Page 34 of The Alpha's Assistant & The Dom Next Door
I freeze, blinking out at the man in white who stands with a mild smile on his face just inches from my screen door. He has a door-to-door evangelist’s blandly cheerful smile on his pale, pretty face, and his pale blue eyes gleam flatly, his brown curls tousled justso.
“Hi there,” he says around that odd smile. “I’m Roland from thediocese.”
My fear fades a fraction—but not that much. I’m not expecting anyone, and I’m absolutely certain that the diocese would have called before they sent someone. “Can I help you?” I ask tentatively, still too shocked to sort out my feelings on the suddenintrusion.
“Yes, well, the Mother Superior you were working with spoke with us about your current crisis of faith. I wanted to know if you would like to discuss it before making any final decisions about your life as a Catholic and as a candidate for theconvent.”
His language is very generalized. Alarm bells start to ring in my head. I don’t want to be rude, but ... this isn’tnormal.
“I’m very sorry,” I say in the politest tone I can muster, “But I have an important appointment and will be leaving in a few minutes. Would you like to leave your card, and I’ll arrange something with you after I getback?”
The smile freezes on his face, and I feel worry wash through me. I can’t pinpoint exactly why, I just know that something in his expression stands as a warning. Maybe it’s the fact that his eyes never changeexpression.
“I’m afraid that this is the only time I have in your area,” he replies smoothly, his eyes raking me over. It makes me even more nervous. I feel a strange tension rising inside of me as my manners and my cautionclash.
“Then I’m afraid that this is a missed opportunity,” I force myself to reply, my own smile feeling brittle. “I am sorry. Please let Monsignor Adams know that I will call his office as soon as I get home.” The Monsignor’s name isBryant.
He doesn’t notice. That’s when the alarm bells really start going off. I’m already backing away from the screen when he lunges up close to it suddenly and presses his hands against the mesh. “It will only take five minutes. You should really let mein.”
A cold sweat has broken out on my body, and I’m backing away to close the door even before he starts rattling at the screen door handle. Then suddenly, a huge shape looms up behindhim.
“May I help you with something?” Carl rumbles in the most forbidding tone I have ever heard fromhim.
Roland freezes, and then turns his head, blinking slowly and mechanically. “Oh,” he says in a strangely casual voice, as if a huge, intimidating neighbor is simply something he hasn’t plannedfor.
“He says he’s here from the diocese. From MonsignorAdams.”
Carl folds his arms and stares at the man icily. “Is that so? Thereisno Monsignor Adams in NewOrleans.”
I can’t see the man’s face, but my guess is he’s no longer smiling. “Oh. Well. Perhaps I’m in the wrong neighborhood.” He starts to edge around Carl, who turns to watch him the entireway.
“Maybe you’re in the wrongstate, my friend. I’d rectify that quickly if I wereyou.”
The man bobs his head as he hurries down the walk. “I’ll certainly keep that inmind!”
Carl turns back to me, shaking his head. I come out and slip an arm around him for comfort as we watch the man retreat to a smallish black sedan that screams “rental.” “Do you think he was a con artist or something?” I ask in a small voice as he moves his arm to wrap around meprotectively.
“Or a burglar, casing the place. Or something worse.” He’s staring at the back of the car, and I realize after a moment that he’s taking down the license plate number on his phone. “I’m gonna do a little background research on our boy, and I think we should mention this incident to the police.” He winks at me. “Got a picture of him,too.”
“You’re the best.” I nestle against him, enjoying his warmth and scent. The weather is warm enough that we don’t need jackets, and I’m happily takingadvantage.
He nuzzles the top of my head briefly. “Jenny’s at daycare until three. Let’s get this over with, and then I’ll take you tolunch.”
“I’d like that.” I feet another glow of adoration for Carl. He has just made bringing up a date a whole lot easier.Lucky thing, too, because I have no idea what I’m doinghere.
On the short drive over, it’s all I can do not to start touching him again. I hold off so I don’t distract him while he’s driving, but I have to squeeze my hands between my knees like I’m worried they’ll wander over to him on theirown.
“Your alternatives are somewhat limited due to the lack of any physical violence,” fox-faced Officer Jamie Eames tells us as we fill out the report together. “But there are other witnesses, there was an assault on an officer, and some of what your sister is charged with involves two cops, with dash cam footage to back it up. That’s going to be true no matter what you choose todo.
“Disturbance of the peace, drunk driving, disorderly conduct—all those things are a slam dunk, as is filing a false police report. Cocaine and a weapon were also found in her vehicle. She’s going down for those.” He gives me a very direct look, and I swallow as I sit stiffly in the chair across hisdesk.
Next to me, Carl gives my hand a reassuringsqueeze.
“How long will she go away for?” I ask, forcing myself to speak clearly. I’m shaking inside.Once she gets out, she’ll hate me even more.But maybe by then, I’ll begone.
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple.” The cop gives us both an apologeticsmile.
“Explain,” Carl replies evenly, but with a slight edge to his tone. I sit silently, my expression as calm as I canmanage.
