Page 51 of Explosive Vengeance

Fleur stopped dead, her heart rocketing into her throat. It wasn’t possible. Guillaume Dubois? Here?

Blood pulsed in her ears as she climbed the stairs back to the main deck, thinking fast. What should she do? Dubois wouldn’t recognize her, he’d never seen her before. He had taken over this transaction now that his brother was dead. Was he here just to oversee it, or was he hoping Chloe showed up? Fleur was good at lying, but was she good enough to convince him she was who her ID claimed she was?

Her palms were damp, her fingers cold by the time they reached the main deck. She needed to handle the “payment” now, then get out of here before Dubois got aboard. She pulled the tablet from inside her suit jacket. She walked past the broker, moving to stand near the bow where she was supposed to, so the team could see her clearly.

Oh, God, Chloe, please be out there.

She dropped the stylus, signaling to the others that the women were aboard. Then she crouched to pick it up, steeling herself for what came next. “Let’s take care of the payment before—”

“Ah, here we are.” He smirked as a group of men exited the bridge to her right.

The blood drained from her face.

Guillaume Dubois, flanked by two bodyguards. Big men in tailored suits that no doubt hid weapons.

The way Dubois’ cold blue eyes fastened on her made her insides curdle. She struggled to keep her expression calm while her heart threatened to implode, her fingers curling reflexively around the tablet.

Chloe’s close. She won’t let anything happen to you.

Her protector was watching her. Fleur prayed her friend would be able to keep her safe.

GUILLAUME EYED THE pale woman holding the tablet. Supposedly an accountant from his brother’s organization. Here to take the place of the beautiful and treacherous “Gabrielle” at the last moment, no doubt.

After what had happened, he was suspicious enough to come here in person and ensure everything was legitimate.

“Camille, is it?” he asked as he walked toward her.

“Yes.” Her face was stiff. The set of her shoulders too, and her pupils were dilated slightly. He made a lot of people nervous, but this woman was genuinely afraid. And there was no reason for her to be that way unless she’d done something wrong.

“Check her ID,” he said to Jean-Pierre. His head of security had already checked before leaving Paris. Everything looked okay on the surface, but that wasn’t good enough for Guillaume.

The woman paled even more, reluctantly reached into her jacket to produce a thin wallet. She handed it to Jean-Pierre, who glanced at the contents and walked back to give it to Guillaume.

The ID matched her. But that didn’t mean shit.

Guillaume stopped a half-dozen paces from her and waved Jean-Pierre and his other bodyguard off. This woman was no threat to him and he was more than capable of defending himself.

Her gaze followed his men as they retreated back into the bridge with the broker.

“I’m told you inspected the cargo. Was everything in order?”

Her gaze snapped back to him. “N-no. One girl was missing. The broker said she died during transport. They threw her overboard.”

There was a distinct tremor in her voice. “Really.” He nodded at the tablet. “You’re going to authorize the transfer?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t mind if I witness it?” He wasn’t asking.

She hesitated a second too long. “Of course not.” She focused on the tablet, her throat moving as she swallowed.

He stepped closer, watching her, not the tablet she had turned on. She darted a sidelong look at him, her right hand on the screen as she pulled up the banking information.

He stopped next to her, close enough to smell the sweet scent of her perfume and see the pulse throbbing too fast in her throat. And when she pulled up the banking information, she betrayed herself.

“That’s not my brother’s business account, Camille,” he murmured.

She went rigid, her eyes still on the screen. Caught in the act of trying to steal his money. “Oh. It’s not? My mistake.” Her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled up a different account. Still not the right one.

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