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)
“You sure you’re okay?”
I know what he’s asking. He wants to know if the baby’s fine.
“Yes.”
The sudden realization hits me.
Lyam doesn’t need a paternity test either. He knows as well as I do that this baby is his.
But I don’t get a minute to revel in this knowledge before he’s barking out commands again.
“Look in that glove compartment,” he snaps. I do.
Three handguns neatly nestled in leather harnesses.
“We’re going to speak to an informant eventually and need to stay safe in the meantime. We need to be prepared. I wanted to make sure we were. Shut it.”
Okayyyy. Yeah.
“How are you feeling?”
“That drink you gave me must be miraculous, because under normal conditions, being tossed around like I’m a load of laundry in a dryer would make me sick as hell, but I’m okay.” I let out a breath I didn’t know I held. “But maybe let’s not plan that again.”
He gives me a wry smile. “I’ll try.”
My heart turns in my chest.
No matter how hard I try to put a wall up between the two of us, no matter how hard I try to convince myself he’s dangerous and deadly and we shouldn’t be together… when he looks at me like that, I’m right back at Le Luxe, losing my heart to him.
He drives over to the side of the road, parks the car, and exits so he can take out our bags. “We’ll need another set of wheels. Obviously, this one’s on their radar.”
He discards cars as if they’re disposable plates.
“Right.”
“Last night, there was a shooting. Some local powers that be thought it smart to blame ‘organized crime.’ We, obviously, had nothing to do with it but we’re an easy scapegoat. And since I’m the one here, they’re pinning the blame on me.”
Powers that be.
Could it be?
No… no, there’s no way.
“So we’re going to hide for now.”
“Hide? Where?”
Another sultry smirk makes my heartbeat quicken. “You’ll see.”
I like this side of Lyam so much better than the brooding captor. I still don’t trust him, though.
“But you were home last night!”
“It doesn’t matter, Cosette. They’re not looking for evidence or alibis. They want to look like the good guys by putting us away.”
They. They who?
What a complicated life he leads.
“Right,” I say with a sigh.
“So until we get to the bottom of this, we hide.”
“And what does ‘getting to the bottom of this’ entail?” I ask.
He smiles at the guns like a boy with his toys.
Lovely.
“You’ll leave that part to me. For now, let’s get you settled.” He glances at his phone. “Looks like I got a call from Dr. Martin.”
SEVEN
Lyam
Fucking Montague’s got it in for us.
I had hardly any warning at all before I knew—he’d pinned last night’s activities on mobsters in his precious city and struck while the iron was hot. How fortunate for him he could attack my family and try to use us as the whipping boys for his run for office.
No fucking way.
We have informants. We’ve got people on the inside. And as soon as he blew the whistle and sent the gendarmerie to arrest me, I got the word.
I’ll pay my informant well.
But first… Cosette.
I don’t like to run, and I’m not one to hide. But my obligation is to Cosette.
I know where we’ll hide until we get our footing. Hidden behind a thick forest of trees, Le Marquise will suit our needs, at least until I can conference with my brothers and come up with a plan of attack.
Adrenaline still pumping from that godawful high-speed chase, I make sure Cosette’s safe. God, if I’d done anything that would’ve caused harm to her or the baby—but no, she’s totally fine, thank fuck.
The car, on the other hand, will need some love.
I call Dr. Martin back.
“I was able to pull some strings, Mr. Gerard. I had the lab open early so they could process the results.”
“Thank you.” That wad of cash I handed her on the way out didn’t hurt then. Most things that take time can be expedited if you know the right price.
“And?”
I know the answer before she says it.
“She was right. You are the father. I’ll have these results printed and sent to your home as well as email.”
“No.”
“The results are very clear, Mr. Gerard. You can’t deny scientific data —”
“No. I believe you. But I don’t want them sent to my home. This information dies here, understood? We never had this conversation.”
“Yes, Mr. Gerard. Understood.”
I hang up the phone and stare at the road in front of us. It feels as if we’ve driven straight out of the heart of the city and into a place all our own.
Cosette gives me a curious look.
“And?” she says, though she knows full well what I’m going to say.
If I’m honest, I knew the minute she told me she was pregnant, but I needed evidence. I needed to confirm it.