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  Clever. “Hmm. Are you sorry for neglecting your son, faking your death, or for cheating on me?”

  “A-all the above. I was—”

  “Remington?” Gilles’ voice travelled down the hall, and seconds later, his footfalls echoed on the walls.

  Colette straightened as panic swept across her face. I leaped forward and attempted to grab her arm. She ducked and I stumbled forward. Pain shot through my lower abdomen, reminding me I wasn’t fit enough to tackle her, but damn it if I was about to let her escape. Clutching my stomach to ease some of the pain, I swung forward just as she recovered, shoved her hand inside the handbag on her shoulder and pulled out something resembling a can. She spun around just as Gilles skidded to a stop beside me, and before I knew what was happening, I heard Gilles shout, then curse several times. A clicking sounded followed by “Aaargh” from Gilles and a loud thud of a weight dropping on the ground. My head shot up just as a she aimed the object at my face and pressed a button. I jerked back, but I was too late. I doubled over as whatever was inside the bottle stung my eyes. I threw my arm over my eyes to shield them from the attack.

  “Oh, Remington!” Hands touched my face, pushing the hair away. I gagged as her perfume hit me hard, catching in the back of my throat. “I didn’t mean to use the spray on you. I panicked and you wanted—”

  “You crazy bitch. Don’t. Touch. Me.”

  She stopped touching me. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me, my love . . . I have to leave. I didn’t want us to meet again like this. I will see you soon, my love. I still love you, you know. Those women did not deserve you. You and I are meant to be together.”

  “Stay away from us,” I said coldly.

  “She doesn’t love you like I do. No one can love you like that.”

  Anger rose in me, overriding the burning sensation from the pepper spray. Where the hell was Alexei?

  Eyes closed, I swung my arm toward her voice but came up empty, then winced as pain erupted in my lower abdomen.

  “You are mine, Remington. You and I, together. Remember your promise to me? That we will always be together? I’m not about to let that bitch take you and Adrien away from me.”

  “You never cared for me or Adrien.”

  “You are wrong,” she said. I heard the soft pattering of feet on the stone floor. “I’m never letting you go.”

  Silence filled the hallway. I trained my ear to the last place I saw Gilles fall and heard soft grunts.

  “Alexei!” I yelled, scooting along the floor, my hand searching for Gilles.

  Shit, my eyes were on fire. I couldn’t believe Colette had bested us.

  “Gilles? Remington?” Alexei’s heavy footfalls echoed in the hallway.

  “Over here.” The footsteps drew closer, and then a hand gripped my arm to help me up. “No, check on Gilles first. I think he’s hurt.”

  The hand dropped away. I heard another groan, followed by a string of curses.

  “I need to get you inside the flat and clean your eyes. Who attacked you?”

  “Colette,” I mumbled, trying not to vomit from the pain ripping through me. Had I pulled open the stitches? Ignoring my burning eyes, I placed my hand on my lower stomach and exhaled, relieved. It felt dry, so no blood.

  “Who?” Alexei asked.

  “My dead wife.”

  Silence followed. The only sounds were labored breathing and the weight of Alexei’s disbelief. I was with him on that one. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen her with my own eyes.

  “Come on, I need to get both of you to the hospital.”

  “Is Gilles all right?” I asked, using the wall to hoist myself up, grimacing.

  Alexei grunted. “I’m not certain, but he doesn’t look good.”

  “Get him to the car. I’ll be right behind you.” As if I could. Right now, a feather could knock me over and I wouldn’t be able to stand on my own two feet. I despised this feeling.

  “Don’t move; I’ll be right back.” He brushed past me and I listened as his footsteps faded as he descended the stairs, leaving me with the haunting thoughts of my wife alive. I had to warn Èric immediately.

  Minutes later, Alexei returned and literally carried me down the stairs and into the waiting car. After safely depositing my arse on the passenger seat, he drove like a maniac to the hospital while I updated him on everything that happened since I left Colette’s flat.

