Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Luc
K enny and Stone offered to come over, but I refused. I didn’t need them piling into the house that already felt too full.
Too full and yet empty. Bereft of the person I most wanted here with me.
Aurelie had tried to console me when I walked back in from my feeble attempt to convince Elise I didn’t want to control her or her business. I only wanted to be with her.
Aurelie had promised that Elise would see the truth. That if she knew me at all, she’d know. But would she? Would she know I wasn’t like her ex? That I was trustworthy?
How could she know such a thing when our relationship began as a lie? Granted, it was a lie she was in on, but that didn’t matter at this point.
Did I deserve her trust?
More and more, with every hour that ticked by with the speed of a month, I worried the answer was no.
At seven the next morning, I showered and dressed. Without waking my sister and Michele, I left to meet with my grandfather. He’d summoned me late last night via text, and though I had nothing left to say to him, some part of me yearned for him to make this right. I didn’t know how he could, but the Luc who’d grown up with him as a loving if sometimes distant grandfather longed to repair at least one thing in my life right now.
After I’d followed Elise out last night, I’d run back inside to get my phone. Everyone had been arguing, Odette with her parents and Aurelie with Grand-père. When I entered, they stopped, and I looked him in his face and said the only thing I could think of.
“I don’t understand you.”
He only stared back. I paid no mind to anyone else, leaving Aurelie and Michele to their own devices to get home. They’d handle it. And in the meantime, I went to print off the documentation I had about her business so I could at least give her that proof.
This morning when I walked in, a twinge of relief swept in at seeing only my grandfather. In fact, he answered his hotel suite door in a robe, his pajamas still on underneath and his feet bare.
I blinked and grabbed the door frame. “Are you ill?”
He’d already walked away from the door and spoke only in French when he replied. “No. I didn’t sleep last night.”
I entered, completely disarmed by his unkempt appearance and the way he seemed to be moving slowly. Maybe he was coming down with something?
He lowered himself into a chair in the sitting area of his suite and gestured to a vacant seat next to him. I complied, unsure of how to behave on this alien planet where my grandfather was visibly human.
“I’ve wronged you.”
My breath caught and I stilled, the small cup full of black coffee only partway to my mouth.
“I thought it was all a ruse. Thought your Elise was a smoke screen. Thought you were just acting out, another version of Japan or the Army or that time you pretended you broke your arm so you wouldn’t have to attend the cotillion classes.”
I huffed a surprised laugh and set the cup back down. He would’ve been right before. And I had every right to refuse him. But now, saying Elise was anything but everything I wanted would be the lie.
“I’d made promises to Bernard and Cynthia, but I have no loyalty to them. I’ve spent my life attempting to instill devotion to family and here, I’ve abandoned it.” His forehead furrowed and he looked at me from under his silver brows. “When I saw her face, her devastation, and it hit me what I’d done… when I saw you and your regret… I knew how deeply I’ve failed you, Jean-Luc, and for that I am sorry.”
Emotion cinched my throat closed as I processed words I’d never dreamed of hearing. In all the back and forth conversations, all my resignations to him mentally and even in real life, I’d never imagined he’d admit wrong, let alone apologize. And yet here he was, truly saying it. And it seemed, truly meaning it.
“Thank you. I’m sorry I couldn’t do what you wanted me to.”
He shook his head, regret fully bloomed on his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen.”
I huffed at nearly the same time he did, both of us holding any further outward show of emotion at bay. I didn’t know what this meant going forward, but it gave me hope I hadn’t had for years regarding this man who’d been here all my life in the only way he knew how.
His eyes met mine. “Please. Forgive me.”
“Of course.”
He leaned in, and we embraced for a few seconds before releasing one another.
“Will she forgive you after what I did?” he asked, what looked like genuine worry threaded in his tone.
“After what I did, ultimately. And… I don’t know. I hope.” I couldn’t stop hoping, even if I wasn’t sure I deserved the forgiveness.
“I’ve gotten everything wrong here, and I fear your father has wronged you, too, though I don’t know if we’ll ever see him long enough for him to admit it.” He frowned, deep regret etched into the lines of his weathered face. “But you’re right about me on that count, as well. I didn’t let your mother in. I didn’t allow for how she loved him. I didn’t see how losing her was destroying him, and now that I do, I so feared it happening to you. I didn’t want you to love because love hurts. A marriage that’s a business deal… you can protect your heart in it.”
