Dark Carousel (Dark #30)(45)

“You’re taking on Lourdes and Genevieve for me.”
He nodded and was up, towering over her, waving his hand to clean and clothe her. She liked her soft, vintage blue jeans and equally soft dove gray sweater. He had good taste in casual clothes. Her bra and panties were sheer lace, but the bra was supportive, and her boots were gray leather with three leather ruffles down the back. She loved them.
“You’ll be able to do that yourself,” he said, and bent to take her mouth. When he straightened, he was dressed in his immaculate and very sophisticated clothes. “Go have fun. Don’t forget Emeline. She’s ours, too.”
“I won’t forget. I have Vadim’s splinter in me and I detest it. She hears him as well. At least we have that in common, and in Paris, we were becoming fairly good friends. Hopefully that will count for something.”
She kissed him again, just a brush of her lips across his, but it was enough to claim him. To tell him that he belonged to her.
13
Lourdes and Bella were in the bathtub playing with rubber ducks when she entered the bathroom. Charlotte had never seen so many kinds of ducks. They weren’t the standard yellow ones she’d had as a child. These were various characters, and the girls clearly loved them. They chattered away together, laughing like old friends—or sisters. She sent a small grateful warmth to Tariq for thinking of toys for the girls.“They’re already bonding,” Genevieve whispered, sipping at her coffee. “I never thought I’d be so crazy about a couple of little girls but I love spending time with them. They make me feel . . .”
“Normal,” Charlotte said, with a small laugh. “I was just telling Tariq I needed normal, and here it is.”
Genevieve nodded. “I can’t agree with you more. Do you want a cup of coffee? It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had.”
The thought of drinking coffee made Charlotte’s stomach roll. She pressed a hand to her belly and shook her head. “I’ll pass, but thank you.”
“You and Tariq good?”
“Better than good. I’ve fallen so hard so fast. Thanks for taking care of the children while we’re sorting things out. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you doing that for me.”
“I wanted to. After all the things you’ve done for me, Charlie, this was easy.” She sighed and put down the mug of coffee. “I can’t stay here forever, but I have to admit I’m a little afraid to strike out on my own.”
Charlotte heard the tremble in Genevieve’s voice. She leaned toward her. “Do you want to leave?”
Genevieve shook her head. “Of course not. It isn’t that, but I’m not about to be the fifth wheel here. This is your family and you need space to make it that way.”
Charlotte shook her head. “You are my family. I don’t have anyone else, Genevieve. It’s the two of us. We chose each other in Paris, long before your grandmother was murdered. Way before my brother was murdered and all of this happened to us. You’re my family. Tariq knows that. He wants you to stay. You can have your own house and eventually, when the danger is gone, live life the way you want, but for now stay here; make one of the houses yours.”
Genevieve looked away from her, back toward the two little girls. Three-year-olds, both of whom had witnessed brutal, vile violence. They were whispering together, dunking the ducks and watching them pop back to the surface. Both would giggle when the little ducks bobbed and looked as if they were swimming.
“I want to do that, Charlie, more than anything. I want to stay. I feel safe here. I’m not afraid for the first time in months. But I don’t want to rain on your parade. You deserve to be happy and to form a family with Tariq . . .”
“Stop, Vi. Seriously, just stop. Just because I found Tariq and I want to bring together these children doesn’t mean I don’t want you in my life in a huge way. I’ll need help, a lot of help. I’m counting on you for that. I don’t know the first thing about children. You already agreed to help me with Lourdes. The only thing that’s changed is we have four more children, two of whom are teenagers.” 
Genevieve snickered. “Is that all that’s changed? Four more children? A little thing like that shouldn’t stop us.”
Charlotte found herself laughing. Real laughter. She loved the fact that it was genuine, that she could laugh in spite of the circumstances. “Okay. Maybe it’s big.”
“Try huge. But if you’re certain Tariq won’t think I’m just hanging around living off him, I’ll stay and help you.”
“You have your own money, Vi,” Charlotte reminded with a small smile.
“I’ll offer, but I can guarantee you, he won’t take a cent. He’s the throwback kind of man, you know, to another century. He’ll want to pay.”
