The One Adored (The One Trilogy Book 3) (27 page)

“Mummy look at me I’m like Ironman!” Finn yells as I zoom him up the stairs and I flash a grin at Lu. He’s going to be over the moon when he sees his bedroom, and the pleasure I feel at being able to spoil him is better than any self-absorbed ego-trip I’d experienced over the years. I think I was beginning to feel like a parent.

*******

Our first breakfast together, as a family in our new home and we were sharing it with Detective Murray - I’d pictured it differently somehow but at least he’d taken Seb’s many calls and messages over the past 12 hours
 
seriously and arrived promptly at 9am. Finn has spent the last five minutes giving him a taste of his own medicine, his interrogation techniques were giving a seasoned policeman a run for his money - Home Alone movies had a lot to answer for.

“Finn, stop pestering Detective Murray now - Bagel, Detective?”
 

“No, thank you - the coffee is great and it’s fine, really.” He nods in my son’s direction a smile on his face. “I have nieces and nephews - I’m used to it.”

“Do you have your handscuffs with you?” Finn’s words spill out ten to the dozen.

“I do.”

“Can I see?”

“Of…”

“Finn! Come on, finish your scrambled egg please, just two more bites.”

He pouts but complies gobbling up two huge mouthfuls noisily before squinting and holding his fork in front of his eye, so he can peek through the prongs. “Look, Mummy, Seb - the policeman put me in jail!”

We all burst into laughter and its just the ice-breaker needed to relax the tension in my shoulders. I could always rely on my son to make us laugh.

“Ok. Seb, baby will you just watch the eggs - I’m just going to take Finn and get him settled in front of the disney channel, then we can have an adult conversation.”

With Finn’s little ears out the way, I return to the kitchen to discuss the topic that has been on our lips since yesterday.
 

“So, Mr, Silver…”

“Sebastian.”

“Sebastian…you said you’d had new evidence come to light to assist us in your concerns for Lucia’s predator.”

I shudder at his words. “Predator sounds so creepy.”

Seb’s arm slips around my shoulders and I lean into him, taking a sip of my tea. “We were moving house yesterday and it came to our attention that Lu had been sent roses for some time by an unknown.”

Murray’s brows furrow in confusion.

“I thought they were from Sebastian, over the past weeks, as generally they arrived with other flowers from him.” I clarify.
 

“O..kay. Did they come with a message?”

Seb nods. “They did. We have them all here.” He spreads them out across the kitchen table, each card with its scripted handwriting. Each one making me cringe with its words. They’d held so much promise when I’d thought they had come from Seb.

“One, two, three …” Murray begins to count aloud.

“There are eleven in total.”

“Hmmm. That’s odd.”

“Why?” I ask

“People usually tend to send a dozen red roses. Eleven is an odd number.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Seb affirms.

“Really?” I twist in his arms, “You never said anything last night.”

“I didn’t want to worry you, baby.”

“It might be nothing but I think we should be watchful. It could mean you’ll be due another.”

I bite my lip in apprehension. I hadn’t received one since the accident, why would this start up again now? “Surely this is all just overkill?” Deep down I’m beginning to realise that it isn’t and some maniac has been taunting me for months. I had to see sense now and begin to take this more seriously, the way Sebastian was.

Seb places one of the diamante pins from the centre of the rose, down onto the granite top, the clipped noise severe; Murray immediately picks it up with interest.
 

“We found these in the middle of each rose. I’ve had my Private Investigator mate test them, and as I suspected they have audio.” Seb’s mouth forms a thin line of disapproval.

“I just thought they were decorative.” I apologise, shrugging my shoulders.

Murray nods in agreement. “I would have done too - they are good and not cheap by the looks of things, pretty much like all of this stuff. The florist is high-end.”

Right, I’ll take these for testing. It’s unlikely, but we may get some prints from them.” He retracts 2 clear plastic bag one and a glove for all the notecards and another for the pin, placing both within before sealing their fate.

“What happens now?” Seb places both palms down onto the counter.

“Look, I know that this is very difficult for you both, you’ve been through a lot with the accident and the case being closed but these…” he wiggles the plastic bags in the air “will re-open your case. They won’t tell us who rammed your car off the road… but they may lead us to that person. In the meantime if you are being stalked by an individual and going by the evidence that you have supplied today, I believe we can now say that without a doubt you are,
 
the police can protect you. We are taking this seriously and you need to as well.” His eyes locate mine before drifting to Seb. “We just need to start being as clever as this individual.”

“Ipsa scientia potestas est.” Seb mutters under his breath.

“I haven’t a clue what that means but we have to be vigilant.”

“Knowledge itself is power - it’s latin.” I explain, smiling weakly at my gorgeous man and clasping his hand. “It’s kind of always been our motto.”

“And a good one to abide by, but don’t be a hero Mr. Silver.” The sudden return of the use of Seb’s last name does not go unnoticed on me, and serious undertones are firm and sent as a warning. “Please, let us do our job. We will get this person.”