I nodded, my heart aching. “I thought I could protect myself. Keep myself from that full-force love we Devereaux men seem to fall into.”
He laughed softly and shook his head. “Ah, you always were a stubborn child.”
I laughed, too. “I didn’t mean to put you through everything I did. But I didn’t know who I was. And when you called weeks ago, it felt like when Mom died all over again. Like you were ready to tell me who I was. But I know now.” I swallowed hard, the clarity utterly crystalline. “I’m Jean-Luc Devereaux. I love my family, and I love the people who’ve adopted me into theirs.”
Eyes shining, he nodded.
“And I love Elise.”
“ Très bien ,” he whispered, and I rose, eager to get back home, or maybe stop by and see if I could talk to Elise at her shop.
“Me, too, then. Of course you don’t need it, but you have my blessing. And the trust is also yours. I’ll have it released once I’m back on French soil, chez le notaire .”
We hugged again, and I left feeling confusingly lighter, but heavier at the same time. One major part of my life had just improved—it’d broken open in a pivotal way. But the part that’d rapidly become the most precious thing to me… that was still broken. And I might’ve been a patient man, but I couldn’t wait.
I went to Glazed and found Marisol at the register.
“Sorry, Luc. She called me last night and asked me to open.” Her wide smile was kind, if a bit perplexed.
Yeah. Logically, I would know. I’d been with her nonstop lately. Everyone knew we were together and only the people closest to us knew it was fake—or that it’d started that way.
“Thanks, Mari. Have a good day.”
I shouldn’t have been surprised she’d called out. In fact, I was glad she had. She needed rest and I’d placed extra demand on her life this last while with all the dinners and familial obligations. Hopefully, she’d been able to sleep last night and had slept in.
By the time I arrived at her apartment complex, I’d promised myself I’d text her and wait a few minutes. Sitting in my car and feeling more restless than I had all night, I sent a message. After three minutes, I got out of the car and paced on the sidewalk.
After another three, I sent another text. I didn’t want to crowd her, but my gut told me something was wrong. Could be I felt the distance between us was the problem, and every instinct in me wanted to solve the problem, but the low hum of dread had me on edge.
Finally, I couldn’t stand waiting any longer. I’d been here ten minutes and hadn’t heard from her. There was every possibility I’d knock on her door, and she’d come open it and shoot daggers from her eyes at me for waking her up on a day when she could’ve slept in. I’d accept the title of selfish jackass and it’d be one more thing I needed to grovel for.
At first a quick knock. Then a full minute and a half later, a more forceful one.
Nothing.
“Elise. Please, open up,” I spoke to the door to no avail.
The temptation to bang on the panel separating us grew rapidly, but I didn’t want to wake the neighbors and start drama. I texted Adam to request Jo give him Dove’s number.
After a quick call with Doc to reassure him everything was fine, I called Dove.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Dove. This is Luc. I know Elise is upset, but I’m wondering if you could just…” I tugged at the wild ends of my hair, no doubt leaving them sticking up. “Can you tell me she’s okay?”
“Aw, you’ll be okay. And she will, too. I left late last night because I have work this morning. She had planned to sleep in a bit and then go for a jog.”
The red flag started waving.
“What time?”
“Uh, not sure exactly when. But we joke all the time how we’re early birds. She once told me seven was like a whole lifetime of sleep after waking up at four most days. Do you?—”
“Thanks, Dove.” I hung up, not staying on the line long enough for her to finish her question, forgoing the concern over the neighbors and leaning into the very real worry I had now.
“Elise. Please. Please open up.” I knocked again, then tried the door handle.
When it inched open, my blood ran cold.
Out for a run or still in bed, either way, this door would be locked. She was careful, especially after Callum had showed up at her place weeks ago. She wouldn’t have left this unlocked for any reason.
No hesitation. I entered, eyes clocking the entryway bench and the three sets of shoes tucked neatly under it, including the sneakers she used for running. It all piled up, leading to what I knew I’d find—an empty bed, and worse, her phone still plugged in next to it.
In seconds, I searched the rest of the apartment, then called the police. First things first. After that, with shaking hands as reality settled in, my next call was to Bruce.
“I think Elise—” I sucked in a breath, the adrenaline making me short of breath, and pushed out the words hammering through my mind. “I think she’s been taken.”