Page 75 of Rekindling Desire

“Of course,” he said. “I need to pick up the dry cleaning that was dropped off at my place today. I’ll get us dinner on my way back. Keep the doors locked and only open them to a beautiful green-eyed black kitty.”

More tears came as I tried to breathe. “What if she’s gone?”

“I refuse to believe that.”

“I wish I were as stubborn as you.”

Damien cupped my cheek. “I refused to believe you were gone, and now you’re back. Duchess will come back too.”

“I don’t know. She listened to all those bad things about you.”

“And she welcomed me back with purrs and head rubs.”

After Damien left, I double-checked both doors. For a few minutes, I stood in my living room and cried. I’d like to say I was productive in some manner, but I wasn’t.

What kind of a monster harms a cat?

What did Amber hope to learn from spying?

They were the questions on repeat in my head. Beyond the glass door, night was beginning to fall in my backyard. Opening the sliding door, I sat on the step to the deck, looking out over the grass as lightning bugs began to blink in the dimming light.

“Duchess, come home.”

I remembered the neighborhood app and decided to check to see if we’d gotten any responses. My eyes blurred as I read the messages. No one had seen her, but they all wished me luck and offered their sympathies.

“She’s not gone,” I mumbled, hoping I was speaking life to the dream.

It was as I was pouring a glass of wine with the back door still open that my phone rang. It was a video call. It was Damien.

“Hi,” I said.

His image was pixelated, but I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Duchess,” I screamed. “Where did you find her?”

“Asleep on my bed.”

“What the hell?” I smiled as she stretched her neck and rubbed her head across Damien’s cheek. “She’s not hurt?”

“She seems no worse for wear from her journey. Remember the security company?”

I nodded.

“They couldn’t get in my place. The deadbolt was locked.”

“Amber was at your place?”

“I have video proof and a gallon bag full of nanny cams to prove it. Do you want me to come back with Duchess, or do you want to come here?”

Amber had been in both houses. “We aren’t safe either place.”

“We are. The security company is on their way. My locks here are getting changed tonight.”

My headache was waning. “I’ll be there. I can drive myself,” I added before he mentioned a bodyguard.

“Text when you leave and if it takes longer than eleven minutes, I’m coming for you.”

Damien was waiting outside as I pulled into his driveway. His smile was almost the best thing I’d seen all day. Second to the silky black cat in his kitchen.

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