Page 5 of The Gambler

He didn't know anything about her existence up until tonight, how she'd lived. She'd obviously had care, because he didn't see any of the signs of overt abuse. But for him, as long as there was one element of danger, it negated everything else. There was no doubt in his mind that he will one day seek retribution. The little skirmish back at the casino had barely wet his appetite for vengeance, and that was before he'd known who she was, she was not to be touched...ever.

He also knew that there was going to be trouble. His first thought was to stash her away somewhere, but then he convinced himself, that the safest place for her, is with him. He wasn't afraid of what the men who were going to come after him would do; he never feared such things. His only concern now was for her and what she needed.

"Here little Jenna."

He took his fork from his untouched plate of pasta and used it to fork some of her noodles.

"Open."

She obediently opened her mouth no wider than a baby bird's and he eased the fork past her lips. She chewed and nodded and tried to smile at him all at the same time.

"Good?"

He was pleasantly surprised when she gave him the thumbs up sign.

They spent a good hour and a half at the table, before it was time to go. She latched onto his arm as if she'd been doing it forever when he helped her up from her seat. The more at ease she was with him, the more convinced he became, that she really was the one. It would take more time for him to work it through in his head, to put it all together, but he was starting to believe.

Garrett and Jameson both had grown use to their boss's quirkiness. They had learned patience in the years they'd been with him, and so it was nothing for them to sit and wait. What was new though, was the way he seemed so at ease, it was a bit puzzling to say the least; who knew Andros had the relax gene?

It was another few-hours drive to the estate in the Hudson Valley. He'd wanted this place for a lot of reasons, one in particular. But in the end he’d settled on it because it was backed by water, and the only entrance was down a long drive, flanked by high stonewalls.

It had once belonged to some oil baron back in the eighteen hundreds, and was part of the historical society of America or some such shit. They'd tried to give him a hard time in procuring it, but he'd simply told the people in charge what he was willing to pay, which was a lot; when he was going to be there with the money, and when they needed to get the hell out of his place.

He had no doubt that gramps had probably stepped in behind the scenes, because the old coot could never keep his nose out of his grandson's affairs; but he didn't care, as long as he got what he wanted in the end, which he did. In fact, they'd been the ones to speed things up; who knows what the old reprobate had told them to light the fire under them? He was fond of regaling unsuspecting people with tales of his grandson's temper. It always seemed to help them see the error of their ways.

Jenna was asleep curled in his lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her, when they arrived. He climbed out of the car and stopped short. What the hell was he supposed to do with her? If she woke alone in a strange place, she might have a bad reaction, and though he knew there was no way to shield her from all life's thorns, he was damn sure going to shield her from as many of them as possible.

Her entered the marble floored foyer where his man Stuart was still up and waiting. No matter how often he told the older man not to wait up for him, it went in one ear and out the other. He'd shown the man a kindness years ago, and had found himself with a butler for his troubles. A butler in this day and age, at least gramps got a kick out of it.

"And what have you got there sir?"

"She's mine, I'll see to her." He held her closer to his chest and out of the other man’s reach.

"As you wish." He still followed after his employee nonetheless, in case his services were needed.

"Willy, find your bed and stop hovering like an old woman."

"If you're sure."

"I'm sure, how was Simon tonight?"

"Very fine sir, he ate his dinner without redecorating the kitchen walls, that's a step in the right direction."

"We take the little blessings as they come Willy, never forget."

"As you say sir."

"Okay, now that you've sir-red me to death, go get some rest."

The older man shuffled off in the direction of his rooms on the other side of the house, while Andros took his precious cargo down the hallway, in the direction of his rooms. He could put her in one of the guest rooms he supposed, but he wasn't sure about that.

In the end he decided to give her his bed, while he sat in the high backed chair next to it, so she would see him as soon as she awakened.

Kicking off his shoes and loosening his tie, before shedding his jacket, he prepared for a long night spent in the stiff chair, that made him question not for the first time, what the fuck the people of the last two centuries were thinking when they built uncomfortable shit like this. Still, it was the best, and his decorator had insisted it went with the house, what the hell did he know?

He did no more than remove her shoes, and noticing the stains of chocolate that he'd somehow missed when he'd cleaned her up at the restaurant, went into the bathroom to wet a washcloth in order to finish the job. She sighed and sunk deeper into the soft sheets of his custom made bed. Returning to his chair where he would keep vigil, he cleared his mind of everything; tomorrow will take care of itself, no sense in worrying about it now.

He must've drifted off after all, because the next thing he heard was her calling for him in her innocent voice.