Chapter 7 #2
“I feel like I’ve stepped through a portal into another realm,” she says, blinking in the bright light that’s in such stark contrast to the dim lighting outside.
“I half expect a witch or a magician to emerge to take us to our rooms. Old-world history meets modern-day luxury?” she asks in a low voice.
“You could say that.”
My family bought Le Marquise, tucked deep in the fifth arrondissement of Paris, after my father’s passing. It’s charming and comfortable but built like a fortress.
She’ll join me in a private suite.
It’s clean in here and ready for guests, though Cosette and I will be the only ones. We keep it stocked with emergency food supplies, fresh water, and toiletries.
“We’ll be in the penthouse,” I say to staff.
“Yes, sir.” They take our bags and I take her hand. The elevator will take us to the top floor, built for a solid view of the Louvre.
I issue commands as we walk to the elevator, delegating.
“Call Philippe. I want a conference call in an hour. Make sure he knows where I am and that all security personnel have us locked down.” After Le Luxe was infiltrated, we put in security measures unlike anything we’d ever done before.
We spent millions of dollars vetting our staff and putting into place a secret network of people and places that would provide safety.
It isn’t just me, Thayer, and Fabien anymore.
We could handle ourselves and always have.
Between our informants and security, and our own talents when it comes to wielding a weapon—the most important being the lack of a conscience that gives us the added luxury of being able to pull the trigger—we’re almost fucking untouchable.
When you don’t fear death, you’re untouchable.
But we have our mother who’d no sooner pull the trigger of a gun than live in an underground submarine. And now… children. Babies. Dependents.
Our safety matters.
“Cars,” Victor, one of my staff, mutters. “What kind of fucking cars do we need?”
I give him a list.
Perrine joins him, her hair tucked into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, her eyes glowing with excitement. She loves weapons the way some women love shoes. “Weapons, sir?”
Cosette stares and blinks as if I’ve just transported her into a magical kingdom where fairies and wizards live.
“Where are we?” she whispers.
“It’s called Le Marquise.”
“Whoa. I thought Le Luxe was something else. I mean, it’s the height of luxury, but seriously, Lyam. This is… this is stunning. And it’s so hidden. Like, you’d need to be in an airplane or helicopter just to see it.” She pauses. “Wait—”
I nod. “We’ve thought about that, too.”
Fabien was the one that chose militaristic security measures to guard against anyone ever seeing us.
“It’s like we’re hidden in a world between worlds,” she replies.
I check my phone and grunt in reply. She always was a romantic at heart and sees the charm in every little thing.
“Can I get you anything to eat, Mr. Gerard?”
I look to Cosette. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” she says, her hand on her belly. “I swear I ate a good breakfast and now—”
“You’re pregnant.” I turn to Victor. “She’s pregnant.
Make sure everything prepared for her is suitable for a pregnant woman.
We’re going upstairs to regroup, and I’ll be down in an hour for the meeting.
We’ll be here for a while, so I want to make sure we’re ready.
” I scratch my jaw. Cosette stares. “We’ve got the doctor visits arranged.
I want to be sure she has all the food she needs, proper hydration, her vitamins, and the remedies she needs for nausea.
Finally, I want my brothers to know I’m here, but no one else.
” I harden my voice. “Is that clear? No one.”
“Clear. Consider it done.”
We walk to the elevator as my staff hustles to make sure everything around us is done the way I asked. They know who I am and what I expect. I reward those who obey and punish those who don’t. Every member of my staff is loyal, dependable, and bulletproof.
I push the elevator button. It dings, ready for us.
“They just obey you,” she whispers, shaking her head. “Why? How? Even at Le Luxe, things were more like… peers. There was a different vibe. Here, though…”
“We only come here if we need top-notch security,” I explain. “We only come here if we’re in danger. So yeah, they do what I say.”
“Ahhhh. All of them?”
I give her a warning look. “Yeah, baby. All of them. There’s only one person who doesn’t. You know who that is?”
“Um,” she says with a sheepish little grin. “Me?”
“Very good. You get a gold star.”
I don’t tell her that it’s her refusal to obey me that initially intrigued me. I’d never met anyone who defied me so fearlessly as Cosette.
It really got to me. I had a hard time reconciling her willingness to serve in bed with her refusal to obey me outside of it.
