“Why don’t I remember this?”She didn’t recall anything of a hospital.All she remembered was… She searched her brain but was unable to come up with anything past meeting Ken.“Was it Ken?”she whispered.
Christien shook his head.“We believe it was a man named John.He was talking to you.The two of you were…” His face twisted.“Close.”
Lainie touched his knee, shocked at what she was hearing and horrified she didn’t remember any of it.“Oh, Christien, please don’t think… I would never—”
“I know,ma chérie.I knew immediately something was wrong.I thought you were drunk.”He huffed out a laugh.“Ken’s blueberry martinis can be powerful, but he’d watered them down after the first one.We think this John dropped the drug in your drink.It’s a side effect of the drug that you don’t remember.”
“Why would someone do such a thing?”
He looked at her with the full force of his fury.“I assume to get to me.”
He thought the accident with the minivan was to get to him and now this.“Why does someone want to hurt you?”
He looked away, his fingers flexed in hers.“I have something people want.Something powerful.”
What was so powerful they were willing to hurt her to get to Christien?He was a businessman.By everything she’d read his business was clean and legitimate.Was he involved in something illegal?Drugs?Oh, God, was he dealing arms to the terrorists?
No.Not Christien.He was kind and honest.But who knew what people would do when their backs were pressed against a wall.
She smoothed the oversized T-shirt over her thighs and glanced out the window to the unfamiliar scenery.Did anyone know where he’d taken her?Would they be able to find her in France?
Christien shot her a hurt look.“By the fear on your face, I imagine you think I’m some sort of criminal.Money laundering?No?Drugs?Ah, yes.You think I’m dealing drugs.”
She shook her head, but the words wouldn’t come to deny the charges.The nightclub would be an excellent cover for a drug operation.
“I’m not dealing drugs, Madelaine.I’m not involved in anything illegal,” he said sadly.
She winced at his tone.She didn’t mean to hurt him.“Then what?”
He ran a hand through his hair.“Something far bigger and far more evil than drugs.But not illegal.At least in the eyes of the law.”
“Unethical?”
“Possibly.But I’m on the side of right here.You have to trust me in this.”He stood and paced to the windows.The bright sun shone behind him, creating an aura of light that surrounded him.Like an angel.Her angel.
What was she thinking?Of course he wasn’t doing anything illegal.This was Christien.The idea of him dealing drugs or negotiating arms with terrorists was ludicrous and she’d been an idiot to think it in the first place.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.“I know you would never do anything illegal.”
He laughed, but the sound was cynical.“Don’t be so sure.At times I’ve done what I had to.”
“You had your reasons.”Just like he had his reasons to believe she was in danger.Proven twice now.
“I’m humbled by your faith in me,” he said sarcastically.
His words bit, but she absorbed the pain.It was no more than she deserved for doubting him when he’d done nothing but take care of her and try to protect her.
“Forgive me.”
“Ah, Madelaine.There’s nothing to forgive,mon coeur.You have every right to your doubts after what you’ve been through.I never meant for you to get hurt.”
She stood again to join him at the window.Her legs wobbled a bit.“It’s not your fault.You couldn’t have known.”
He touched her cheek, his thumb grazing her jaw.“But I did know.From the moment I saw you in my club, I knew you were special and I knew nothing good would come of this.”
She swallowed, suddenly nervous.“This?”
His hand dropped and he turned away from her to stare out the window.“Us.”
