Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

“You have no idea who killed Leo?” I asked.

“No.”

My heart ached. “Who do you think it could be?”

“If Kazimir is pissed enough, he could go after anyone I love and anyone they love. That’s his way, but. . .he hasn’t come for my family before. This feels like it’s unrelated to me. Kazimir has some rules. There would’ve been no need to kill Leo. And Kazimir is the Lion after all, he has an odd infinity for cats. There’s been stories.”

“So, you think this is connected to my aunt’s hiding?”

“Yes.” He tenderly grabbed my face with both hands, placing his warm palms on each cheek. “Eden, you are my everything. Someone’s hurt you. Because of that, I’m going to hurt them.”

I swallowed.

A fierce rage rippled in those blue eyes. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes.”

He drank in my image. “You’re wearing my shirt.”

I blushed. “I wanted your scent on me.”

“I can fix that.” He kissed me, covering me with all of him and doing his best to push the sadness away. “Tell me what you need. Tell me how I can make the pain go away.”

“Just hold me, please.”

And that was how we finished the day. In each other’s arms. Swimming in our scents. Using the other for warmth and energy.

The pain of Leo and Vibrato’s deaths kept my eyes red, and my thoughts sad. Thank God for Jean-Pierre’s huge arms and soothing words.

I thought of Leo and how he taught me how to seduce Jean-Pierre.

“Your eyes have to tell him everything about how you’re feeling,” Leo said. “That shit is so sexy. Eyes are a woman’s biggest weapon.”

I straightened in my seat. “So, I’m staring at him…and I’m thinking about how hot he is, and all the things I want to do to him?”

“Yes.” Leo gave me the blunt and took over pouring us glasses of wine. “And you have pretty eyes, so that’ll work on him. The first time I met you, I considered fucking you for one minute.”

“But I don’t have a penis.”

“There’s always that part.” He’d handed me my glass of wine. “Yeah. That’s lesson number one in this bloody escapade you’re about to get into.”

“Give him the fuck-me eyes?” I asked.

“Yes.” He cheered my glass. “That’s all I have for now. When you’re talking to him, don’t get nervous. No matter what. You’re always better off looking him directly in the eyes.”

Sighing, I took a gulp of the wine.

“You can do it.”

I nodded and took another sip.

“Oh, and this gets men too.” He set the glass down, gave me an intense stare for a quiet minute, and then he turned away, looking at something else.

I grinned. “What just happened?”

“That will hook guys every time. Give him that prolonged eye contact for a good bit of time, and then look away. That’ll make him crazy to get your attention back on him.”

“This is good.”

He scratched his head and the humor in his face left. “I hope it is good.”

“It will be, Leo.”

“Are you sure?”

“I think it will be.”

“Stay safe, Eden. I’m serious.”

“I will.”

He left his side of the counter, walked over to me, and pulled me into a big hug. “I’ve got your back, no matter what. I’ll never judge. Okay?”

Jean-Pierre ran his fingers through my hair, pulling me back to this new reality.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Thank you for what?”

“Thank you for promising to kill the piece of shit that took Leo and Vibrato.”

“No problem.”

I was changing. Would I have felt comfortable with the idea of dead months ago? No way. But then losing a loved one did that. It made people want others dead and gone.

Chapter 8

Perfumed Pansies

Jean Pierre

Eden took the news as good as she could. Whoever had killed the cat and roommate would be my inspiration to a new blood song. Since I’d gotten Eden, I hadn’t played my bow much. There’d been no need to cause pain.

But now someone chose to bother Eden.

He’ll die slow.

Last night, I’d made love to her with a ferocious passion. I hated the tears coming out of those beautiful eyes. She was never meant to cry or feel sad when she was with me.

We slept in each other’s arms that evening, and she fell asleep with more tears streaming down those cheeks.

Today I gave all business to Rafael. The Lion, and everything else, would have to be on hold. Right now, Eden needed me more than ever.

After we ate breakfast, I took her to a perfume shop. My aunts adored it. They loved being able to make their own perfume and have it customized to their body’s chemistry.

Yesterday, Eden had talked about wanting to have my scent all over her by wearing my shirt. I’d understood. I loved her fragrance too. The subtle hint of everything feminine and beautiful. Thank God I couldn’t wear her little shirts, or she’d find me with them on one day, embarrassing myself and looking like a lunatic.