Chapter 6
Malcolm let out an irritated huff. His mother was nothing if not a stickler for details when it came to planning elaborate events.
"What about the gala? I already promised I would come and I haven't gone back on my word."
"And you also promised you would find a date," she stressed.
"That I did. And?"
"Well, the gala is the day after tomorrow," Jessica tapped her heel with pointed impatience, "and you have yet to tell me who you're bringing."
Malcolm rolled his eyes. He should've known that Jessica Whitly wouldn't stop her little interrogation until she got an answer out of him. It was no wonder that Ainsley was a successful journalist with the same brand of stubbornness and determination she had inherited from their mother.
"Mother, I'm in the middle of an investigation. I don't have time to actually be looking for a date. I don't even know if I should go."
"Oh, you are coming to this gala, young man. And I actually had an idea of who you could bring with you," Jessica said primly, a rare mischievous glint in her eyes as she nodded towards the conference room. "She would be an extra special guest."
Malcolm almost choked as an image of Dani stepping out of the dressing room in that shimmering oxblood gown invaded his mind.
"Y-You mean-?" he quickly looked away as he let out a nervous chuckle, "Look, Mother, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but Dani and I are just-"
"Actually," Jessica cut in, a cat-like smirk spreading across her face. "I was referring to the adorable little girl you have in your care at the moment."
Malcolm had the decency to blush, avoiding her knowing gaze as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. But he couldn't relax for long because-
"-now that you bring it up, I think Detective Powell would be a wonderful date."
"Wait, what?"
He couldn't stop his jaw from dropping open in shock.
Was this really his notoriously fussy, perfectionist mother? The same frosty woman who once verbally eviscerated fellow high society matriarch Verna Melrose because she had once said that he was too skinny and Ainsley was a little too round in the face?
"Oh don't give me that look, Malcolm." Jessica rolled her eyes. She could tell exactly what her son was thinking and she was practically offended. "I'm hardly that picky. And why couldn't Detective Powell be your date? She's clearly a strong and respectable woman. She's successful in her line of work and I quite enjoy her company."
A teasing grin then spread across her face, making her look less like polished ice. "Not to mention she's easy on the eyes and looks fabulous in formal wear. You could do far worse than her."
Malcolm grimaced. "I don't think that'd be a good idea."
"Oh, why not?" She shot him an exasperated look. Honestly, her son was as unyielding as he was at nine years old when he refused to eat foie gras for seven years straight. "You two clearly enjoy each other's company and she's your first friend in so long-"
"Exactly." Malcolm's tone brokered no room for discussion. "She's my friend and the last thing I want to do is anything that could jeopardize that." The frost in his eyes thawed slightly as he inhaled sharply to regain his bearings, "I understand what you're trying to do, mother, but you have to understand that I don't want to risk scaring her off. Her friendship and her trust mean that much to me."
Jessica pouted, but nodded in understanding. Luckily for her, Malcolm had just missed the calculating glint in her eyes when he surreptitiously glanced back at the conference room.
"Alright, alright, I won't push you. But I'd still like to see Isabella at the gala," she added, looking every inch the doting grandmother she hoped to be one day. "She'd make an adorable addition to the guest list."
"I'll see what I can do," Malcolm relented, a smile back on his face, "But I really need to get back to work before Gil decides to ground me."
"Very funny, dear. Oh!" Jessica lit up as she remembered something, "You have to take these! You'll need them."
Malcolm's eyes went wide with bewilderment as she shoved multiple shopping bags in his arms without warning.
"Do I want to know what's in here?"
"Only the best baby supplies money can buy," she gushed. "There's a bottle warmer, a baby monitor, the best baby wipes on the market, blankets and pillows, pacifiers and teething toys, the most adorable stuffed animals to go with her owl-"
"Mother," Malcolm interjected with a sigh. "You do realize that my situation with Isabella is only temporary, right?"
"That may be, but it doesn't mean she shouldn't have the best." She gave her son a pointed look he had seen many times, one that made her look eerily like Grandmother Liz whenever she was lecturing him and Ainsley. "And who's to say that you can't give her that?"
