by Autumn Grey
With an “Oh!” Marley disappeared around the door. I chuckled under my breath. Selene was such a tigress in bed, yet here she was being shy. I slid my hand around her arse and gave her a playful squeeze.
“Behave yourself, St. Germain.” She turned to face the doctor and explained the situation. The last time we had sex was the time of the incident. She had missed taking the pill that day. The doctor explained that sperm could live inside the woman’s body for up to five days. She murmured, “I knew that,” her cheeks turning red.
“But, will the baby be okay? I mean, I wasn’t conscious for almost a week and . . .”
“As long as you take care of yourself, everything should be okay.”
“Are you all right?” I asked.
She pivoted in my arms. I could see how hard she was fighting not to break down. “I’m just so afraid of getting my hopes high, if something happens . . .”
“Don’t even think about it, okay? Let’s take the news for what it is and go with it,” I told her, completely understanding her reaction now.
Dr. Blanchett walked toward us. “As your attending doctor, I signed up to escort you to Paris.”
I nodded, taking the envelope he was offering me. “Thank you for everything, Doctor,” I said.
He nodded, smiling. “Congratulations to both of you. I’ve arranged for an ultrasound in thirty minutes. I’ll send in a wheelchair for Madame Michaels. I am sure you’d like to accompany her, Monsieur St. Germain?” His eyes twinkled with amusement.
I nodded and kissed Selene’s forehead.
Mon Dieu, we were about to see our baby. When I looked up, the doctor had already left. I was so absorbed watching Selene’s animated face as she told me how excited, scared and happy she was.
“Are you ready for this?” I asked her as soon as one of the staff delivered the wheelchair. “Ready to see our baby?
She nodded, tears now running freely down her face. “Our little miracle.”
A WEEK had gone by and Selene was leaving the hospital here in Paris today. And I was feeling better. I had an appointment scheduled in two weeks to visit the doctor in London. I had planned to pick Selene up later on from the hospital after her release and bring her home. But first I wanted to be the one to pick up her parents from the airport. Gilles was feeling better after the Taser and pepper spray attack, although his pride, just like mine, was slowly recovering from the blow. Alexei had been watching the flat the past weeks, but Colette never showed up again. It was as if the ground had opened and swallowed her up. After what she did in Provence, I wasn’t about to lower my guard. She was a dangerous woman who felt no remorse for her actions. I still couldn’t understand how she wasn’t dead. I had buried her bones.
Unless they hadn’t belonged to her.
I shuddered at the thought and quickly shoved those thoughts away, focusing on meeting my future parents-in-law. I smiled at the thought, parked the car in the available parking spot and quickly pulled out my mobile. I opened up the text messages and typed,
How is my beautiful fiancée and mother of my baby doing?
I grinned and pressed send.
Moments later, an image of Selene’s face, pretend-pouting popped on my screen. Her eyes shone with mischief, giving the pout a comical look. My gaze fell on the words below the photo.
Missing you like crazy.
I typed, I can’t wait to hold you in my arms.
Another text message appeared on my screen. Just hold me?
I grinned and murmured, “Naughty, naughty girl.”
No. First I will undress you—no—rip those tiny shorts you wear in bed. Then kiss you from head to toe, touch you until your body aches. And finally, ma belle, I will shackle your wrists with my cuffs right before I slide my cock inside you. When you can’t take it anymore, when you are shaking beneath me, I will let you touch me. Then I will fuck you hard. Mon Dieu, I can’t wait to hear my name from your lips. It’s been too long.
I paused, shifting on the seat, my breathing labored.
I will make you come over and over until you beg me to stop. But even then, I might not give you the mercy you beg for. Not until I’m good and ready.
I pressed send, and took deep breaths to even out my breathing.
Merde! I was about to meet Selene’s parents, and I was turned on like I’ve never been before. In the airport.
I quickly read her reply. Fuck, Remington. That’s hot. I’m so wet. Wanna know what I’m doing? Touching myself. Oops, the nurse just walked in. I stared at the screen, breathing harder and harder.
Another message popped up. I came. You are a god, Remington.
I quickly typed, Remember that when I have your beautiful body beneath mine.
I spent the next ten minutes calming down, and fighting not to look at the messages.
Fifteen minutes later, I walked through the door to arrivals and went to wait for Ines and Anthony.
I WATCHED the arrivals gate, eager but at the same time apprehensive, about meeting Selene’s parents. I never met Colette’s relatives, so this was really the first time to meet the in-laws.
The minute Anthony walked out, I knew he was Selene’s father. Maybe it was the way his eyes, so like his daughter’s, scanned the room filled with people, before looking over his shoulder as if searching for someone. Then a woman stepped forward and his face lit up as he slid his arm along her shoulders, pulling her to him.
I lifted my hand to wave them over, my gaze shifting to the woman at his side, and I froze. My heart raced faster and the pulse thudded louder in my ears.
Colette?
I blinked, the pain in my chest spreading to every part of my body. Then I let out a breath and scanned the face in front of me. Brown eyes, hair more white than black.
No. Not Colette.
And then I knew without a doubt. This was Colette’s mother.
