His Obsession

br

rms and pouts, refus

for you," I tell my daughter patiently. "She even

t between Penelope, our housekeeper, and me, but she doesn't say

ce the

urned five shortly before September, but given her condition, I didn't feel comfortable enrolling her in maternelle - the French version of kindergarten. The speci

ress her out further. Hell, it'll stress me out further. As her father, I have a duty to protect h

s pulled back into a tight, severe bun atop her head. Despite her otherwise snooty appearance, Penelope is nothing but warm and kind. She

chen counter, waiting to be opened. There's a mischievous

eper teases. "If we eat them too early, the gi

s a button, but I don't budge. I may love her to the

chérie, and then I'

is the moment she finally chooses to speak. Instead, O

clo

e suggests. "I know we don't have a tree picked out, but we can st

et back and forth beneath the table

next. "Care to join u

o in the office, but I

sume your clients ar

nts in order ahead of tax season. Boring stuf

'm already springing into action. My new life is one of quiet domesticity, but there's always a small part of me that hasn't be

door of the house to peer outside. I peek out the wi

t be Fa

had to ensure he'd spend the rest of his days behind bars, but I know as well as anyone that nothing c

ks, her voice shaking. "I

side of the thick frosted glass. I hesitate to reach for the shotgun stored on the top shelf of the en

e voice belon

enties. She has long black hair and deep brown eyes. She's about a foot shorter than myself, her slender legs and long arms giving he

acroix?" s

nty years. Concern lances through me. Who the hell is th

e's hand, her other hand over her mouth in shock. "Does

naps in English. Some word

. "An A

iving out like wet matchsticks. I catch her, cradling her soft body in my arms as I c

h feels weird on my tongue after going so long without

n her fingers. "Chester McHale... He told me

at's a name I never t

n disbelief. "Who

ara," she rasps before s

life, and it seems he's finally calling in that favor. It looks like

the police, get her to a hospital -anythin

ago, and I'm nothing if not a man of my word. I may not know who this woman is or what trouble she

as I bound up the steps. "

he housekeep

tely. And keep Od

of c

oor off its hinges. She weighs nothing at all. I waste no time se

le and red. There are several cuts on her hands and face, a deep gash just over her temple. The poor

onto her shoulder blade: a raven with red feathers and an arrow in its beak. It feels strange seeing the de

art of Ch

it. I rip into it and get to work, cleaning up t

struct the housekeeper. "

ngings. She pulls out a black flip phone -a burner- followed by a small black case. Penel

, applying an ice

car outside? She crashed stra

aked with dried blood and dust. "No, don't bother. Just make sure to

sure we shouldn't

rst thing to do. I'm not particularly worried about any of our neighbors calling the cops since we live just outside of the city's li

th Odette downstairs and dis

act he

eat the damn gingerbread. Turn on some cartoons. I

scurrying away like a mouse. I get that she's frigh

was my choice to leave that world behind -and my old friend along with it- so deliberately

ing her up when her eyes snap

shrieks, wincing in

amer calming his lion.

e props herself up on her elbows, struggling to

. "Before you hurt

find Gabrie

found

ds me of a little bird, lost and broke

you tell m

whispers. "R

d. It suits her, a beautiful name for a beautiful woman. A thought rip

od off her face, I can see the resemblance. She has Chet's straight nose and high cheekbones. I'm fascinated

of calm, it's hard to den

o

r her body, ignoring the strain in my pants. Just because she's out cold, that doesn't give me the right t

edge of the bed and

ch for our peacef