Jessica just wanted to see him happy. It was a mother's prerogative and she would rather eat her own hand than see him stuck in his pain and trauma like this, but Malcolm simply thanked her before she could say anything else.
"Of course," she relented with a nod, "At least let me know if you need me to watch her again. I'd love to spend more time with that little angel."
A beep distracted her and she let out a dramatic sigh as she looked at her phone.
"But unfortunately, I have to attend a tea party at Verna Melrose's. I swear, that woman's what you'd get if you combined the worst parts of an entitled brat and all the melodrama of a soap opera socialite."
"Just make sure you don't throw a drink in her face this time, mother." Malcolm called out in mischief at her retreating figure.
Jessica waved her hand airily as she walked away.
"As if I'd waste another perfectly good drink on that woman."
(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)
The first thing Malcolm saw when he went into the conference room almost surprised him to the point of bumping into the doorframe. JT of all people was making Isabella laugh by booping the beak of her plush owl against her face every few seconds.
He cracked a grin at the detective after struggling with the numerous bags his mother handed off to him. Who would have thought the detective, whose cool and unflappable attitude could rival Dani's, would be willing to make himself look silly just to make a little girl laugh? But ever since JT became a father, Malcolm had started noticing that he was just a big old softie underneath all the gruff and bluster.
Not that JT would ever admit it.
"Now here's a sight I never thought I'd see."
JT rolled his eyes as he kept playing with Isabella, not even bothering to look at Malcolm.
"Tell anyone about this and you're a dead man, Bright."
Malcolm raised his arms in self defense as he and Dani shared a privately amused look.
"Alright team," Gil started as he walked in, "I have some assignments for you-" He trailed off as his eyes immediately went to the branded shopping bags next to the table. "Let me guess, Jessica?"
Malcolm chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah, she thought I needed all of this to help take care of Isabella."
"Of course she did," Gil nodded, his expression almost fond, "Anyways, I have a suspect for you and Powell to follow up on. Evan Huntington's wife."
"Gwendolyn Huntington?"
Gil simply raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, waiting for an explanation. Malcolm was oddly reminded of his mother for a split second.
"Evan's receptionist gave us the hint that she might know something," Dani replied as she stood up.
"I still need you and Powell to go and talk to her. She's got a clean record but-"
"It's a little too clean." Malcolm finished, earning a nod from Gil.
"I don't get it." JT looked up, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Isabella gently patted his face and grabbed her owl from him. "How can a record be too clean?"
"Well, let's just say that no high society kid has ever found it unnecessary to have incidents…" Malcolm paused as he searched for the right word, tilting his head to the side. "Erased from their early history, so to speak. There's always a skeleton or two hidden in the back of the closet."
Dani smirked, knowing there was definitely a story behind that statement.
"So what was your thing?"
"Well, I already told you about the pet snakes. One day Ainsley had the brilliant idea to let them loose in the middle of one of Mother's cocktail parties. I took the fall for it."
"Damn," JT hastily covered Isabella's ears as he exclaimed, "So why the self-sacrificing big brother act?"
"JT's right," Dani cut in, "if my sisters did anything that made me lose out on Granmè's dous makos for two weeks, I'd rat them out in a heartbeat. We all would."
Malcolm just shrugged.
"What else could she do? Ground me? I didn't have much of a social life anyway, it's not like she could take that away."
"True." JT then turned his head to Gil, "So what do you need me to do, boss?"
"Uniforms found Arianna's discarded corset, got a match on where it came from," Gil handed JT the details, "I need you to follow up on it."
JT couldn't help but make a face, making Isabella giggle. Honestly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
"It's not gonna take me to some weird adult store, is it?"
Dani shot him a mischievous smile. "You do know that corsets aren't always used for that purpose. There are actual stores that sell them strictly for fashion."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Ask Tally if you don't believe me. She finally got that sequined gold under-corset she wanted to wear for next girl's night. Not gonna lie, she really makes it work."
"What?"
"Plus," Gil interjected, placing a hand on the older detective's shoulder, "I'm the boss and that means hauling fondillo there ASAP."
"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya." He glanced down at the baby in his arms, "Can you take the kid?"
Isabella gurgled as she was passed over to Gil with practiced ease, her little hand trying to grab at his turtleneck the second it caught her eye.
