Page 89 of His to Possess
"If you had just left to put some distance between you and Rex, he would have disappeared from your life forever," Luka explained. "But when they discovered those threats and messages on your phone from Alain? Well, let's just say Rexdecided it was time to deal with Alain and his blackmail once and for all."
My eyes widened in shock. "He… he went through my phone?"
Luka shrugged. "The police may have let you down, Laurel, but when you're willing to use less than legal methods? It's amazing how quickly things can unravel."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Greyson, Nolan, Declan, they were all instrumental in helping Rex," Luka said, his voice low and intense. "They gathered all the evidence they could find and anonymously passed it on to the French police. Specifically, to the team who had worked on your case back then."
I stared at him, stunned. "But… how? Why?"
Luka's expression softened slightly. "Because you matter to Rex, Laurel. More than you know."
Before I could respond, a commotion from the gallery entrance caught my attention. My breath caught in my throat as I saw Alain being dragged out, his hands cuffed behind his back. He was kicking and screaming, his face contorted with rage.
"No!" he shouted, his eyes wild. "You can't do this! Do you know who I am?"
I watched in disbelief as the police officers shoved him into a waiting car. It was surreal, seeing the man who had tormented me for so long finally facing consequences.
"Today," Luka said, his voice filled with satisfaction, "is the day of Alain's reckoning."
I watched in stunned silence as Alain was hauled away, my mind struggling to process everything that was happening. Luka's words echoed in my head, but they still didn't make sense. How could Rex have orchestrated all of this?
"I don't understand," I said, turning to Luka. "Why would Rex go to all this trouble?"
Luka's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Because, Laurel, Rex wanted you to be free. Free to choose whatever you wanted to do with your life."
I shook my head, still not comprehending. "But… he let me go. He disappeared."
"Oh, sweet Laurel, he didn't let you go. He set you free. There's a difference."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Luka leaned in, his eyes intense. "Rex realized that keeping you in his world, under his control, wasn't what you needed. He wanted you to have the freedom to make your own choices, without his influence."
I felt my heart skip a beat. Could it be true? Had I misunderstood Rex's intentions all along?
"But why didn't he tell me?" I asked, frustration creeping into my voice.
"Because he's an idiot," Luka said with a laugh. "And because he thought it was the right thing to do. To step back and let you find your own way."
I sat in silence for a moment, processing this information. Then a thought struck me. "Wait, if Rex wanted me to be free, why is he here in Paris? Why go through all this trouble with Alain?"
Luka's expression darkened. "Oh, believe me, Laurel. When Rex saw those bruises on you last night, he wanted nothing more than to kill Alain with his bare hands."
I gasped, remembering the barely contained fury in Rex's eyes.
"But," Luka continued, "he knew that finding the stolen artwork and clearing your name were more important. That's what you needed most."
"So… all of this," I gestured towards the gallery where police were still swarming, "was for me?"
Luka nodded. "Rex may be a control freak, but when it comes to you, he's willing to let go. Even if it means losing you."
I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "I had no idea…"
"Of course, you didn't," Luka said, his tone softening. "Rex's not exactly an open book. But trust me, everything he's done has been for you."
As I watched the police cars drive away with Alain, a thought occurred to me. "What will happen to Alain now?"
