Page 78 of Eat Your Heart Out
46
Ali
We took the limo to the Eiffel Tower, and I was lost in a dream. His ex wasn’t an issue. I believed in Gerard and us. I kept my head high and realized the woman had hoped to put me in my place so she could have another shot with him. And I’d walked out, holding his hand. I relaxed as we headed up the elevator, but as we reached the top of the tower, I sucked in my breath. Below us, Paris was green. The buildings shone white, and the sky was such a pretty blue. The view was fit for a postcard.
I squeezed Gerard’s arm as we walked the open-air balcony. “This is gorgeous.”
We stopped at a view where we could see the Seine far below us.
He took my hand. “Everything you ever dreamed of?”
I laughed and nodded. Earlier, on the way here, he’d called my wish list touristy, and maybe the view wascommonfor him, but not for me. “You have no idea. Never in a million, zillion, trillion years would I ever have believed I’d be standing here. I thought this was just something in movies.”
We finished circling, and he directed us to the elevator. We’d rushed right to the top, as I hadn’t wanted to take in the views below.
“Shall we stop and get a glass of champagne while we drink the view in?” he asked.
I bounced on my toes and nodded. He’d practically read my mind. “Perfect.”
A minute later, we were back to a lower level, stopping at a champagne bar. The scenery was still breathtaking. I had been so determined to get to the top that I’d missed appreciating it on our way in.
Gerard handed me a flute, and we found a bench. That floor was quieter and offered more shade. I sipped and sat shoulder to shoulder with Gerard. The silence made me hope I was stronger. Then I would never chicken out and want to leave again.
We had almost finished our champagne when my blood went cold. From the corner of my eye, I swore I saw a ghost. I turned, and my heart practically froze on the spot. “Oh god.”
Gerard pressed his hand to my thigh. “What?”
I stood. I couldn’t let John take away anything I loved ever again. I wouldn’t let him near Gerard. “John, you can’t afford to fly to Paris.”
Gerard stood.
John didn’t budge at all as he said, “Some rich bitch named Ashley said she found out about you from some gossip blog, and she flew me over.”
I tensed. I knew Ashley hadn’t liked me, but I’d just assumed it was because I had what she wanted. I hadn’t realized it was a coordinated attack on my happiness.
“What?” Gerard asked.
I reached behind me and took his hand. “Gerard, let me handle this.” I met his gaze for a second. My life was worth fighting for.
He nodded. “Okay.”
“I’m sorry for what I did to you,” John said.
The old me would have caved and gone back to him, but I had questions that needed answers. I lifted my chin and asked the one that had been burning within me. “Did you cut the brakes on my mom’s car?”
His eyes grew wider. “What do you mean?”
The police had no motive to lie, but I wanted the truth from his lips. “When I was fourteen, you were at the party, though you were older than all of us. Did you cut the brakes to her car?”
He pressed his hand to his heart. “I can’t believe you’re asking me that.”
My hairs stood on end. I’d been such a fool for so long. I held my hands to my chest. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”
He glared at me and broke his public persona. “You’re the one who killed your mother.”
Gerard showed me his phone was recording.
“The police named you,” I said.
