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Widened eyes but no response other than another small nod. She doesn’t recognize our name.
I reveal a little more to see how she takes it. “The Gerard family runs organized crime in Paris.”
“Organized crime, like… the mob. Mafia?”
She’ll find out soon enough.
“Exactly.”
I expect her to jump to her feet. Pace the room. Wring her hands.
“Well now that makes sense,” she says.
I’m so taken aback by her response that I laugh out loud. “I tell you that my family is mafia, and you say that makes sense?”
“Well, yes,” she says with a smile.
I want to gather her up in my arms and kiss her from head to toe. “I mean, I knew you didn’t make your money selling shoes or something. You don’t take me for a fool, do you?”
I shake my head.
“I knew that you at least hurt the man that assaulted me. I knew you were wealthy and powerful and of enough importance that someone may have tried to bring your plane down. So no, I’m not surprised and no, I won’t run.” A frown creases her brow. “Are there rules I should know about?”
This time, I do reach for her. I drag her to me and embrace her.
“The only rules you need to worry about are mine.” I kiss each cheek before I release her. When I let her go, she gently strokes my cheek.
“Fabien. Did you think I’d run that easily?”
“There’s more,” I whisper.
“Go on,” she whispers back.
“I hired you for this wedding, yes. But I want more from you. I have another purpose, another goal, and I won’t force this one. But if you agree, I’ll pay you so well, you’ll be set for life, Nicolette.”
It’s time. It’s time I tell her.
I love the way her eyes spark with interest. “Tell me everything.”
I swallow hard. “We’re keeping this quiet.”
She nods and holds my gaze, unblinking. “Yes?”
“My brother Lyam was taken hostage. We were given conditions to meet for his release. And I need you to help me.”
Staring at me with wide eyes for long seconds, she finally responds. “Is that all?”
I hug her to me fiercely.
“Fabien, you’re smooshing me—”
I let her go. She stares at me. “So how am I going to help you find your brother?”
I tell her everything. When I’m finished, she shakes her head. “So I’m… going to be your slave… so we can go to The Underground and retrieve something worth two hundred fifty million euros. We’ll give it to the people who have your brother, and they will let him go.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Only…” Her voice trails off and she gives me a curious look. “You won’t actually give them the talisman, will you?”
“Of course not, not to keep, anyway.”
“And once you locate them, you’ll… deal with them, as well?”
I nod. “I have no choice.”
“I see. Well, then, it’s time.”
She surprises me more and more.
“Time for what?”
“Time to tell you the full truth about me, as well. But first, a question.”
“Yes?” I can’t imagine what she’s going to reveal. What I don’t know about her yet.
“How much do you know about my family?”
“You have a sister and two deceased parents. They died in a fire.”
Drawing in a deep breath, she releases it slowly. “That’s right. My sister’s in school and we were left homeless after the accident. She’s on a full scholarship with room and board, and takes on nanny positions when school isn’t in session.” She lets out a breath. “This isn’t…me. I do this for one reason only, and that’s my sister.”
“I understand. So I’ll help you, and you’ll help me.”
She stares at me before finally whispering, “Thank you. I feel like we should… shake on this or something?”
“How about I fuck you again?”
“You want to fuck to seal the deal?”
“Sweetheart,” I say, leaning in closer to her. I thread my fingers through the hair at the nape of her neck. “You’ve just agreed to be my slave to save my brother. Do you want me to put this in writing?”
“Is that usually how these things are done?”
“I’m not sure there is anything usual about this.”
Her brow knits in concentration. “Well. It sounds a little outlandish when you put it all that way.”
“A little outlandish? Well, that’s putting it mildly.”
“And what exactly will this entail?”
I tug a lock of her hair. “That’s where you’ll earn your money.”
“How?”
“By helping me form a plan. But for tonight, we’re getting all the information we can get out of my cousin, who’s also attending the rehearsal and wedding. He handles security for The Underground, and we’ll play that angle. I’ll have to pay him off, but I’m happy to do it. I trust him and he won’t rat us out.”
“Did you bring me here for this?”
Again, I tell her the truth. “Yes.”
She gives me a thoughtful look. “Okay. Alright. So tonight, I’m supposed to be a philosophy student who met you at a coffee shop. Pretend I know nothing about anything illegal you guys probably do. And later, when we’re back in Corsica, I’ll be your accomplice in what will likely be the biggest heist the island’s ever seen, and we will manage to rescue your brother.” She shrugs. “And for all this, I’ll earn a cool two mil?”
