Page 11 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

Summer’s eyebrows rose up toward her hairline as her gaze took in my not so little problem. “Looks like someone likes the idea of having kids with me.” She got up onto her knees and licked her lips. “Should we try right now? The odds are not in our favor yet, but practice makes perfect.”

I stood there like a raging bull staring down a matador waving a red flag. My fingertips throbbed with the desire to touch her when I watched her breath hitch, her pupils dilate, and her nipples become erect against the sexy little cotton nightgown she worn.

Before I could say a single word, she stood up, lifted the hem of her nightgown and pulled it over her head. She was blissfully naked underneath. Her skin glowed against the flickering firelight.

“I’m getting cold. You gonna stare at me all night or come warm me up?”

My gaze danced from her perfect full breasts, rounded stomach, nipped in waist and curvy hips. She was the sun, pure radiance, and light. I was the darkness that sometimes eclipsed that light, but never completely, because she was so bright, her brilliance would always shine through.

“I’m going to spend a lifetime loving you, Summer.”

“A lifetime is too short. I’m shooting for eternity. Now get over here and show me how good eternity is going to feel being with you.”

“My pleasure,solskinn.”

Episode 90

Blissful Ignorance

MADAM ALANA

The morning after our kidnapping had been brutal. Watching Emily give her statement to Inspector Moreau ripped my heart into a million tiny pieces. No child should have to go through what she did yesterday, nor should she have to experience the pain of sharing that trauma with the authorities. I will admit that Detective Moreau was kind, fair, and gentle with his interview. Emily did cry, however, which made Rhodes stiffen, but he didn’t stop the interview.

What none of us were prepared for was how angry Maia became at seeing Emily’s discomfort. At one point she flat out looked at Emily and said, “If this is hurting you, we can stop. I don’t care who this information helps. You want out? Your dad and I will make that happen. Right Rhodes?” Maia had looked at Rhodes with such determination and grit, it was almost as if she dared him right then and there to override her claim.

He did no such thing. He actually nodded and squeezed his daughter’s shoulders and said, “Maia’s right. You’ve been through a lot, honey, and if this is too much, we stop now. I’ll contact our lawyers to do the talking for us.”

Emily’s bottom lip had trembled but instead of taking the easy way out, she shook her head and told them she’d like to tell the inspector everything she could. She said she hoped it would help Moreau and his team catch the bad man before hehurt anyone else. Pride filled the room as Emily proved just how brave she could be.

After the interview, Rhodes, Maia, and Emily packed up their things and were gone within the hour. I was relieved when they left. Rhodes claimed he had a team of people to protect them and felt strongly that he needed to get his daughter back home to California. I couldn’t have agreed more. This wasn’t about Emily and Rhodes. Even though Maia’s place had been trashed, I still didn’t believe it was about her either. It was about me, Christophe, Celine, and Angus.

When we were kidnapped, they made it clear they were only taking Emily because they wanted my cooperation. Angus didn’t make a single mention of Maia when we spoke yesterday. That makes me believe that Maia was insurance. My guess: I was being watched back in Las Vegas, and those people informed Angus how fond I’d become of Maia.

But why did a woman make the request to threaten Maia?

Where is that woman now?

The only person who knows the answer to that particular question is my morally dubious contact in the Latin mafia…Diego.

“Mrs. Toussaint, before I leave, I must insist that you and your husband come with me and allow the French authorities to put you in a safe house until Angus Sokolov is caught.” Inspector Moreau’s gaze and tone were pleading. He seemed genuinely worried that Angus was going to come after me at any moment. I had the same concerns.

“I agree, Alana,” Christophe added.

I narrowed my gaze at my husband. “Mr. Moreau, can you give us some privacy please?” I asked.

“Oui, of course. I’m going to speak with the security team. Please think about the safe house. It really is the best option foreveryone involved.” With that parting comment, the inspector left the room.

“Darling, we need to do as the inspector says. It’s the safest plan,” Christophe pushed.

“You know,” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the kitchen counter. “We wouldn’t be in this predicament if you’d just left well enough alone all those years ago.”

Christophe winced as his shoulders slumped, and he closed his eyes. “That isn’t fair Alana, and you know it.”

Seeing his pain made my own heart physically ache. Christophe and I didn’t carelessly harm one another. Since the beginning of our relationship, we had always been one hundred percent honest with one another in all things…except this, it seemed. Which, truthfully, was more upsetting than anything else. I wasn’t angry at him for doing what he did, I was hurt by the fact that he didn’t share it with me. For years I’d lived in blissful ignorance.

“But is it true?” My voice shook as I admitted the ugly feelings bubbling in my soul and soiling the trust I’d always had in him.

“I will admit that I should have told you what I’d done. Now, I regret that decision, but would I have made the same one again?” His gaze shot to mine, and I could see straight through to the open, honest, beautiful soul beneath. “I’d do it again. For Celine…but mostly, I’d do it again foryou. He harmed the one person I vowed to love, honor, and protect until my last breath. I wouldn’t be the man you love today if I’d sat back and let him get away with carving scars into your heart the way he did. Celine has always been a part of you. I know that. You wouldn’t be the woman I’m devoted to without carrying around a piece of her. And he helped take a piece of you away. Lost forever. I could not in good conscience allow that to go unpunished. And if thatmeans I’m going to spend the rest of my life making up for it, then that’s what I’m prepared to do. Because you, Alana, own my entire heart. You are my everything.”

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