It’s ten at night when I call Rochelle. I’m hoping to catch her in bed before she falls asleep so she can talk. She answered after the first ring. “Hi there.”

“Hi there yourself.”

With a chuckle, she asks, “How’s Diablo?”

“Umm…” I scratch my head, then look at the TV, which was keeping me company before I called her. “I’m not sure.”

“Interesting. Are you doing okay?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Do I need to be worried because you’re totally worrying me right now.”

“I’m not sure.”

“Stop saying that, Dex.” Her voice gets pitchy. “You’re freaking me out.”

I close my eyes, draping my arm across my forehead. “I’m kind of freaking out myself.”

Her words are rushed and demanding. It feels good to know that she cares so much. “Tell me what’s going on.”

But scaring her was not my intention. I’m just unsure how to tell her everything or if I should. “I called because I need to ask a favor.” She’s patient and lets me speak. “Is there any way you can fly up here tomorrow and spend the night? I’ll drive you home the next day.”

“You want me to be there with you and your family?” Her tone is now light, unbelieving.

“You’re my family.” It sounds so matter of fact, but she’s right. We’re family. “Will you come?”

There’s a long pause before I hear her, her voice wavering with emotion. “Dex…” She sucks in a shaky breath and I can tell she’s trying to stop from crying. “If you need me, I’m there. Always.” Tapping is heard. “I’m looking up flights now.”

“I’ll buy your ticket,” I say.

“I can afford the ticket. No worries.”

“I know you can, but I want to buy it.”

“Okay,” she relents. “There’s a flight into Oakland that leaves at one I can make.”

“I’ll send the confirmation to you.”

“Thank you.”

I yawn, worn out. “You’re welcome, but really I should be thanking you.”

“You’d do it for me… You’ve done it for me. You were there when I needed you most.” She yawns.

“I’ll let you get some rest and I’ll pick you up from the airport. I’ll be in the Challenger outside of baggage claim.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Until then…”

“Until then…”

* * *

As soon as I see Rochelle walking out of the terminal the following day, I pull to the curb, throw the car in park, and run around to greet her. She’s beautiful as always, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. Her eyes bright and her smile big—just for me, so I kiss her, savoring the feel of her skin, her lips, the way her tongue caresses mine.

Leaving her breathless was my single motivation. I think it worked because she sighs, then whispers, “It’s good to see you too.”

After opening her door for her, I take her bag and put it in the trunk. I slide into the driver’s seat and say, “Welcome to hell.”

Fastening her seatbelt, she looks up and says, “And here I thought Diablo just meant devil.”

It doesn’t take long to get to the estate, less than an hour’s drive with traffic. Rochelle’s mouth opens when we pull up the long driveway. “This looks like what I imagine Hearst Castle looking like.”

“My grandfather hated the Hearst Castle. I wish he was here just to hear the comparison.”

“Do you want to talk about him?”

I park the car and look at her, the air vents blowing her hair wildly behind her. “I used to think he was this stuffy old man, then I found he was worse.”

“What happened?”

“I found out he called my mom a liar and a whore after she was raped.” I get out not wanting to see Rochelle’s face or tears, her sympathies. I need to be strong and right now, I don’t have enough strength for both of us. Grabbing her suitcase from the trunk, I set it down as she joins me. “Let’s not talk about it. Okay?”

“Sure. Okay.” She nods.

“Oh and ignore Gage. He’ll offend you in some way, so it’s just best not to pay any attention to him.”

She takes a wavering breath and says, “I’m here for you, Dex. Only you.”

Taking her hand in one and her case in the other, I lead her inside. At the top of the stairs, I say, “There’s a guest room across the hall from mine…” I wait to see what she wants to do, hoping it’s the same as what I want.

“I’m not staying with you?” If I’m not mistaken, her lashes flutter, reminding me of a butterfly.

My thoughts momentarily drift back to her mentioning her love of fireflies. “I want you to stay with me,” I whisper, giving her hand a little squeeze.

A pink covers her cheeks, making me want to do so much to her right now. She says, “I’d like that.”

Leading her into the bedroom, I set her bag down and she walks to the window, not giving the king size bed a second thought. “Your window overlooks a garden. It’s beautiful.”

“Nothing like your beauty.”

She smiles at me, then turns back. “Roses are beautiful but dangerous. I’ve always been fascinated by them. What grows in the greenhouse?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t been back there since I’ve been here.” Standing near the door, I ask, “Would you like to freshen up or for me to give you a tour of the house?”

Turning, she jumps onto the bed and falls back. “You’re so formal here. It reminds me of when I lived in Boston.”

“There were very strict rules when I visited here. Old habits die hard.”

