Page 111 of Retribution

‘How have they been looking for me?' I ask, the thought of Joe Banderville, his nasty family, and his evil sidekick trying to get me back under their thumbs making my stomach leaden.

'Asking questions. Promising rewards,' he says, picking up a serving spoon. 'The family has informants.'

‘But they don’t suspect I’m here, right?' I ask.

'No,' he says with a flippant wave of his hand. ‘Nothing leads to me. I have ensured it.'

‘Thank you,’ I say quietly.

Sauvage nods. 'He is not a good man. From the stories, his family is rotten inside. For you, I will make some magic, my petite fleur, and you shall watch him disappear, oui?'

I stare down at my plate, thinking of all the ways that Joe and his employees made me feel small, hurt me, humiliated me. Do I want revenge?

I come to a very quick conclusion. Yes, I do. Avenging myself might not be morally ‘right’ but the thought of waiting for some indirect punishment like karma isn’t enough after everything they’ve done. Maybe this is part of my healing process.

'I'd rather be the one to do it,' I hear myself say.

Pierre Sauvage’s eyes widen a little at my confession, and then he smiles darkly, nodding. 'If it can be done, chéri, I will help you to do this.'

'Why?' I ask, circling back around to the French gangster’s motivations. 'Why do you care about Joe Banderville and my revenge? Is it just because I can make Envy?'

'It's not just about your skill in the lab,' he says. ‘The truth is that you remind me of someone. She has been gone for many years now, but she had,’ he sighs deeply, ‘ton feuyour fire.'

The door to the room clicks and we stop talking as Mav, Shade, and Blake come in. All of them are dressed in black suit pants and dress shirts. They don’t usually dress like this.

Shade notices me watching and rolls his eyes. ‘Monsieur Sauvage said we would draw attention to ourselves at his hotel in ourregular clothes.’

Sauvage snorts. ‘Oui. Now you look like men, not boys.’

He gestures to the table. ‘Eat.’

They sit down quietly, their eyes taking me in and then each other.

'Are you guys okay?' I ask almost woodenly, and then flinch inwardly.

I don’t even sound normal. I need to sort myself out. They must be confused by the way I'm acting, but it's like I've lost my equilibrium. I don't know how to be with them right now, not with this constant reminder of Joe Banderville wrapped around my leg.

I eat almost in silence. In contrast, Pierre Sauvage is practically chatty as he asks them about the tunnels and if they know the way. The guys are civil in return, but no more than that.

Shade, across from me, keeps a very close eye on me as I help myself to some bread, cheese, olives, chicken, and bao buns. We're almost finished when the desserts arrive—French patisserie.

My eyes widen, and I hear Sauvage chuckle next to me. 'Ma petite fleur likes her sweets as I suspected,' he says.

I hear Shade’s growl low. 'Elle n'est pas à toi, Sauvage.She’s not yours, Sauvage.’

My eyes widen at him. I didn’t know Shade spoke French.

But Sauvage only smiles at him, so I can’t tell if he’s surprised.

I take in the many small desserts, wondering which I should have.

'Do not stand on ceremony,' Sauvage advises quietly next to me. 'Take what you will. Take one or all if you choose. There's no one here to say no to you, chéri.'

I flash him a grin. I'm pretty sure I hear Shade murmur something and the other guys’ knuckles crack as they clench their fists under the table.

It seems like forever since I've been able to make all of my own decisions regarding food and drink. I reach out to take the nearest—a chocolate mousse with a delicate flake on the top.

But as I grab it, my body locks and pain radiates through it. My back bows and my mouth opens in a silent scream as the Stinger activates without warning, pulsing electricity through me.