Page 67 of Icebound

“Fuck Chloe. I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Jean-Marc. You’ve never been this screwed-up over a woman before. She’s a hostage, remember. And I never trusted her story about a missing husband—people just don’t look that much alike.”

“I’m not screwed-up,” he said. “I just don’t like it when my orders aren’t followed.”

“But Le Fauçon’s orders trump yours, any day. It was sheer luck that I talked him into keeping her alive.”

“And how did you do that? Le Fauçon is not a man known for mercy,” Jean-Marc said.

“I told him you were hung up on the woman, and you’d be angry if he killed her.”

“He’s not afraid of my anger,” he pointed out.

“I may have overstated the case,” Luc said. “I told him she could be a useful tool, and it was unwise to waste her.”

“Unwise?” Jean-Marc echoed. “Exactly what did you think she could do?”

“Keep you in line. Admit it—she means too much to you, though I don’t know how that happened. Was it because she saved your life back at the gala? I’ve saved your life half a dozen times and you haven’t shown me any tender feelings.”

Jean-Marc was not amused. There was a bruise beginning to form on Luc’s jaw, and he considered adding to it with a black eye. “I’m not interested in fucking you.”

“Is that all it is?” Luc asked. “Because Maddelena…”

“Maddelena is a reptile,” he snarled. “Don’t compare the two.”

“See, there you go again. She has too much power over you, Jean-Marc. Let her go.”

“That’s what you were supposed to do,” he said coldly. “Instead, you brought her back here and locked her up.”

“Le Fauçon…”

“Enough about him. You should have warned him about me—I don’t like surprises.”

“Neither does he. And I’m stuck in the middle.” Luc’s voice was very close to a whine.

“You don’t need to worry about it. As soon as I can, I’m taking Chloe to the airport and making sure she gets on a plane. I’ll be happy to see her go, and she’ll be delighted to leave me.”

“You’re an idiot,” Luc said. “She’s head over heels in love with you.”

“Then she can go back to America and be in love with me there.”

“I still don’t trust her. She knows more than she’s saying. This cock-and bull-story about a husband…”

“I’m not going to argue with you,” Jean-Marc said. “She’ll be gone soon, and you can forget all about her.”

“Not soon enough. And the question is, will you forget all about her?”

“Have you ever known me to be influenced by a woman?” Jean-Marc shot back.

Luc shook his head slowly. “Not until now. She could be the death of you if you’re not careful.”

“I’m trembling with fear.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Luc said, and Jean-Marc considered hitting him again.

“Wake up.”

Chloe sat up, bleary-eyed, and stared at Bastien. She’d slept like the dead, and hours must have passed. “What time is it?”

“You’ve slept the day away. We’re being summoned to dine with Le Fauçon.”