Surviving Doctor Vincent: The Good Doctor Trilogy Book 2 (6 page)

“How is Marco?”

“He’s Marco.” He laughed. “He’ll be joining us after he finishes up a project in Denmark.”

A million things flooded my mind at once, with the least pressing, but most consuming issue focused on how the two men figured into our new relationship. In Paris, I’d had sex with all three, but that was intended to be a fling. Now that things were...longer term...what did our relationship consist of?

I must have paused too long in my contemplation because he used a finger to raise my chin. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I guess... I didn’t think... I didn’t realize that Sebastian and Marco would still be so close. There’s a lot I didn’t think about. I thought they were only part of the equation for the week and then...”

He peered deep into my eyes.

I searched his for the answer, hoping I wouldn’t have to verbalize the question, but no such luck. “Since you claim that you are mine and I am yours, what does that mean?”

“What do you want it to mean?”

“That’s not fair. You need to tell me what you want.”

“Oh, Elaine, I want whatever makes you whole. Happy. Satisfied. I’m not selfish enough to ask you to go back, to pretend our time in Paris didn’t happen. Marco and Sebastian are part of my life too. I won’t ask you to forget what we’ve done. Asking you to deny our time together isn’t fair to you or them. As far as I’m concerned, you make the rules. As long as you love me, you’ll get no objection from me if you want to include them in our bed.”

Our bed. So normal. But four of us? So strange. But wasn’t that exactly what Dr. Vincent embodied? The unusual with a touch of hope for normalcy.

“Won’t they want their own lives?”

“Maybe someday, but right now, until we get through this, you need all of us. And we need you.” He kissed me.

My lips parted reluctantly.

“You will always belong to me. As long as you always love me, that’s all that matters. I won’t contain your love, Elaine.” He rested his hand on my cheek. “For now, you need sleep. Close your eyes.” He brushed his hands across my eyelids, closing them, and then whispered, “Did you know that that last morning in Paris, I stood by the bedside and stared at you before I left for my regretful jog? I watched you sleep...in my bed. You were so beautiful. All I could think was I never wanted to spend another night without you.” He swallowed hard. “Then you were gone.”

With my eyes still closed and slumber threatening, I mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

“Shhh...we can talk in the morning. We’re together now. That’s all that matters.”

The last thing I remembered, before succumbing to exhaustion, was the feel of his warm lips on my forehead.

Fragile

I
woke up from the strangest dream. Xavier with handcuffs. Creepy Society bullshit. Ménage á quatre? Usually, my dreams of him involved our time in Paris.

The sound of clinking glass carried from the kitchen. I sat up. Awareness seeped through the haze—the rumpled covers on the other side of the bed, the unmistakable smell of sex, the dampness between my legs. I grabbed the throw still on the bottom of the bed, wrapped the warm cloth around myself, and walked to the doorway. I paused, afraid he’d be there. Terrified he wouldn’t be. I closed my eyes and stepped across the threshold.

When I opened them, he stared back at me, shirtless with his hair tousled, busying himself behind the island. Paper bags littered the countertop.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He smiled.

I inhaled and decided after smelling my breath, freshening up was best before getting any closer. “Good morning. What is all of that?”

“Breakfast. I had it delivered because...you’re not much of a cook are you?”

“What gave it away?”

“The only thing in the refrigerator was coffee creamer, hummus and the takeout from last night, which you never did get a chance to eat.” He sliced through a strawberry, removing the top.

“It’s a bit difficult to eat when you’re handcuffed to a chair.”

He popped a slice of the berry into his mouth, chewed, and then pointed at me. “I tried to feed you, if you remember, but you were too busy being angry with me about my possible sister.”

“Oh, that wasn’t all...”

“Yes, but I’m trying to move past that.” He smirked. “You planning on joining me, or am I going to have to toss your breakfast to you?”

“Let me go wash up and I’ll be right there.”

* * *

I
had a hard time adjusting to him being in my home. The combination was incongruous; hard to reconcile the celebrity Dr. Xavier with the man who stood at my counter—my lover. During the surreal week in Paris, he fit perfectly, but here... He posed a great danger in this setting. Like a wild animal that showed me his tame side, but at any moment could turn into an elusive creature best admired from a distance. I should have known better.

