“It’s in a display drawer, and that display was shipped to another store. We need to go to the location by the Notre Dame cathedral.”
He calls over the seat for the driver to get Bastile. The driver rolls down the window and calls for Bastile. The next instant, a challenging development occurs. Bastile opens the door and gets in beside me. He repeats what I’ve said, in French. “The woman said to check in with her in an hour.”
Neuville’s eyes turn hot and sharp on me. “What game are you playing, Ella?”
“This is not a game. You know what Matteo told you. You know what was on the security feed you watched.”
“I know you know where that necklace is. I see it in your eyes. In the defiance you think I don’t understand. But I did break you in ways you don’t wish to accept. And I will break you now.”
He looks at Bastile and spits out a command, and Bastile pulls his gun and points it at Sara. “Here’s what going to happen,” Neuville says, yanking Sara across his lap. “I’m going to fuck her while you watch unless you tell me where it’s at. If you try to stop me from fucking her, Bastile will shoot her.”
“No,” Sara says. “No.” She shoves against him and he laughs.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” He grabs her hair and there’s a struggle.
I go to the place where I find control and calm, because this is the moment I’ve waited months for. Bastile’s management of his weapon is pathetic, his supposed respect for my skills lacking. He thinks I’m small. He thinks he’s strong. He’s right, but those things don’t matter.
I count to three in my mind, and then act. I take Bastile’s gun and I’m in his lap, straddling him, the gun at his chest and trigger pulled before he even knows what happened. The next second, I rotate, and I’m sitting in the lap of a dead man. The driver rotates, a gun in his hand he intends to use on me, and thankfully I have a clear shot. I hit him between the eyes and my gun is now on Neuville, who has Sara’s dress to her waist.
“Let her go,” I order, and slowly, too slowly, he eases his grip on her.
Sara scrambles out of his lap and as soon as she’s against the door, she slams her foot in his face. He growls and reaches for her and I land a foot in his groin, doubling him over. His phone is on the seat and I grab it, dialing Kayden and moving off of Bastile, who I shove against the door.
He answers quickly. “Who is this?” and just the sound of his voice, knowing he’s absolutely alive, sends a rush of relief though me.
“Kayden.”
“Ella,” he breathes out. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m at the chocolate shop.”
“Is it safe to send Sara out to you?”
“Yes, and I’m coming to you.”
I end the call. “Get out of the car, Sara.”
“Not without you.”
“Get out of the car, Sara, so I can kill the bastard.”
Neuville straightens. “You think Evil Eye is bad? Kill me, and the wrath I have planned for Kayden will make him wish he were dead.”
The door opens to my right and Kayden slides in beside me, the smell of him so masculine and safe and him, and the feel of his presence is like a breath of air I didn’t think I’d ever take in again.
“Your husband says to get out of the damn car, Sara,” he tells her.
“Chris,” she whispers, and she’s out of the car.
“Why is he still alive, sweetheart?” Kayden asks.
“Because she knows killing me comes with a price,” Neuville replies.
“Is there a plan we need to follow?” I ask.
“The plan includes hurrying the fuck up. He’s your prize. Do it and let’s move.”
Neuville has gone quiet, his eyes meeting mine, and I see in their depths that he knows what’s coming. He accepts it. He even challenges me to do it.
“This seems too easy, too humane. I thought we’d punish him.”
“And as much as I love how you think, we just need him gone, and to deal with the logistics.” Kayden raises his gun. “You or me? Let’s just do it.”
I point my gun at Neuville’s groin and shoot him, his scream radiating through the air. I let him feel the pain, just for a few seconds. I just have to let him feel it. And then I lift my weapon and shoot him in the head. He’s dead. The monster lives no more. Kayden grabs my arm and helps me out of the car, and Adriel is there waiting. “Where’s Sara?”
“We just put her and Chris in a car on the way to the airport,” he says. “I’ve got this mess.”
“We’ll meet Chris and Sara there,” Kayden tells me, and another car pulls up. “That’s our ride.”
We climb into the backseat, and I don’t know the driver nor do I care who he is. Not when Kayden’s taken my gun and is now cupping my face. “Ella,” he whispers, his mouth closing down on mine, in a deep, passionate, drink-me-in kiss that I return with all that I am. And when we come up for a breather, we linger there, breathing together, and for me, finally breathing again, I realize.