He sounded so wistful, Malichai burst out laughing. “Is my sweet sister-in-law giving you trouble again, Zeke?” There was a taunting note in his voice he knew shouldn’t be there because Amaryllis was going to give him nothing but trouble, but having little petite Bellisia stand up to the force that was Ezekiel made for great fun.
“I’m not certain Bellisia knows the word ‘yes,’ Malichai,” Ezekiel said mournfully. “I’ve made a subliminal tape and play it for her at night, but so far it hasn’t done any good.”
Even Rubin laughed at that and Malichai realized his brother had deliberately turned the conversation into something that allowed them to laugh at Ezekiel. Zeke would do that for any of them. Bellisia was so tiny and yet she was a warrior through and through. Tough. Tenacious. Deadly.
Zara was sweet, gentle, kind and compassionate. She had been tortured and had never given up the GhostWalkers, but her feet had been damaged beyond the capabilities of any of the doctors to fix them. She could walk, but it was slow and careful most of the time. She was a strong woman and loyal to all of them. She would fight for them and with them if need be, but it was her brain that was her greatest gift. She was one of the leading researchers in artificial intelligence, something the government was very much interested in.
“What in the world did Gino do when his sweet, accommodating woman defied him and said she wanted to continue working instead of pulling back to the main house with the others?” Malichai asked, curious. He couldn’t imagine doing anything if Amaryllis defied him. What could a man do? A woman had the right to make up her own mind—except that Gino didn’t always think in modern terms.
“I don’t know, but before we left, he was bringing her to the Fontenot home,” Ezekiel said. “She doesn’t talk to Bellisia about her marriage to Gino. Bellisia had been so opposed to the match that I think Zara’s afraid if she tells her anything negative, it would be a betrayal of Gino. And before you ask, Bellisia tells me if I’m being a caveman, and then she announces it to the rest of you. She could use a little more of Zara’s silence on marital matters.”
Malichai laughed with the others. “I don’t think you being a caveman is a marital matter, Zeke. We’re used to it, but poor Bellisia thinks the sun rises and sets with you. It’s probably a shocker every time you act like the Neanderthal we know you to be.”
“I wish I had a club right now,” Ezekiel murmured. “Get back to the bed-and-breakfast and set something up so I can talk with Marie as soon as possible.”
Malichai nodded and got up to leave. The moment he did, the pressure he hadn’t even noticed in his chest eased. The knots in his guts unraveled just a little bit. He hadn’t realized he was uneasy being away from Amaryllis. He wanted to put it down to his being concerned that unknown danger lurked at the B and B, but he knew better than to try to deceive himself. It was Amaryllis. He just plain didn’t like being away from her. He was going to be one of those men.
He knew better than to look too eager as he left the house Ezekiel was renting. He’d never live it down if his brothers and teammates discovered he was forever wrapped around Amaryllis’s little finger and would do anything for her, not after all the crap he’d given them—especially Zeke. He forced himself to saunter out into the bright sun. He shoved his dark glasses on his nose and picked up the pace, striding down the long sidewalk across the street from the ocean side.
Ezekiel had been lucky enough—or someone high up had aided him—in getting his team a house close to the bed-and-breakfast. As far as Malichai could see, more and more people were coming into San Diego from all parts of the country, and the world, for the convention. It was actually nice to see that so many people had ideas to contribute. Still, Malichai couldn’t think about anything but how to protect those people. It wouldn’t be easy in a place as big as the San Diego Convention Center.
Malichai pushed open the front door of the bed-and-breakfast and immediately felt the tension in the large house. He picked up the pace, hurrying down the hall toward the kitchen, where he knew Amaryllis would be cleaning and setting up for dinner. She’d been working all day and he’d helped her until he had to attend the meeting with Ezekiel and the others.
The sound of raised voices was loud as he made that sweep in the hall that took him from the suites to the kitchen and the beginnings of Marie’s apartment.