Loving the Enemy (Seven Forbidden Arts Book 0)

by Charmaine Pauls

  A hand gripped Jacob’s arm, dragging him to his feet. He stared into the face of Lann, a rifle thrown over his shoulder. The Russian’s expression was unreadable, as always.

  “Meet us on the corner of Rue du Théâtre and Saint-Charles,” Lann said. He dragged Jacob along to the building from where he had targeted Adam.

  “Retrieve the weapon,” Lann said, going up the stairs.

  They entered the empty room where Jacob’s discarded shotgun lay on the floor. The weapon was the last thing on Jacob’s mind.

  He pulled his hands through his hair. “Josselin, tell me she’s fine.”

  Lann watched Jacob with his strange eyes as he gathered the weapon and ammunition, and for a second Jacob thought he saw a spark of pity.

  “Answer me!” Jacob said. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

  There was a short silence and then Cain said, “We don’t know, yet. We’ll take her to Eve.”

  Fuck. No. If anything happened to her… If he had killed her…

  Lann zipped everything up in the bag that lay on the floor and grabbed Jacob by the shoulder. “Let’s go.”

  They didn’t stop running until the SUV came into sight. Sirens already sounded in the distance. When the vehicle slowed, they jumped inside. Maya pulled off before Lann had closed the door behind them.

  Lily lay on the backseat, blood everywhere. She was so white. Cain was bent over her, pushing a blood-soaked jacket to the wound. Josselin looked on with a somber expression from the opposite side. Lann quietly took a seat next to Josselin.

  Cain pressed one palm on top of the other, holding the cloth to her chest. He pumped twice, like one would revive a heart. Jacob started shaking. Cain’s face was grim when he glanced up. His tanned face was too pale, his birthmark too bright. Jacob didn’t want Cain to speak. Whatever he was going to say, he didn’t want to hear it.

  Cain turned to Josselin. “Call Eve.” He didn’t meet Jacob’s eyes. “Tell her to prepare a death certificate for Lily Reid.”

  Chapter Twenty

  ‡

  Jacob fell down on his knees next to Lily, pushing Cain aside. Nothing else mattered but her. He loved her too much to let go.

  Memories assaulted him. He recalled that first night in the park, Lily sitting on a bench so cold and hungry and frightened. He saw her in his bed, woken from her nightmare; in his bath with the ceiling collapsing down on them; jumping from a building into a pool; in Durban with a gun pressed against her head, shivering in bloody clothes. A smile mixed with his tears as he recalled her in the zoo, shunting the baffled employees around, getting him stitched up. He saw her naked underneath him, crying as he took her virginity, and then, shouting in ecstasy as he made love to her in the hunting cabin. His life rolled out in front of him and all he could see were the clips with her in it, as if nothing before her existed. Nothing after her would mean a damn thing either.

  She looked serene, now. He had seen too many expressions of suffering on her young face, some of it his doing.

  He didn’t care that he broke down in front of Cain and his team. His shoulders shook as he rested his forehead on hers. If he could take every single haunting thing away, reverse it all from the day it had started, he would. He’d sell his soul to rewind to the moment where he had pulled that trigger. He wrapped his fingers around her neck and kissed her lips.

  And then he froze. There was still a pulse, albeit faint.

  He jerked his head toward Cain. “She’s not dead!”

  “Lily Reid is.”

  Jacob got it. They needed Godfrey to believe he had successfully murdered his daughter, or rather, that she had been accidently killed by her own lover. His heart soared with new hope, with a second chance he didn’t deserve.

  “Come on, Lily,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Hold on for me, baby. Live for me.”

  They pulled up to a modern building with glass walls. Eve waited on the pavement with two men, one on either side of a gurney.

  When Jacob exited from the vehicle with Lily in his arms, Eve hurried to them. He lowered Lily onto the stretcher. The men pushed her inside the building, Jacob on their heels. The interior wasn’t sterile and white like a hospital. Modern paintings in bright colors lined the walls. The chairs were blue, green and red, and the floor tiled yellow. There was no reception staff. Except for a nurse in a white uniform who walked down the hall and disappeared through a door, they seemed to be alone.

