It was like she was swimming in quicksand.“Whoareyou?”
“I was born and raised here on the streets of Paris,” he stated flatly.“I had no parents, but I knew how to survive even at a young age by picking the pockets of tourists.That’s how I bought food.That or I’d just steal it.My boss found me when I was about thirteen, and even at that age I had a large, muscular frame.His two sons had just been killed in a freak skiing accident, and I guess he saw something in me that reminded him of them.Once I proved I was worth taking a chance on, he took me in as his own and personally trained me.”
“To launder money?”
“Among other things.”
“Right.”Where did she go next?“Are you a bad guy?”
He didn’t answer right away, instead, studied her face.What he searched for, she didn’t know.“I can be.I can be ruthless if the person I care about is harmed, or if my boss orders me to do something you might consider bad.”
The way he stared at her, she knew who he meant.Mafia killed people all the time.A chill settled in her soul.
“Who is Savage?”she whispered to him.
“He is part of the Voclain Family.”
“Are they like you?”
“They’re worse.They’re monsters.They have no respect for anyone who’s not a member of the Voclain clan.”
Was I a pawn?“Did he hurt me because of the animosity between the two families?”
“No, he hurt you to get back at me.”He ran a hand over his face.“The Lemaire family works exclusively with a very powerful LA kingpin.I recently seized a shipment where Savage tried to smuggle drugs in through cargo containers and turned it over to him.Savage’s retaliation on you was because of my actions.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, but it changed everything.“I got hurt because of you.I’m scarred for life because ofyou?Fuck you.I quit.Now I won’t be a target.”
“Oh, baby, it’s not that easy.You’re part of this world now.Part ofmyworld.”
She shook her head.“No, I’m not.I’m not part of any of this.I think you should leave.I need to go home.”
“I’m so sorry you were dragged into my world, Quinn.Unfortunately, there’s no turning back.”
“I promise I won’t say anything.”Desperation colored her voice.
He reached up and put a piece of her hair behind her ear, then cradled her face.“I know you won’t, but Savage marked you, and in our world, marks are targets.That’s why I brought you here, to my home in Paris, to recuperate safely.”
“Are you saying I’m going to have to leave LA?”
“No,” he replied.“We will go back together.But it will betogether.”
He leaned into the words, as if making sure she understood.Only, she had no clue what he was implying.She waited for him to elaborate.
“As in, we will be husband and wife,” he clarified.
“Are you kidding me?”He said nothing.Just stared at her expectantly.“You’re serious.”
“Savage knew what he was doing when he came after you,” he said.“He ensured you would know too much.And before you argue, yes, I trust you, but my boss doesn’t know you.The only way to enforce your silence, is to bring you into the family.”
“But ...but ...do you even want a wife?”
“In my world, marriages are for business and alliances.Our marriage would be for business.You already know the ins and outs of the gallery.I admire you as an employee and as a person.I think we’d have a very successful marriage based on respect.”
“I don’t know if I want a husband,” she whispered.“Let me think for a moment.”
It seemed so passionless, the way he announced it, but then she thought about what he said.She also remembered their conversation about love and paused.Maybe he had a point, that only successful marriages were made with logic rather than emotions.They were more than sexually compatible.The sheets were scorched, as they say, from the fire between them.Plus, she’d been drawn to him from the very first day.Was she a doormat to think what’s done was done?The genie couldn’t go back into his lamp.Nothing could be erased.
“Would this be a real marriage?With children and a white picket fence?”