Genevieve was so right. Charlotte nodded. “Whatever it takes to keep you here with us, Vi. I don’t care if he wants to foot the bill. We can help out when the crisis is past. In the meantime, it’s my turn to take care of the kids. You go choose a house. Make a list of everything you need to make it a home. You love lists. Wander around. See the property. I’m going to try to visit Emeline later this evening. If you see us on her porch, come by casual-like and visit with her, too, okay?”
Genevieve nodded. “I will. I’m looking forward to seeing her.” She reached out a hand and pushed back Charlotte’s hair to study the mark on her neck. “You’re certain of what you’re doing, Charlie? He doesn’t have you under some spell, like in the movies? This is all unknown territory for us, and I have to confess, I’m really uneasy about it.”
“I’ve always had some kind of shield, Vi, you know that. I don’t react to mind control. That was what saved us both in Paris when Fridrick tried to make us open the door and allow him in. I want to be with Tariq of my own free will,” she assured.
Genevieve nodded. “I like him. I do. It’s just that, these men are very scary. They look so gorgeous that any woman might just fall hard, but underneath that beauty, seriously, Charlie, they’re very dangerous, scary men. I’m not like you. I’ve always wanted to be, but I’m not the warrior woman.” She lowered her eyes, twisting her fingers together in her lap. “I don’t belong here.”
Charlotte leaned into her. “Yes, you do. You’re strong, Vi. Not everyone has to be a fighter. You fight when you have to. You would defend any of these children, you know you would. You would defend me, and Tariq as well. You just aren’t the best at defending yourself and that’s okay. We were working on that, remember?”
“It’s weird, but I have this strong desire to go back to Paris, as if I’ve forgotten something there. Something important.”
“Don’t you dare. I need you here with me. I’m so out of my depth.” Charlotte watched her niece and Bella play with the ducks. They splashed water and laughed together and her heart stuttered in her chest. She wanted that for Lourdes, for all the children. She wanted it for herself and Genevieve. Their lives had been turned upside down, and Tariq was trying to right them. Give them something to hold on to. A family of sorts. She planned to hang on with both hands. “Don’t leave, Vi. Stay and help me with these children.”
Genevieve nodded. “I’d like to say I’m staying because I know you need me, which you do. Or because these children need me, which they do. But I know I’m terrified to go off on my own. I’m not nearly as nice as I should be.”Charlotte shook her head, her smile breaking through. “You’re so silly. Of course you’re staying because the children and I need you. I’m terrified as well. We’d be idiots if we weren’t. So we’ll stick together like we’ve always done from the first time we wrote as pen pals in the third grade. Go look at the houses and choose one.”
Genevieve flashed a wan smile. “Nothing like house hunting on someone else’s property. He must have acres. Who knew?” She stood up, hugged Charlotte and went to the tub. “Auntie Vi is heading out to walk around and stretch her legs. You’ve had your dinner, and Auntie Charlie’s here to play with you. Be good.” She bent to brush a kiss on each wet head and then left the large bathroom, taking her coffee mug with her.
Charlotte watched the two girls play for some time, heating the water twice before she finally declared them both prunes and got them out to dry off and dress. She held both girls’ hands as she took them out to the play yard. For the first time in a long while she felt ordinary, a regular person going about her routine. Bella on one side, Lourdes on the other, both girls chattering and laughing. She felt happy.
The outdoor carousel was the center of the play yard, the horses and chariots a riot of color beneath the overhead roof. Each steed was jeweled and ornate, carved from wood. Charlotte recognized the work as being the same as the older pieces in the house. It was beautiful, everything about it, including the platform. She knew it was a working carousel and she couldn’t wait to ride one of the horses and feel what was happening to Tariq when he was carving it.
Floodlights lit the yard, casting shadows around the swings and slides. It was a child’s dream, and there were new additions to it. Lourdes let out a squeal of excitement, dropped Charlotte’s hand and rushed to the lead dragon sitting in the yard. There were five of them. The leader was larger and made of blue stone. Lourdes petted it and slipped her arm around one leg to hug the animal before using the tail to climb onto its back.