  “Where are we?” Jacob said to Cain who had followed them inside. “Where are they taking Lily?”

  “A private clinic. Don’t worry. Lily’s in good hands.”

  When they arrived at a double door, Eve put her hand on Jacob’s arm. “This is as far as you can go.” Without waiting for his reaction, she started calling instructions to the nursing staff who rushed down the hall to meet them. Lily was pushed into the room, out of his sight.

  A woman dressed in blue scrubs entered through a swing door. “Follow me.”

  “I need to be with her,” Jacob said. He pointed at the doors through which Lily had disappeared.

  Her smile was impersonal. “You need to get cleaned up.”

  For the first time, Jacob noticed the blood on Josselin’s shirt. Cain’s white suit was one big, red stain. Even Maya had a smear across her cheek. He was covered, too. Only Lann was clean.

  The nurse showed them into a locker room with a bathroom at the back. “We’ve put out clothes for you. Dump what you’re wearing in this container.” She pointed at a metal bin. “We’ll burn it.”

  For the next few minutes they stripped and showered, one after the other, exiting the bathroom in gray hospital sweats, T-shirts and white trainers. Once they were all gathered in a waiting room, a woman with a white uniform entered.

  “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?” she said.

  Cain looked around the group. Nobody responded. “No, thank you.”

  “Where’s Lily?” Jacob asked.

  “In the operating room. You’ll have news in an hour. Please take a seat.” She walked off, leaving them in the colorful chairs facing the bright paintings.

  “What the fuck happened?” Maya said, her hands on her hips. Her eyes were trained on Jacob.

  He wiped his hands over his face. “Adam must have seen the dot of my laser. When he ducked, the bullet hit Lily.”

  “Not that,” she said. “I was referring to letting Godfrey get away.”

  Jacob narrowed his eyes. “Lily’s my priority. Get it?”

  “Maya,” Cain said, “Jacob’s right. He’s not part of the team. Godfrey wasn’t his objective.”

  She cocked her hip. “We had him.”

  “And we will have him again,” Cain said. “Just not today.” He turned to Jacob. “I’m afraid we have another mission waiting. I wish you luck with your new future. Lily is in good hands. Eve is an excellent doctor. Her team is one of the finest. I’ve instructed her to give Lily the best care possible.”

  “So that’s it?” Jacob said. “You’re letting us go?”

  “You’ve met your end of the bargain,” Cain said. “I said I’d protect the girl if you led me to her father, and I’m a man of my word.” He regarded Jacob for a moment. “If you ever wish to join a team…”

  “No thanks. I work alone. In fact, I’m retiring.” He had Lily to live for now, and this wasn’t the kind of life she wanted.

  Cain nodded at Lann, who handed Jacob a travel bag. “To conclude our deal.”

  Jacob grabbed the sling and watched Cain, Josselin, Lann and Maya file through the door. He unzipped the bag. Inside was a stash of money and on top of it, two passports.

  There had to be at least a million bucks in there, enough to get them nicely on their feet. He opened the passports and looked at the names. They were Abigail Smith and John Taylor, American citizens. From the little he knew about Cain, Jacob was sure they’d each have a background set up too–a complete, fabricated history. He put the bag down on a chair and paced the room. It felt like ho
urs later when Eve approached, wearing scrubs.

  He rushed to her. “How is she?”

  She offered a tired smile. “She’s stable. Lucky for her, it’s a flesh wound. Missed the heart with an inch.” Her eyes fluttered to his shoulder. “Seems like something you have in common. No organs damaged, but she lost a lot of blood. I had to do a transfusion. She’ll be weak for a while and you won’t be able to travel, but you can stay here. You’ll be safe. I’ve set up a bed for you in her room.”

  “Can I see her now?”

  “As long as you don’t tire her. She’s woken from the anesthetic. In normal circumstances this wouldn’t be allowed, but I know what you’ve both just been through and, well,” she smiled, “love is stronger than the best medicine.”