  She was alive. The woman I despised more than anything on this Earth was alive. And now she wanted us back; after she had betrayed me and lied to us, discarded us like we were nothing more than dog shit under her shoe. What the bloody hell? She was utterly mad.

  I ARRIVED in Marseilles twenty-four hours later, feeling completely humiliated by the fact Gilles and I had been bested by a woman. And not any woman, but someone I thought was dead. Then the humility turned to fury and determination. Now that I knew who the culprit was, it would be easier to put a face behind the attacks. I still couldn’t believe she had faked her own death. But for what purpose?

  I shook my head, dispersing those thoughts and focused on seeing Selene, Adrien and my mother again. I rubbed my hand down my stomach to ease the discomfort there. The stitches on my stomach were still intact, but the doctor had stressed that I should refrain from any kind of strenuous activity. Gilles had been released from the hospital as well. Colette had used a Taser gun near his armpit where the Kevlar vest hadn’t protected him. The doctor argued that he was lucky he hadn’t incurred any damage other than being unconscious.

  I strode down the hall and toward Selene’s room. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the door, my heart racing in my chest at the thought of seeing that beautiful smile and those expressive eyes as they took me in. I could hear voices and laughter, mostly female. Unable to hold on much longer, I pushed the door open and halted in the doorway as I took in the scene before me. She was sitting up on the bed with several pillows propped behind her back, Marley sitting cross-legged across from her.

  Mon Dieu! She was alive and even more beautiful than I remembered. My gaze wandered down her body, covered in a gown that did nothing to flatter her curves, and I frowned. She had lost too much weight.

  Oh, well, I had the rest of my life to bring them back and take care of her.

  Merde! I was already building castles in the air, planning my future, yet I had no idea where she stood in regard to our relationship. But I would convince her, even if it took all my strength doing it.

  “Remington?”

  I HAD stopped listening to Marley the minute I sensed him behind the door. Remington. There was this energy that always accompanied him. I was pulled to that door as my heart raced and my breathing turned ragged. The minute he crossed the threshold, the hair on my arms rose in awareness.

  I watched him, standing there looking hotter than I remembered. Jesus, the look on his face sent heat skittering down my body. I had missed it, that look of pure possession. Then it morphed to a dark scowl as it moved down my body, reminding me that behind that beautiful face was my Mr. Tall, Dark and Brooding, waiting to hop out at any second.

  What now?

  “Remington?”

  His gaze snapped back to my face. The look that flashed across his face was a combination of hunger, relief and desperation. Then it fell away as soon as it had appeared and he smiled. Sweet Lord, it was wicked and my body swayed forward on its own accord. Like there were invisible threads that tethered me to him. That right there was the reason I fell in love. One minute he seemed like he couldn’t get to me fast enough and the next he couldn’t wait to get his lips on mine¸ devour me whole.

  Shit, I can’t believe I’m so turned on.

  He dropped the bag he’d been carrying and stalked forward, covering the distance between us in four huge strides. The bed moved and I assumed Marley was scrambling off it to stay out of the storm that was Remington, bearing down on me.

  “Oh, Selene,” he murmured right before he cupped my face in his large hands. He stared into my ey
es as disbelief and hope fought a war in his. Then he smiled; the smile that had the ability to knock air from my lungs. How could I forget this face? That smile? “You remember who I am?”

  I nodded, grinning widely. “I must have been crazy to forget you. Forget your smile and your weapons.”

  “What?”

  “Dimples.”

  He groaned, the sexiest sound I’d heard since my memory returned, and crushed his lips onto mine. I grabbed his shoulders, pulling him close to me and slid my hands up, holding him in place. His tongue brushed against my lips. “Open for me, I need to taste you. Mon Dieu, I’ve missed you so much,” he whispered hoarsely against my lips.

  The second his tongue touched mine, I was on fire. I yanked him to me, kissing him desperately and hungrily. When he finally pulled back, we both inhaled deeply to catch our breath, the sound of our labored breathing filling the room.

  “I missed you so much,” I said, pressing a kiss on his stubbled jaw.

  He leaned back, studying me through narrowed eyes. “You’re here. How are you feeling?”

