“That’s why I had to stop you in the room,” Olivier says. “Well, one of the reasons.” I bring my hand to the back of my head, where the bump has only grown bigger. “I’m really sorry about that, but I couldn’t let you do anything. You can’t be near Cassie.”
“You threw me out into the hallway.”
The pain on his face looks real, too. “I’m so sorry, mon amour. I had to think fast. I wasn’t even sure it was you until you were lying on the floor unconscious. And then I had to get you out as quickly as possible. I did it all to protect you.”
“Come here,” he says now, opening up his arms. “Please, I’ve missed you so much.”
I can’t resist anymore and bury myself in him. The warmth of his body sends a rush of pure relief through mine. It was only a little over a week ago that we were last together, but every second since then felt like someone was pricking my skin, letting me bleed out. All my life I told myself I was fine being on my own. I’d gone without real love for so long; I could keep going, and going again. But then I met Olivier, and all of my beliefs blewright out of the window. I wanted him. I needed him. Couldn’t imagine living without him.
Tears fall down my cheeks and onto his shoulders. “I screwed everything up. I–I’m sorry.”
“I’ll find another way,” he says, stroking my hair. “I have no motive and dozens of social media posts showing Cassie and me madly in love. We still have three days in Paris.”
He sounds like he’s trying to convince himself more than me, but this time I want to trust him. We’re together now. I didn’t make this up. He would have gone all the way if I’d let him. He told me he loved me and I chose to believe Cassie instead. More thoughts bubble up in my head.Don’t go back to her. Stay with me. She’s not worth the risk.I picture the look on her face when she finds out he chose me. But then I remember how I felt in the car that afternoon when I imagined her dead. The anger, the relief. I know why I walked to their hotel, why I slipped into the room. I was so close to doing what Olivier had promised. But I’ll never know what would have happened if he hadn’t stopped me.
I don’t say any of this, only what matters. “I love you.”
And then I bring my lips to his. Our kiss is like a soothing balm on my wounds, but it doesn’t last long enough. When I start to relax into it, Olivier pulls away.
“I have to go. I should get back to Cassie before she wakes up.”
“And what do I do?” For once I want someone to tell me, to take care of me.
Olivier wraps his hands around my face. “You go home. Right now.”
I force myself to nod, even though I hate the idea of leaving him here. With her.
“I mean it, Thérèse. Go back to your hotel, erase any trace you were in Paris, and get on the next flight.” He checks his watch. It’s 3:00 a.m. “Get to the airport as soon as you can. You could be home by the afternoon.”
I nod more forcefully now. “Okay.”
“Then, when you get there, do whatever it takes to look like you never left.” He bobs his head up and down like he’s trying to psyche himself up. “Does anybody know you’re here?”
“No, I never planned to come. I didn’t even pack a bag. The bar cut some of my shifts, as you know. And now the store won’t need me again until the holidays.”
“Good. Great. And here in Paris, you don’t know anyone, right?”
He’s asking, but not really. There’s only one possible answer to this question.
“Right,” I say, my throat tight.
“Do you think anyone might recognize you?”
“What do you mean?”
“If it ever came to it, could anybody testify that they’ve seen you here?”
I picture Amir’s hands all over my body, his eyes trained on mine. The guy knows my name. He has a copy of my passport. He saw the cash. He heard the story of my fake honeymoon. But I can’t tell Olivier any of that. I can’t be the one to ruin this, again. He convinced Cassie to give me all that money. He’s doing this for me. Forme.
“Reese? Did you meet anyone in Paris?”
I take a deep breath and shake my head. “I’m very forgettable,” I say with a laugh.
“You’re not.”
I can tell he’s waiting for more. He wants to be sure. I’ve never lied to him before.
“There’s no one else,” I say.