I knew she’d pose a challenge, and I loved that.
I take her elbow to steady her as we step onto the elevator. She doesn’t need me to, but I can’t help but do it automatically.
She’s carrying my baby. This isn’t just us anymore. Her safety’s never been more important.
I know now why she did what she did. I know now that even though her actions were heinous and dangerous, she had good reason for doing what she did. I know now that my gut instinct about her when I first met her wasn’t off.
“Oh, wow. The elevator doesn’t make a sound. It just whirrs while you magically travel.”
I grunt in reply while I answer a text from Fabien and take Thayer’s voicemail.
Everyone’s safe.
Thayer wants to know what’s the status of our prisoner.
Thayer:
Have you found anything out?
Me:
Some, and I also understand her motives now
Thayer:
Don’t let that pretty face and her magical pussy sway you from what you have to do
Me:
Touché, brother. You underestimate me
Have I found anything out? You could say that.
When we enter the penthouse, Cosette goes from room to room, examining every little detail.
“Little rosebuds on the towel that were embroidered by hand. Wow. And matching soaps! Look, how adorable!”
“Did you say rose soaps?”
I put my phone down mid-reply to Fabien when she stands in the doorway holding something.
“Yes. Look how cute!” Small, rose-shaped soaps sit in the palm of her hand.
“Jesus,” I mutter. “Where did those come from? Someone who was outfitting this place must’ve taken them from home.” I shake my head.
“What do you mean?”
“I carved these. I learned how to carve things by hand by practicing on soap. My mother thought it was clever, so I guess she kept them or something.” I shrug. “I made these when I was a kid.”
She quirks a brow. “Why does it not surprise me you had access to knives when you were a kid?”
I snort and pick up a piece. I still remember sitting by the fireplace in our family home. My father was still alive.
Funny how a little bit of soap can trigger such vivid memories.
I shake myself out of my reverie. We’re short on time, and Cosette’s pregnant. Who knows what she’ll need from me.
“I have a few things to do. Settle in and we’ll get something to eat.”
When I finally look up from my phone an hour later, all I know is that Montague’s press conference made him out to be some sort of a hometown hero, and his ratings are up.
The head of one of our rival families has been taken into custody, so we aren’t the only ones under scrutiny.
Fabien seems to think that means he won’t come after us, but I have a sneaking suspicion that’s only wishful thinking.
He won’t find us here. But he’s after us. I wouldn’t be surprised if the attack at Le Luxe was somehow tied back to Montague as well. We’re safe here while we hide, but I only hide to regroup.
Once I find out who’s behind the threats against us—once I know who threatened Cosette and now threatens the well-being of my entire family—we’ll leave the security of this fortress.
It will be time to attack.
We take a quick ride in the elevator so I can give her a brief tour.
She grins when she sees the swimming pool, the state-of-the-art exercise equipment in the fitness room, and private movie theater.
Most luxury hotels have concierge services and room service, fine dining and well-stocked bars, butlers and valets.
Not every luxury hotel has private elevators, bulletproof windows and reinforced doors, private security, advanced air filtration, or a helipad on the roof next to the garden terrace.
“Wow, seriously, this is amazing.”
“Mmm.”
“You’re distracted, Lyam,” she says quietly as she threads her fingers through mine tentatively. It’s going to take time for us to get back to where we were before all this happened, but we’re getting there.
I breathe a little easier with her palm against mine.
“Fucking politics,” I mutter. I slide the phone into my pocket. Fucking Montague doesn’t even care about us or what we stand for but wants the ratings and votes.
Cosette blinks. “Politicians?”
I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to dwell. I’ll do what I have to and so will Thayer and Fabien, but for now, I want to revel in her. Relax right here, by her side. Make sure she’s alright. We’ve been through hell and we need some time to reconnect.
I step off the elevator and into the hallway.
She doesn’t follow.
I reach for Cosette’s hand and give her a little tug, only to notice she’s gone white as a sheet.
“Are you feeling sick again?” I ask curiously. “You okay?” I’ve got half a mind to scoop her up and carry her off the elevator. Her skin’s gone pale and clammy like she’s contracted something.
“Cosette. Are you alright? What’s going on?”
“I’m… I don’t feel so good,” she whispers. “I think I need that food after all.”