Page 31 of Stone
She should.
I’d failed her.
My hand was tightly fisted around the bottle, enough so my entire arm was shaking. “Maybe because I’m good at what I do and he knew he could at least trust me.”
“I wasn’t doubting you. I meant what I said. You guys are amazing and I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”
“Don’t you know that no thanks are needed?”Or that I owed you that much?I couldn’t form the words much less say them.
Watching the way her body rocked was killing me. “I’m not usually this weak.”
“Weak? You held your own with French revolutionaries who’ve killed for their cause before. I’d call you one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”
“Sadly, you don’t know me any longer, Stone. Just like I don’t know you.”
Why did this feel like it was an impasse we couldn’t get through?
“I’m just a guy who wanted to save a girl. “
At least my words brought a slight laugh. “You still have a sense of humor.”
“Only every once in a while.”
“Is this safe? I mean the assholes won’t try and come after me. Right?”
“It’s safe here. There’s a security system just in case and we’re pretty far out of the city. Interpol is going to clean up the mess, arresting the other perpetrators. Even if they don’t catch them all, kidnappers almost never attempt to abduct the same person. They won’t dip into the same well again.”
She studied her bottle, nervously taking a sip. I couldn’t help studying everything she did. “That’s good. Maybe life can get back to normal.” Her words seemed as if she was lost in thought.
“Did the kidnappers say anything to you?”
“They said a lot including about how they were going to bring my father to his knees.”
“Any indication why, other than draining his bank account while taking the man’s only child?”
“No. But they were angry.”
“Self-proclaimed revolutionaries who like to bring empires to their knees.”
“That makes sense. They’ve been all over the Parisian news the past couple of years. I just never thought I’d become a victim.” She nursed her beer, never once looking me in the eyes.
There were so many things to say to her, so many questions to ask, but now wasn’t the right time. And honestly? I wasn’t certain there ever would be a right time.
“How’s your life in Paris?”
She brushed hair behind her ears. “I love it there. You would too.” Her hopeful look faded almost instantly.
I leaned forward, pushing the bowl of chips in her direction. “You must be hungry.”
“Not really. Just tired. Still anxious, I guess.”
“Then why don’t you get some rest?”
“I will in a couple minutes.”
I nodded as I leaned forward, shifting the beer bottle from one hand to the other. The air was too damn thick between us. There were too many questions that needed answers, something I’d convinced myself would never happen. “You still have the ring.”
She lifted her hand, twirling the band a couple of times. “Yes, I do. I don’t know why really because I figured I’d never see you again.”
