10. Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN
B enedikt was acting suspiciously. I knew I didn’t trust men, but when one acted obsessed with me, I took notice. I put on the yellow sundress, and he made me feel beautiful. He held my hand all the way into the stretch limo. We stayed cuddled together until we pulled onto the tarmac.
“I thought you were taking me to lunch.” I nervously looked around us, as Benedikt helped me out of the vehicle.
“I am.” He escorted me onto the plane. “I never said it was going to be in this country.”
“Oh.” Surprised, I looked around the luxurious plane.
He escorted me to our seats. They were white and looked expensive, for sure. I sank into my chair and it was an experience. The seat cupped my butt, and really hugged my body in all the right ways, which was relaxing.
“Do you want to be surprised about where we are going?” Benedikt asked.
I shook my head. “No, I want to know.”
“Paris. There’s a nice luncheon spot I think you’ll love.”
I felt like my heart was fluttering in my chest. He was taking me to one of the most romantic places on Earth. What did that mean?
“How long will the trip take?”
Benedikt shrugged. “Three hours.”
I thought it would be longer. “I don’t remember if I’ve ever had French cuisine.”
“That’s alright, we are making fresh memories.” He kissed my cheek.
I couldn’t help but feel a swell in my chest. This man could wreck me. “I want my old ones though.”
“Live in the moment with me, my malen'kiy angel.” Benedikt lifted my hand and kissed the back of it.
“I can try,” I murmured, mesmerized by his movements.
We spent the flight nibbling on crackers and cheese. I drank entirely too much champagne, which made me giggly. Just like Benedikt said, the flight landed three hours later. We debarked and headed out into the streets of Paris.
We walked, holding hands, down the narrow cobblestone street, and I felt like I had entered a different world. The small sign for Le Jardin de Mademoiselle was almost hidden under the ivy cascading over the entrance, like a secret only a few lucky souls knew about. My heart skipped a beat when he glanced at me, smiling as he gently took my hand, guiding me through the wooden doors.
Inside, it was as if time slowed down. The cafe was tucked away like a well-kept secret, its charm unapologetically intimate. We passed through the cozy indoor space, lit softly by hanging lights that reminded me of starlight, and out into the garden. It took my breath away. Lush greenery surrounded us, flowers in soft shades of pink, lavender, and white climbed over wrought-iron fences and stone walls, creating a private little sanctuary in the heart of Paris.
The sound of gentle laughter and clinking glasses filled the air, but nothing overpowered the tranquility of the garden. It was like we were hidden away from the rest of the world. The server led us to a small, round table nestled beneath a flowering tree, the scent of fresh blooms filling the air. I sat down, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin as it peeked through the leaves. He sat across from me, eyes never leaving mine, as if he knew the magic of this place had already worked its spell on me.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” I said over our menus.
“Do you want me to order for you?” Benedikt put down his, like he knew it by heart.
“I’d like that if you don’t mind.” I closed my menu and took a sip of my water.
The server came right along and Benedikt ordered in flawless French. I wish I knew another language. I could remember fragments of Spanish, but not enough to hold a conversation, I don’t think. I wasn’t sure.
Our service was swift.
We sipped on wine that tasted like summer, and each bite of the meal felt like a celebration. Time seemed irrelevant as we lingered over lunch, our conversation flowing as naturally as the gentle breeze that brushed through the garden. It wasn’t just the beauty of the setting that made my heart race, it was the way he looked at me, like I was the only person in Paris.
As we finished, I leaned back in my chair, looking up at the canopy of leaves and flowers above us, wondering if I’d ever experienced a moment more perfect. Paris had always been a dream, but sharing it with him, in this enchanting little garden, made it unforgettable.
“Would you like to walk off the food?” Benedikt got out of his chair and held a hand out to me.
I took it. “I would be a fool not to agree.” If there was another man in my life who’d treated me the way Benedikt did, I doubted it .
