The Frenchman's Bride

by Imani King

  I turned over my shoulder. “Oh, you have disappointed me,” I remarked, returning to face her down. “Sophia Pains was trying to blackmail me. I let her too close. I slipped up. When armed with information that could damage me, she overplayed her hand. I separated her out of my life, but she didn’t want to be done with me just yet.”

  I took another step towards her, my voice practically menacing now. “She tried to blackmail me, and she had the paparazzi all lined up, ready to jump. Afterwards, I met a compromise with her – one that she has broken by coming all the way out here to interfere with my life… particularly by approaching you.”

  “What did she have on you?” Sierra requested tersely.

  “No, no, you are in no position to make demands of me, young Miss Simmons,” I explained. “I have invited you into my company – onto my personal vessel – and I did not do it so that you could STAND there and POINT THE FINGER,” I began to shout. “You were SUPPOSED to be DIFFERENT! You were supposed to TRUST ME! And be someone that I COULD TRUST IN RETURN!”

  I punched the wall, forcing my knuckles against the paneling to vent my anger. For the first time, Sierra looked frightened, and she held a trembling hand to her lips.

  “You have…two choices,” I continue, holding back a wave of venom from my tone. “You can either stay, or you can leave. If you want to leave…you have a bank account with a deposit made from my funds. You have enough to fly back to the States on short notice a dozen times, maybe more. But if you are staying here, with me, you are going to dispel this ridiculous notion in your head, and prevent a known career-climber with motive from coming between us…”

  “It’s kind of funny, when you think about it,” Sierra answered calmly, without a trace of amusement in her voice. “You think it’s her who’s digging a divide between us, but it’s really you.”

  With that, she turned and left my sight.

  With Sierra somewhere in the ship – probably in her room – I decided to head back out to Cannes. After all, what was the point of buying a new shirt if I was just going to wear it on the way back to the yacht?

  Even I wasn’t that wasteful.

  My driver took me back into town, and I enjoyed a pair of fish tacos at a small, multicultural restaurant. Seeing me alone, the waitress tried to openly flirt with me, but I shut her down politely after the third try.

  If this entire debacle with Sierra hadn’t happened, I would have taken this young, attractive French girl back home and ravaged her in bed…but I couldn’t stomach the thought now.

  Oh God, I thought to myself despondently. She’s really changed me, then.

  I prided myself on my status as an attractive, eligible bachelor. Turning down a clear opening that would inevitably turn to sex was never part of my modus operandi…and it wasn’t a good sign that I felt forced to do it now.

  After enjoying my meal and walking along the city streets for a brief while, alone with my thoughts, I called for my driver. He found me within ten minutes, and we headed back towards the Miss Victoriana.

  “That was brief,” he spoke in thick French. “You did not want to stay out longer, monsieur?”

  “No,” I responded.

  “Ah, that woman, she has, uh, affected you? Is that the right word?”

  I smiled quietly to myself. “That’s close enough.”

  “My sympathies. Women, they can be so tricky. A big fight, then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, that is hard. But you are strong. Confident. You will decide what to do, I am sure.”

  “Thank you,” I remarked offhandedly.

  It was true. She had affected me. Being around Sierra had crept into me and ruined me. I had been such a fool to think that I could handle it. How naïve had I been?

  As the driver dropped me back off at the docks, I knew that there was only one thing that I could do. I climbed back up to the upper decks, let myself into my ship, and asked the passing crew where she was.

  A few minutes later, I stopped outside her door and knocked. Sierra opened it a few seconds later; she looked like she had been crying.

  “I wanted to apologize for earlier,” I told her. “I lost my composure, and it was improper for me to turn my anger on you. It’s not you who I should be angry with.”

  “No, you were right,” Sierra replied sadly. “I shouldn’t have listened to her. She’s someone I don’t even know, who has a reason to lie to me…”

  “Then we’re both at fault,” I explained, taking her hands in mine, “but I want you to understand how sorry I am. The last thing I want to ever do is hurt you, and I keep replaying that look in your eyes from earlier, again and again…”

  “It’s okay,” she replied softly.

  I took a deep sigh.

  “I’m willing to tell you what Sophia had on me, if you really want to know.”

  Sierra shook her head. “No. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Are you sure, Sierra?”

  “I’m positive. It’s your business, not mine.”

  “That…pleases me more than you can imagine,” I told her, pulling her into an embrace. Of course, I hadn’t wanted to risk confirming it, but I needed her to see me attempt to, at any rate. “And I’m glad we can put that behind us…”

  Sierra nodded into my embrace, and I comforted her. “Everything’s going to be alright, Sierra…everything’s going to be just alright.”

  I’m going to have to keep a tighter leash on her, after all, I thought to myself as I stroked her hair. I felt secure in my place with us. Sophia knows too much, and I’m going to have to find a way to keep these two apart.

  I can’t afford to lose her now.

  21

  Sierra

  * * *

  After another film screening one night, Blaine took me to a nearby cocktail bar. Considering the monumentally depressing ending of the film, I wasn’t particularly in the mood. However, Blaine was so enthusiastic about this particular place that I couldn’t find the energy to argue.