With her arm outstretched, she summons me to her. Pausing, I stare down at her, the image of Eve and all her mortal sins corrupting me to my core. But like Adam, I can’t resist the temptation. Crawling onto the bed, I move on top of her. My weight balanced above her until her hands travel from my neck down to my waist. I drop down lightly, balancing just above. “What are you doing to me?”

Her eyes look into mine, our connection always present. Pushing me gently up, she giggles and says, “You’re right. I’ll take the tour.”

She squirms her way to the side, but I grab her by the waist before she escapes and say, “We’ll pick up where we left off later.”

Her eyes give her desires away. She’s not playing hard with such a sexually mischievous look in her soulful browns. “I look forward to it.”

Following her out the door, we head back downstairs to the sitting room where I saw my mom last. Gage is near the door at the bar when we enter. He stops and eyes Rochelle blatantly, top to bottom and back up, and I want to punch him in the fucking face for it. Instead, I possessively take her hand and lead her to the couch across from the chair where my mother sits. She smiles at me and then to Rochelle before speaking. “It’s so good to see you again, Rochelle.”

“You too, Mrs. Caggiano.”

My mom looks down and smiles while toiling with the throw on her lap. “We only had nine years together, but those years seem to have shaped my entire life.”

Rochelle looks to me for further explanation when it’s clear my mom is not going to give one. I lean back, getting comfortable. “My father and mother were married for nine years before he died.”

My mom looks at Rochelle, new blood in the mix to share her stories to. But this time, I don’t mind. This time, I make the time to listen. “He was the most handsome man I had ever see—”

“Nine years?” Gage asks, staring at us from across the room. “That’s not right, Mother. You’re forgetting in your old age.”

“Shut-up,” I say to him before turning back.

“What? You need to show off for you girlfriend here? Like she’ll find a ‘shut-up’ impressive. I’ll show her impress—”

I stand and cut him off. “Shut the fuck up, Gage, or I’ll shut you up.”

Gage cackles and swallows more of his drink. Looks like Scotch. “There’s the fighter we all love to hate. Doesn’t take much to provoke the lower class.”

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about, man. Just stop, Gage. Okay?”

“Speaking of lower class, how’s that band thing working out for you ever since that guy died?”

Rochelle stiffens beside me, her breath stopping altogether.

My mother says, “Gage, find something useful to do, like finding a job.”

“After this meeting, I won’t need a job.” He walks into the other room, slamming his glass down on the cherry wood of the sideboard before exiting.

“I’m sorry.” Both Rochelle and I look at my mother as she apologizes. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” Rochelle says with a nod and a taut smile in place.

Squeezing her knee, I ask, “Are you okay?”

“I am. Your brother’s an asshole though.”

“Yep.” I laugh. “He majored in it at Brown.” I stand up and help my mom up. “We need to go or we’ll be late.”

In the garden, I hadn’t noticed how frail my mom has become. Out there she fooled me by the way she held my arm. The change in her is more obvious now just a few short hours later.

“Would you like to come, Rochelle?” she asks.

Rochelle’s eyes target me, asking the question again, silently between us this time. “I think you should stay. I’m not sure how long this will take. You can rest up for tonight.”

“What’s tonight?”

“I have big plans in store for us.”

“In that case, I’ll take a nap, so I can enjoy these big plans.”

My mother clears her throat as she passes us. “Save that kind of talk to when your mother is out of the room.” She laughs, but stops and turns toward me. “Follow your heart…” Her eyes land on Rochelle, and she says, “I’m very glad to have seen you again.”

Rochelle smiles. “It was really nice to see you again as well.”

* * *

“My apologies, Mr. Caggiano,” the lawyer speaks directly to Gage. “I can’t proceed with you in the room since the will is confidential and only allowed to be read to the beneficiaries.”

Gage’s mouth is hanging open. The shock of being told our father was not his makes his face go red with anger.

I reach over toward him, but he stands up. “What the fuck?” Staring at my mom, he says, “You were a whore and I’m the bastard who has to suffer for it.”

I stand abruptly, at the ready if I need to kick his ass. One more comment like that and he’s going down.

“Gage,” my mom starts.

He pulls the door open. “I don’t want to hear it.” The wall takes the brunt of the impact when the door hits it.

The time seemed to pass in an orderly reading of a list, one item at a time. When it was all said and done, the car ride was silent as my mother and I returned to the house. After settling my plans for later with a few phone calls and staff help, I awoke my sleeping beauty with a kiss. Her eyes slowly blinking open and happy to see me. “How did it go?”

“Well.”

“That’s good,” she whispers.

“I want to take you somewhere.”

She nods and then sits up, rubbing her eyes. “Are jeans okay or do I need to change?”

“Never change. You’re gorgeous just how you are.”