He nodded. Disappointed that he didn’t at least try harder to fight her, she scooted out of the bed.
“I’ll freshen up and get dressed.”
He nodded, still not saying anything. Just before she stepped into the bathroom, he said, “You can’t run forever, Meg.”
She said nothing and closed the door. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against it and prayed he wasn’t right.
* * * *
Callum didn’t mean to snoop. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. That was a lie. He had meant to snoop, but he didn’t think he needed to justify it. Phoebe had something on her mind since yesterday, and it had nothing to do with the others in Paris. That seemed to be going off without a glitch.
She was up in their room napping, so he casually looked through the papers on her desk and found her journal.
“Mum says looking at personal things without permission is bad,” Jack said from behind him. Callum almost dropped the book, then turned to face the boy.
“Tis different with married couples.”
The boy looked unfazed by that argument.
“Something’s bothering her.”
Jack nodded and sat on the couch. “She’s so tired. And she feels the weight of carrying secrets.”
Callum sighed. “Yes.”
“Still isn’t right that you’re going through her things.”
Bloody hell, the kid was like a dog with a bone about things like this. And he was going to have a long talk with Maggie when she got back. He was Laird and Lairds ruled.
“You do not run a real Clan anymore, Sir Callum.”
He shook his head and couldn’t fight the smile. “No, not really. But…”
Wait, why was he explaining himself to the child? Because he mattered. It was that simple. He was part of his Clan now, and he needed to let him know why it was important.
“She’s worried, and I believe she’s keeping something from me, trying to protect me.”
Jack nodded. “And you want to ease that.”
It was hard to believe he was just a boy. He spoke with more sense than most adults.
“What the devil is going on here?”
Phoebe stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips. She was smiling until her gaze came to rest on the journal.
“I didn’t read it,” Callum said.
The color seemed to drain from her face, and he rushed forward to help her.
“I’m okay,” she said, somewhat breathlessly. He helped her to the sofa. Jack popped up immediately, so that she could lay down. Once she was settled, he leaned over her, his face within inches of hers.
“You must tell him. Holding secrets will be bad for you and the next laird. Be brave.”
Then, he nodded at Callum and left them alone.
He sat on the table in front of the sofa and waited. She’d closed her eyes and when he saw the tears, his worry turned into panic.
“Phoebe, love, tell me. It can’t be all that bad.”
She opened her eyes. Unshed tears shimmered in her eyes. “Oh, but it is Callum. I didn’t want to tell you. Any of you.”
“Is it the baby?”
“No. Here, let me have the journal.”
He did as she requested, and she opened it to a page. Without a word, she handed him the book back. He read the passage and everything in him went cold.
He looked at her. The tears were now streaming down her face. “You see. I could not tell you. You have so much to bear, and I couldn’t add to that.”
“Oh, love, you are never a burden. And this…well, what were you planning on doing? Just not telling us?”
“What good would it do? Will it actually make anything change?”
He shook his head. “No, but we have a right.”
She sat up and grasped his arms. “Don’t you see, though? Everyone must have a helper, a mate. Or that’s what I am thinking. There is no going back, but we would be damning anyone if we do not succeed. Do you think Logan, Fletcher or Anice would do that?”
He cupped her face. “Love, know this. No matter what I thought would happen, nothing in the world would have kept me from loving you. Not even a passage that said I could lose you if I tried to break the curse. And the truth is, maybe we need this to push us even more. It is no longer about breaking our curse, it is about the ones we love.”
“Callum…”
He shook his head. “No. We tell the others.”
“Now?”
“No. We wait until the others get back.”
“But what about Logan and Meg?”
He found a smile. “Love, Logan is lost, has been since the two of them got in the vicinity of each other. He’s just fighting it.”
Callum leaned down and kissed her, then pulled back to rest his forehead on hers. “We do this together. Us.”
She sniffed. “Yes.”
“I love you, Phoebe.”
“I know.”
He chuckled. “Why don’t we take some time off?”
“Yeah?”
“A little siesta?”
She nodded. He stood, went to the door and shut it, sliding the lock home, then turned around. “I do have a fondness for this office.”
She laughed. “Is that so?”
He picked her up, then sat down on the sofa. “It’s where I fell in love with you.”
“Oh, Callum.”
He kissed her, pushing all thoughts of the curse out of his mind and just loving the woman who was his soul.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Logan held Meg’s hand as they walked down rue Berger to Le Comptoir, the restaurant Meg had suggested. It had been one of those magical days that Paris could offer locals and tourists alike. There was a chill in the air, but it had been sunny enough to enjoy walking.
“So, I’m assuming this is not some kind of tourist trap,” he asked.
Meg smiled at him. “No way. When I live in a place, I become one of the locals, and I love being a local in Paris.”
“Another rule from your father?”
She nodded. “To be able to work, you have to understand the mark.”
“Ah,” he said.