  “You’re going to love the drinks here,” he reminded me again, his arm wrapped around my shoulder. He hadn’t stopped talking about this bar since leaving the venue. “They’re top-notch. I remember this positively magnificent lemon drop martini…”

  His arm squeezed a little too hard. I tried to push it aside, but he didn’t get the hint. Inwardly, I sighed, wondering how long we’d have to be out before I could just curl up beside him again.

  “And here we are,” he finally told me, pointing out a nearby, loud building with his free hand. I could see an open patio area, filled with high-top tables and a throng of clientele.

  I wasn’t convinced that I wanted to be around a ton of people. “Blaine, I’m not feeling this right now. What if we just went back to the yacht? We can go tomorrow night.”

  “Nonsense! This place is great! It’ll perk you right up.”

  I nodded and tried to force a smile. “Alright then. If you say so.”

  “I do!” He chuckled, completely overlooking the disappointment that I couldn’t have successfully hidden. Steering me inside, he guided me to a high-top and strolled over to the bar to order us some drinks.

  My eyes trailed away from the scene, trying to focus on this beautiful little town. I hadn’t seen much of Cannes proper since we’d arrived – we’d eaten at a few restaurants and shared drinks at a few bars like this one, but mostly it was festival events and film screenings. Well, honestly, it was becoming more the socialization aspect of things, and I was finding that it wasn’t much easier to look celebrities and prestigious directors straight in the eyes than it was the first day here.

  I glanced around at the guests. As lively as they were, I only felt lonelier. They were clearly enjoying themselves, and why shouldn’t they? This was a huge event that only came around once a year. Most of these people had probably looked forward to this for months.

  Personally, the Cannes Film Festival wasn’t a priority to me. I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to see it, espec
ially on the arm of the rich and famous Blaine Winguard, but it had never occurred to me to try to come.

  Sure, if I wanted to get into film journalism, maybe I’d have a shot to see something like this off my own merit in the future…but the longer I thought about it, the less I liked the idea that I couldn’t have done this without him. I held definite pride in doing things alone – in working hard and earning the opportunities that came my way.

  School. Graduating Valedictorian. The internship.

  I did all of this alone – and I was somewhere where I could never do it by myself, not unless I tailored my life specifically towards it.

  But I could let go of that minor nitpick.

  I had plenty of other things to be proud of.

  Blaine returned with our drinks after a while. I still couldn’t force myself to enjoy my time here, but he was right – the drink was delicious, and I could feel myself livening up a little. We enjoyed some reasonable conversation, although with all the time we’d spent cooped up together, I couldn’t help but notice that it sounded a little…stale?

  It was hard for me to put my finger on it, but something was bothering me. Blaine failing to notice my growing anxiety only compounded this harder.

  After a while, he rose to fetch us a fresh pair of drinks – before I could finish a funny story from my childhood. I ignored his sudden lack of interest as he wandered off, back towards the bar, and I knew I wouldn’t see him for a short while.

  Sighing, I turned my attention back towards the crowd, sipping at the remainder of my cocktail.

  “I didn’t think I’d see you alone,” I heard a voice speak. When I turned my head, an older, portly man with gray hair and a thick goatee was stepping over to my table. He came dressed in a closed, dark navy bridge coat, with a matching navy bowler hat. Just beneath the fold atop his coat, I could see the collar of a black button-up, as well as a bright azure tie. Removing the hat from his balding, gray-haired head, he placed it on the table and smiled kindly.

  “You’ve been inseparable from Mr. Winguard, although not for a lack of trying. I can almost hear the chains rattle when you step away from him…”

  “What would make you say something like that?” I asked defensively. I should have dismissed him immediately, but something about his presence interested me. It might have helped that my host was less than attentive to my needs. “I’m here because I want to be, and for no other reason.”

  “Of course, of course,” he replied in a soothing voice with both of his hands raised. “I’m sorry, young miss – perhaps I spoke out of turn. I didn’t mean to offend you, by any measures. It was just an observation – he never lets you out of his sight, after all, and I’ve seen that hungry, possessive look in his eyes…”

  “He’s protective of me,” I told him defiantly.

  “And for good reason, I’m sure. It’s nice that he’s willing to let you have some freedom. I’m just glad that he’s less controlling of you than usual.”

  I sipped my drink angrily. “Than usual?”

  “Oh, that man is notorious for his control issues, you know. You’ve probably seen some of that already.”

  Although it felt like he was just trying to get a reaction out of me, I couldn’t help but pry. “What do you mean? And how do you know Blaine Winguard?”

  The stranger smiled innocently, but I could see a spark of wickedness in his eyes. He glanced around briefly before continuing in a whisper. “It is my business to know powerful people, you see, and someone like him leaves a large footprint wherever he goes….

  “Ask yourself – this little arrangement that you have with Blaine Winguard – how much control of it do you have? Be honest with yourself. Has he allowed you even the slightest toehold of control?”

  I was incensed. “Excuse me, but whatever kind of arrangement he and I have is none of your concern.”

