I can’t call my brothers or even fight my way out. The crowd begins to pull me down. I’m on my knees when someone leans down and breathes in my ear.
“Don’t fight it, Lyam, if you know what’s good for you.”
I shove my way up, looking for the person who spoke to me.
“Who the fuck was that?” I manage to extricate myself from two men when three more who look vaguely familiar grab me from behind.
“He’s trying to hurt us!” one yells.
“Call the police!” another yells.
Cameras flash again. I’m shoving and pushing but getting nowhere. A prick hits my neck. I flail as realization dawns on me.
It was a setup, all of it. These aren’t tourists or students. This was a setup.
I punch the guy in front of me as the world gets hazy.
“We’ve got him.”
Cosette.
Our baby.
I sink into a world of darkness.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Cosette
I’m tornbetween disbelief that he can be so heartless and refuse to listen to me, and anger at myself for not telling him sooner.
When would there have been a better time? When we were in his family home in Paris and Savannah and Thayer were there? Oh, maybe when we were in the hospital making sure I wasn’t losing our baby. Could’ve been perfect timing if I’d told him back when we were in his home, and I shared with him I was pregnant. Get it all over with at once?
I pinch the bridge of my nose and exhale.
I know the truth and there’s no point in lying to myself.
There is no such thing as perfect timing.
A part of me feels I’ve been betrayed too. I wish I’d earned enough trust from them that they’d give me the benefit of thedoubt. But no. His brother tells him Montague is my father, and immediately he sees me as a traitor.
I am, though. I know I am.
I wouldn’t knowingly hurt any of them. I hope he knows that now. But I may have put them at risk.
I groan and sink to my knees when the familiar pang of nausea hits me. Good God, when will this end? I fight it but can’t help it and in the end I succumb.
When I’m finally spent, every crumb of my breakfast gone, I lay my head on my arms and weep.
IknowI shouldn’t have kept anything from him. I know. And while I felt that first pang of rejection when he told me I couldn’t be with him anymore, this feels so much more final.
“Mademoiselle?” I stand weakly and go to the door. I open it to find Philippe with luggage. “I’m ready to take you.”
“I have to pack.”
“Mr. Gerard already did that for you.”
“That quickly?”