"Don't worry," Gil let out a fond, grandfatherly chuckle before turning to Malcolm, "I can watch her until you get back. And Bright?"
"Yeah?"
A smirk spread across his face. "Take all this crap with you."
Dani let out a laugh at the sudden flush flooding Malcolm's face. "Come on, you can keep it in my car."
He shot her a grateful look as he hauled the cumbersome bags full of baby supplies out of the room with him.
(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)
Dani immediately pulled a face the minute they pulled up to the Huntingtons' property. The ostentatious mansion was offset with pure white accents, marble statues lined up along the high iron fence. She could see the meticulously trimmed rose gardens behind the white picket fence surrounding the giant backyard and the wide driveway looked like it could easily house a hundred luxury cars.
It made Jessica Whitly's house look plain in comparison. Damn rich people.
"This place looks like something a Bond movie villain would own," Dani deadpanned, making Malcolm laugh at the comparison, "Seriously, what kind of money do they have?"
"Too much of it." Malcolm shook his head, unphased by the glitz and gild. "The Whitlys and Miltons are all paupers compared to the Huntingtons."
"No," Dani's eyes widened, "Seriously?"
"Let's just say they're the one percent of New York's one percent."
They were greeted by a maid when they got to the front door. Dani guessed that she was supposed to be what rich people called a model employee as she remained cold and distant towards them, silent and invisible. The loudest she got was when she called for a "Miss Gwendolyn".
A few moments later, a blonde woman with her hair in a sleek updo came down the marble staircase. Her Louis Vuitton stilettos clicked with every step she took and she wore a slim-fitting backless dress that left very little to the imagination.
"And what can I do for the NYPD today?" She waved the maid off as she reached them with a rehearsed, high society function smile.
"We're here to ask you a few questions about a murder." Dani went straight to business.
Gwendolyn let out a gasp as she placed a hand over her chest. Dani and Malcolm secretly glanced at each other, both thinking the same thing. Gwendolyn was just going through the motions of what an ideal high society wife was supposed to do.
"A murder? Oh dear, I do hope Evan's alright."
Malcolm raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Despite her words, there was an undercurrent of deep cutting resentment towards Evan in her voice.
"Your husband's just fine."
"Oh." Her smile fell off like a sheet mask as she scoffed, "What a pity. I already had the perfect funeral planned."
Dani shot Malcolm another look, the same feeling of antipathy towards the situation reflected in his eyes. "We're here to ask you about Arianna Walters."
"I'm sorry, I don't know who that is," Gwendolyn said carelessly, not even bothering to make eye contact as she quickly snapped her fingers to order the maid to bring her a glass of wine. "Was she one of my husband's little flings?"
"You could say that."
"What did she look like?"
Dani handed over a picture of Arianna. Deep blue eyes, light brown skin, full lips and cloud-like dark curls. Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow, her lips pursed in consideration. "Well, she's definitely... different."
Dani scrunched her nose at that last word. "You don't seem all that upset or surprised."
"Just a little disappointed," Gwendolyn admitted as she lounged on a nearby sofa, the sunlight reflecting off the giant diamond ring she was wearing. She gave off the image of an apathetic noblewoman from one of the dog-eared historical novels that Jessica had hidden between the shelves in the family library.
"Now, with her dead... I can't woo her into my bed." She let out a sudden titter, "Oh goodness, that rhymed, didn't it?"
Malcolm was visibly taken aback. "Wait, so you also sleep with other people?"
"Just with the ones who sleep with my husband." She shrugged nonchalantly as if it was the most obvious thing, "Though I wish he'd switch it up once in a while. This Arianna would've been a nice change of pace."
She grimaced as she took a sip of wine and it was difficult to tell if her distaste was because of the husband or the Pinot Noir she was drinking.
"If he's going to continue this nonsense, I'd like to see a redhead or a brunette every now and then. Although," she trailed off as a satisfied little smile crept up, making her look like the cat that got the cream, "there was that strawberry blonde a few months ago, she was fun. At any rate, I still have another evening planned with a pretty blonde thing who was in his office just last week. Evan and I have probably slept with almost every blonde in the office.