  “Be that as it may, young miss…is it true that you two arrived here by yacht? And will probably leave that way, too?”

  “Yes,” I answered, disliking where this was going.

  “That’s an interesting way to travel. It’s kind of old-fashioned, really. Not a whole lot to do on the open ocean, even in a magnificent vessel like his…odd, though, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I’m not following,” I told him, taking another sip of my drink and considering sending him away, “and I’m not sure that I want to.” My curiosity was pressing me on – it sensed something in his words.

  “A plane would have been far more efficient – and it’s not like he couldn’t have used a luxury jet. Would have left you two with a lot of time to sightsee, as well…France offers a lot more than just this festival. But then there could be more opportunity for you to scamper away.”

  “You think he chose it to control me.”

  “It suits him, that man…a luxury vessel makes for a nice cage, but it is a cage. Rather easy to watch your guest when there’s nowhere else to go, when you think about it…”

  I hadn’t considered that this way, and I didn’t like the doubt that he was starting to introduce into my head.

  “Tell me, where did you two meet?”

  “Online, like I said.”

  “No, that I gathered,” he smiled again, stroking his scruff of goatee, “but where did you physically meet? A park, perhaps? Maybe a restaurant?”

  “…His office.”

  The stranger chuckled. “Fitting.”

  I had had about enough of this. “Excuse me, but what is it exactly that you want? And who are you?”

  “I want what’s best for you, Miss Simmons,” the stranger replied casually. “I just want you to be safe and secure, much like your associate does…but I’d rather you have a little more control over your circumstances. Blaine Winguard sets a dangerous trap, because the kind he sets is the kind you never see coming until it snaps shut its jaws shut around your leg…the man has control issues, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I answered one of them.”

  “That’s not enough.”

  “And you, Miss Simmons, seem to be taking after him. Perhaps that’s appropriate, being locked up with the man in a floating tin can for more than a week? He must be rubbing off on you…”

  “You’re wrong,” I spat out at him. “I’m nothing like him.”

  In that moment, I realized what I meant by those words – controlling, manipulative, and duplicitous. With dawning horror, I gazed over at the stranger, who was smiling wider now. He had planted his seed so strongly, but with a subtle nudge, he now watched it sprout.

  “No, maybe I was wrong about you. You’re nothing like him at all. My mistake…but I will answer your other question.”

  With refined air, he swiftly snatched his hat back off the table and returned it to his graying hair, slipping a business card facedown in its place.

  “Good evening, Miss Simmons. I trust that I might have a word with you when you’re back home in Philadelphia. Until then…enjoy the company of your host…”

  He whirled around and effortlessly slipped around the partying patrons, vanishing out of sight. With heavy dread in my chest, I glanced down at the business card, flipping it over and letting out a barely restrained gasp.

  Sir Raleigh Bartlesby

  Founder, Discreet Companions

  22

  Sierra

  * * *

  The next couple of days, I lived in a thinly veiled panic. My thoughts swirled through a dark abyss, unable to reconcile away my doubts. This strange man had come out of nowhere to step into my life, just for a few minutes – and long enough to make me question this entire trip. The worst part was…he had a point.

  Even if I had been willfully ignorant about it all.

  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Blaine had been too controlling. Even throughout the rest of that night, and for the days afterwards, he continued to only superfluously listen to me – and grew irritated or impatient when I wo
uld want to change the plans he had in his head for our time together.

  As time slowly passed, I grew further reluctant to get back on that yacht with him to sail back. I deliberated on the idea of being cooped up with him for another week; now that the stranger had identified it as the cage it was…could I stand it?

  I didn’t think so.

  But I couldn’t trust Raleigh. Even if he had done no wrong, and had formed a legitimately legal community, he was still the man I had to investigate. I also couldn’t shirk the almost tangible dread I felt near him – every alarm bell in my head told me he was dangerous, but like a sweet, poisonous flower, I had been compelled to pay attention to him.

  No, I thought to myself finally. I have to take back the reins to this. Blaine clearly has some dominance issues, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take some of my life back.

  And besides, I smiled to myself, every instinct tells me that this Bartlesby guy is up to no good. How dare he try to come between Blaine and me? I don’t know what his angle is, but I’m stronger than that. Blaine and I can work this out.

  Although, I couldn’t fathom how he found me, especially in crowded Cannes…and to what lengths he must have gone to simply introduce himself.

  These thoughts are what inspired me to grow a backbone against my host, who was less than pleased about the division in our interests.

  “You realize that I’m paying you to be my company,” Blaine mentioned offhandedly as I put my foot down. “You’re supposed to join me to these events, these screenings…the entire point is for us to enjoy each other’s time.”

  “I need a break. Just for tonight,” I told him.

  “Is that so? I thought you enjoyed spending time with me?” He looked almost hurt, turning that powerful gaze onto me…and with that slight sadness in his eyes, I almost gave in right there and then.

  “No. We’ve got the rest of the festival – and an entire week afterwards. Let me see a little of Cannes, and you…you just go enjoy yourself, alright?”