  “Yes, and you’re here with me. I feel really, really great.”

  “There is no other place I’d rather be,” he said, and then chuckled. “We seem to have forced your sister out of the room.”

  I glanced around and giggled. “We definitely did.” Dizziness slammed into me so I lay back on the pillows, savoring Remington’s touch as his thumb caressed my cheek and his other hand my neck.

  “You know I would never intentionally hurt you or Adrien, right?” I asked, fiddling with the edge of the thin blanket that covered my body to the waist.

  He tucked his thumb under my chin, tugging my face up and fixed his eyes on mine. Something flashed in his eyes. Fear, I think. It quickly vanished, replaced by a shuttered look as though guarding himself from what I was about to say. “I do.”

  “You were right. I had no right to allow Adrien to call me Mama, especially since I planned to go back home soon. It was wrong of me to put my needs before his. God, how could I have been so stupid. Thoughtless.” I dropped the blanket and cupped his face. “I hate myself for doing that. I hate how desperate I feel; it literally clouds my judgment at times. I am a lot of things, and flawed is among them, but know that I’d never hurt you both. I would die before that happens. Please forgive me.”

  He continued to study me and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

  Damn it, please say something.

  Finally, he pressed a kiss on my lips and I leaned forward, eager and desperate for him. “Apology accepted. I know you’d never hurt us. Not intentionally. It’s not in you to hurt anyone or take advantage of a situation,” he murmured against my lips then stood up, taking his scent with him, and swept my hair off my forehead with his fingers. “Tu es belle.”

  STRAIGHTENING, I removed my jacket and tossed it on the nearby chair before turning to watch Selene as she settled back in the pillows, slipping her eyes shut, smiling. The second she said she would never hurt me and Adrien intentionally, I thought she had made the decision that she did not want to have anything to do with me. I wouldn’t have blamed her if she did. I hadn’t protected her like I’d promised. Then she had left me breathless with her confession and apology and I still kept waiting for her to say she was leaving me.

  She didn’t.

  Fuck, I didn’t know what to do with what I was feeling right now.

  “I love you,” she said softly.

  Every thought came to a screeching halt. “Open those beautiful eyes, Selene. Look at me.”

  She did. “I love you,” she repeated, the expression on her face changing to one of wonder. Her eyes widened and filled with tears.

  “What is it?” I asked, scanning her face, worried something was wrong. I didn’t realize how great my hunger was to hear those words from her lips until I heard them. But the look on her face had me worried. I quickly went to her. “You are scaring me, ma belle.”

  “I love you,” she said the words again, louder. “Oh, my God, Remington. I. Love. You.” Then she burst into tears.

  Caught off guard, I gathered her in my arms and she pressed her face into my chest, sobbing.

  “Are you guys okay?” Marley poked her head around the door, smiling.

  I shook my head to let her know I had no idea what was happening.

  She grinned wider and said, “Mood swings,” then disappeared again, looking very pleased with herself.

  Selene pulled back and stared at me through tear-filled eyes, and sniffed. I waited, still not comprehending the outburst.

  What had they done to her while I was gone?

  “I’m so sorry.” Before I could ask why she was apologizing, she continued, “I hate that I can’t control my feelings. God, I’m trying but I’m afraid I might push everyone away. I really don’t want to hurt anyone. And the nurse tried to kill me. And I missed you. Oh, my God, I love you.” Then she started laughing and crying.

  She loves me? I didn’t realize how much I craved hearing those words until she spoke them. But she continued the confusing display of emotion and I wasn’t sure if she was excited or frustrated. Panic twisted in my chest. I had to calm her down.

  I cupped her face, brushed my thumb against her lips, then kissed her deeply and pulled back. “I know, Selene. I know you love me.”

  “You do?” She gaped at me. At least she wasn’t crying anymore. “When . . . how . . . ?”

  I did the only thing I knew would bring back my Selene.

  “How could you not love me?” I grinned at her.