  He entered the room where Lily lay on a bed, her eyes closed, her face pale. There was a drip in her arm and a pipe that ran into her nose. He took her hand and squeezed. She slowly opened her eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, and stared at him.

  He kissed her fingers and bit back his tears. “Lily, I’m sorry.”

  It was lame. He owed her much more than two silly words, words that could never express what went through his mind, heart and soul, but he didn’t know where to begin. Maybe now, for the rest of his life, was a good start.

  “You were right,” she said, her voice a croak. “He was going to kill me.” A tear ran over her cheek.

  “Shh, baby, it’s over.”

  “Are they alive?”

  “Yes. Your father and stepbrother got away.”

  Her eyes turned hard. “Doesn’t matter.” She looked away. “They’re dead to me, anyway.”

  He brushed his thumb over her knuckle. “That life is finished.”

  She closed her eyes for a second and gave him a faint smile. He didn’t know how to break the other news to her.

  He swallowed. “Lily Reid is dead, too.”

  Her hand jerked in his hold. “What do you mean?”

  “Cain had a death certificate issued for you. It’s for your protection. It’s better if your father believes you’re dead, or we’ll never be safe, never stop running.”

  “Who am I, then, Jacob?”

  He wiped the hair from her forehead. “Abigail Smith.”

  “My whole life has been one, big lie. I don’t know who I am, anymore. Who is Abigail Smith even supposed to be?”

  “She’s the woman I love.”

  A silent sob wracked her chest. She held his gaze for a long time. Finally, she said, “Does she live in a house with a picket fence?”

  “Yes, she does. She even has a dog.”

  Her lashes lowered. “Does she have a husband?”

  A lump formed in his throat. Lily was giving him a second chance, and even if he didn’t deserve it, he’d grab it with both hands.

  “Yes, she’s got a husband.”

  Her blue eyes sparkled when she looked back at him. “Is he a dangerous killer?”

  “No, he’s not.”

  “Then, what is he?”

  “Anything you want him to be.” His voice caught. “Anything at all.”

  “I think what I want is for him to be happy.”

  He clutched her hand to his chest. “I don’t deserve you, Lily.”

  “Jacob, I don’t want you to make all these promises just because you shot me.”

  His heart jerked in his chest. “You knew it was me?”

  “I’m not stupid. Who else would have aimed a gun at Adam?”

  “I was going to tell you. I was supposed to take him out but he saw my mark and instead…” He shuddered. “My bullet hit you.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “I reckoned you’d go straight to the Eiffel Tower. Cain had satellite surveillance on the area. By the time Cain’s cameras had found you, you were already in your father’s building with Adam. The only way to save you, was to take a shot at Adam.”

  “Will my father be arrested now?”

  “He blew up the building. Left no evidence. But I’m guessing Cain’s far from giving up the chase.” He regarded her solemnly. “That night I brought you home from the park … deep down, even if I didn’t want to admit it, I had already claimed you, Lily. I knew I’d never lay a finger on you. You deserve better. I know that. I wanted to let you have better, better than me, I swear. I tried my best to keep away, but you wanted me. As much as I wanted you. We want the same things. Always did. I’m not offering you that dream I see in your pretty eyes because I shot you. I’m offering it to you because I want it too. Because I love you. I realize what I have to offer isn’t much. But I’m willing to give you all I’ve got. If you can forgive me. For lying to you because I thought it would protect you. For shooting you. For everything.”

  “I have already forgiven you, because I do love you, Jacob. But I’ll have to learn to trust you again.”

  “I’ve got time, sweetheart. Enough to earn that trust again.”

  She bit her lip. “Looks like I’m going to have to ride you for another few weeks, until my shoulder’s better.”

  “Not clever to work me up in that department.” He smiled.

  She turned serious. “What now, Jacob?”

  There was uncertainty in her tone. She was scared for their new future.

  “It’s just you and me now, sweetheart.”

  And whatever may come. They had their lives ahead of them. Together.

  He’d work on winning her trust again, and her forgiveness.

  One day at a time.

  First, he was going to love her. Every single day for the rest of his life.

