“Who’s the lucky man?” Tristanasked.
The gold accents woven throughout the leopard print glinted as I rolled the fabric between myfingers.
“Yes, Feather, who’s the lucky man?” Jarod repeatedtauntingly.
I nibbled on my bottom lip, not feeling like discussing Asher any further, because it wasn’t making me happy. “You don’t knowhim.”
My gruff tone made Jarod smirk. “Perhaps we do know him. We know a lot of people, don’t we,Tristan?”
Tristan’s teeth gleamed in the diminterior.
“Nothim,” Isaid.
“What’s his name?” Jarod needledme.
“I don’t want to tellyou.”
“Whynot?”
I decided to use his exact words. “Why would I share details of my life with someone I won’t seeagain?”
Jarod’s eyes seemed to spark in the obscurity. “Touché.” After a beat of silence, he asked, “What would happen if I didn’t help Sashatonight?”
His question, coupled with his heady cologne, had my lungs struggling for air. “You promised him. Andme.”
“But what happens if I tell Francis to turn around and drop us off atL’Ami Louisinstead?”
I didn’t know who this Louis was; all I knew was that his place wasn’t our destination. My knuckles whitened on the fabric. “You’re having secondthoughts?”
“I’m hungry, and considering the sound coming from your stomach, so are you.L’Ami Louishas the bestfoie grasin all of Paris. Do you likefoie gras,Feather?”
I gaped at him. “You’re thinking of going back on your promise because you’rehungry?”
“Don’t look sooutraged.”
“I’m not outraged; I’m shocked that you’d let your stomach take precedence over yoursoul.”
“There you go about my soul again. My soul is unsalvageable however many good deeds Ido.”
“That’s not true,Jarod!”
A dark lock fell into his eyes. He pushed it back, but it tumbled over his forehead again. “Feather, you don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve done.AllI’vedone.”
“I’m sure it’s all very terrible, but everyone can change. You just need to want tochange.”
“Maybe I don’t want to change.Francis—”
Sensing he was about to tell his driver to double back, I said, “Jarod, please.” I wasn’t past getting on my knees to beg. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. “Sasha is counting on us. Onyou. Please let’s go tohim.”
He regarded me a long time, as though weighing the pros and cons of keeping his promise to the restaurantowner.
“After we get rid of his unwanted solicitors, we can go to dinner. I mean you and Tristan. You don’t have to take me to dinner.” Sweet Elysium, could I sound anylamer?
Again, Jarod evaluated my plea quietly. I’d rarely met anyone as comfortable with silence as JarodAdler.
“Monsieur Adler?” Francisasked.
Gaze not wavering off mine, Jarod flicked his fingers toward the windshield. “Proceed to Rue Levert.” Once his driver gunned the car back into the right direction, the mob boss crossed his ankle over his opposite knee. “I’m holding you to dinner,Feather.”