They looked around, searching the crowd, and our gazes collided. Ines’ face broke into a big smile and she waved at me. She seemed to be pulling her husband, asking him to hurry up. But I couldn’t move. My throat ached and I felt as if I was about to lose it. I couldn’t get air to my lungs.
“Remington St. Germain?” Ines asked, the smile on her face wavering the more I stood there, gaping.
They exchanged a look and shifted on their feet uneasily. “Maybe he’s not the one,” Anthony said.
“But . . . look at the photo. It’s him.” Ines shoved the photo Èric had sent them to help in identifying who I was, in her husband’s face.
Finally, I blinked, closed my mouth. “Pardon, you just caught me off guard,” I murmured. How was I going to hold it together until, until what? I confirmed the truth, which was staring me in the face. If I was to really be truthful to myself, the possibility of Colette and Selene being related had always lingered in the back of my mind. A fact I always ignored. Even after Gilles’ report about Selene being born in France, I still refused to accept the truth, because the mere thought that two people living in different parts of the world, two people fate seemed intent on throwing in my path, could be related, was just pure insanity. I remember when Selene and I dined at the restaurant weeks ago; she had mentioned she was born in New York, which completely contradicted Gilles’ report.
I held my hand in their general direction awkwardly.
Merde. I had to pull myself together, at least for this introduction.
Ines bridged the space between us and pulled me into her arms, embracing me. I wasn’t used to strangers or almost-strangers welcoming me with such abundance. I sank into her embrace and when she released me, Selene’s father shook my hand, sizing me up carefully. He grabbed his luggage and jerked his head. I offered to take Ines,’ and then I guided them through the throng of people. When we reached outside, I led them to the car, feeling Anthony’s eyes burning into my back the entire way. This was one angry father. I could imagine all the ways he was thinking of toasting me over an open fire.
Well, at least that was what I’d be doing if
some bloke dated my daughter then put her in danger.
“How is my daughter doing?” Anthony asked as I hoisted the luggage inside the car boot.
“Very well. She will be leaving the hospital today and she can’t wait to see you.” He narrowed his eyes at me.
And now I need to stop babbling.
Fucking hell! This wasn’t me. Nothing fazes me. I’ve been in worse situations than this and pulled through.
After loading the luggage and everyone was securely seated, I backed out of the parking spot, paid for my ticket and drove away toward the city center. I stared ahead, unable to face them. I was fighting not to blurt out what was bothering me. Worse, I was never good at small talk.
We arrived at the townhouse and quickly unloaded the car, taking everything inside. The minute my mother laid eyes on Ines, I knew that she knew. Her eyes grew wide, and her bottom lip quivered as she turned to face me. After introductions, I asked my mother to take Adrien for a walk, with Èric as their security detail. There was no way I could keep everything in. I had to speak to them before I brought Selene back from the hospital. So, as soon as the luggage was taken to their room downstairs, I approached them.
“I would like to speak to you before Selene comes home.”
“Why? Is anything wrong with her?”
Everything was perfect. And she’s carrying my baby. I stopped myself from focusing on that detail, because I had a feeling I might break into a dance.
They exchanged a look I could only interpret as cautious, but I wanted to know. Selene deserved to know, but she wasn’t in a position to be burdened with everything that was happening. Above all, Colette was still at large, which in itself was dangerous. If there was a way to save my Selene, protect her, maybe this was it.
After checking to make sure they were comfortably settled on the couch and refreshments were on the table, I lowered myself on the seat across from them. I leaned forward, my elbows braced on the table, and stared at the two people whose lives I was about to disrupt. Bring some sort of apocalypse that would end the peace that had reigned in their lives.
I cleared my throat. “Monsieur et Madame Michaels,” I started. Stopped. Shit. “Anthony and Ines. I have strong feelings toward your daughter, which is why this is going to be difficult.” Ines’ expression looked worried as her husband wrapped a hand around her shoulder, pulling her into him.
Good. She needed it.
She laughed nervously. “You are making me nervous.”
“I apologize. It’s not my intention.” Time to rip the security blanket. “I once again apologize for putting your daughter in danger. Some events happened recently that have brought some issues into the light. So I will go ahead and ask; where was Selene born?”
Ines gasped, her face paling fast. “What?”
“What is this about, Remington?” Anthony asked, frowning.
I clenched my jaw, shut my eyes tightly and when I opened them again, two pairs of eyes were fixed on me. “I came across some information about Selene. And your other daughter. Not Marley.”
Anthony shot from his seat. He charged toward me, his eyes bulging in shock and anger. He pointed his finger at my face, glaring at me. “What the hell are you—” He halted. Jabbed his finger at me several times without a word, swallowing hard. Then, he pulled his hand back, rifled his fingers through his hair before resting them on the back of his neck, rubbing it.
I waited, my heart beating fast.
“You have no right digging into other people’s lives,” Anthony said bitterly, looking at his wife. “You should have let sleeping dogs lie.”
My gaze automatically followed his.
Bloody fucking hell.
I rose from my chair and rounded the table, and crouched in front of Ines. “I am so sorry. I have hurt you but this wasn’t my intention.”
