“It was fun. Shopping together will be fun.” Francesca laughed softly. “You turned pale at the thought of shopping. Most girls would be thrilled. I finally get my daughter, or younger sister, whichever label you prefer, and you do not want to shop for clothes.”
Skyler brought a trembling hand to the thin scar on her face and rubbed it self-consciously. “I haven’t been out in public in a long time,” she confessed.
Gabriel took her hand gently and brought the worst scar to his cheek. “When you decide you are up to it, we will all go and look at the strange people out there together. It will be much more fun that way.”
Skyler stared up at him for a long time, her eyes moving over his harsh, sensual features, studying every inch of his face. Her smile was very slow in coming, but when it did, it lit up her eyes. “I think you are almost as afraid of all those people as I am, just not in the same way.”
Francesca laughed at Gabriel’s wry expression, the joyful sound filling their home with love. She could do that, Gabriel thought. Francesca could fill up every inch of that huge house with love. Each moment spent in her company only deepened his feelings for her. There was so much light spilling out of her it fascinated him. Gabriel had lived in a world of darkness, of violence, for so long, he could only stare in awe at Francesca. His black eyes met Skyler’s dove-gray gaze and they shared a small smile of mutual understanding. She felt the same way. Both of them wanted to bask in Francesca’s healing light for all eternity.
Francesca slipped her arm around Skyler’s waist, a gesture so natural to her, Skyler didn’t think to pull away. “We won’t have to worry about going out in public until you’re ready, honey. I just want you to feel comfortable and safe here at home. I think you’ll like our new housekeepers.”
Skyler made a face and exchanged another quick look with Gabriel. He was making the same face. Francesca laughed at them. “I can see how it’s going to be. You two are a couple of hermits. There will be no ganging up against Francesca, you two. Skyler, you like your bodyguard, don’t you?”
Skyler shrugged. “I try never to look at him.”
“Well, you should. He’s quite nice-looking,” Francesca replied.
“That will be enough of that,” Gabriel interrupted. “You do not need to find any man good-looking other than me.”
Francesca smiled very sweetly. “But then, I don’t remember ever saying you were good-looking.”
Skyler found herself laughing. For one moment in time, she forgot. She forgot the scars on her body. She forgot the scars on her mind and soul. She was a young girl enjoying a moment of happiness with two people she was growing fond of. It was nearly impossible to believe she could trust them so quickly, but she did. “Are you going to let her get away with that?” she asked Gabriel, her eyes sparkling. “You are good-looking and she’s noticed. I know she has.”
He shackled Francesca’s wrist when she would have run, and dragged her close. “I am going to hypnotize her and plant all kinds of suggestions. You can help me, Skyler. I think she should revere me.”
“While you’re making suggestions, you can tell her no one else needs to take care of me, I only want her,” Skyler said softly, more than half serious.
“No one else has authority over you, Skyler. These people are coming to
help
you during the hours I’m away,” Francesca replied gently. “They are doing us a tremendous favor so that you will not be alone.” Her voice was musical and seeped into Skyler’s mind with a healing compulsion.
Gabriel made a rude noise, drawing Skyler’s attention to him. “I noticed she used the words ‘no one else.’ Did you catch that, Skyler? Is she excluding me? I think I’m the authority in this house.”
“You’re not even good-looking,” Skyler pointed out, laughing despite the seriousness of the situation.
“Oh, so now you need to be hypnotized, too,” he threatened. “I should have known you women would stick together. Just remember this when you find yourself barking like a dog in your room and wondering how you got there.”
“I’d be wondering why I was barking,” Francesca contradicted. “The barking would be a bit much.”
“I don’t know,” Skyler mused. “If the housekeeper came in and found us all barking like dogs, she’d hightail it out of here and I’d be very happy.”
“You will give them a chance, won’t you, Skyler?” Francesca asked gently.
Skyler sighed softly. “I guess I don’t have much choice. But I know I could stay by myself. I’m not a baby and I’ve spent most of my life alone.”
“You have a point,” Gabriel acknowledged. “Please do not misunderstand, Skyler. Francesca and I want you to have a housekeeper because we want to ensure your comfort and safety, not because we don’t trust you. We are wealthy, little one, and you may become a target because of that. Francesca would spend an inordinate amount of time worrying if we did not adequately protect you.”
Skyler’s eyes were fixed on his face while she determined whether he was telling her the truth. Eventually she nodded. “I didn’t think of that. I wouldn’t want either of you to worry about me.”
Francesca’s touch was soothing, as always. “Try it for a while, honey. If they don’t work out, we’ll find someone you like.”
Skyler made an attempt to ease the concern on Francesca’s expressive face. “Aren’t you worried about spoiling me just a little?”
At once Francesca smiled, her dark eyes brilliant with laughter. “I hope that we do. It will be such fun.”
“You don’t know the first thing about parenting, do you?” Skyler chastised. “I’m going to have to be the one to run things around here.”.
The doorbell cut off any further byplay between them, wiping the smile from Skyler’s face. Francesca immediately circled the young woman’s too-thin shoulders with a comforting arm. “They’re here, aren’t they?” Skyler whispered it, as if she were afraid to speak any louder. Francesca could feel her small body trembling.
She glanced at Gabriel, clearly worried.
“Perhaps we are pushing her too hard, expecting her to accept too many people in her life too fast.” “She must be protected, my love. Our only other choice is to command her acceptance and we both agreed we would not do so unless necessary.”
Gabriel reached over to take Skyler’s hand. “I do not like strangers in my home either, little one. Perhaps you will be my strength while Francesca performs her magic. If neither of us feels anything wrong with these people, we will attempt to integrate them into our home. Is that a deal?”
“What if I don’t like the man?” Skyler asked, voicing her worst fear.
“Understand this, Skyler,” he said softly. “If you ever have misgivings about any man, myself included, whether you have concrete reason or not, go directly to Francesca. Do not think about it, or worry about it, or hesitate in any way. Tell her immediately. Promise me you will do that.” His voice was magical, so gentle and perfect it was impossible to resist.
Skyler stood still for a moment before she nodded solemnly. She found herself gripping Gabriel’s and Francesca’s hands as they moved through the house to the front door. Somehow, physical contact with them made her calmer. There was something extremely soothing about the couple. When she was between them, their peace seemed to fill her up and keep her fears at bay. She couldn’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t afraid. Not until Francesca had found her huddled inside her own mind and had swamped her with waves of warmth and reassurance. Even the fact that Gabriel was a very overwhelming male didn’t bother her. She knew he was powerful, she could feel it when she was close to him, yet Skyler found Gabriel’s power comforting. He had given her his word and she believed him. She believed in both of them. They were determined to make her whole again, make her understand love and kindness and what true safety was.
Above Skyler’s bent head, Francesca’s black gaze met Gabriel’s dark one in mute understanding. Both of them easily read the teenager’s thoughts. Gabriel smiled his reassurance, wishing he could take Francesca into his arms and hold her close within the shelter of his heart and his mind, in the shelter of his body.