“Everything you need is already there. From what I understand, there’s a lovely cafe just down the street from youwhere many people love to eat breakfast—or whatever people do in Paris.”
She shook her head. I knew the whole thing was overwhelming, but this was a good thing for her—better than most people in her position could ever hope for. But she needed this chance to start over more than anyone else I knew.
“And I just pick up this new identity. What do I do for work?”
“You already have money. There’s a number for an accountant who can make sure all your funds are transferred to your new identity. As for work, that’s up to you.”
When she looked back up at me, there were tears in her eyes. “I get to start over.”
“Completely, but you can’t ever tell anyone who you are. Not a thing from your past. Remember, every time you let something slip, there’s a chance someone could locate you. From now on, you’re Anaïs Boucher.”
She nodded, blowing out a breath. “Will I ever see you again?”
The hope in her eyes was heartbreaking. I wanted to tell her yes, but the truth was, seeing her would only put a target on her back by any number of people.
“No,” she whispered, already reading my thoughts.
“Jade…I wish I could say yes. Even though you’re a pain in the ass, I don’t completely mind seeing you.”
“I understand, and thank you. Sincerely, Patrick. This is…more than I ever thought I would get.”
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Besides, I’m sure you’ll find some French prick who will fall for you in no time.”
She laughed, but it fell short of happy. I knew I was sending her off where no one would know her, and she couldn’t contact any of us ever again, but this was for the best. Her life had been filled with tragedy for so long that I doubted she would know true happiness unless it smacked her in the face.
“Just one request,” I said, taking a step forward. “When you get there, find yourself a good therapist to continue with.”
“So I don’t drive another van into a tree?” she smirked sadly.
“And no pills. Not even fucking Tylenol, unless you’re about to die of a splitting headache. Swear it to me right now.”
“I swear,” she whispered. Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to my cheek and gave me a hug. “Thank you so much, Patrick.”
I swallowed hard, feeling a pit in my stomach at the thought of leaving her. I remembered the days I watched over her, how prying a smile out of her became my daily mission. I used to do anything I could to make her smile. Hopefully, she would no longer have to rely on a man for any of that.
“I hope you find a better life than the one you were handed.”
She smiled at me and stepped back. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing that I already know French.”
“Which is exactly why I did my best to get you to Paris,” I chuckled. “Now, can I let the guys in to see you one last time or would you prefer to slip off into the night?”
Her smile was bright, but I knew this was going to be hard on her. She’d make it, though. She’d already been through the worst. Now was her time to move forward and be someone else. Anyone who wasn’t related to her psychopath father. She straightened her shoulders and nodded at me.
“Let’s do this.”
3
PIPER
The elevator dingedas the doors opened. It was another gorgeous day in New York. The sun was shining and the heat... Well, I could do without it being quite so hot, but summers didn’t last forever. There was nothing better than living on the East Coast, except living in The City That Never Sleeps. Taxi drivers yelled at one another, people pushed and shoved to reach their destinations, and most of all, I had an amazing man that I could wake up to every morning.
Of course, I was late getting into the office, but that was never a huge problem since my boss, Mr. Johnson, was also the man I was currently engaged to. I’d gone from being his secretary to his personal assistant—a move that made most women extremely jealous. Yes, I was the typical secretary banging her boss. The other women in the office gossiped about me, but I didn’t care. I loved James, and he’d just proposed to me last night.
Hence, my ecstatic mood this morning. The diamond shining on my finger felt like a million pounds, but it went great with my manicure. I was still walking on cloud nine, unable to believe that he’d actually proposed. I had hoped this day would come, but deep down, I wasn’t sure it would actually happen.
James always told me I was beautiful and that he loved my brown curls and matching eyes. He said I had kissable lips and a face made for the runway. I was pretty sure he was just making up all that shit, but I’d never felt more beautiful than when he was watching me. And now, I was beginning to believe everything he told me was true. After all, there was a ring on my finger to prove how much he loved me.
“Good morning!” I said cheerily to Renee, the floor office manager.