Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Nicolette
Fabien answers his phone on the first ring and puts it on speaker so Thayer and I can hear him.
“Do you have it?”
“Of course I do. Do you have my brother?”
Lyam talks in the background. “Yeah, I’m here. I’m fine. I want this bullshit over.”
“Working on it.” Fabien grinds his teeth, likely biting back his threat to do something incredibly violent when he finds them, like pull out their fingernails with pliers or something.
They disconnect the call, likely because there’s no way to trace it.
Back in his room, we’ve gone over every detail with Thayer.
We have the talisman.
Lyon doesn’t suspect he’s been fooled. There’s been no apparent fallout…yet.
Tomorrow at sunrise we bring the talisman to Les Bains de Caldane and rescue his brother.
He’ll pay me, and I’ll be on my way.
I stare out the window, unsure as to why there’s a heavy weight in the pit of my stomach.
It could be anything.
I walk to the bedroom to undress and shower. I want a pair of comfortable jammies so badly I could cry.
I need to get a few things from my room but keep forgetting. I’ll…be in my own room tomorrow. My heart sinks.
I’ve made such a mistake. I’m not supposed to get involved with clients.
I never should have let myself become vulnerable.
If only I could’ve convinced myself this was only a job.
Just a job…
I pull out his desk chair and sit heavily, still dressed in my disguise. The lump in my throat feels as heavy as a boulder. I drop my face in my hands.
How do I forget the only man I’ve ever loved?
I can’t do this now. Tomorrow morning, my time is up.
Tomorrow morning, I’m a millionaire.
Why don’t I care anymore?
I wish I could tell him how I feel. I wish he knew.
I decide so suddenly it feels perfect. I know what I have to do.
I’ll write him a letter. I’ll tuck it in his drawer and tell him the truth. And if he wants to pretend he feels nothing for me…That’s on him.
I act without thinking.
I open his desk drawer, looking for paper and a pen. The first drawer reveals a notebook but no writing utensils. God, this is the most utilitarian desk I’ve ever seen. Yikes.
I open another drawer quickly. I don’t want him to see me going through these drawers, like I’m spying or something. I wipe at my damp eyes, shaking with the need to tell him what’s on my mind and in my heart. A sheath of papers sits in a pile. I just need a scrap.
I’m looking for a blank sheet when my gaze snags on a line.
Was that my…name?
I fan the papers out on the desk, as a chill comes over me.
If a person could be reduced to numbers and letters… He’s got…everything. All of me, right there. My lips part as I look it all over. “No…”
My bank account and balance history, grades in college, and notes written in the side.
Favorite color pink
Likes philosophy
Seems to be frugal
My cell phone number, a copy of my passport, my socials…
I close my eyes because the room’s spinning.
He’s the head of a mafia family.
I know this. What did I expect, that he’d offer me two million dollars blindly? Of course he wouldn’t.
He’s killed people.
He’ll do it again.
I was never meant to be with a man like Fabien Gerard. The woman in red and black? Maybe the likes of her can keep up with these men. But me?
My hands quaking, I put the papers back in the drawer.
It takes me a minute to remember why I wanted paper to begin with.
Fabien.
I wanted to tell him I loved him.
But what I just saw…I can’t tell myself that it doesn’t matter. And I definitely can’t tell myself that I do.
I get to my feet and fold my hands to try to stop them from shaking.
I’m not going to let this change what I have to do.
I’m here for the money, no more, no less.
I’ll pretend I saw nothing.
I put on a mask, and walk out to join Fabien and Thayer in the other room.
Thayer sits on a chair in the corner of the room, discussing every detail with Fabien, thrumming his knee with his fingers.
“We could call in our men,” he says thoughtfully.
“We could, but that won’t end well for us,” Fabien says, shaking his head. “There’s no way we could bring anyone but me —”
Um, excuse me? “And me!” I chime in. If I have this job to do, I’ll do it well, dammit. I didn’t come this far to be benched.
Fabien shakes his head. “No. I won’t even have Thayer there. I have to do this alone, or we lose everything.”
He never told me he wouldn’t have me with him when he brought the talisman. Why did I assume he would?
“Fabien,” I say reproachfully, ignoring the way my nose tingles with the sudden need to cry. “You didn’t tell me I wouldn’t go. I thought we would go together. I thought the whole point—”
“Was for you to do what I say,” he snaps.
“Ah. I hear and obey, master,” I snark.
