I huffed a breath, kissing the side of her head. “Well, at least we know you’re not allergic.”
She looked up at me, her blue eyes shining in the morning sun. “I suppose that’s something. So that’s Valerie?”
I nodded, and Chloe stepped away.
“I’ve ruined everything for you, Maxime.”
I shook my head. “Last time I checked, you and I count as two people. And you’ve done nothing. Valerie can’t just show up out of the blue like this.” I smoothed Chloe’s shirt down. She wrapped it around her body, as if shielding herself.
Her down-turned lips tugged at my heart. I hated that anything I did—or didn’t do—would upset her. I kissed heron the forehead, and she sent me a sad smile.
“I’ll get dressed, then join you. Do I wear a blindfold?”
Her question snapped me out of my rumination. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve never faced a firing squad before. That’s exactly how it feels facing your ex.”
She gave my hand a squeeze. The look on her face was pure dejection, like someone had cracked her open. My chest ached. I hated leaving her like this. She probably felt like a dirty secret. I couldn’t know for sure, but I’d felt that way before.
As if she heard my thoughts, she smiled. “It’s okay, you know? Neither of us went into this blind. I’m a grownup and I’ll happily take responsibility for my actions.” She lifted a hand, pulling it through her tangled hair. “But right now I probably resemble a sea witch, so let me get myself battle ready.” Chloe lifted onto her tiptoes and softly kissed my cheek. “Thank you for last night.”
As I watched her walk back to the annex, an ache settled behindmy ribs. Despite what most people thought of me, I’d only been with a handful of women since Sophie was born. None had ever made me feel the way Chloe did.
It was as if someone had taken a beautiful woman and filledher with everything I wasn’t.Like they’d created her to neutralize every negative aspect of me—each darker part of my personality. Instead, they’d filled her with light. Her very existence softened my hard edges.
I sucked in a breath. I could feel the pull of her even now. She was only ten meters away, inside the annex. Still, every molecule in my body wanted to follow her. To be with her.
A light touch at my hand drew my attention. “Papa?”
I turned to see Sophie looking up at me, Bean clutched to her chest. Her lips were down turned, and her eyes missed the glow they’d had this last week. She curled her fingers through mine. “Are you okay? Is Chloe, okay?”
My gut tugged. Of course, she knew Chloe had been here. She wasn’t stupid. I attempted a smile. “Yes. She had a run in with a bee in the lavender.”
Sophie’s fingers tightened around mine. “She’s terrified of bees.”
I nodded, running my hand over the top of her shoulders and pulling her close. My action dislodged Bean. He gave a squeak and scampered back off towards the house.
“So, she’s okay?”
“She’s fine. She’ll be back soon.”
Sophie nodded, but she worried the edge of her lips with her teeth. “I’m sorry about Maman. I tried to keep her away from your room.”
My stomach lurched. Had she known Chloe was inside? Had she picked up on something I thought we’d kept hidden? “Where is your mother?”
Sophie gave me a half smile. “She’s turned on the coffee machine in the kitchen.”
Of course she had, like she had every right to help herself. I sighed. But she wasn’t the only one who could use a stiff dose of caffeine. “Then best I join her.”
“Both of us,” Sophie said. Taking my hand, she curled her fingers through mine. “We’ll join her together. We’re a team.”
Her words and the glow in her eyes filled my chest with pressure, like it might burst. Warmth flooded my body as Sophie led me towards the villa. Even amid this horrible situation, I’d never felt happier.
We filed into the kitchen like prison inmates. Sophie squeezed my hand before taking a seat at the table. Bean jumped up to join her, curling around her body and batting at her fingers.
At the sound of Sophie’s giggle, Valerie looked up from pouring coffee. “Oh, you made it out of the flowerbeds, then?”
Heat grumbled in my chest. “Valerie…”