*******

Several hours later, after a visit from Enzo Sebastian’s private investigator I can begin to relax a little. His opinions had echoed our own and Murray’s and additional advice had been to restrict my movements for the foreseeable future, only going to and from the office and if elsewhere accompanied. My incredulous look at this had been completely ignored by Seb, who agreed without my consent. Ralph was already following me on the majority of my car journeys and if not he drove. Listening to the two men talk however I realise that my protests were futile, I had to be sensible about this, there was Finn to consider and I couldn’t risk another accident with the chance that he may be a passenger this time. Until this stalker was found and addressed I would submit my independence, no matter how frustrating it was.

 
*******

“Feeling better any after that soak?”
 

“Much.” I smile up at Seb as he joins me in front of the fire, as I lounge in my dressing gown.

“The Finnster’s is out-for-the-count, bless him. He’s seems to be adjusting to his room well.”

 
I nod happily. “He does doesn’t he? But then again, who wouldn’t in
that
bedroom. I can hardly get him out of there! Or you, for that matter.” I prod him jokily in the chest.

“You Ok? After today, baby?”

“Yes, I’m glad we spoke to Murray and Enzo. I just want all this to end, so we can start afresh. I hate the unknown.”

“I get that. I feel the same.”
 
His magic fingers set to work on my aching shoulders and I sigh aloud in pleasure.

“I forgot to ask you, what’s happening with the Dubai office? Any further forward sorting a manager yet?”

I look up at him, desperate to hear good news - I don’t want him going back and forth between Dubai and the UK, not now we are becoming a family unit but work was work and I’d support him no matter what.
 

“I think I’ve found a solution that will benefit everyone involved.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I’ve been mulling it over for a while.” He rolls his lips considering his plan.

“You going to tell me?” I give him my best girly smile.

“Soon, I promise, when it’s nailed on.”

I nod. He would and I didn’t want to jinx anything. He didn’t want to go to leave us for long periods either - I knew that. I lean back, changing the subject. “Ah, that’s heaven. What you can do with those fingers, Silver should be illegal.”

His deep sexy laugh sends vibrations through my body. “I thought you preferred my tongue?

“I have to choose?”

“You naughty girl.” He laughs again planting a soft warm kiss on my temple.

“What you looking at?”

“Just a bit of wedding research.” I shake off the huge pile of glossy wedding magazines and files of scrap cuttings, some of which I’d collected over the years, some Gigi had loaned me.

“Just a bit, you say?” I twist in his arms and see the twinkle in his eye.

“Ok, I might have gone a bit overboard but I’m excited. A girl dreams about this her whole life and now, thanks to Gigi
and
Suzie I’m getting into it.”
 

I’m suddenly enveloped in a huge bear hug and I’m drawn back into his open legs, his stubble grazing against my face. “So, its all about the wedding, huh? Not the guy?”

“Of course not. You’re important too.”

“Wow! You know how to make a guy feel special.” He chuckles.

“Oh I do, baby. How special do you want me to make you feel?”

“What did you have in mind? His brow rises.

“Let’s go have an early night.”

“In our bed.”

“In our bed.” I grin, wrinkling my nose at him as I stand and begin to switch the lights off.
 

“That God damned ‘Elizabeth twitch’ will be the death of me - makes me permanently hard.”

I gaze down at the tent forming in his woven checked PJ bottoms and find it hard not to stare. He was so sexy, standing before me all relaxed and barefoot in and I was about to go to bed with him, in our home and make love. Despite the events of the day I couldn’t be happier.

I feel his breath on my neck, tickling the fine hairs at my nape, everything stands to attention, including my nipples, which ruche immediately, grazing against the fabric of my camisole top.
 

“Are you wet for me?” His voice is husky and breaks slightly, making me even more turned on.

“Yes.”
 
I whimper.
Always.

“Leave the lights! I’ll sort them later.”

I’m up the stairs in seconds, can feel him on my heels, as we run towards our bedroom, my soft squeals of delight are muffled as he catches up with me and lifts me in his arms, carrying me the last few steps before placing me carefully at the foot of the bed.

We undress quickly and Seb tells me to lie down on top of the cover. When I question him, he tuts and tells me to close my eyes and trust him. I do so without question. The mattress dips as he returns and I open my eyes, watching as he gestures for me take his hand. I freely give hit to him and he takes it with a knowing grin.
 

“Trust me, baby. The intensity of what I’m about to do to you, if you give yourself up to it - you’ll love it. Remember Scarlet House? The pearls? You got a taste of it of then; or rather a vanilla-coated taste of it.”

That was vanilla-coated? I’m not sure I fancy anything much kinkier than that.
“I loved our night in Scarlet House.” I lick my lips at the memory.

“You saucy thing. You were magnificent. The memory of fucking you whilst watching you in that mirror has kept me going the past month, the images of licking melted chocolate and strawberries from your juicy tits has driven me wild and made me hard with nothing to relieve me.”

I look downwards guilt flooding me.

“Keep you’re eyes on me!” He slips a black satin cuff around me and gestures for my right wrist. “It’s not your fault, don’t ever think making me rock hard is an issue. The fact that I’ve not been able to fuck you regularly for so long, just means you’ll be exceedingly busy for the foreseeable future.”

“Only the foreseeable future?” I smirk up at him through heavy lashes.

“Greedy minx. Fucking forever, lady Lu!”

He binds both wrists together, the soft silky fabric, sliding across my skin sensuously before being wrapped in a figure eight between both arms and tied in a knot. “Lift your arms.”