As we walked, we learned about each other. Or rather, I learned about him.
“Where are your parents?” I hadn’t heard him mention them, nor had I seen them.
“They died a long time ago.” His inflection didn’t change.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” My heart ached to think of a young Benedikt all on his own.
“It was a long time ago.” He shrugged.
“That doesn’t make it hurt any less,” I whispered.
We turned on another narrow cobblestone street and Benedikt turned to face me, stopping us in our tracks.
“Isadora, I know you may not trust me, but if you can give me five percent of your trust, I will earn the other ninety-five percent.” He knelt on the ground with one knee.
“What the fuck,” I whispered. This couldn’t be happening, right?
Benedikt reached into his jacket and pulled out a jewelry box. “I can’t get you out of my veins. I need you to become my wife. So, will you?”
A large blue diamond sat snuggled in a gold band. “Yes,” I whispered. From the moment I’d met him, he’d been constant in his obsession with me. It should be terrifying, but it wasn’t. He cared for me, and I’d thought I was in this world alone. I didn’t have the energy to say no, even if I wanted to. My body was that tired.
Benedikt hopped up and wrapped his arms around me, spinning me around in a circle. “Fuck yes, you’re going to be mine. Only mine.”
I let out a small giggle. I didn’t trust him yet, but his enthusiasm made up for it. He set me down on my feet gently and we walked to the river. He bent me over and placed a romantic kiss on my lips. Swooning, I lost myself in his touch. When we came up for air, he held my hand, and together we watched the sun set below the river .
I couldn’t help but wish I had my memories.
It was hard to keep moving forward in life, when I didn’t know who I was in the past. I couldn’t help but feel like I was forgetting something dangerous. That there was a memory I needed, but couldn’t grasp.
Benedikt gripped my hand, bringing me back to the here and now. His salt and pepper hair stood out as it got darker. He hadn’t brought up my age, but I was certain he thought about it. I mean, I was young.
Not even twenty yet.
“How old are you?” I blurted, interrupting the peaceful silence.
“I’m thirty nine. I turn forty in October.”
“Holy shit,” I mumbled beneath my breath. I knew he was older. I didn’t know he was that old.
“What, is that a deal breaker?” Benedikt deadpanned.
“N-no,” I stammered, almost stumbling over a cobblestone.
Benedikt helped right me. “I was just joking. There’s no way you’re getting away from me now, fiancée.” He kissed my lips and looked at the sky with a sigh. “We better head back.”
“Oh, yeah.” My voice went hollow. How could I forget I would eventually have to go back to my pretty cage? Beautiful it may be, but it was still a gilded prison, and I would do well to remember that fact.
“It won’t be for long, just until we wrap things up. I have a few business dealings I need to take care of, then we can head to Karelia.”
“Where’s that?” I’d never heard of another place. He wanted us to move?
“It’s almost in Finnish territory. I have a vast house out there, surrounded by traps. We’ll be safe out there together.”
Alone? He wanted to take me away to a remote location no one could get to, because it was booby trapped. I knew Benedikt was a psychopath. I mean, I thought that after meeting the calm Roman, and after glimpsing Alexie and Viktor.
Those men seemed to have women who weren’t too crazy.
Benedikt, however, had been alone for too long. He didn’t think taking a woman, no matter if she was his wife, to a remote location surrounded by booby traps, didn’t sound like the opening line for a terrible horror movie.
I may have lived at The Academy, but I knew all the ways a human could fall into a serial killer’s trap. This was one of them. I backed away from him.
“Do we have to move?”
Benedikt looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “What do you mean, do we have to move?” He growled out. “How else will I protect you?”
I gulped.
His protection felt more like smothering, and if I wasn’t careful, I may lose who I was to begin with. I wasn’t so sure that was a bad thing, as I was too tired to fight. Does he notice how little I fight back? How little I care? Maybe I would curl up in bed, and close my eyes. If they never opened again, would anyone miss me?