Except little Rosemary, of course," she added offhandedly, "She had the guts to say no to both of us. Surprising, but no skin off my nose."
"That didn't bother you?"
"Hardly," she waved it off as if it had nothing to do with her. "Where's the fun if one of us isn't into it?"
"Does he know about this?"
"Would it matter if he did?" Gwendolyn arched an eyebrow as she took another sip. "I just did it to level the playing field. He stops cheating right this instant, I'm more than happy to cancel my plans tonight. Well, tomorrow. I'd still have to get even."
Dani felt goosebumps as Gwendolyn shot them a sly smirk. That glint in her eyes was raising alarm bells in her head, that could only mean-
"Would either of you be interested for dinner tomorrow night? I'd love to get the upper hand on my husband for once." She turned her attention to Malcolm, who froze like a deer caught in the headlights. "Preferably with someone Evan wouldn't have the balls to try to sleep with."
Malcolm's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He'd had stranger offers than this before, but he was seconds away from burrowing his head in the sand when he caught sight of Dani's nose scrunching with distaste.
"I'm afraid I have to decline. Still working the case and given the fact that you're married-"
"It's never bothered me or any of my conquests," she scoffed in amusement as she suddenly turned her attention to Dani, giving her an appreciative once over. "What about you?"
"No." Dani's reply was immediate and blunt, giving no room for any other answer.
"Pity," Gwendolyn waved it off, leaning forward to place her glass on a nearby table, "I'm amazing in the sack. Shame you two chose to miss out on it."
Malcolm gave a quick side glance at Dani, who motioned for them to leave already. They clearly weren't gonna get anything of value from this woman.
"Well," Dani started, "Thank you for your time. If you think of anything that could be of importance to the case, don't hesitate to call."
"Of course," Gwendolyn nodded. As Malcolm and Dani walked away, she called out, "And if either of you ever change your mind, just give me a call. I'm sure we could have lots of fun together."
Once they were outside, Malcolm peeked at Dani out of the corner of his eye. She was mostly unflustered as she shook her head, but he could spot the very second a faint shudder ran through her.
"Well..." she cleared her throat, "Never thought I'd meet someone who would pull a Frida Khalo in this day and age. So what's your profile on her?"
"Well, clearly there's some sort of power dynamic she's trying to maintain between her and her husband."
Dani hummed in agreement. "Explains sleeping with her husband's mistresses."
"And I don't know if you noticed, but-"
"She looked annoyed every time she talked about spending time with the women."
Malcolm nodded. "She doesn't enjoy being with them."
"She seems to like the power she gets from sleeping with the women he husband cheated on her with." Dani continued as they got into her car. "It's like they're a conquest for her."
"Exactly!" He grinned, giving her a teasing look. Something about her being on the same wavelength as him gave him a little thrill. "I should be careful, one of these days, you might end up being a better profiler than me."
But his face soon fell glum as he glanced down at his hands. Dani looked at him in confusion, wondering what was going on in his mind right now.
"You alright?"
"Nothing…" Malcolm shook his head with a sigh. "Well, not nothing, obviously. It's just dumb."
"Probably." Dani's lips curled into a smile, getting Malcolm to let out a faint huff of laughter, "But you can still talk to me about it. You said you would, remember?"
"Don't worry, you're still the person I like talking to. It's just-I keep looking at the types of women that the Huntingtons are…" the corner of his mouth twisted, "taking to bed, so to speak."
"Go on," Dani squinted in confusion, unsure where he was going with this.
"And I can't help but feel that… that they all remind me of Ainsley."
Okay, she was not expecting that.
"I-I know it sounds dumb-"
"It doesn't," she cut in.
Malcolm looked at her in surprise.
"It doesn't," she reassured him, "I get it. They remind you of your sister and you can't help but feel off at the idea of them being used in some cheap power struggle between a married couple. A married couple who clearly have nothing better to do with their lives."
"It's not just that..." Dani patiently waited for Malcolm to continue. "Ainsley had actually gotten a job offer to work at Huntington's office."
Dani's eyes went wide with horror.
"Mother was adamant about it, but that job was a last resort for her. She's always wanted to go into journalism, but when she applied for an internship at the New York Post, she didn't even think she would get it."