“Oh, my goodness, I missed this.”
“What?”
“The bustle of people and the smell of bread.”
“Not much of that with the McLennans,” he said.
Another smile. “No, that’s for sure. But, there is something about enjoying the peace. I haven’t had a lot of that in my life.”
He was about to ask her about that, but Maggie called their names.
“Oh, that girl has always acted like she was born in a barn.”
It was said with affection. His brother and his wife were already seated outside as they walked up.
“Did you have a good day?” Maggie asked, rising to give Meg a kiss on the cheek.
“How can you not have a good day in Paris? I think it is impossible.”
Logan had to agree, especially with Meg. He had never known a person who could take delight in everything. From street performers to fine art, she had enjoyed it all. And because of her, he had appreciated it more.
They sat at the little table, but he could tell from his brother’s expression, something was up.
“Had a call from Morin. He’s invited us for a dinner party tomorrow.”
He sensed a stillness from Meg. Logan glanced at her, then dropped his hand to take hers under the table. “Good. I am ready for this part to be over with.”
“Does he know I am with you?” Meg asked.
“I’m not really sure. He mentioned that you and Maggie should come, but he didn’t use your names.”
She nodded.
“When?” Logan asked.
“Tomorrow night. His house.” He looked at Meg. “Do you know it?”
“What address?” she asked. Angus rattled it off. She nodded. “I’ve been there a number of times.”
“Well, good, now,” Maggie said, as their wine was delivered, “I think we should talk about happ
ier things.”
* * * *
After dinner, they walked back to her apartment. Meg was pretty sure they all had eaten over their fill of food for the night. The brothers had fallen back and were talking in hushed tones, and she and Maggie walked arm in arm.
“So, you and Logan.”
“It was killing you, huh?” Meg asked with a laugh.
“It was. I’d call Rena, but the woman probably already knows.”
Meg nodded. Rena did know, but she had apparently understood Meg’s need for privacy.
“Are you going to tell me about it?”
“Isn’t that sort of like asking about your brother?” Meg asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve never had a brother. So, tell me, what was it like?”
She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. Coming up with a way to describe her feelings was impossible.
“Well, bloody hell. A man has left you speechless.”
She glanced at Maggie, then back ahead. “It’s hard to talk about that. He wants things I can’t give him.”
“Like what?”
“Like…I don’t know. Just, he thinks I’m someone I’m not.”
“No he doesn’t.”
“He thinks I’m some kind of an innocent. Here I thought he assumed I was a con artist with a cold soul. He apparently thinks differently.”
Maggie didn’t say anything for a few moments. “Did he say that?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know?”
She thought back to the drawing. “I just know.”
They walked in silence for a few more moments. “Don’t do anything rash.”
“When have I done anything without thinking?”
“All the time.”
She laughed. “I will not disappear on you, I promise.”
But when their job was done, she would be gone. It was the only way she would keep her soul intact.
* * * *
The one who sees beneath the surface will have the ultimate test.
If he trusts the woman he loves, he will succeed. But questioning her value will end in disaster, for the Clan…and the woman.
“What has you looking like that?” Callum asked.
Phoebe looked up and blinked. She had been so intent on the passage, she had lost herself in the translation. “What?”
“You look so determined.”
“Well, I think I just found something that deals with Logan and the sapphire.”
She handed him her writing.
“What do you think it means?”
“Simple. He has to trust Meg.”
His eyebrows lowered and he frowned. “Love, nothing is that easy.”
She nodded.
“Ready for a snack?” he asked. She didn’t roll her eyes, but it was a close call. He was being the perfect husband when it came to her pregnancy, but he was starting to get on her nerves.
“No. I want to finish this page, and then I’ll have some tea.”
He kissed her forehead. “Okay.”
As he went back to his desk, she started back to work on the diary. Phoebe wasn’t sure what it was, but something was pushing her along. She felt an urgency like she had the first two times. Whatever it was, the need to find the next clue seemed to be more important than anything else at the moment.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When they returned to the house, they gathered in the kitchen. Maggie set the kettle to brew for tea, and the brothers started to discuss the situation.
“I don’t know if he doesn’t know you’re with us,” Angus said, settling in the chair at the head of the table. “I couldn’t tell anything by the tone of his voice. He seemed very casual about it all.”
That worried her more than anything. At one time, she thought she knew the man. She realized later, she didn’t know him at all. Not if he didn’t believe her then.
“The best thing is that, if anything, his concentration will be on me,” Meg said.
“You call that the best thing? I have to disagree,” Logan said. Her eyes widened at the anger in his voice.
Angus looked between them. “I understand this won’t be easy. But it isn’t much different than what we had to do for the other two jewels.”
Logan opened his mouth to argue, but Meg didn’t want to argue over something like this. She slipped her hand over his fist.
“We came here with this plan. We need the distraction for Maggie to get the jewel.”
