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“She’s in shock, monsieur.”
“She seems to think you’re one of them.”
“It’s all over, chérie. Do you hear me?” Aurélien shook his lover hard. “It’s over. They’re all dead.”
Gradually, the French billionaire’s words penetrated her mind, and Louise’s screams died in her throat.
When she stared up at him in dazed silence, Aurélien carefully released her shoulders while keeping his gaze on her. “Did you hear what I said, Louise?”
“Y-you killed them all?” she whispered unevenly, and when Aurélien gave her a curt nod, Louise allowed her body to slump.
“Louise!” His arms automatically went around her, and she leaned against the billionaire weakly.
“Thank God you’re okay, Aurélien. I was so scared.” She closed her eyes as if the mere memory haunted her, but in truth Louise only wanted to veil her gaze from everyone’s stares. She had to play this right, the billionaire’s lover thought furiously. She had to make sure nothing could be traced back to her.
His arms tightened around her as if to assure Louise of her safety, and she leaned closer, not hesitating to feed his protective instincts. Looking up at him, she swallowed hard before asking, “W-who were they? Why did they attack us?”
Aurélien’s face hardened. “The same zealots who killed my father. They wore the brand of The Naturalis on their chests like it was something to be goddamn proud of.”
“Oh God.” Pulling away, she cupped his face and looked up at him worriedly. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Aurélien slowly disentangled himself from her.
Her heart thudded against her chest. “D-Darling?” What if he had only been leading her on? What if he knew? What if he was still going to kill—-
“We have to talk.”
Her hands flew to her throat.
Without taking his gaze away from her, Aurélien said to his staff, “Leave us.”
“Oui, monsieur.”
In a blink of an eye, Louise found herself alone with the billionaire—-
And the beast, she thought with a gulp.
She must not forget that for all his billions, Aurélien Sauvage was a beast, and all that blood on his body was proof of it.
“Louise—-”
This time, when she started to babble, she wasn’t pretending. “I’m sorry I ran. I didn’t mean to leave you behind. I was just terrified. And when you told me to run, I did because I wanted to call for help—-”
Aurélien shook his head.
“Please listen to me—-”
“Louise.” His tone was soft but commanding, and Louise had no choice but to fall silent.
“You did nothing wrong. You have nothing to apologize for.” Aurélien’s lips pressed together in a tight line for one moment. “I’m the one who must say sorry. You were hurt because of me—-”
And Louise slowly started to understand.
“I’d never forgive myself if that ever happened again.”
Louise bowed her head.
“That’s why—-” Aurélien’s chest heaved. “I need to send you away. So many people have already died because of me, and I don’t want to risk you being next.”
And Louise started to cry.
“I’m sorry,” the billionaire rasped. “I’ll make sure you’ll be taken care of for the rest of your life.”
And the tears continued to fall, but only Louise alone knew that her tears were of joy and not of sadness.
“You will not want for anything—-”
“It’s not the same,” Louise choked out. And it was not. Because this – what he was offering – this was so much better.
THE FADING SOUND OF his private chopper flying away made Aurélien Sauvage turn away from the windows. Crossing the dining hall, he settled on one of the bar stools and reached for the brandy decanter. He poured himself a glass, and the viciously strong liquid blazed a trail of fire down his throat as he drank everything in one go. It should have hurt, but he found himself immune to its heat.
Or maybe he was already hurting too much for the pain to make any difference.
Louise was gone.
He had sent her away for good, and when she had started to cry while packing her things, Aurélien had simply walked out on her. He had to, lest the devastating sound of her sobs changed his mind.
Outside the house, the rumbling sound from the chopper had faded completely into silence, and he inhaled heavily. It was better this way, Aurélien told himself. She might be gone from him forever, but at least she would be safe.
Pulling his mobile phone out, he made a call to his lawyers in their New York office, instructing them to provide a generous monthly stipend to Louise. After, he settled his elbows back down on the bar and took a deep breath.
He was alone.
Again.
Impotent rage engulfed him, and before he knew it, an anguished roar had already escaped him, the terrifying sound causing the walls to shake even as it reverberated throughout the island.
He wanted – needed – to release this rage inside of him.
He needed to rip something apart.
And so he did.