Malcolm let out a wry chuckle, even when he was about to throw up at the thought of what might have happened to his sister.
"And now I'm more glad than ever that she got that internship. It might not have paid as Huntington's would have, but at least she never dealt with them. I don't think Ainsley would've fallen for it, she's always noticed things that Mother and I couldn't at first. But-"
"There's still that thought of 'what if'."
"Exactly."
Dani nodded as she started the car. "I get it. You're a protective older brother and the fact these women who remind you of your sister are being used and that scares you. Plain and simple."
"Seems like you are a better profiler than I am."
Dani's face lit up as the smile on her face grew. Malcolm could barely look away from her.
"Come on, let's go pick up Isabella so you guys can get some rest." As they drove away from the estate, she took one last glance at the house slowly disappearing in the rearview mirror. "And I don't know if I said this already, but I'm getting serious horror movie vibes from this place."
Malcolm's delighted laughter continued to ring in her ears long after they left.
(~**~) (~**~) (~**~) (~**~)
It was fairly quiet in the loft as Malcolm diligently tried to get Isabella to sleep. Dani was otherwise occupied, fixing together a light dinner and two cups of the new blend of Earl Grey that Malcolm had gotten a few days ago.
She looked up as she was adding extra sugar to Malcolm's tea to see him whispering something to Isabella as her eyes began to droop while she was drinking the last of her formula. Isabella gave out a little whine as Malcolm gently put the finished bottle aside and slowly placed her in her crib, but she soon calmed down once she was handed her owl. His eyes were soft as he gently stroked her head, watching as she finally closed her bright blue eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Malcolm kept his eye on the little girl for a few moments longer before the gentle aroma of grilled buttered bread caught his attention. He turned to find Dani sitting on the couch, two plates of grilled cheese set on the coffee table as she handed him his tea, in the dark blue one patterned with constellations he always used whenever she made him a cup.
"So I'm finally gonna get to try one of your grilled cheeses."
Dani chuckled as she took a sip of her own tea. Instead of extra sugar, she preferred it milky with crystallized ginger.
"Well, you still had all that fancy cheese."
"Would you believe me if I said they were new purchases because I finished all of it?"
"Cooking mishaps?"
"How'd you know?"
"Because you definitely didn't eat it all on your own."
The two of them dissolved into giggles, not realizing that the grilled cheeses were starting to cool. They ate in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, but a certain thought kept eating away at Malcolm.
"I don't mean to sound like I'm profiling you. It's-something about this case is bugging you. Emotionally." His smile turned sheepish, unsure of how she would react, "Am I right?"
Dani swallowed, not saying anything before she let out a low sigh.
"Well..." she looked at him cautiously, "You said, I could trust you, right?"
Malcolm's moon-like eyes were so wide and earnest that it almost physically hurt to look at him.
"Of course."
"I... haven't had the best experience with relationships."
Malcolm almost choked on his bite of grilled cheese.
"Someone like you?" he wheezed after a swig of tea, "I can hardly imagine that."
Dani wasn't him. She was self-assured, graceful, warm sunshine after a night in a pitch black cave. And he had never seen eyes like hers, deep, velvety, beautiful…
She smiled faintly, swirling her tea as she tried to piece her thoughts together.
"I've had partners who... cheated… in different ways in the past. It kind of soured my outlook on relationships."
They did what? Malcolm stared at her in disbelief, but instead pursed his lips in a deep frown as indignance welled up in him. Who in their right mind would even consider cheating on Dani?
"When I was thirteen, I started dating this really cute guy in my math class. I helped him ace algebra and he thought that I wasn't like other girls. So cliche, I know, but…" she trailed off with a shrug, "I was a teenage girl with a thing for romantic dramas so I fell for it."
Malcolm could almost picture it, unaware of how the corner of his mouth was turning up into a smile. Young Dani in dark overalls and worn ballet flats with her backpack casually slung over one shoulder as she'd effortlessly navigated through the crowded hallway, her hair half up in two little buns and the rest of her curls bouncing free.