Maggie set mugs down on the table in front of Meg and Logan. Then she grabbed the other two and joined them.
“We can do this, Logan. We handled more difficult cons all the time. And fate is on our side after all.”
Logan narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t work cons anymore. This is something that could blow up in our faces.”
“Thankfully, we have two strong Scotsmen to help us,” Maggie said with a smile.
Meg could feel the tension growing in the room, and most of it was coming from Logan. He wasn’t a man who lost control that often. She hadn’t known him that long, but she could read people.
“There is no other way. He has the jewel, we need the jewel. Simple as that.”
Logan turned his head to look at her. When she glanced in his direction, the arrested expression in his eyes confused her.
“Very true. I have the layout of his house, but you said you know it,” Angus said.
She turned her attention to Angus and tried to ignore Logan. Although, it was hard to do because she could still feel Logan studying her.
“Yes. And, knowing Pierre, he will have that sapphire on display. He likes the attention. He’ll make a big deal about it.”
“We’ll go over everything tomorrow. I might be able to scope out who he has coming to the party.”
“What did he call it exactly?”
“A dinner party. So, not a ball or anything like the other night.”
“No, this will be smaller, more intimate. With the four of us, he’ll invite a few more people. I would say he would have less than thirty.”
“You call that intimate?” Maggie asked.
“No, but Pierre does. He thinks everything needs to be in grand fashion. Like I said, he likes the attention.” She looked at Angus. “If you can find out if he has more people coming, that will help. If he is keeping it really small, that means he suspects something.”
Angus nodded.
“Well, I think we all need to sleep. We have a lot to prepare for tomorrow and a good night’s sleep will be good,” Maggie said.
“I can clean up the kitchen,” Meg said, glancing at Logan, who was still staring at her.
“No. Go. You are going to be on the top of your game tomorrow. It is going to be very stressful for you tomorrow.”
Normally, she would argue with Maggie. But she was truly exhausted and Maggie was right.
They said their good nights, and as they walked up the stairs, Logan said nothing more. He was a silent entity behind her. By the time they reached her room, she was ready to scream.
She turned and faced him. “Okay, let’s have it.”
His eyes widened. “What?”
“You hate what I did and you hate that you have to use it.”
“I have no bloody idea what you’re talking about.”
She shoved her hands through her hair. “I will not have you getting ticked off at me because I have this connection. Your cousin is the one who sent us here to use it to help us.”
“I just don’t like you being in that position. Jesus, this man hates you. I worry about what he’ll do to you.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Well, you don’t have to. I’m here.” He yelled the last of it.
She was, once again, stunned into silence. Logan could get emotional, but this was over the top. Meg took a step back. “I don’t like your tone.”
“Well, get bloody used to it.”
She wanted to shrink away from him. Instead, she straightened her spine and squar
ed her shoulders. “I will not. I don’t like fighting, or loud voices.”
“Then you’re in a bloody fine mess with my family. We like to yell. And argue.”
That much was true, but it had never been directed at her. She took another step back from him. Her stomach churned, her pulse hammered in her neck. Meg knew he wasn’t dangerous. There was no threat to her from Logan, but the old instincts kicked in. Her father had been a good man, but he had…issues.
“I don’t understand. I don’t know why you are getting so mad at me.”
“Well, we were in the kitchen and you said us. Us, and you have never said that. And now…”
She frowned at him. He wasn’t making any sense. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m bloody not.”
“Do you need to lay down?”
He said nothing in response. He stared at her as if trying to figure out some complex puzzle. Then, he let loose a frustrated growl and strode to the door. She waited, expecting him to go. He stood there for a long time, mumbling under his breath, then he turned and walked back to her. She watched as he came to her, his face made of stone, his eyes determined.
If she wasn’t worried before, she was now. He didn’t slow down as he prowled closer. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up against the wall. He gave her no time to react. Instead, he slammed his mouth down on hers. She didn’t have to think. She responded the only way she knew how. She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he ravaged her mouth.
He pressed closer, holding her against the wall with his body, as he skimmed his hands down her sides. She slipped her hands through his hair. He clawed at her panties. The tearing of silk was one of the most erotic sounds she had ever heard.
She needed to be connected to him, to feel him thrust into her. Logan must have read her mind. He undid his zipper and was easing his cock into her within seconds. It was fast and furious. It didn’t take long before she was losing herself to pleasure. She was chanting his name over and over as her orgasm slammed through her. As she gave herself over to ecstasy, Logan joined her, her name on his lips.
Long moments later, they stumbled to the bed, falling onto the mattress. She sighed with contentment and snuggled closer, listening as his heartbeat lulled her to sleep.
* * * *
Pierre Morin looked out over the city he loved and sipped champagne. It was the last place he would have expected to land all those years ago. Without a franc to his name or family he would want to claim, he had made his way through the world. And into being one of the richest men in Europe.
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