Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

“Okay, guys.” Gwen waved goodbye. “Don’t lose all your money.”

“You can’t stay for a little longer?” I asked, not wanting to beg in front of everybody, but damn sure willing.

“No, I’m sorry, Rafael. My flight back to Paris is in an hour. My bags are already in the car.”

My heart ached.

Louis said something funny back, but I didn’t catch it. And then I watched her walk off. The three goons led the way. She followed them. The one guy who walked on her side… he placed his hand at the center of her back.

So, you two have a history?

I sneered.

She moved his hand away and gave them some space.

But you don’t like this one anymore?

Giorgio got to my left. “So?”

“I don’t know.” I looked at Louis. “Do you know anything about her father?”

“He has some power in New Orleans.” Louis had left the table and hit my right. “Sort of a mid-size boss. Nothing to fear, but not a joke either.”

What the fuck? When were you going to say something?

I shook my head. “Well, she said her father asked her to come back.”

“It makes sense,” Giorgio chimed in. “If my daughter was here this week, I would’ve made sure she came back home too.”

“True.” I grabbed my jacket. “But I don’t want Gwen to leave France.”

“Meaning?” Louis quirked his eyebrows.

“I’m going to stop her.”

Giorgio smirked. “Gwen’s a good girl. She’s not going to say no to her father.”

“Then I’m going to New Orleans.”

“Here we go,” Louis muttered.

“You don’t have to go.” I headed off.

Louis got in my way and stopped me. “We’ve finally got Jean-Pierre calm and now you’re going to start something in Paris and maybe even New Orleans? Let her go back and move home.”

“I’m just checking on her story.” I went around him and left. “She didn’t look happy being around them.”

“Those guys appeared to have her back.” Louis hurried to me. “You’re going to start shit.”

“I like Paris and New Orleans.”

“We’re going to New Orleans or Paris?” Giorgio hit my other side. “This will be fun either way.”

“You’re not going, Giorgio.” Louis scowled. “Someone has to watch Jean-Pierre.”

Giorgio shook his head as he got to the stairs. “Once Jean-Pierre gets Eden back in that castle he bought, he’s going to keep her on the land. Did he show you all his plans? They’ll be boring until the baby comes.”

“You have a point. He’s fucking crazy, flying the whole damn Belladonna symphony out here. It’s just a song.” Louis got behind me. “Anyway, we need to be focused on the Lion.”

“Fuck Kazimir.” I scanned the space once he made it to the end of the stairs. Gwen had booked it out of the club with her goons. I didn’t see her anywhere. “Damn it. I was hoping to catch her before she left. I think showing up to her apartment in Paris may be crazy.”

“It will be better than showing up to her childhood home in New Orleans.”

I winked at him. “We’ll see.”

“Fuck,” Louis muttered. “I hate when Rafael goes into Romeo mode.”

“I know,” Giorgio said behind me. “It’s usually excruciating to watch.”

“What are you doing still here?” Louis argued with Giorgio. “You’re not coming.”

“I am.”

Giorgio and Louis went back and forth as we pushed through the crowd on the first floor. The blues singer walked on the stage. I continued past her, signaled some of my men, and let them know to be ready to leave in the morning.

I still didn’t know if we would have to fly to Paris or New Orleans later. Surely, I could find a way to convince Gwen before she left.

Why am I even running after Gwen? Because I don’t want to sit and think about Shalimar.

I left the club. My cousins continued to argue. They’d both been drinking after all. Cold air brushed against my skin.

Is this a good idea?

I shrugged.

Why not? I just want to make sure that Gwen is okay. That’s it. What else should I do?

Besides, Gwen would be a perfect, distraction from the pain. I thought about how sexy she looked in that dress, as I headed to the limo.

She’ll make me forget about having no heart nor even a soul.

Chapter 31

Therapy

Eden

Five months later

The bombing had been the Lion’s last message to Jean-Pierre. No peep had come from the Russians for the first month. As long as we lay low, the Lion and mouse laid low.

The next month passed in a blur of hot sex and passionate moments.

Life was fun around our castle.

I’d begun feeling the feathery movements of life within me. At first, our child felt like a butterfly inside of my womb, flying and fluttering around. It was such an odd sensation.

Everything changed, when my new doctor let Jean-Pierre hear the heartbeat. I had more guards by the morning, more teams of men surrounding the outskirts of the village we lived in.