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)
Everything in me screams against this, but I clench my hands.
“You knew. You knew who he was and why he’s after us. Were you a plant by him?”
I stand and stalk over to her. I hate the way she flinches and backs away.
“No! No, we don’t talk at all. I didn’t even know he knew I existed.”
“And why should I believe you?”
“Because you trust me,” she says emotionally. “Because I love you. I would never betray any of—”
She snaps her mouth closed as she hears her own words. She did betray us once and even though we know why, what’s to prevent her from doing it again?
When she reaches for me, I turn away. “I don’t know what you want from me,” I say to her. “You’ve put me in a position of choosing between you and my family.”
“I just want you to believe me,” she says on a sob. “Please!”
I shake my head. “Montague has put half the city’s resources into hunting us down. He’s intentionally set every single news organization against us and is hell-bent on making sure that we take the blame for every single fucking crime in this city.”
I blow out a breath.
“Don’t you see how this complicates things?” I snap, so angry at her I want to shake her. “If Montague knows that one of his whipping boys knocked up his daughter, we’ve just given him the very best ammo.”
Her face crumples. “But he doesn’t see me as his daughter, Lyam.”
“Won’t he, if it fits his narrative?”
She shakes her head, as if confused and not sure how to proceed.
“You’re carrying my baby, so I’ll keep you safe, but only then. And it won’t be a pleasant stay.” I shake my head. “I need to get out of here.”
I watch as her eyes shutter and close. She shuts down completely.
“You know what? Don’t believe me. Maybe I don’t believe you, either. Maybe you only wanted me because I’m carrying your child.” Her voice breaks at the end. Angrily, she swipes at the tears that fall down her cheeks.
“Atta girl,” I mutter.
The look of betrayal she gives me almost makes me cave. But I won’t be taken in, and I won’t let her sway me now. I have to pull away from her. There are no other choices.
My phone rings. The last time this fucking phone rang, I got the worst news imaginable. Now, to think—
“What?” I snap.
It’s Philippe. “The woman you had me call is here, sir.”
I hold Cosette’s gaze. “Send her up.”
I hang up the phone and we stare at each other for long minutes in silence. “You don’t have to believe me,” she says. “And I’m glad you’re being honest with me. Because you’ve told me everything I need to know.”
“Oh, have I?” I want to shake her. I want to put her over my knee and spank her until she begs for mercy. I want to kiss her and fuck her hard and demandingly, to punish her for what she’s done.
To think, I almost trusted her—
There’s a knock at the door.
“What?” I snap. She winces.
“Philippe, sir. Is she ready?”
I stare at her.
“Get in the bathroom and put some fucking clothes on. I’m out of here. I’ll have Philippe bring you to your new apartment. I’ll see you tonight and we’ll talk about the new rules we have.”
She slams the door to the bathroom.
I slam the bedroom door behind me.
I don’t miss the note of finality.
I’m deep in my head when I hit the streets of Paris.
Normally, I’d check my weapons and scan the exits and make sure Cosette is fucking safe before I step foot out of this place.
But this time… I can’t.
Because Cosette actually did betray us.
All this time, she knew who her father was. She knew we were being hunted by local politicians and she didn’t say a thing.
I close my eyes and shake my head.
And I fell for it.
I fell for it, like a goddamn sycophant. She told me she was carrying my baby, and I lost all sense of reason.
I’m not paying attention, my feet just plodding on, one after the other. I know I should be paying attention, but I’m a million miles away.
It takes a lot of effort not to follow her. It kills me, because even now, I want to keep her safe.
Rousseau is dead. Yesterday, she was alive and breathing and today, she’s gone.
And I’m to blame for that.
I sent Cosette away because I knew being around me meant she’s as much of a target as I am.
Just like our informant was.
Whatever it was that Rousseau unearthed led to her execution.
There was a reason we paid her well, of course. She knew from the beginning the risks associated with socializing with us.
That doesn’t make me feel any less shitty.
I sent a military-level team with Cosette to take her to a new place, secure and apart from me.