Delacroix raised a brow at her but made no comment. “Thank you, Isabelle.”
Mika slid into the booth and picked up a menu, raising it up to block her face. She didn’t really need to read the menu because she’d practically memorized the entire thing, but she just didn’t want to keep on watching the two of them flirting.
“I’ll have your waiter come by to take your drink orders.”
She nodded dismissively at Isabelle, and the younger woman strode back toward her station. Delacroix moved into the booth, staying near the other end, and picking up the menu. When he didn’t say anything, she said, “I didn’t realize you two were close.” The words came out of her mouth unexpectedly.
Slowly, he put his menu down. “The Alpha and Lupa visit her a lot, since she lives in the same building as them. She’s a lovely young woman. And her son’s adorable too. The first week she was here, she couldn’t find a babysitter, so she brought him along. I was here with the Alpha and he offered to watch Evan for an hour. Is there something wrong with that?” He stared at her with those dark eyes filled with amusement.
“I didn’t say there was. But you should know, Isabelle’s been through a lot. I don’t want her getting hurt.”
“Of course you don’t. No one does. Her family is protective of her as they should be, but she’s much tougher than she seems.”
“Is that so?” That hot sensation in her chest coiled tighter. “You know her that well?”
“She had a baby all alone while being not much of an adult herself. You shouldn’t underestimate her.”
So, he knew all about Isabelle’s situation. What other secrets did they confide in each other? “Just be … be careful.”
Confusion passed over his face as his dark brows drew together. “Careful of …” Then his eyes lit up, and his lips turned at the corner. “Are you jealous?”
“No!” She slammed the menu down so hard it made a thwacking sound on top of the table. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not jealous of anyone.”
The irritating smile he wore on his face made her want to smack him with something. “Sure. Of course not.” Turning his attention back to his menu, he began to thumb through it.
She let out a huff, staring at him, waiting for him to argue. But the infuriating man ignored her. Thankfully, their waiter came to take their orders.
The rest of their dinner went by in relative peace and silence. He didn’t seem to object to the meals she ordered—ravioli, veal scaloppine, and a steak—but he did keep trying to push the extra veggie sides at her, which she promptly shot down with a freezing stare. When the server came back asking if they wanted coffee or tea after dessert, Delacroix dismissed him before she could order, which made her glare harder at him. When the young man came back and dropped a black folder at their table, he reached for it, but she immediately snatched it away.
“Don’t you dare,” she fumed. She dropped a couple of bills into the folder and pushed it toward him. “That’s my half. I don’t need any change.”
Not bothering to wait for him, she got up and made a beeline toward the exit. Then she realized he still had the car keys, and she also had no idea where he’d parked. “Damn it!’
“Did you have a nice dinner?” Isabelle asked as she came up to her.
“Of course, delicious as always, though you know I can always tell when it’s not Uncle Dante or Gio cooking.”
She laughed. “I’ll be sure to mention it to them. So …” She glanced back toward the dining room. “You and Delacroix, huh?” Her eyes dropped down to her belly.
“You know?” she asked incredulously. “Of course you know.” A long sigh escaped her lips. “Everyone knows, right?”
“Yeah, Lucas told us. Even Julianna knows, and she’s all the way in Zhobghadi. Hey”—she put a hand on Mika’s shoulder—“I’m happy for you, I really am. He’s a great guy.”
“Oh yeah, well, maybe you should have him. You two seem cozy.” Too late. A look of grief crossed Isabelle’s pretty face. “Jesus, I’m sorry. I’m an asshole, Isabelle.” She should have been more sensitive to her cousin, after what had happened. No one knew the exact story, really, only that she’d met her True Mate and had gotten pregnant, but he wasn’t in her life anymore. She wouldn’t tell anyone who he was or if he was even alive. No, Isabelle didn’t deserve any of the vitriol Mika had spewed, and she should have known better. “Forgive me, Isabelle. I don’t have an excuse speaking to you that way, other than that I’m a raging bitch.”
She smiled at her weakly. “No, it’s fine. Really. But D … he doesn’t … I mean … he gets all flirty and all, but that’s all he does. I even heard that … well, I’ve been talking to Julianna, who’s been talking to Deedee. She wanted to get the skinny on Delacroix, and according to Dee, he’d been on his best behavior the entire time he was there. Never went on a date or got together with any of the girls at the palace.”
What? Surely that wasn’t true. But before she could ask Isabelle any more about what she knew about Delacroix, the man himself came up to them. “Shall we head out, cher?”
She nodded, not knowing what to say. After saying goodbye to Isabelle, he led her outside toward where he parked the car across the street. Her mind was still in shock from what Isabelle had revealed that she let him open the door for her, and she went in automatically.
The drive back to The Enclave was silent and took no time, thankfully. When he pulled into her parking space, she let him open the door for her once again. “You can go