The Dani he knew now usually took pride in wearing her curls down, but a few weeks ago, she had done her hair up in a similar style after having enough of blowing a stubborn curl from her face during a long night of paperwork. Malcolm had watched in absolute fascination and he had a hunch that if he ever saw any of Dani's childhood photos, he'd be right about one thing.
She most likely had been one cute kid.
"We dated all the way up until the fall of freshman year of high school, which is practically a lifetime for teenagers." She shook her head at the memory, "One day, he told me that he had football practice after school and since he was on the team, I didn't think much of it. I thought of getting him something to eat since he was going to be staying late so I dropped by the field to give him his favourite donuts."
"What happened then?" Malcolm didn't like where this was going, but his mile a minute mind wasn't cooperating with him.
"I saw him under the bleachers, making out with one of the cheerleaders."
"Oh God."
"It hurt like hell at the time, but I stormed home before he even realized I was there. Ate the donuts with my sisters and broke up with him in the middle of math class on Monday after I gave him the cold shoulder all weekend." Dani smirked as she shook her head, "You could say our story came full circle."
"Oh wow. Please tell me that was the only time."
"'Fraid not. Similar thing happened in college. I started dating this girl I had met at the school gym and let's just say... wait, you sure Isabella's asleep?" Dani asked, motioning her head to the crib behind them, "Do I need to keep things PG rated?"
Malcolm shook his head. "She's out like a light. As long as we don't suddenly yell, I think we're fine."
"Anyways, we started off pretty well. We were usually in either my dorm room or hers every other night and it was fun. But then things started seeping through the cracks. We never really talked about our problems which led to a lot of arguments. Then one day we had a really bad one and I ended up kicking her out of my dorm."
"I'm sorry." Malcolm gave Dani a look of condolence, eyes bright with empathy. "That couldn't have been easy."
"It wasn't," she exhaled sharply. "In the morning, I felt awful about the things I said so I went over to her dorm to apologize and ask her out for breakfast..." Dani took a big gulp of her tea, as if it was a shot of liquid courage. "But apparently, she thought it meant that we broke up and she already moved on."
Malcolm didn't think that his eyes could go any wider. "That fast?"
She snorted, the corner of her eyes crinkling. "That's what I asked the other girl who was naked in her bed."
"I'm so sorry that happened."
"To be entirely honest…" she trailed off with a shrug, "I'm not. I mean, yes, it really hurt at the time, but it's better that it ended sooner in the long run."
"I can see your point there."
"I did have one relationship that... we didn't live happily ever after, but things ended on good terms."
She expected him to say something, but Malcolm just sat still, taking another bite of his grilled cheese as he patiently waited for her to continue. Dani raised a questioning eyebrow at that.
"You're not gonna say anything?"
"I didn't wanna say something that might stop you." The slow smirk on his face quickly softened into a sincere smile, "It's not everyday you decide to talk about yourself. And I like learning more about you."
Dani's smile was radiant as she took another sip of tea, "I'm just glad you can take off your profiler goggles and have a regular conversation."
"I'm a man of many surprises." Malcolm let out a chuckle, "So what about this good relationship?"
"Well, I was fresh out of college, just got accepted into the police academy," her tone grew wistful, but her eyes were fond. "One night, I went to a club with some friends and I ran into this woman. Or more like she ran into me and spilled her drink all over my outfit."
"What an introduction."
"I'll say," she grinned, "Let's call my ex 'Aubrey'. Despite the whole drink spilling introduction, we actually spent the whole night talking and exchanged numbers. Next thing I knew, we were already dating."
She shook her head, taking another sip of her tea, "It went on for a good six months. We were happy, eventually we started to realize just how different we were and grew apart afterwards. Aubrey was a professional pageant girl, if you can believe it."
Malcolm raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of his own tea, "Really?"
Dani nodded as she polished off the rest of her grilled cheese. "She definitely fit the description of what you'd think a pageant girl would look like. Tall, gorgeous, perfect smile."
There was a flicker of a smile on her face as she paused for another brief moment, "We never really fought because everything was out in the open with us. We didn't hide things from each other but it was clear that we were going in different directions, cheesy as that sounds. Aubrey had gotten this amazing opportunity for her pageant career, I was laser focused on my training at the academy. We wanted other things in life."
