HEAT in New Orleans || Marcel Gerard

Chapter 13: Davina's Not Feeling Well

Chapter Thirteen

"Good morning," Klaus smiled brightly at me as I opened the front door. He was holding a very large gift basket in his arms. "Did I wake you?" He asked.

I scoffed, gesturing to the fact I was in a towel. He disturbed my morning shower. "What are you doing here, Klaus?" I questioned, snapping my fingers in his face as his eyes were roaming body from bare feet, wet legs, a peek of thigh over my towel to the swells of my chest, neck with beads of water falling to my soaked hair. "Stop eyeing me like I'm a piece of meat. That gift basket isn't going to make me forgive you or forget that you attempted murder on a little girl I care for and succeeded in murdering an innocent teenage boy."

"I messed up," he said. "I know that. But I wanted to make things right with you. Earn your trust. I get a little carried away when I feel threatened or I'm at war with someone."

"You weren't at war with her. She's a child!" I exclaimed.

"I'd keep your voice down, love," he suggested, nodding to where my next door neighbor was grabbing his trash cans from the end of his driveway. His nosey eyes were on us though. Not that I could blame him.

"Well, I can't exactly invite you in, now can I?" I quipped, crossing my arms. Of course Klaus would show up only thirty minutes after Marcel left. Last night when Marcel came over we talked and kissed lazily all night long then I suggested he stay the night. He refused to come to bed with me, so instead he slept in the guest room. This morning he woke me up to say goodbye, giving me nothing but a kiss on the cheek before disappearing before the kids woke up. All I had time for was a ten minute shower before someone was ringing my doorbell.

"You could invite me in," Klaus shrugged. "I'm not your enemy. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Until I do something that makes you mad enough to murder me or my children?" I retorted. "Absolutely not. You aren't welcome here. I don't trust you. I don't even like you. Not anymore. Not after the truth."

"Gemma," he frowned, putting the basket on the ground.

"You need to go."

"I came to make things right between us. So let me just make my offer. Come stay with me at the compound. Davina can't live here, she needs protection. But no one said you couldn't come join us. There's plenty of room. And Marcel, Elijah, and Davina will all be there in case you don't feel safe around me. But I assure you, you don't ever have to fear me. Your family, your kids, sister, and uncle will not come to any harm. Ever. Okay? You showed my kindness and you believed in me once. That means everything to me, whether you decide Marcel is more your type than I or not."

I wanted to crack a smile. He was ridiculously charming. And I had seen a different side to him. But he clearly wasn't a good guy. Was he the villain? Hard to say when there's so many other factors to take in about the supernatural world.

I studied him for a long time, "I can't stay with you. I have kids, I have my own place here and—"

"The kids can come of course. There's plenty of room. Besides you'd be closer to Marcel and Davina."

"And you?"

He smirked, shrugging, "Yes. But I've chosen to respect your wishes to date Marcel. However, if you change your mind, my bedroom isn't too far down the hall."

I blushed, shaking my head. He was absurd, but in the best way some how. I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. "I don't think it's a good idea, Klaus," I said. "I'll be by to visit Davina in a little while." I then took a deep breath, if he liked me, I needed to use that to my advantage. I needed to stay on his good side. "I have no problem being your friend again if you can go back to being the nice guy I met weeks ago. No plotting against children. No hurting Marcel anymore. Toxicity is not something I welcome in my life. Don't hurt people I care about, and maybe you'll become one of those people."