“Zeno?”
“Yes?”
“I miss you too.” And then the line went dead.
I eventually fell asleep while reading one of Darla’s books.
My dreams were filled with my wife.
Ten days since Darla got discharged from the hospital and things had mildly improved. I video-called my wife every day and refrained from leaving the estate since our families were trying to keep a low profile after the auction and Benjamin’s death.
At least the last week was busy and kept my mind occupied with other things besides my wife. I had meetings left and right to try to find my brother’s replacement at De la Croix Inc. A few associates and cousins from France working under Jacques and Michel expressed their eager interest.
I wasn’t sold.
After a particularly long day at work, I left my home office and headed straight for our bedroom. When I entered, I instantly spotted a gift box sitting on the bed. I opened it and a surprised chuckle tumbled out of me.
A rottweiler puppy stared up with doe-like eyes. I picked him and cradled his tiny body to my chest while he whined softly. “Where did you come from?”
He nudged his nose into my palm and I rubbed his back. There was a folded note in the box; I reached for it.
Zeno,
I remember you once telling me howmuch you missed Charlie. You love spoiling me and thething is…I love spoiling you too. When I sawthis little guy at the shelter, I knew he wasperfect for you.
Isn’t he the cutest thing ever?
Please let me know what name you pick for him.
Personally, I really like Cerberus.
Love,
Your pretty little whore
This woman.
So goddamn perfect.
“Cerberus it is.” As though the puppy heard his name, he snuggled closer into my neck. I pressed a soft kiss to his downy head.
Cerberus’s gentle eyes felt like they were staring into my soul.
It wasn’t lost on me why Darla picked this specific name. I adored her more for it. “You’re going to have the best mom on the planet, little guy. Heads up, she’ll try to bake some doggy treats and they might suck, but you’ll have to eat them so you don’t break her heart. Do we have a deal?”
Cerberus accepted my ultimatum with a soft lick against my jaw.
I hadn’t set foot in France in nearly a year.
Considering the state of my affairs, I was a little occupied to concern myself with the other De la Croixes.
Though it was nice to see things hadn’t changed since I’d last been here. Half the men were still sour about my return and some were probably still discussing ways to remove me from the seat.
Currently, we were in an old study in Château De la Croix with over a dozen men sitting in a neat circle with me at the focal point.
Jacques and Michel—Yves’s younger brothers and underbosses in France—had come to accept me over the years. The rest of the De la Croixes—the brothers’ cousins, associates, andcapitaines—were still wary. The same politics about my lack of pureblood eclipsed the fact that I’d proven myself worthy several times.
Tonight, that bullshit would finally come to an end.