  Epilogue

  ‡

  Lily was bent over a patch of soil, wearing a floppy sunhat and a cute yellow sundress. Max, their Border Collie, sat next to her. He regarded the movement of her hands with unfaltering concentration. Jacob strolled over and watched her place seeds in the evenly spaced holes. A smile curved her lips when she looked up at him. His heart warmed, threatening to burst from his chest. Every time he looked at her, he reminded himself that her life was a gift, that it could have easily been the reverse. The cherry tree she had planted in the corner of the property was Lily’s way of remembrance. Her life would always be precious to him, as was the new life they had created together.

  He kneeled down and wiped a strand of hair from her forehead. “Should you be out here, working, in the heat of the day?”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

  He ran a successful metal factory, these days. “I left the plant early to come and check on you. And just as well.”

  Her laugh was clear. “You’re over-protective.”

  His hand went to her stomach, cupping the small swell. “I have reason to be.”

  “I’m pregnant, not fragile.”

  He picked her up in his arms, inviting a squeal. “Exactly.” He started walking back to the house. Max followed with a wagging tail.

  “What are you doing?” She wiggled. “I haven’t finished.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  He stole a kiss as he entered the cool comfort of their Provençale house. His tongue delved past her lips. He could taste the strawberries she had eaten for her mid-morning snack. Immediately, his blood pressure shot up. Lily was an aphrodisiac of which he could never get enough. Her hat fell back, but she didn’t seem to care as she pushed her hands into his hair, pulling his head down and matching the heat of his kiss.

  He grinned inwardly. He loved the pregnant Lily. Her hormones were always in overdrive and hell, if he had to use sex to get his stubborn wife to obey, so be it. It was a hundred and four degrees outside, no place for a pregnant woman.

  He carried her through the kitchen, upstairs to their manor bedroom. Max ran up ahead. By now, he knew the route they followed.

  He gave Max a pat on the head. “Stay, boy.” Max didn’t need to witness what he had in mind. The Collie sat down obediently.

  The shutters were closed against the heat, but it didn’t prevent the
smell of the lavender from entering. Gently, he lowered her to the bed. Not so gently, he started stripping her–first the dress, then her orange underwear with the yellow lace trimming. His eyes ran over her body. He shed his clothes quickly and lowered himself over her, careful to keep his weight off her abdomen. He kissed her deep and long, just like he intended taking her pussy after. When his restraint wore thin, he kissed her breasts and cupped the small mound of her stomach as his head dipped between her legs.

  She opened up for him, giving him access to her most intimate depths. His heart soared, knowing that Lily trusted him. She gave him access to her body and her heart.

  She writhed under him as he started fucking her pussy with his tongue, tasting the sweetness of her body. Her moans were impatient. The long, tender lovemaking he had visualized was going to have to wait for tonight. He wanted to be inside of her. Knowing exactly which buttons to push, he flicked his tongue over her clit with light, teasing strokes until he heard the soft whimpers he loved so much. Those sounds coming from her throat drove him insane. He gently pushed a finger inside. Her muscles flexed around him. He liked to feel Lily come like this. Already her pussy gripped him tighter as he sucked softly on her clit.

  Her hips lifted and rotated. Another moan fell from her lips. “Oh God, Jacob, please.”

  Only when they made love did she call him by his real name, did she scream at it the top of her lungs. He increased the pressure of his tongue and lips, giving her what she wanted. Her inner walls contracted. Convulsions ran over her body as she came around his hand.

  He couldn’t wait any longer. He positioned his body between her legs and pushed his cock into her slowly.

  “Ah, Jacob…” She panted. “I love it when you stretch me like that.”

  And stretch her, he did. He loved it too. She was slick and he slid in easily.

  She moaned. “Harder.”

  He gave her harder, increasing the pace. He wanted this to last, but his balls were already pulling up to the base of his cock. Fuck that. He’d make up tonight. He pulled back and drove in again, causing Lily to gasp. She gripped his hair, holding his head in place as her beautiful face pulled into an expression of ecstasy.