Page 42 of Temptation and Tyranny

The cold hit me like a physical blow, pulling the air from my lungs. For a moment, I floundered, the weight of my coat dragging me down. Then my survival instincts kicked in. I shed the coat, letting it sink into the murky depths, and began to swim, staying close to the bank where the shadows were deepest.

I heard a splash behind me and knew my pursuer had followed me into the water. But the darkness wason my side. I swam silently, using all the skills I’d learned during summers at my grandparents’ villa in Italy. The memory of those carefree days seemed a lifetime away now, as I fought against the current, my clothes and purse heavy and cumbersome in the water.

After what felt like an eternity, I reached a set of steps leading back up to the street level. I hauled myself out of the water, my clothes clinging to me like a second skin. I shivered violently in the cool night air. Every muscle in my body ached, and my lungs burned from the heavy exertion.

I crouched at the top of the steps, listening intently. The only sounds were the gentle lapping of the river and the distant hum of traffic. My pursuer was gone, at least for now.

Relief washed over me, quickly followed by a wave of fear and confusion. What had just happened? Why was I being chased? And what was I going to do now?

I looked down at myself, taking in my bedraggled appearance. My favorite outfit was ruined, dripping river water onto the pavement. My feet were bare and scraped, my nylons torn. I must have looked like a madwoman to anyone passing by. Thankfully, this section of the riverbank was deserted.

As I made my way to the nearest main road, my mind whirled with questions. Who was after me, and why? What wasn’t Cooper telling me? And how had my life spiraled so far out of control in such a short time?

Thank god I managed to somehow keep my purse. I flagged down a taxi, ignoring the driver’s concerned look at my appearance. As I gave him my address, I caught sight of my reflection in the rearviewmirror. My hair was plastered to my head, mascara streaked down my cheeks, and a wild look in my eyes that I barely recognized.

“Rough night,mademoiselle?” the driver asked, his tone a mixture of concern and amusement.

I tried to give him a weak smile. “You have no idea.”

As the taxi wound its way through the Paris streets, I made a vow to myself. No more running. No more hiding from the truth. Whatever game Cooper or my father was involved in, whatever danger he had brought into my life, I was going to face it head-on.

Because one thing was clear: my life would never be the same again. The Allegra who had stepped out of the clinic earlier this evening—the one who worried about patient schedules and whether she’d remembered to water her plants—seemed like a stranger now. In her place was someone harder, someone who had tasted fear and had come out stronger for it.

I climbed out of the taxi, my bare feet on the cold pavement a stark reminder of everything I’d been through. With one last glance over my shoulder to ensure I wasn’t followed, I entered my building. My feet sloshed on the tile and in the elevator, and I actually collapsed against my door the second it shut. I picked up my cell phone to contemplate calling the police, but it was absolutely soaked and useless after my dive into the Seine. And in my heart, I knew this was out of their league. Instead, I quickly shucked my wet clothes and took a shower, trying to warm my aching muscles. Bianca tried to get my attention, but I was too focused. I dressed and left my apartment, hailing down another cab rather than walking the eight blocks to the clinic.

I had the cab driver wait for me, because I knew it would only take me a few minutes to get what I needed. My stomach twisted a bit, knowing that I was about to break so many rules and laws, but I ignored it and instead passed Joanna’s desk at reception and went into my office and pulled the discharge file I’d been working on. It only took me seconds to find Cooper’s address. I hoped it was a real one, and not some kind of business address. I scribbled it down on a piece of scrap paper.

I’d wait outside his residence all night if I had to.

I got back into the cab, thrusting the address at the driver.

“This address is an abandoned building.” He looked at me, confusion etched on his face.

I doubted it was abandoned. I had a feeling that Cooper operated just like my father. Reinforced bunkers, bullet proof glass. Hiding in plain sight. “Take me there.”

He grunted, but pulled away from the curb. As he drove farther into downtown, I tried to calm my erratic breathing. The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that this situation was the direct result of being close to Cooper, rather than my father. My father had been doing what he did all of my life, and I was never threatened or followed. I figured part of that was because I took my mother’s maiden name, and because I never went anywhere near my father.

This definitely had to be because of Cooper.

I didn’t regret our moment of passion in my kitchen, but I had been foolish to get involved with him. At first, it was my ethics that was the issue, but now it was my very safety. But instead of enforcing my resolve, the memories of us in the kitchen resurfaced, and I feltmy face redden as I recalled the passion we’d shared.

I was somewhat sexually experienced, and I’d been with men. But I struggled from a pelvic floor dysfunction, and it made intercourse difficult. I’d often tense up during sex, and usually that was enough to turn away most men, or they’d demand that I please them in other ways. But unlike my previous partners, Cooper noticed how my body responded and instantly stopped, sensing the tension coursing through me and helping to alleviate it.

I’d undergone counseling for my condition, and even treatment, but then Tomas had put me practically back at square one. Yet with Cooper—there was something about Cooper that made me feel safe. It made no sense. I couldn’t figure out why I was able to be intimate with him, when it hadn’t happened so easily with other men.

I’d also never orgasmed from intercourse before, and it made me that much more drawn to Cooper. It was a selfish reason to want him, but it was the most fulfilling sexual experience I’d ever had. Yet, I had to push that away. It didn’t matter, because I was now in danger because of Cooper.

The cab pulled up in front of the building, and it did look abandoned. I was instantly worried that he used a bogus address on his intake forms like I had first thought. But just as I was about to tell the driver to take me home, a tall and menacing figure started walking towards the cab.

It was Cooper.

“Merci,” I said to the driver, and he looked at me with shock.

“You really want to get out here?”

“I do,” I replied, handing him thirty euros. He shrugged as I got out of the car, and then sped away.

“What are you doing here, Allegra?” Cooper sounded slightly annoyed, but when he reached the iron gate set into the brick wall, his expression held a trace of intrigue.

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