  She narrowed her eyes. “I see your ego has been growing out of proportion while I was lying in here. Well, I’m better now and I think it’s time we worked on getting it back to its right size.” She wriggled out of my arms, but I held her tighter. “Let me go before that enlarged ego knocks me off the bed.”

  I laughed, wrapped my arms around her, and holding her to me, pressed my lips to her jaw in a kiss.

  “I love you, too.” I trailed a kiss down her neck, nipping the skin there. She shivered and moaned. “God, you are so fucking sexy and I want you so badly. I’ve missed you.” I jolted as her hand wandered down to my crotch, rubbing my cock through my jeans. “Don’t start something you can’t finish, you little minx.” I grabbed her hand and lightly tethered her wrist with mine on the bed. She batted her lashes at me, and I laughed at her blatant flirting.

  Her face quickly fell. “Is it the gown? I know I’m not totally rocking sexy right now—”

  What the bloody hell?

  “Stop it,” I growled. “I. Love. You. You hear me? You.” I ducked my head to meet her gaze. “I don’t know when it happened, but I knew I loved you and there was no way I was going to let you go. Could never give you up,” I said, staring into hazel eyes. “I’m so addicted to you I don’t know where I end and you begin.”

  She blinked at me, her eyes gleaming with tears. She pressed her forehead to mine. “That—that was really beautiful. God, I’m so sorry. I’m having a hard time controlling my emotions. The doctor told me it’s normal especially after a brain trauma, but I hate this so much. Sometimes I’m terrified I’ll scare away the people in my life. One second I’m crying and the next I’m laughing. Or highly turned on. The other night I was watching a movie on TV and started moaning, indecently and uncontrollably aroused. Marley had to take Adrien out of the room.” She shook her head. “Be warned, I’m a huge mess right now.”

  I climbed on the bed and pulled her into me, wanting to comfort her more than anything. “Shh. I don’t scare easily. “

  She wiped her eyes and laid her head on my chest. These mood changes were giving me whiplash. I needed to talk to the doctor to have an understanding of what was going on.

  She looked up at me. “How are you doing? How is Caleb? Did Gilles find the woman?”

  Merde!

  I wasn’t expecting that question. After quickly making sure my expression wasn’t displaying the fear and anger rolling inside me, I to
ld her what had happened since I left Marseilles a week and a half ago, but left out the details about Colette. I was still absorbing the shock of seeing her. Given Selene’s current disposition, I wasn’t certain that hearing my wife was still alive and trying to kill her, was the best thing right now. Hoping to distract her, I leaned in and kissed her temple, nipped her earlobe.

  “Have you spoken to your parents?” I murmured in her ear.

  She squealed as I traced my tongue at the sensitive place behind her ear. “Should you be talking about my parents while doing this to me?”

  I nipped her earlobe again, my hands finding their way inside her gown and cupping her breast. Christ, I missed this. “Tell me.” I flicked her nipple, making her suck in a sharp breath.

  “Yes!” That word burst out of her lips. “Should be flying to Paris in less than a week. Mom said she’ll let us know the exact date.”

  “Good girl.” Before leaving for London, I had asked Èric to organize what they needed for the trip.

  The door opened, but my mouth was busy trailing a path down her chest. Someone cleared their throat. I froze while Selene scrambled to cover herself.

  “Monsieur St. Germain, I see you’re back and apparently very healthy.” Dr. Blanchett’s voice jolted me upright. Heat filled my cheeks as I tried to regain my poise well enough to face him.

  I rearranged the look on my face, replacing it with a scowl before shifting around to face the doctor. Selene pressed her forehead on my back, snickered and whispered, “God, you look so hot, scowling like that. Wanna head to the bathroom and do really dirty things to each other? We can just toss the doctor out of the room.”

  I quickly shot her a look, fighting a smile. “Behave, insatiable minx.” I focused on the good doctor, the look on his face properly chastising me. Obviously, he wasn’t amused by me making out with his patient. My lips twitched, fighting a smile as his frown deepened. I coughed once. “Dr. Blanchett.”

  “Did everything go well?” he asked, referring to Caleb’s surgery.