"So what happened?"
"One night, we went out for dinner and we got to talking and realized that maybe it would be better to end things before we ended up resenting each other in some way. We left the table as friends." Dani fiddled with her tea bag, but he could see some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Obviously, we don't keep in touch all that much, but it's good to know that at least one of my exes isn't a jerk."
Malcolm smiled into his tea. "That's actually a nice story. Even if it doesn't have a traditional happy ending."
"Yeah, it helps me feel better about this guy I dated a couple of years ago. When he found out I was bi, the first thing out of his mouth was to ask me if I'd be open to a threesome." Dani burst into laughter at the way Malcolm's eyes went wide and his jaw just dropped, her irritation melting away. "That's the same reaction I had."
"You didn't..." Malcolm's ears went pink when he couldn't bring himself to finish his question.
"Hell no!" Dani snorted, but her eyes glimmered with amusement. "Although I did date him for another month against my better judgement."
He bit his lip, swallowing back a laugh of his own. "So what was the breaking point?"
"When he brought a girl he met at the gym to dinner. He'd apparently been flirting with her for weeks. He said she was new in town and didn't know anyone so he had the brilliant idea for us to make the most of her new surroundings by having two New Yorkers be her guides."
Dani shook her head as some of her irritation creeped back in.
"She was clearly confused by the whole thing as much as I was. He thought we might hit it off too. Full disclosure, she was straight, which made things even more confusing when he struck up the idea of becoming a throuple."
Malcolm couldn't help but guffaw, "No way!"
"Listen, I respect polyamory, but his proposition was definitely not about some profound revelation he had about himself." Dani explained with a grin, "He thought that if he did it in public, neither of us would cause a scene.
And we didn't. Technically," she took another sip of tea and smirked, "We just ordered the most expensive things on the menu and then pretended to go to the bathroom. We told the waitress what was going on, she let us sneak out the back with our food and stuck him with a massive bill. I dumped him by text the second I got home."
"Oh my God," Malcolm almost choked as he laughed even harder. "That's brilliant!"
"More petty than brutal, but it was still damn satisfying," she grinned as she finished her tea. "So I guess that's the long story of why this husband and wife having an 'adultery contest' is just plain... annoying." She scrunched her nose as she shook her head, "I understand they probably didn't choose each other, but I feel like when you are with someone, there's no room for cheating in any form. Especially when you're married."
"Definitely not." Malcolm agreed.
He might not have pictured himself marrying anyone, but he thought of how his mother had been so tortured over thinking that The Surgeon had cheated on her. He had never seen her in so much pain until the actual truth was revealed and it only strengthened his resolve to never put another woman in that situation.
"If you truly love the person you're with, you don't need to seek intimacy outside of the relationship."
"Exactly. You can have friendships with other people-"
"But it still shouldn't go beyond friendship." Malcolm grimaced, worried that he had somehow overstepped.
"I can hear your brain grinding its gears, Bright," Dani let out a small chuckle, "Don't be sorry, that's exactly what I was going to say." She was quiet for a moment before she caught sight of Malcolm's plate.
"Huh, what do you know? I've never seen you eat that much before."
It wasn't until she said that that he finally noticed that half of his sandwich had been completely eaten. He didn't even feel the need to bring it back up. For once, he just felt… full.
"Huh," he echoed, a warm feeling settling in his stomach.
So this was what it was like to have your appetite satisfied. It was a foreign feeling for him.
"Neither have I. Guess you must put something addictive in your food."
"Just a whole lotta brown butter and a dash of scotch bonnet pepper sauce. One of my Granmè's many cooking secrets. Any more and you'd be breathing fire." Dani gave a satisfied smile. "So what about you?"
Malcolm's brows furrowed in confusion. "What about me?"
"You got any ex stories? Something you wish you could rant about on Twitter?"
Malcolm snorted, his chin practically tucked to his chest as he fiddled with his fingers.
"Not really. I mean the only romantic relationship I could even classify as a real relationship was the one I had with Eve and well... you know how that turned out." Dani nodded. It seemed like there was more to his statement so she stayed quiet. "I don't know. I don't think I'm really made to have relationships. At least not the romantic kind."
