Love, Art, and Murder – Mystery Romance

“There’s a man downstairs who refuses to leave the front door unless a woman named Ellie comes out.”

“Oh my God. That’s Michael.” I covered my mouth.

“Take him to our study,” Alvarez ordered.

Chapter 26

Alvarez

I stormed down the stairs. Elle and Hex trailed behind me.

Michael came right on time, right when I wanted to shove my fist into the center of a person’s face. It was like magic. With grandma cutting vaginas out of dead women and whatever Hex had done to destroy the crime scenes, I was fed up with it all. Everything. Part of me tried to calm my anger down and take each problem one step at a time. The other part screamed to run off with Elle and leave them all behind. I had a decent bank account. It didn’t reach the size of Hex’s savings of course, but it would tide Elle and me over, if necessary.

And then Michael stormed onto my family’s property demanding to see his Ellie.

Well, she’s not your Ellie anymore, Michael. She’s my Elle, and if you touch or try to hurt her again I’ll have my grandma ruin you.

I laughed at the thought of Grandma splashing him with one of her stinky spells. Someone tapped my shoulder. I figured it was Elle. That luscious fragrance drifted near me the whole time I stomped down the stairs.

“Alvarez? Are you listening to me?” she asked.

“No. I already told you I want to talk to him.”

“I can do it by myself. You have other things to worry about.”

“I thought you were going to have a discussion with Hex, the possible murder suspect.” I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Hex flinch.

“Don’t say that,” Elle said.

“Sorry. I don’t have any patience today. It all left once my grandma told me she was the one cutting out women’s vaginas for stupid spells and then you informed me that we didn’t have a future together. And finally Hex has God only knows what in the studio and keeping that guilty expression on his face each time I ask him about it.”

“I didn’t say we didn’t have a future. I just needed to not start anything with you now.”

I rounded the corner to the other flight of stairs. “Well, my patience is gone and Michael is the exact person I should see right now.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you, Elle. And I love Hex, and my grandma, but I can’t put my hands on any of you in order to get you all to do what I want, but I surely can—”

“No. You can’t.”

“If he says something remotely disrespectful or hurtful to you, I’m going to choke him.”

She grabbed my arm. “Alvarez, please stop.”

I paused and glared at her.

“I don’t want you fighting him or anybody else. It’s barbaric and stupid. You both are grown men and I can deal with my problems on my own.”

“Then I’ll be there for support.” I headed down the last flight of stairs.

“I don’t need support.”

“Well, you have it anyway.”

We made it to the end of the stairs. Elle had no idea where the study was so she was forced to follow me to the east wing. In no time, all three of us entered the space together.

Michael sat in the huge leather chair in the far back under a painting of a couple making love in a dimly lit forest. In the image, tigers peeked their heads up through the grass to witness the scene.

The few times I’d seen Michael from gallery showings or on television interviews, he appeared bigger. In that moment, he looked thin and weak. His black hair stood in a mess of waves over his head. His wrinkled clothes hung off his skinny frame. Without saying anything to me or Hex, Michael directed all of his attention to Elle.

“Ellie.” The word came out of Michael’s mouth in a pained whisper. His fingers shook as he held a cup of violet liquid in his hands. “Ellie.”

“Michael, what are you doing here?’ Elle stepped in front of us. I got up next to her, scared to give her too much space away from me. Did I think she would leave with him? I wasn’t sure. I just knew I wouldn’t let her go with him or anyone else. I couldn’t. Regardless of what Michael had to say, I would make sure he left alone. Regardless of what Hex had to say about the stuff in his studio or even whatever occurred with these murders, Elle would not leave this castle alone.

I’m leaving with her whether she wants me to or not, whether there are hundreds of things here to finish. I’m going wherever she goes.

Michael rose from his chair and finished whatever was in his cup. “Can we talk by ourselves?”

“No,” Hex and I said in unison. We exchanged weird glances, but continued to keep our stance in front of Michael.