Chapter 31
“Aurora.” Madeline clicks her fingers, dragging my attention back to her.
“Huh.” I shake myself out of my daydream as I stare at the spot in the grass Luc and I fucked on yesterday.
“Where did you go?” Madeline asks, taking a sip of her champagne.
To the bank where Luc made me forget my name multiple times. My center throbs with the memory. “Just tired,” I reply, taking a flute full of light yellow–colored fizz from Madeline’s outstretched hand. It was a special champagne, I was led to believe. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” I ask, taking a small sip.
“This place turned out great,” Madeline gushed, her eyes scanning the ceiling and surroundings. After we finished devouring each other, we completed setting up the soon-to-be Under the Stars glamping suite. A table with a hanging macramé chair and hanging plants sits up against the clear side of the cover with a picturesque view of the lush green trees. A small portable heater lines the side, perfect for keeping the dome warm on the colder nights. Madeline cuts off a piece of cheese from the board of charcuterie she brought.
“Yeah, I am happy with how it turned out.” I admire the coziness of the room. “Let’s take some pictures so I can put it up on the website.” I fold the blanket into an aesthetically pleasing square and drape it over the bed, while Madeline tweaks the furniture. I snap a few photos. Maybe we’ll get a booking soon, I would hate for Luc to start on that argument again.
The pontoon shifts under our feet, and my hand reaches out to steady myself on the headboard of the bed. “What the…” I exclaim. Madeline wasn’t quick enough, and her champagne tipped over, splashing down her top.
“Is it just me, or are we moving?” She stares between the wet patch on her top and me.
The pontoon rocks again. “I think…it must be the waves of the moat?”
“Aurora? There are no waves.” Madeline reaches for a cloth and blots her sweater.
“Then how the fuck are we moving?’
I cross the small area and lift the flap to find the looming chateau becoming smaller. And Luc standing on the grassy edge his arms crossed over his chest and a smug grin on his face.
“Enjoy your swim, ladies.”
“LUUUCCCCCCC,” I scream.
“What, what is it?” Madeline pulls the flap back farther and pops her head next to mine.
“What the—?” Her mouth falls open.
“Payback is best served with the sleeping fish,” Luc calls over the soft lapping of the water. My knuckles death-grip the flap opening; this is not how I envisioned my night going.
“How very Godfather of you,” I call out.
“I figured Ade was your cousin right after she said, ‘Madeline had approved,’” he shouts into the dusk air in air quotes. “Enjoy your night on the moat, ladies.” He waves us off and leaves, letting us float across the moat. Madeline and I both scream his name, but he ignores us and continues to walk away.
“He is so dead,” I seethe, my teeth alternating between chattering from anxiety and grinding from anger. The warm and fuzzy feeling from earlier has vanished. I did not want a repeat of the other month, swimming in the gross moat once was more than enough for me.
Madeline tuts. “Well played.” We both knew the payback was coming—he just waited until the perfect time.
Henry fished us from the moat the next day. I spent more hours awake working out my payback than actually sleeping. Swimming in pitch-black waters is not the vibe I was looking for for our girls’ night.
“How did you end up out there again?” Henry asked.
“It was him.” I poke my finger at the chateau.
“See that is why this is a death trap,” André says, from his spot next to Henry, arms crossed over his chest. “Horrible. Terrible idea. here let me help you by taking it down.” He shakes his head.
“Where is he,” I seethe, completely ignoring André and Henry.
“What are you going to do?”
Maybe it’s the wild glint in my eye or the budding friendship between Luc and André that has him a little scared about my plans.
“It’s time for a little payback.” I stomp off.
My blood pulses under my skin with each step I take. My feet crash into the small rocks, flicking them up with the ferocity of my steps. I make my way to the g?te, a devious smile gracing my lips. I’ve gotten to know Luc’s routine quite well, and he usually loves to take a shower this time of morning. I push the door open with a little more force than necessary and find Luc’s clothes in a pile on the floor and the bedsheets still unmade. Without thinking, I start balling the clothes up and tuck them under my arm—it wasn’t my original plan, but it will make a nice little addition to it. He’ll have no choice but to walk about in his underwear, exposing the hard planes of his chest and his thick muscular thighs. A line of drool forms in the corner of my mouth. I quickly shake the image from my head and give my libido the stern reminder it needs. I realize maybe that wouldn’t be such a good idea; it would only punish me more than him. I stomp past the closed bathroom door, right to the taps André informed me were responsible for the hot water, and pull it off.
“What the?” André looks up from where he is disassembling the tent.
