Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Fabien
Nicolette and I make love all night long.
I take her hard and fast, then slow and sultry.
In the bed, on the couch, in the shower.
When we’re exhausted but not yet replete, I order food in the wee hours of the morning for more sustenance.
We take turns feeding each other cheese, crackers, and berries, washing it all down with chilled wine before we’re energized and at it again.
When the sun begins to peek over the horizon, painting the mountaintops with golden light in those magical hours between night and day, we collapse into bed, wrapped up in each other and falling into a deep sleep.
When I wake late the next morning and open my eyes, she’s already awake. Naked, lying next to me, her head is on my chest. Silently, she traces the outline of my jaw.
I realize she has no obligation to be here anymore. I owe it to her to honor that, even though I hate to think of us being separated.
“Our time is up,” I tell her. My voice is a little dry and husky. I don’t want to sound detached, but I don’t want to influence her either. If she stays… it has to be her choice.
“It is.” She continues to trace methodically. I reach for her hand and kiss her palm.
I don’t want to pressure her. I want her to know what she does next is fully up to her.
“What will you do about whoever kidnapped your brother?”
“We’ll find them,” I tell her. I draw in a breath and release it. “We always do.”
When she frowns, I want to ask her what’s on her mind, but I need to give her space.
I made love to her because I wanted to remember her like this. I wanted to break down the wall she put up between us, to bring her back to me. And it seems what I wanted worked. She lays in bed with me, without a hint of anger or resentment remaining.
“I’ve been through a lot, Fabien.” I want to kiss the sad downturn of her lips until she smiles. I want to hold her until the tension in her shoulders ebbs. I want her to know she’s safe with me, that she doesn’t have to hold everything on her own anymore.
I want her to know she’s priceless.
“You have.”
When she draws in a deep breath, her gaze comes to mine. “It takes a lot for me to trust someone.”
“I understand.” It’s why earning her trust means so much to me.
Her face relaxes into the hint of a smile. She looks almost… shy. “Good. I thought you would. Then I think it’s safe to assume that we can forget about whatever arrangement we had.”
I nod. My throat feels all tight. I hold myself back from squeezing her to me so I don’t smother her.
“I mean, I am absolutely taking that money. You can stand to part with it.”
I laugh out loud, and it feels so damn good. “It’s yours. You earned it.”
She gives me a wary but amused look. “You won’t let me forget that, will you?”
“Never.” The sound of her laugh warms me through.
“Alright then,” she says with a smile. “Then I have something to show you.”
“Alright?”
“You’ll have to let me go.” When I don’t, she reaches her face to mine and kisses my cheek. “You’ll have to eventually anyway. I need to do things like shave my legs and use the facilities.”
I sigh dramatically. “Fine, then. But you’d better come right back.”
“I will, promise.”
I let her go and watch as she pushes herself out of the bed. I have no idea what she’s going to show me.
Walking across the room, she lifts the bag that contained the knife she brought to the Baths. She slides her hand in and pulls out a velvet bag.
My pulse races. I stop breathing for a few seconds, before I shake my head. It can’t be…
“What did you do?” I whisper, shaking my head. “Nicolette…”
“You said you didn’t want to give them the real talisman.” A faint flush of pink colors her cheeks as she puts her hand in the bag. “You didn’t.”
Nicolette removes her hand, revealing the talisman. I blink, clearing my vision as if I’ve conjured it.
It’s still there.
I stare at the quartz sphinx in the palm of her hand. “What—How did you do that?” I hold out my hand.
“I wanted to surprise you,” she says sheepishly.
“I took the real one from Lyon. Swapped it. And when you pulled the alarm, I snagged the replica back and put both in the bag. Yesterday, we gave up the dupe. Whoever took Lyam has the false talisman, and eventually, when they find out, the Lyon family will be after them.”
The light hits the gems on its sides. I stare in disbelief at the artifact.
The Emperor Napoleon believed it would give him good luck.
What do I have to lose?
I hold it and stare. I lick my lips. I fervently wish that Nicolette will stay. I want her forever.
I look in her eyes. “You gave me the talisman.”
She shrugs. “You gave me two million dollars.”
I laugh and shake my head. “That was dangerous, and foolish, and brilliant. Mon Dieu. Nicolette.” I swallow. “Marry me.”
The way her eyes dance at me, I wonder if she thinks I’m joking. “You asked me once before. You were only teasing then.”
“Was I?”
“Fabien…” Her voice grows soft as she looks at me. “I…” When she bites her lip, I decide it’s time to tell her.
“I need to tell you one more thing before you answer me. Just one more.”
“Will it impact my decision?”
“I hope so.”
I hold the talisman in my hand. Whatever comes between us can be solved. I realized before our fight, before she tried to leave me, there was one barrier between us that remained.
I removed it.
“Fabien, what did you do?” she asks tremulously.
I sit up. “You wanted your sister here. You wanted to make sure she was safe.” I draw in a deep breath. “I don’t want you an ocean apart from me. The next time we go to the States, you’ll be with me.”
By the shocked look she’s giving me, she definitely didn’t expect that.
“What… do you mean?”
“You weren’t the only one with a surprise.”
She blinks and doesn’t respond. Her face has gone ashen.
“Savannah is on her way here. To Corsica, that is. I told her who I was. I didn’t tell her more than that because I don’t know what you’ve told her and how much you want to. She was so excited to see you.” I glance at the time. “And she should be here within the hour.”
I don’t know what I expect from her, but it isn’t what she does. Nicolette drops her head on my chest and bursts into tears.
I hold her to me. I kiss the top of her head.
My phone buzzes. Still holding her against me, I turn and reach for it.
“Hello?” I listen to the call and smile at Nicolette. “Thank you.”
I hang it up. “Savannah’s arrived. You want to go see her?”
“Hmm, let me think about it,” she says, tapping her chin. “Are you crazy?” Leaning in, she kisses me. I cup the back of her head and hold her while I kiss her back. I love her so damn much.
With a deep sigh, she looks me in the eyes. “Oui, Monsieur.”
“Yes, you want to see Savannah?”
“That wasn’t the only question you asked me.”
She uses my native tongue to answer the question I’ve wanted to ask her all along.
I have my answer.
“You’ll marry me?”
Lifting her tearstained face, she laughs. “Would you have it any other way?”
I don’t hesitate. “No.”
“Marriage should be a mutual decision,” she says teasingly.
I tug a lock of her hair. “I did ask…”
Dropping her head to my chest, she embraces me. I hold her and close my eyes.
“You were willing to give up the talisman for me,” she whispers.
“Of course I was. There’s nothing in the world more valuable to me than you.”
Smirking, she gives me that teasing look that melts me, every damn time.
“I may use that to my advantage,” she warns.
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”