"Don't say that." Malcolm snapped out of his daze at the firmness of her tone. "Look, Bright. I know you haven't had the best luck, but it doesn't mean that you don't deserve a good relationship. I really think that it'll happen for you."
"No." Even as he denied it, he couldn't bring himself to look away from her. "Even considering that what happened with Eve wasn't all on me and my issues-I'm just too much of a burden to be a good partner for anyone."
"Well, speaking as your work partner," Dani interjected, "And speaking as your friend. I just don't believe that."
"You seem so sure." Malcolm's eyes locked with hers, unsure and hopeful. "Why?"
Dani shrugged. Her eyes turned into charming little crescents as she gave him a tiny smile.
"Because you're you. I don't really know how else to explain it, but you care about people so much, to the point where you throw yourself in danger every other day. That's something to admire, at least."
A tiny chuckle escaped as Malcolm finished his tea, not realizing how warm his cheeks were growing.
"You flatter me, Detective Powell."
She let out a small sigh as she put down her mug with a decisive clink. "Well, I guess I should be heading out."
"You don't have to." Malcolm said hastily as he almost bolted out of his seat, "I just mean, it's pretty late and you've gotta be tired."
"Honestly, I'd love to stay," Dani smiled as she slowly got up, "but no offense, even a very expensive pullout couch is no match for a bed."
"There's actually two extra bedrooms."
"What?" Dani nearly got whiplash as she shot a look at him over her shoulder. "There are other bedrooms?"
"Upstairs," he sheepishly admitted. "There's a second floor with two bedrooms and a bathroom. Mother had them furnished, of course."
"So those stairs do lead somewhere," she huffed, suddenly finding the whole situation funny. "And you had me sleeping on your couch."
"I'm sorry," he winced, "I hardly ever go up there, I honestly forgot about it."
"Well..." Dani started, mulling over the pros and cons. "It is tempting not having to drive around in the city at this time of night. And I do still have an extra set of clothes in my car."
She squinted as she shot him a playful look. "You promise it's not some weird Harry Potter storage attic?"
"Okay, first of all, Harry lived in a cupboard under the stairs. It physically pains me that you got that wrong and second, I promise that they're normal rooms. Well..." Malcolm tipped his head to the side in afterthought, "More like hotel rooms."
"You make a compelling offer."
"And..." Malcolm hesitated, looking downright shy for once. "I don't usually eat breakfast, but I'd be more than happy to make you something in the morning."
"Oh really," Dani's lips curled into a teasing smile. "Something other than licorice and sparkling water?"
"Actually, I was thinking waffles." Malcolm saw the way her eyes widened at the mention, "Brown sugar and extra cinnamon with strawberry maple syrup. I remember you telling me about Saturday morning traditions with your dad and sisters."
She broke into a grin, an almost giddy feeling starting to bubble up. "Bright, you sure know how to charm a lady."
He beamed back at her. "One of my many hidden talents."
"I… guess it wouldn't hurt to stay," she cleared her throat, absently playing with the cuff of her sleeve, "I mean, then I'd be able to help with Isabella if you need it."
"Of course," Malcolm nodded vigorously, almost afraid that she wouldn't be there if he looked away for a second. "I appreciate it."
She simply smirked at him, but there was something light and affectionate behind it.
"I should get my stuff then."
Just as Dani turned to start heading out the door to get her overnight bag, Malcolm called out to her, unconsciously taking a step forward.
"Actually, Dani?"
She stopped at the front door, giving him an inquisitive look over her shoulder, unaware of how rapidly Malcolm's heart was beating, almost as if it was about to burst from his chest as his eyes traced over the curve of her cheek.
"Yeah?"
"I have something to ask you."
Welp, that was a longer chapter than I had planned.
I can't promise all future chapters will be this long but there was a lot that had to be said this time. I know there wasn't a whole lot of baby Isabella this chapter but don't worry, there will be more next time.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know your thoughts, theories... whether or not you wanna punch one of these suspects right in the nose, let me know!
Also, a big thank you to s4karuna on Tumblr for helping me edit!
Hope you guys are having a good day wherever you are and I hope you're all staying safe 3