Part 77 (1/2)

Nothing at all.

This is us, my dove.

Apollo had said that to me when I'd taken his c.o.c.k that same night.

He was right too.

This was us.

This was what I could give him. All I could give him.

He could give me clothes. Jewels. Beautiful houses. Fancy sleighs. Trips to b.a.l.l.s where intrigue was happening. A home. Laughter. Safety. Kindness. Good friends.

Children.

I could give him my a.s.s. My body. My c.u.n.t.

I could not be Ilsa. I could not do anything, have another purpose, give him more in any other way. I could not replace what he lost with her, something he'd gone out of his way to find again when he brought me to this world.

And this was good. Apollo didn't want me to be Ilsa.

But he did want this.

And I had this to give.

So I was going to give it to him.

I was giving it to him because he wanted it. I was giving it to him because I wanted him to have everything he wanted.

And I was giving it to him because it was all I had.

Chapter Twenty-Four.

Become Found ”You rang?”

Apollo turned in his chair at his desk in his office at Karsvall.

He'd been looking out the window at the woods that led to the dower house. His thoughts so engrossed with Madeleine, as well as Christophe, he not only was not seeing the woods, he had not sensed her arrival.

But there she was, the witch Valentine, wearing a green dress, sitting in a chair opposite his desk, studying him like he was mildly interesting but she had better things to do.

Instead of greeting her, he stated, ”May I remind you that you've been paid handsomely to a.s.sist our efforts at quelling whatever evil threatens our land. Yet you've disappeared for weeks. Repeated messages sent from witches of this world have gone unanswered. Things have happened that have put Madeleine and my children in danger. You finally arrive and you're flippant?” He shook his head. ”I'll warn you my patience is spent, witch, so there is none to test.”

”You must know I've been keeping an eye and noted you've had matters in hand, mon loup.” She smiled a sly smile. ”Well in hand.”

He knew precisely to what she was referring. It was annoying but he couldn't think on it or it would spur him to action. They needed to speak, not argue.

Therefore, he informed her, ”You have not been called here to discuss how things progress with Maddie.”

Her smile stayed firm in place when she told him, ”We don't need to discuss how things are progressing with Madeleine.” Her smile grew slier. ”You have done well in the time I've been away, cheri.”

He had.

Absolutely.

Perhaps too well.

Something was amiss with his Madeleine. Something troubling. Something Apollo could not put his finger on.

But not something he'd discuss with the witch.

Consequently, he moved their dialogue to what he would discuss.

”You've received the message from Lavinia,” he said, but it was a question.

They had arrived back at Karsvall two days earlier. Lavinia was there, as planned. And upon their arrival, Frey and Apollo had asked her to contact her fellow witch as a matter of urgency.

Since the two were friends, he deduced that Lavinia's call was the one that was finally answered.

”I have indeed,” she confirmed. ”Although I will admit that I received other missives from your witches, another matter has been taking my time.”

Apollo raised one brow. ”And this other matter has priority over what's happening in this world? And by that, witch, I'm asking if your fee was higher considering we've paid you extortionately for your aid, something which we are not getting much of, but we've paid enough we should be your priority.”

Her gaze was steady on his when she replied, ”Perhaps the fee wasn't higher, although the Sjofn diamonds I received for the job I'm completing made an extraordinary necklace that I quite cherish.”

He felt his shredded patience fray further for he again knew to what she was referring.

He had given her a bag of Sjofn ice diamonds to find Maddie and bring her to him. He also knew the only other job she had on this world was his, something they a.s.sessed before paying her in order to be certain that they would have her undivided attention on this world.

Something they were not getting.

”I'll remind you, that job is complete. Maddie is here. She is safe. She is with me. We're building our life together and we're content.”

Or, he was.

Maddie also was, on the outside.

But there was new darkness in her eyes. Something she wasn't sharing with him during their whispered conversations after lovemaking. Something that was eating deeper into her soul.

Christophe had remained distant. He took his meals and had his times with Madeleine, Apollo, his sister, but he made it clear in quiet, rebellious ways that were not his nature that he didn't like it.

This could be what was concerning Madeleine.

But Apollo sensed it was more.

These thoughts were troubling but he came alert as he watched the normally unperturbed witch s.h.i.+ft with what appeared to be agitation in her seat.