I knew what had to be done, but not until after I had done it did I truly consider the reaction that surely going to follow. Before, strong emotions fed into the feeling of instability, but now—perhaps my own husband would cripple me with his bite.
My husband.
He had forbidden me to even speak the man’s name in fear of calling him closer, and I had gone above and beyond speaking his name. I had touched his flesh. Knew how his lips felt. Had sat across from him and asked for a favor.
A favor.
“Jesus,” I cried, falling against the wall. I could see the yard in the distance, men out. A guard in a tower walked around, a shotgun in hand. Spikes from the halos of barbed wire glinted in the sun, sending out harsh sparks of light that made me close mine in response.
I jumped, sending my heart into my throat, when a hand wrapped around my arm. “Well. Did he live up to the hype?”
Jane.
I removed my hand from her grip, narrowing my eyes at her. She had been crying. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her nose swollen, and she kept wiping it with a tissue.
“He’s only a man,” I said, though I knew otherwise. He was something else—a force. But I refused to give him the label, to honorthe hype.
She barked out a laugh. “You must see life through rose-colored glasses, girl. That’s no man. That’s a monster. Your husband is not going to like this.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about my husband,” I said, my voice low and laced with venom.
“I know enough to knowthat.” She wiped her nose. “I would tell your friend hello for you again, but I’ve been taken off the visitors list. The old man decided that I’m not good enough for the likes of this place, seeing as I’m married to a man of the law and I’m going to have his baby.”
Why was she telling me this? Shaking my head, I realized I didn’t even care.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said politely, suddenly in control of myself. “But if you’ll excuse me, I must be going.”
“Toodeloo,” she said, waving her soiled tissue at me.
“By the way,” I muttered to myself, moving toward the rental car Eva had arranged for me. “The wordtoodeloomost likely comes from the Frenchà tout à l'heure, which meanssee you soon. I doubt either one of us wants that to happen. Bitch.”
Digging in my purse as I walked, I felt another set of hands grab me, but these were different—larger, the grip tighter, a man’s hands. I swung my purse around and it collided with Vincenzo’s head with a solidthunk!
“What is it? Why do people keep grabbing me? Calling my name would be sufficient!”
Vincenzo kept a hand to the side of his head. “Tell me what you are doing here, Scarlett.”
I stuck my chin up. “What areyoudoing here? Oh, hello.”
A woman came up beside Vincenzo. All I could do was stare at her. Her hair was the same color as mine, as long as it used to be, and the same texture. But her face was the total opposite.
She had bright blue eyes, fair eyebrows and eyelashes, and a smatter of freckles that ran from her left cheek over her nose, ending at the edge of the right cheek. Only there though.
She stuck her hand out. “Sylvie.”
“Scarlett Fausti.”
She smiled. “I’ve met your husband before.”
Vincenzo cleared his throat, and oh—did he look embarrassed? He did! I finally looked away from her and between them.
“Nemours hired her to pretend to be you,” Vincenzo said.
“Oh.” I sucked in a breath. “I see.”
“You see. But I do not. Consider me blind.” Vincenzo grabbed me by the arm again. “Tell me what you are doing at this place. Now.”
“Were you looking for me?”
