Page 69 of Angel Eyes

A light bulb flickered in the windowless room where they’d put me with only a few plastic chairs for company. My skin pebbled under the draft of a rattling air conditioner. Leaning my ear against the door, I could hear Simone arguing with someone in French. Fifteen minutes later, another voice joined hers, a deeper one also speaking in French, though I couldn’t make out who it belonged to. Finally, after I paced a mile-worth of circles around the cramped space, the door flew open, and Simone stormed in with Carter close on her heels.

“Can I go?” I didn’t like the anxiety creeping into my tone, but even I had to acknowledge it might be warranted after spending at least an hour in this asylum-grade room.

“Security is saying they have no choice but to call the police since you technically left the store with the bracelet. I explained it was a mistake, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“Can we speak with the store manager? If I can explain what happened—”

Simone shook her head. “We already asked for the manager, but apparently he’s gone for the day.”

My stomach sank.

“Hey.” Carter placed a hand on my shoulder. “We should call someone. Someone more familiar with the customs in France than we are.”

Simone nodded in agreement. “Can you call Gabriel?”

“No, absolutely not.” After the dinner party fiasco, the last thing I wanted to do was call Gabriel from a pseudo-jail cell. There was only so much humiliation a girl could endure.

“How about Professor Benoit?” Carter suggested.

“Um, that might be the only person worse than Gabriel to call. He’s our professor, not to mention my boss.” I didn’t add he was also the person who had given me a chance to prove myself, so letting him down with an incident like this was a non-starter.

Simone groaned. “Then what are we going to do? We’re not letting you get carted to some seedy police station. So, unless you can think of someone else, Benoit is our best option.”

I chewed on my thumbnail. “Okay, let me think for a second.”

I’d never had to rely on my professional network for a personal matter before, but I knew plenty of attorneys in New York who would help me in a pinch. Unfortunately, given the time difference, it was unlikely any of those people could get me out of this predicament without me being arrested first.

“Oh, here.” Simone held out my purse. “I stole this from behind the security guard’s desk.”

“Please don’t say the word stole when I’m currently being detained for absconding with a mortgage payment worth of sapphires.” I reached for it, but it slipped through my fingers.

“Here, let me help.” Simone kneeled beside me as we collected my belongings from the carpet, which, to my horror, was suspiciously sticky. Trying not to think about the range of substances that might be coating the floor, I grabbed my keychain just as my eyes fell across a rectangle of fine cardstock.

The flyer for Marcel’s.

I picked it up, skimming over the restaurant details before seeing a phone number written across the bottom.

Cristian’s number.

My heart leapt. It was a long shot—a very long shot considering it was Sunday evening, and I had only met him one time. Still, Door Number Three was looking like my best option. I glanced up at Simone’s and Carter’s concerned expressions.

“Hey, would you guys give me a second? I need to make a quick phone call.”

Twenty-Four

Juliet

“Are you secretly a witch?”

My eyes settled on Simone standing on the curb in front of the department store. Night had descended during my brief stint in lockup, and the chilly air nipped at my skin, making me grateful for my sweatshirt despite its lack of style.

I glanced at Cristian standing beneath the muted light of a street lamp, a phone pressed to his ear as he spoke rapidly in French to whoever was on the other end.

I still couldn’t believe he’d answered my call. What’s more, I couldn’t believe he’d come.

“Am I a what?” I said, returning my attention to Simone.

“A witch,” she repeated matter-of-factly. “Because I find it hard to believe you ensnared not one, but two insanely hot guys without some sort of secret powers.” She peered around me, giving Cristian an appreciative look. “Yeah, no way you’re just a muggle.”

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