“We are friends. He’s the Third French Emperor, so I’d say we’re more than that.”
“And…that won’t be a problem?”
He shook his head. “I have my past. You have yours.”
“Yes, but you have to look at him and talk to him.”
“I’m not saying it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “But it’s not worth losing you.”
31
LUCA
The butler let me inside and escorted me to the drawing room. “Bastien will be here momentarily?—”
“Already here.” Bastien walked inside in just his sweatpants and ink for a shirt.
I was jealous he looked so comfortable and I was confined to my jeans.
Bastien turned back to his butler before he sat down. “Bring some of those bacon-wrapped scallops.”
“Of course, sir.” He left.
“You’re still on that?” I asked as I helped myself to a drink.
He took a seat in the armchair and lounged on the cushions. He didn’t make himself a drink.
I sat down and grabbed a cigar from the tray on the coffee table. I lit up, drinking his liquor and smoking his cigars while he didn’t join in on the fun.
He watched me across the table. “So?”
“You didn’t talk to Carvel?”
He shook his head. “We haven’t spoken.”
At least Carvel wasn’t going around sharing Aliénor’s personal business. “She was an escort for a few years. That’s how she met Carvel. It wasn’t serious, but they did have a…thing.” It made me uncomfortable. Made me a little sick. But I pushed it aside like a man.
Bastien didn’t react to that.
“She was eighteen at the time. Had nowhere else to turn.”
“How long was she in that line of business?”
“About four years. Then the Oath found her, and she ran.”
He gave a slight nod. “That girl’s had a hard life.”
I pitied her more than I showed. I pitied her the moment she begged for my help and was willing to do anything to earn it. “Yeah, she has.” I took a drink from the glass and put it down.
“Where does that leave the two of you?”
The second I’d walked up to the two of them, I could feel the tension. See that she was pale as a ghost. That he was uncomfortable and even a little angry. My stomach had dropped and my hands went numb, but I didn’t show it. “Doesn’t change anything.”
Approval moved through his eyes, and he gave a nod. “Good for you, Luca.”
“I don’t want to fuck this up.” I still didn’t want to fuck it up. Even knowing she slept with one of my boys—for money and forfree—didn’t change my perspective. “What would you do if this was Fleur?”
“Fuck,” he blurted. “Don’t do that to me. She’s my wife. It’s different.”
