Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
What happened last night?
“Not much, sir, but I’ll see what I can find. There’s a rumor your family’s been mentioned on the news.”
His family? What’s going on?
“Son of a bitch.” He shakes his head. “I’m going to get her settled before I look, but thanks.”
Shutting the door, he walks over to me with a wooden tray. He grunts and points like a caveman. “I had them make you things you like. Try a little bite. It might help.”
I stare at the tray and my throat gets all tight. While breakfast in France is a simple affair, he’s arranged to have it served the way I like it—the sliced bread toasted and spread with butter and marmalade. The tea scalding hot with a splash of milk. Orange juice with no pulp, and a small basket of flaky croissants served with a side of softened butter.
I could handle being a prisoner. I could handle being held against my will. But how am I supposed to handle being with someone who knows me so intimately he knows exactly what I like? It’s the worst kind of vulnerability because there’s no place to hide.
My belly aches for food, but I fear another bite of something will make me sick again.
I turn my head away.
“One bite, Cosette.”
I shake my head and press my lips together.
“Cosette,” he says warningly.
I take another sip of the mint tea and stare at him. “So now that you know I’m pregnant, you’re going to punish me by making me do things I don’t want to, like eat?”
He pulls out the desk chair and sits heavily. Leaning forward with his forearms on his knees, he looks straight into my eyes and doesn’t answer my question but asks a question of his own, in typical Lyam style.
“Am I going to make you do what you should? Yes.”
“My belly’s all queasy.”
“Then take a nibble. They said the tea would help and that you need some food to make the nausea better. Eat what sounds good.”
Okay, so those croissants are calling my name, and I am concerned that I need some food.
I take the tiniest bite of a croissant.
“Good girl.”
I can handle his anger, but I’m not sure I can handle his approval. I take a quick sip of tea to quell my nerves.
“Now that I know you’re pregnant, I want to know. Did you know you were pregnant before you were approached at Le Luxe? And if so, did that have anything to do with why you betrayed us?”
I don’t want to give him all the answers. I can’t. He’s already made wild assumptions about my thoughts and motives, and if he truly knew everything, I’m afraid he’d jump to conclusions that assume the worst about me.
I draw in a breath and take another sip of tea before I answer. I have to reluctantly admit, it’s helping.
“Yes.”
I place the mug down on the tray and sit up a little more in bed. It’s hard to remain dignified when the person you’re with just saw you praying to the porcelain gods and you’re completely at their mercy, but I do my best.
“I didn’t want to tell you I was pregnant, because I know that the baby is yours. I was afraid that if I told you, you’d think I was trying to manipulate you. You were right. I was on birth control. But we’re both smart enough to know that birth control isn’t completely effective, and it appears the Gerard family has excellent reproductive genes.”
Is that a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth?
I draw in a breath and release it slowly.
“And somehow, they also knew.”
The Chabert family, rival mafia, were after Thayer’s Savannah because of what she’d seen. Hidden deep within the walls of Le Luxe, Savannah was safe with Thayer, but thanks to me, not for long.
I look away. I don’t want to tell him this part.
He’s already on his feet, pacing, his phone in a death-like grip as if he’s going to order a nuclear bomb attack if anything I tell him now gives him reason.
Oh, Lyam. Don’t you know not everything can be solved with a well-placed bullet or three?
“I told you that I was loyal to your family. You know that. And you all believed I betrayed you, because obviously, I did. I hate what I did. I don’t know how I’ll ever look Savannah in the eyes again knowing I lied to her.” My throat tightens and I can’t continue for a moment.
Still glaring, he pauses his pacing. “Are you ready to tell me why, then?”
I nod. There’s no point in hiding this from him now and if I’m honest, I want this part at least off my chest. My voice trembles when I tell him the nauseating, horrifying truth I wish I could forget. “They knew I was pregnant. Mindy and I shared a locker at Le Luxe. You know we worked together on the same shift.”