The way he held his utensils, so delicately, yet precisely in his large hands drew me in. His fingers gripped a berry, and he raised the succulent fruit to my mouth, urging me to lick juice from his fingertip by painting the nectar across my lower lip. His smile, so charming and happy, lit me up too. I never wanted to see his exuberance fade.

With breakfast finished, he gathered the cartons and stuffed them into bags for disposal. With a quick kiss, he smiled and playfully swatted my ass. “Go pack your things. I’ll send the movers for the rest.”

I dropped the bowl from my hand, sending splatters of yogurt onto the floor and cabinet doors. “Shit.” I grabbed a napkin and bent to clean the mess. A couple of swipes and I looked up at him. “Movers? Why do I need movers?”

He extended a hand to help me up from the floor. I tossed the used napkin in the bowl and slid my hand into his. As he pulled, he said, “You can’t stay here. I thought I told you it wouldn’t be safe here.”

“For now.”

He grabbed the edge of the bowl, set it in the sink and then tossed the napkin in the trash. He looped his arms around my waist and pressed me against his body. “No, Elaine, not for now. When we leave here today, there is no more you. There is only us. Our home. Our life.”

His words came rushing back;
I don’t do anything halfway.
I envisioned dinners, movies, and fundraisers. “Xavier, geesh, you make the situation sound like we’re getting married.”

“Do you want marriage? Would that make this easier for you?” He smoothed his hand over my hair. “Before you left Paris that I wanted your love at all costs. After almost losing you, I’d give you the world.”

“So my own place is out of the question, but the world is just fine?” I tried to hide the incredulous tone in my words behind a grin.

He laughed, but soon sobered. “Your safety is of the utmost importance. Your safekeeping is the only thing I’ll let trump your desires, but when we’re done bringing those bastards to their knees, if you still want to leave me, I won’t stop you. Until then, when you aren’t with me, Marco or Sebastian will be there.”

“I’m not fragile, you know.”

He smiled. “Believe me, I know. But I refuse to underestimate them. I don’t fully understand the end game yet. I will not risk you anymore than I already have.”

Him and his declarations. “What if I said I did want you to marry me?”

With a dead serious expression, he countered me. “We’d make a detour before heading to the cabin, and when we arrived, you’d be Mrs. Xavier Vincent.”

“You are so full of shit.”

“Care to test me?” He placed a finger under my chin, lifting, so that our gazes met. “I love you, Elaine. The rest is merely a formality. I’ve already made my commitment. My love isn’t going to get any stronger with a piece of paper and a ring, and my dedication won’t be weakened without them. But I’m not foolish enough to believe that everyone thinks like me. I mean, isn’t making assumptions about what you do and don’t care about what got me in trouble in the first place? If you need a ceremony to make your commitment real or for me to prove you’re mine, let me know and I’ll make a few phone calls.” There was no hint of sarcasm in his voice or smirk on his lips.

“I think I’m going to vote for a nuptials free afternoon. We barely know each other, even talking of marriage as a joke is insanity.”

He bent and kissed me on the cheek. “It’s fine. Take your time. One day you’ll be as certain as I am.”

“You mean as crazy as you are.”

“One person’s crazy is another person’s normal.”

“Did you use that in your practice?”

He laughed. “No. Crazy isn’t a word that’s passed around so freely in a clinical setting, but as you suggest, the lesson is important. We’re all governed by degrees of certainty, with ignorance and confidence being poles on the same axis.”

“I guess you have a point.”

“Get moving. Start packing.” He swatted my ass again.

“I’ll need to call Gretchen to let her know I’ll be away and not to worry. And to see if she can take Prince until we get things situated.” I paused. “See...this is why this is all so crazy. I don’t even know if you like cats.”

He wrapped his arms around me. “I do. But if you have one, he’s been rather elusive.”

“He’s not used to me having company.”

“Good.” He kissed me quickly.

“Why is that good?”

“Because, I would hate to think you had another man here. You haven’t seen me jealous yet.”

I shook my head in disbelief and let out a chuckle. “So, sleeping with your friends is fine, but no one is allowed to visit?”