“Oh, don’t mind me,” I reply, throwing Luc’s clothes in the biggest arc I can manage. “I’m just doing a little bit of washing.”
André’s staring at where Luc’s clothes landed, his eyes wide in horror. “Remind me to never take my clothes off around you.”
“Aurora.” Luc’s roar shakes the ground. We both jump and turn to see him stomping toward us, a towel wrapped dangerously low on his hips and water dripping down his hair.
“Yes?” I call sweetly, rapidly blinking my eyes in innocence. Luc stops in front of me, leaving only a breath of space between them. My eyes are drawn to a droplet of water that slowly travels from the soft curl of Luc’s brown hair, down his neck, and between the planes of his chest. I hold my bottom lip between my teeth, my tongue wanting to track the journey it is taking.
“I know it was you,” Luc breathed, closing the distance between us.
“What was me?” My voice is low and breathy; my clothes feel too tight on my skin.
Luc bends slightly, his lips featherlight brushing the outer shell of my ear. “You turned the hot water off.” The feel of his hot breath on the nape of my neck causes me to shiver.
“The hot water is off. Hmm. I best get Henry to look at that.” My voice is barely above a whisper as I continue to play coy.
“I think you best do that,” Luc whispers back.
“Oh, and Luc?”
“Yes?”
“I hope you’re as good with a fishing line as you think you are. I believe I saw some clothes floating in the moat, and they looked like they may belong to you.”
“Aurora,” he growls, running a hand through his hair and dropping the hold he has on his towel, which unravels, leaving him naked. André whistles from behind me as heat creeps up my neck.
Fuck, Luc.
André walks past us, his forefinger curling under my chin to close my mouth. “Oh, Aurora, you lost that one.”
Luc throws his head back and laughs, making his way back to the g?te, his perfect ass swaying with each step.
“Curse him,” I spit.
“Trust me, Impératrice, my soul was cursed the day I met you. But it was the single greatest fucking thing to ever happen to me.”
If getting under my skin is a sport. Luc wins a gold medal at it.
With my computer open, resting on the kitchen table, I proceed to go through my most hated task of the month. Paying bills. Even though both Louis and my father left me with a bit of money to help with the renovations, between the actual running costs and the labor bills, running the chateau is becoming a bit of a money pit. I need to get some bookings happening and soon. My little cushion of savings is becoming smaller and smaller by the week.
My phone beeps with a message.
Timothé
I’m out front.
What’s he doing here? I still haven’t found the jewels he’s talking about. I throw my phone down and stand up, the chair scraping on the floor harder than necessary. I walk outside, a knot forming in my stomach. I run my finger over my dad’s tattoo before I tuck my shaking hand into my pocket, wishing Luc was still here, but he had to go to work.
“Bonjour,” I greet as Timothé gets out of his car.
“Bonjour.” He does the button of his suit jacket up and dips back into the car to collect his briefcase. I opt for a handshake, wanting to keep him at arm’s length, and lead him inside.
He looks around the fa?ad?. “How things have changed.” He smiles.
“Yeah.” I run my teeth along my bottom lip as a wave of emotion washes over me, making my eyes prickle with tears.
“Louis would be proud.” Timothé reaches to take my hand, but I take a step back.
What are you doing here? is on the tip of my tongue, but I instead opt to stay quiet and wait for Timothé to start talking. The air in the room grows thick around us. “Do you want to have a look around?” I ask, digging my hands farther into my pockets and toeing the gravel under my shoe.
Timothé visibly clears his throat. “I would like that.” He follows close behind as I spend the next twenty minutes showing him all the changes Luc and I have made to the place.
“You’ve done a really good job, Aurora,” Timothé says as we come to stand by his car again.
“Thanks.” I smile my first genuine smile since Timothé arrived. We both stand there, staring at each other. Something in the way Timothé smiles reminds me of someone—I just can’t place who.
Timothé clears his throat. “As you know, part of the clause in Louis’s will was that you had six months to have the chateau livable. And that deadline is fast approaching.”
“I’m aware.” The smile falls slightly.
“From the looks of this place, you’re well on your way to achieving that.” Timothé stops before he reaches his car. “Have you found my jewels yet?”
My fingertips tingle, the hair on my neck raises, and I struggle to swallow with my suddenly dry throat. “No,” I reply.
“Shame. Do make sure you let me know when you do.” He gets into his car.
“Will do,” I reply. NOT. I stand there waving until the dust from his car has long since settled.
I can’t escape the feeling—I need to tell Luc about Timothé.