Amelie had a full house again and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much. She’d been content with her life on this Gerelin colony over the last four years. It was a safe place for her to raise Fleur and the people were welcoming. Getting the job at the garden center increased her feelings of contentment and of course, having Scarlett, her best friend and sister nearby was perfect.
Now Amelie felt she was drowning in an abundance of riches. Her friend circle was growing and not with superficial relationships. She was building bonds forged through shared experiences.
Amelie pulled out the dessert she’d baked and glanced around her home. Conversation flowed around her.
“We moved all of our things two weeks ago but it took forever to get everything set the way I wanted,” Saedra said to Scarlett.
“I’ll have to come by for a visit. I still live in a one bedroom unit near the medical facility.” Scarlett grimaced.
Garik played with the ends of Saedra’s hair, his look indulgent as she and Scarlett chatted back and forth.
Amelie wasn’t sure why Scarlett hadn’t bought a larger place to live. They’d have to discuss it later since she’d complained before about her tiny unit.
“I like cookies!” Fleur sang out, having smelled the dessert.
She spun on her toes from person to person, secure in the knowledge that she was safe. Amelie had been worried there would be lingering issues from her experience with Roan, but to her relief, her daughter had moved past it. There had been nightmares for two or three nights but once Sulen sat with Fleur and explained that he’d never let anyone hurt her, she’d relaxed.
Amelie let her gaze settle on Sulen. He stood in conversation, head to head with his friend Amar. The assassin had not been pleased with Roan’s sentence of five years on a penal colony. According to Sulen, Amar had wanted to eat her ex. She still wasn’t sure what that meant and Sulen hadn’t explained it further.
His tawny hair, chiseled features and engaging smile set Amelie at ease immediately. She couldn’t thank him enough for helping to save Fleur. And unlike Garik, Amar didn’t make her afraid to turn her back on him.
Sulen looked up and caught her stare. He raised a brow in inquiry and she widened her smile to let him know she was fine as she started cutting the cake, not cookies, into even squares.
Scarlett joined her at the counter and leaned a hip against it. “Sooo. Tell me about Amar.”
Amelie snorted and paused in her cutting. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
Scarlett peeked over her shoulder and eyed the lean assassin from head to toe before facing Amelie again with a smirk. A devilish glint lit her blue eyes. “I would not kid about a man who looks like him.”
Blowing out a breath, Amelie shook her head. “I know nothing. He’s Sulen’s friend and helped save Fleur.”
“He’s in the Guild too, right?”
Amelie grimaced. “I’m not sure how much I’m supposed to say about that. Sulen renewed his contract for another two years and I have to start being more careful of how I discuss his absences.”
Scarlett shrugged and hopped up to sit on a stool. “Say what we’ve been saying. He’s gone for work. No one’s questioned it before and shouldn’t now. If they do, blow them off.”
Amelie sighed, wishing she had her friend’s cavalier attitude. Pulling out dishes to serve the dessert, she said, “Hopefully, no one probes too hard.”
Scarlett snagged a plate and utensil, digging into the creamy filling of the square on her plate. She angled her body to a slant and licked the white fluff while watching Amar. He happened to look over at the right moment and stilled.
His lids grew heavy and the corner of his lips tilted up. He said something to Sulen then headed for the door.
“Damn,” Scarlett muttered after he left.
Amelie was still chuckling when Sulen joined her and looped an arm about her waist. “What are you two up to?”
“Nothing.”
***
Sulen curved his arm about Amelie’s waist as she cut and served cake to everyone. He buried his nose in her hair and closed his eyes. The scent of her washed over him and he took a moment to be thankful that he’d found her. When he’d vowed to find the one who forged a connection with him, he could not have expected that he’d find a ready made family.
Fleur giggled at something Saedra said and curled up on the sofa beside the woman. Garik stared and Sulen felt his smile grow wider. Garik was in for a time as a parent. While Sulen hadn’t been prepared to be a dad, at least Fleur was at the walking and talking stage. Garik would have to do it all from the beginning and Sulen didn’t envy him.
“Are you okay?” Amelie asked.
“Happy,” he said.
Scarlett leaned forward on the counter with her plate and fork in hand. “Mushy talk later. Tell me about your friend, Amar.”
Shocked, Sulen read the interest in Scarlett’s gaze. He considered what he knew of Amar and thought of him with Scarlett. Humor erupted. “I think I’ll leave that for you to discover.”