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)
“No.”
Why does he have to harp on this?
He blows out an angry breath on the other end of the line.
“Lyam, you should reconsider.”
“Why?” I ask, as I slide into the driver’s seat and start the engine. “You know I like to be the one behind the fucking wheel.”
He curses. “Because people know you’re someone important. They respect you. Because if anything happened, you could shoot instead of having to navigate a fucking car.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need a driver to get respect.” Being a trained assassin who hits on the first shot will do that just fine. And if that fails to work, I have other methods. “And I can handle myself.”
I transfer the call to the car speakers.
He drops the subject. “Fine, suit yourself.”
“I will. After I park, one of my men will take the car back.” I take a left turn as Thayer pauses. “What?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Thayer sounds apologetic, my first warning sign. It’s out of character for him. “I was going to tell you about that—”
My voice is low and controlled when I respond. “Tell me about what?”
Up ahead I see a flash of black. I narrow my eyes at the signature uniform of the gendarmerie and slow down to get a better look.
Two of them, unfamiliar to me. One, a man who has a tattoo on his lower right arm, forbidden until recently. The other, a woman with short black hair.
I draw in a breath and let it go.
I don’t know them. They’re not my targets.
They weren’t there.
In my mind’s eye I see a flash of rope, hear the clink of chains and the insidious laughter of uniformed men. It takes me a minute to realize that Thayer is still talking.
“…and I thought it better that she be brought here instead.”
“Who brought her?”
He pauses before he snaps, “Did you hear a fucking word I said?”
“Of course I did,” I lie, as I turn down the main road that takes me to my family home in Paris, the same road that leads to the airport.
“I said, I had Claude bring her back.”
“How?” I snap.
“How? What the fuck are you talking about?”
Beside me, Philippe stiffens. My voice is low and unamused when I ask, “Did he touch her?”
“Of course he didn’t touch her. He knows better than to take advantage of her. Lyam, who do you think we hired?”
“No,” I say, my jaw clenched. “I meant did he put a hand on her in any way, shape, or form? Did he hold her arm? Grab her if she stumbled?” My hand begins to ache, and I realize I’m holding the phone too tight. “She’s mine, Thayer. We agreed. I don’t want anyone else to even look at her.”
I can hear Thayer swallowing on the other end of the line. “Fuck. I don’t know the answer to that. I’m sorry, Lyam. I should’ve sent you.”
Philippe squirms on his seat. I ignore him.
Thayer continues, “Fabien said that you wanted her in Paris, so he had her sent to Paris. He thought it would be the most expedient.”
“Expedient my ass.” I grit my teeth. “I’m the one that makes sure she never betrays our family again. I’m the one that makes sure she understands the severity of what she did. Me. No one else. Fucking me.”
“I got you, brother. I get it. Why do you think we let her go? If it were anyone else…”
I know. Woman or no, she’d have died a slow and painful death.
I draw in a breath and let it out slowly.
“I’m almost there.”
“Lyam, don’t kill him,” Thayer says. “Send him back here and I’ll make sure you never see him again. He’s good people.”
I nod. “I’ll find out how the trip went, and I won’t do anything without talking to you first.”
Thayer curses. “Alright. Okay, I got it. Listen, Savannah and I will be back soon, but I have a few things to tie up here at the club first. Keep an eye on Maman?”
“Of course.” I have my own residence in Paris, but my mother’s only about thirty minutes away. “When do they land?”
“Fabien arranged for a car to bring her to you.”
I grit my teeth and take a deep breath so I can fabricate patience.
It doesn’t work.
“When. Do. They. Land?”
“Ten minutes.”
I hang up the phone before I curse him out.
It's unlike my brothers to keep me in the dark like this. I know the only reason they did was because they had to choose a more expedient route, but I don’t like not knowing when the playing field changes.
Philippe clears his throat. "Sir, I know Claude. He wouldn't touch her. He would know better."
Maybe so but I don't like the idea. I am still here only because I’m waiting for one of our private jets to return, or I’d already be in Corsica.