pause for an answer but aimed a punch at Jack.

Belle gasped and took two steps forward but stopped when she saw Jack duck and Miles missed him. At the same time, Angus and Lachlan sprang forward and Lila, Rachel and Jensen raced into the room, Lila shouting, “What on earth is going on?”