“She’s fine.” Anthony snapped at me, pulling his wife into his arms as if to protect her from me. I poured water in a glass and handed it to Ines. Anthony took it with a fierce glare before turning to speak to his wife in soft whispers.
I sat back on my chair to wait for Anthony and Ines to collect themselves. “I’m fine,” Ines finally said, straightening. “It’s okay, Anthony. I think it’s time. But first I need to know what information you have.”
Anthony shook his head vehemently, rubbing his hands soothingly along his wife’s arms and kissing her forehead.
“I can’t keep this inside me any longer. Please, my love. Just . . .” She turned to face me, and squared her shoulders, a determined look on her face. Right there, I saw where my woman got that spunky quality.
My woman.
My Selene.
My heart squeezed in my chest.
Damn right. Selene is mine. And I swore to protect her any way I could. Even if it meant getting to the bottom of this.
This declaration strengthened my resolve. Steepling my fingers, I tried to appear patient and calm, when all I wanted was to shake the information out of them.
“I’m ready. Please tell me,” Ines announced, staring at me.
I took a deep breath, and then started the tale from the second I met Selene at the hotel, omitting the details that would make me look like a lusty devil. When I was done, I went on and told them about Colette, the girl I met, married and lost in a span of five years.
“What do Selene and Colette have to do with each other?” Anthony asked.
“It turns out that Colette isn’t dead, as I thought. She is the same woman who attacked Selene.”
“Where is she? Why hasn’t she been apprehended?”
I rubbed my forehead to ease the tension building there and told them what happened the last time Gilles, Alexei and I visited the flat.
“Jesus, she sounds dangerous! Who is this woman?”
I fixed my gaze on Ines and for the first time, wished I had kept some of Colette’s photos for this purpose. “That’s what I’d been wondering until I saw you, Ines. Colette is a copy of you.”
“Oh, God, no. No. It can’t be.” Anthony pulled her tighter into his arms and kissed her forehead, murmuring words of comfort. Eventually, she pulled back and dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief her husband had passed her before giving me a wobbly smile. “I guess I had better start from the beginning.” She took a deep, shuddering breath, and gripped her husband’s hand as if she needed every iota of energy she could get.
“Twenty-six years ago, we, Anthony and I, and . . . my baby girl . . . packed and moved from Paris to New York.”
My breathing stuttered. Waited. My hands formed fists.
Anthony cleared his throat. “Ines . . . my wife, had just had Selene.” He paused, his face contorted with pain, and this time he took longer before he spoke. Ines leaned into her husband, sobbing quietly.
“I had two daughters,” Ines took over. “The first girl was four years old. I had her from my previous relationship, before I met Anthony. Her name was Diane.”
“Was?”
She nodded. “Was. Is. One autumn morning, Diane was restless and I took them out for a walk, hoping a little bit of fresh air would do them good. We ended up in a nearby park. They were having a children’s festival and it was completely packed. I turned for just a few seconds, ten seconds at most, to pull the baby blanket to protect Selene from the cool breeze, and when I turned around, my baby, Diane, was gone. Gone as if she never existed. No one saw her, or who took her. Or even if she wandered off. The police searched for her for months, and eventually declared it a cold case. God, she was only four years old.”
I slumped back on the chair and dropped my head into my hands.
Jesus Christ! “How long did you search for your daughter?”
“Long enough. Eventually, we left. I couldn’t stay here. There were too many memories . . .”
I rose from my seat and started to pace. My legs felt weak and sweat trickled down my back.
Mon Dieu! I was married to one sister and now I was about to marry the other? I tried to compute th
at in my head, but I came up blank. What were the odds, really?
“Where is . . . Colette, now?” Ines asked.
I shook my head. “My friend who owns the security firm hasn’t been able to find her.” I glanced at my watch, and then back to Ines. “I have to pick Selene up from the hospital, but I would like to ask you not to talk about this with her. I’m not certain how strong she is at the moment. And God help me, I intend to protect her as much as I can.”
“But, it’s her sister,” Ines said.
“Who is trying to kill her. Selene is going through some changes right now.” I exhaled in exasperation. “I will let her tell you herself.” There was no way I would take this from Selene. She had been agitated at first, wondering how her parents would take it now that she was pregnant after what she had gone through the past two years. Then she’d perked up and informed me she would deliver the news herself.
After showing them to their room, I left the townhouse and headed for the hospital, but ended up driving around. Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into a parking spot, unable to drive anymore. The details of what happened to Diane/Colette haunted my mind and for the first time since meeting Selene, I questioned myself. Had I been drawn to her simply because of the minute resemblance to Colette? But how could that be, when I hated Colette with all my being, and loved Selene with everything that I was? There was nothing to indicate any relation and the only thing that would prove they were related was a DNA test.
Shit. I dropped my head onto my arms on the steering wheel. I had to make a decision fast. Selene would notice how shaken I was, which in turn would cause her stress, something she didn’t need in her current condition. I was going to protect her, even if it meant going against my own rules.
I was about to lie to my fiancée.
I jolted upright as the impact of those words hit hard. I’d broken several of my rules since I met her.
I love her.
I restarted the car and sped toward the hospital, the craving to see her heightened by the distance between us.