Thayer stands with a little grimace. “Annnnd, that’s my cue,” he finishes. He stands to leave when my phone rings.
Savannah
I answer on the first ring as I walk to the balcony for some privacy. I turn my back to Fabien.
“Hey,” she says, as I slide the glass door closed. “You okay?”
“I’m good. Why?”
“I tried to call you and couldn’t get through. It made me nervous.”
I can’t tell her I left my phone here when we went to the club.
“I’m fine, babe. I’m sorry you couldn’t get me. Tell me everything that happened.”
“Your…friend? Sent someone out to help me. They brought me home and checked to be sure I was safe.”
I release a breath. Just like he said he would.
But he doesn’t care about me. He doesn’t care about her.
“But I overheard something that troubled me.”
A chill skates down my spine. “What was that?” If she knows about me and Fabien…if she even knew where I worked…
“They said something about Gerard. Tell me that’s your man’s first name and not the Gerard family.”
I feel my brows snap together. I look over my shoulder to see Fabien closing the door behind Thayer.
“What do you know about the Gerard family?” I hiss into the phone.
“Uh, other than the fact that they’re French mafia? Isn’t that enough? Nicolette,” she suddenly says. “Did you—are you—you didn’t. Tell me you didn’t!”
“Didn’t what?”
The sliding glass door opens and Fabien steps out to join me. I can feel his presence before I even look over my shoulder.
“We need to talk,” he says in that commanding voice of his that brooks no opposition.
I swivel around to face him. “I’m on the phone with my sister.”
He narrows his eyes at me and clenches his jaw. “Fine. Finish your conversation.”
“Do you have to go?” Savannah asks.
“Yeah. I promise I’ll tell you everything, but I have to go for now.”
Savannah sighs on the other end of the phone. “Are you in trouble, Nicolette? I’ll come and get you. Just say the word, and I’ll find a way—”
“No, no, I’m fine, I promise. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” I ignore the way my heart races at the warning look he’s giving me. The way his voice is a low purr, like the revving of an engine.
She sighs. “Alright. Just please, be careful, okay?”
“I will,” I whisper, as I hang up the call.
“Is there a problem?”
I shake my head. “No problem.” I glance over his shoulder at the clock on the wall in the room. “I have…twelve hours until our deal is up. And when it is, how will I receive payment?”
“Any way you wish.” His voice is a lash against my skin. I flinch. “Why are you angry?”
“Angry?” I say, shaking my head. “Why would I be angry? What it is you want to talk about?”
“This attitude,” he says. I open my mouth to speak when he reaches for me, lifts me, and turns to carry me back into the room.
“That is not what you were going to talk about,” I fume. “You’re lying. Just like you have—”
I stop myself mid-sentence and turn away. I clench my teeth together.
I’m pulled against him. He tilts my chin and forces me to look into his eyes.
“Just like I have what?”
I swallow. I lick my lips. “The whole time,” I say on a whisper, my voice wobbling. “You pretended we just ran into each other. You pretended you didn’t know me. Meanwhile, it was your plan to manipulate me from the very beginning.”
When he doesn’t reply, I push. I need to know. I need him to tell me.
“Are you going to deny it?”
Deny it. Explain this away. Tell me it never happened.
When he shakes his head, my heart sinks to my toes.
His phone rings.
“Jesus Christ,” he mutters under his breath. “Why can’t I get one mother fucking minute? I’m not answering it.”
What if it’s his brother?
Nope. No skin off my nose. It’s his problem, not mine.
The ringing goes on, and on, and on until he grabs his cell and pushes a button.
“What?” He shakes his head. “You want me to bring it now? Fine. Same place?” He drops me on the couch like I’m a sack of potatoes. Then he freezes.
“What?”
He stares at me, his nostrils flared. When he speaks, he doesn’t bother to hide his scalding fury. “Fine.”
He hangs up the phone and throws it across the room. I gasp when it shatters and falls to the floor in fragments.
“You got your wish,” he spits out.
“What?” What the hell is he talking about?
“They told me to bring you.” I stare at him, processing what he’s just said.
“Me?”
“I don’t take orders from people, Nicolette.” He takes a step toward me.
“Oh, believe you me, I know.” I stand my ground, hands on my hips.
“When I find out who this is, they’ll wish they never cornered me.”
“Of course. Naturally.” I swallow and stay right where I am. “When do we leave?”
My heart beats faster as he steps so close to me I can almost touch him.
“Right. Now. Let’s get this over with. Let’s put this behind us, once and for all.”