Page 60 of Between Passion and Revenge: Part Two
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I reply. She stares at me, blinks, then heads for the door.
When open, she says, “Well, you’re right about one thing. Iamangry, because we—I— deserved more than what you gave. And that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive…because I don’t fucking want to.”
She doesn’t look at me again, and when I exit her condo, the door slams shut with a resoundingsmack.
THIRTEEN
SHAE
Four thousand miles and almost nine hours later, I enter Maison des Rêves, coordinate with the concierge, and knock on the suite where my Mama and the twins are.
I’m tired, more so from my flight Xanax than jetlag, but my eagerness toward seeing my family outweighs everything.
I don’t have to wait long for the door to swing open, a flurry of tiny feet and shouts racing toward the front of the suite.
“Mommy!” Two bodies plow into my abdomen before I can greet anyone in the room.
“Tempest! Raiden!” I fall to the ground with the suite door open, clutching my babies tight to my chest.
And I don’t let go, breathing in the sweet Baby Magic lotion smell they’re already too old for. I make eye contact with my mom, who leans against the foyer wall, smiling broadly.
I know she’s pleased I made it.
“Mommy! Gigi told us you weren’t coming!” Tempest screeches in my ear. Raiden bounces up and down on my thigh and shouts, “Yay!” before hugging his thin arms around my neck.
“Well, I’m here! Surprise!” I say, smiling so hard it feels like my face might crack. “And guess what?”
“What?” Tempest and Raiden say at the same time.
“We’re extending our trip! Just the three of us.” When they don’t say anything right away, I pull back. They look at me with the same confused expression.
Raiden says: “Don’t you have to do your work?”
Tempest says: “What about Gigi? And the guards and?—”
“Hold on, hold on!” I say, laughing.
“Well, first, you kids have worn me straight out, so I’m going back home,” Mom pipes up, giving the twins a stern look. “I leave in a few hours, thanks to your mama. Gigi’s traveling in style!”
Mama strikes a pose, and I know I’ve made some progress in earning her forgiveness by setting her return flight up on a private plane for hire.
“Oh,” Tempest says, making a face. Seeing it sends a jolt of worry through my chest.
“But we’re going to make the most of our time together! What if I told you thattomorrow….”
Raiden and Tempest share a look, then say in unison, “What?”
“We’re going to the Palace of Versailles!”
They stare at me with bored, unexcited looks.
“Tems, think of all the new art you’ll see up close. Plus, you’ll get to see where kings and queens lived! It’ll be so much fun, don’t you think?”
Tempest gives me a skeptical look.
“From what art period?” she says slowly.
“Um,” I say, searching my memory. “Baroque?”
