Which means someone else was supposed to witness what he planned to do.
I dial Andy.
"What did Julien say to you?" he asks without preamble.
I walk through the fragmented memories. Simone’s office. The syringe. Julien's manic energy as he talked about making Simone understand.
"The drug made most of it hazy," I tell Andy. "But I remember fragments. He said he'd been watching her for months. Something about proving she didn't know what real surrender felt like. And then right before the drug hit hard, he said something like 'show her' and 'she'll finally see.' Like he was demonstrating for an audience, not just acting on his own obsession."
"Show her specifically? Or show someone?"
The distinction makes my gut tighten. "The way he was talking... it felt like performance. Like he was following a script, proving something to whoever was watching."
"That tracks with what we found at the scene." Andy's voice goes grim. "Simone’s office at LaCroix Petroleum. We processed it after you were extracted. There was a camera, Luc. Hidden, still recording. Professional setup, wireless transmission. Whoever was watching that feed saw everything that happened to you."
Ice slides down my spine. "Someone was watching in real-time."
"Someone wanted documentation. Proof that Julien could deliver what he promised. Proof that he could capture and control someone protecting Simone."
Which means Julien's execution wasn't just cleanup. It was someone eliminating a contractor who'd outlived his usefulness. Someone who'd been watching the operation remotely, realized Julien was about to become a liability, and decided to cut losses before he could talk.
"We're tracing the camera's signal," Andy continues. "Should have a location within twenty-four hours. Whoever was on the receiving end might still be monitoring from the same setup."
"Keep me posted." I end the call.
Simone's watching me, reading my expression. "What's wrong?"
"Someone was watching when Julien grabbed me. Hidden camera in your office, live feed to a remote location." I meet her gaze. "Whoever funded this operation saw everything. They know Julien failed. They know we're building a case. And they're still out there."
Her face goes pale. "If they were willing to execute Julien to cover their tracks?—"
"They might come after you directly. Eliminate the evidence before we can connect them to the conspiracy." I pull her close. "Which is why you're staying here. Secured. Protected. I don't care how long it takes NOPD to trace that signal—you don't move until we know who's on the other end."
"Yes, Sir."
The automatic submission steadies us both. Gives her structure when everything else is chaos. Gives me certainty that she'll follow commands even when fear makes her want to run.
"Good girl." I kiss her forehead. "We're close. Andy's good at this. He'll find the connection. And when he does, we take down everyone involved."
But standing there in the guest house, holding Simone while she processes that someone was watching my capture in real-time, I still feel we're missing something.
Julien talked about proving something. Demonstrating what real power exchange looks like. Showing her what happens when someone refuses to play along with her performance.
He wasn't just obsessed. He was following a script. Someone else's vision of how to destroy her.
And that someone is still watching.
11
SIMONE
The guest house feels smaller after dark. I've been staring at my laptop for the past hour, pretending to review board materials while my mind runs through tomorrow's battle. Henry called earlier and confirmed he received the forensic evidence package linking Armand to the shell corporation that funded Julien's surveillance. The documentation is solid—tight enough to present to the board without giving Armand room to deflect. The emergency meeting is set for mid-morning.
I close the laptop. The financials blur together anyway.
Luc's in the kitchen, making coffee despite the late hour. Every action is deliberate, nothing wasted—the way he moves through space.
"You need to sleep," he says without turning around.