He clutched my shoulders in both his hands holding me still. “It seems I need to clarify the rules.” His gaze was so intense; I wanted to look away. “There is no one else. I’ve given you a choice regarding Sebastian and Marco, but that is a very special circumstance—one that I created when I underestimated your impact on me. Beyond that, you are mine. I won’t have you with anyone else—not physically, not emotionally or otherwise. Do you understand?”

My back stiffened. I had no intention of seeing anyone else, but his demands begged a question. “What about you? Is this a one-sided arrangement?”

“Absolutely not. Every part of me belongs to you. You’ll find my singular focus also applies to when I love. I’m not even sure I’d be capable of splitting my attentions. I just hope you can handle being my focus because the cabin has a beautiful balcony overlooking a lake, and I can’t stop thinking about fucking you under the stars tonight.”

* * *

E
vening was upon us by the time we reached the cabin. During the hours of driving through forested mountains, Xavier kept his hand on my knee. The pitted, bumpy, dirt road that snaked through the woods proved no match for the Audi RS 7. He refused to use a driver and kept a constant watch in the mirror for followers.

He pulled in behind the cedar log cabin, which faced a lake situated between two tall mountain peaks. The sounds of croaking frogs and buzzing crickets made the crisp air feel alive. The fresh forest scent filled my nostrils, giving me an appreciation for how much I missed by living in the city.

He grabbed my hand and threaded his fingers between mine. “I’ll get your things later. Let’s go check on Sebastian.”

Light streamed through the windows, casting shadows on the porch. The screen door creaked, and I shivered. He slid a key into the lock and turned. The interior door opened, exposing a large, expansive room. “He’s expecting us. Come on.” His shoes clicked against the floorboards, the sound echoing off the rafters as he walked farther into the house and called out, “Sebastian? It’s Xavier and Elaine.”

A figure sat in the far corner of the room in a dark leather chair facing the lake. The large glass windows of the cabin provided a perfect view of the water glinting with moonlight. He stood, sat his glass on the end table beside him, and turned to face us—Sebastian. He looked as if he had aged twenty years. He was thinner, his face lined with fatigue, and he hadn’t tended his beard or hair for some time. My heart fell the instant our eyes met. He was anguish embodied. Xavier squeezed my hand and then let go.

Sebastian didn’t say a word. He simply stood there watching me. I wasn’t sure what I should do. Xavier pressed on my back, giving me a slight nudge.

I took his cue and walked to the beautiful man with the scraggly blond hair. “Hey... I’m so sorry.” I wrapped my arms around him in a hug.

He accepted my embrace and held me tight, resting his head on the top of mine. A defeated sigh left his lips, as his body relaxed, encasing me in his warmth, but his grip remained firm as though he were afraid I might get away. Another long exhale and the scent of Scotch filled my nostrils.

He whispered, “I’m so happy you agreed to come.”

I chuckled. “We’ll, I’m happy to be here, but I don’t know that I agreed to anything. The tornado that is Xavier Vincent hit, and here I am.”

“Xavier, what did you do?” Sebastian rubbed my back, tracing soft circles against my skin.

The doctor approached me from behind and kissed my shoulder. “Elaine needed a little persuasion. She saw me with the breeder’s daughter and thought Monica was my date. We almost lost her. I improvised.” He rubbed his hand along the small of my back. “I’ll give you two a few minutes to get reacquainted while I get the bags.”

Sebastian didn’t let go. I knew little about the man that Xavier called friend, but the doctor had a way of forming friendships that linked at the soul. I had no doubt that both Marco and Sebastian would do anything for Xavier, and he for them.

Sebastian’s grief was almost tangible. My heart ached for him. He loved Miriam, had been her devoted husband and caretaker for many years, but in her final act she left him broken. Her suicide and treasure chest of secrets left no place for closure.

I pulled back from him, so I could look into his eyes. “I’m here to talk if you want, or if all you need is comfort, I can do that too.”

He smiled through the pain. “I honestly don’t know what I need. I just can’t believe she’s gone. I can’t believe she knew what Lydia did to Xavier and never told me. Never told him. How could she not help him?”

“I think the situation is more complicated than we realized. Xavier now wonders if Lydia wasn’t trying to protect him.” I grabbed his hand and led him to the oversize brown leather sofa. I sat and patted the seat beside me. He took my lead.