“Thank you. I need to step out briefly, but I’ll be back soon.”
I point to the exit at the back of the room and mouth the word, “phone.”
He nods and starts walking with me.
“I’m fine,” I whisper, which is definitely not the right response if I’m to judge by the way he sharpens his gaze and continues to walk right alongside me. He speaks in rapid French, so quickly and in such a low voice I can hardly decipher what he’s saying, but it has something to do withbailandsecurityandclosing for the remainder of the night only.
My stomach lurches. First, the attack on me. Now, women are being arrested and brought up on charges. What will happen next? Is this, like the plane, a deliberate attack?
When we step into the hallway, Fabien hangs up the call and curses.
“How is she?”
“I don’t know. I spoke to Gwen, and she seems to think Cosette is fine, but the rest of the girls are understandably upset. We’ve increased security so there are no other assaults, but these arrests aren’t random.”
I wonder how he knows, what evidence he has. I wonder what he’ll do about it. I don’t push for answers, not yet, because the halls are crowded, and I reason if he wants to tell me something, he will.
We round the corner to take us to his room when someone calls his name.
“Fabien!” Chance and his brother Milo stand by the entrance to the house.
He raises a hand in greeting as his phone rings again.
“Mon Dieu,”he growls. “I need to take this.”
“Of course.”
He ducks into a nearby doorway for privacy as Chance and Milo make their way toward us.
“Chance, give us a minute, will you?”
“You think I’d miss the open bar?” he says with a wink at me. He’s skeevy as hell, but I don’t want him to leave, because that leaves me alone with Milo.
I need the information, though. We have to fly back to Corsica, and Fabien’s occupied, so this is on me.
“I’ve been thinking,” Milo says as he approaches me.
“Have you? Congratulations.” I know I have to get this information, but I’ll hold his attention longer if I needle him a little.
“Very funny, Nicolette.” He looks over his shoulder, not very good at hiding the fact that he doesn’t want to be caught by Fabien. I don’t need to be saved, and I don’t need to be rescued, though. If I’m going to steal that talisman worth so much money, I can handle a seedy cousin. “My brother says he saw you in Corsica.”
“Oh? Interesting. Are we here to talk about your brother?”
“You’re hilarious.” Milo seems to be losing his patience, but the way he keeps looking around us makes me think he’s worried about Fabien catching him. “My brother knows where you came from.”
“And?” I don’t look away or even blink.
No shame.
If Fabien can roll with this, so can I.
“And,” Milo continues, his cheeks reddening. “I just want you to be careful.”
Oh. Sure, that makes total sense. Jerk.
I give him a smile.
“Thanks for worrying about me. Have you given any more thought to what Fabien offered?”
