Page 99 of Retribution

‘Sit,’ Sauvage says very quietly. ‘Please.’

‘What did you do?’ Mav asks him, his face full of desolation.

Sauvage sighs, his eyes trained on the girl in my arms. ‘Her upset has not been caused by me, at least not completely. Though, I will admit that when she came to me yesterday, I was not kind to her. She is not well. I didn’t understand... I thought… When people are brought to me, they’re always afraid,’ he explains quietly. ‘Sometimes, with good reason. They show it in many ways. I believed what I was seeing was simply fear. Perhaps adrenaline. I am to blame for that.’

In my lap, Daisy begins to relax, and a minute later, I see that her eyes are closed.

‘She’s asleep,’ I murmur, drawing her closer.

‘I have a room prepared for her. She will be staying here, in my hotel.’

‘No way,’ Shade growls.

‘Use the head that is on your neck!’ Sauvage hisses back. ‘Where will she go? Where can you take her that she will not be found and returned to her enemies?’

Shade opens his mouth to speak and then shuts it again.

‘You see? This is best.’

‘For her or foryou?’ Mav says.

‘For all. Even you three. I will not keep her from you. She will make Envy. For me. For you.’ He scoffs. ‘She cares for you. I would have cut you out. She would only work for me if you three get your money too, and your percentage of the pills she makes. She will stay here. She will be safe. If you are quiet, no one will find her here.’

‘Fuck,’ I whisper, knowing he’s right. ‘She can’t come back to the house with us and, even if the club was anywhere near finished, that’s the first place they’ll come looking.’

‘No one will check here,’ Sauvage says. ‘Why would they? She is Marguerite Novelle, English Lit major and spoiled little rich girl.’ He smiles again. ‘They do not know her courage. No one would think she would come to me for protection. And why would Pierre Sauvage help the likes of her?’

He leans forward.

‘But whatever means you used to locate her, make sure no one else can do the same.’

I find myself nodding. ‘I already deleted the footage of your guys taking her off the street.’

Sauvage nods. ‘Bon.’

He stands. ‘Lionel will take you to the rooms I have had prepared. You may come and go as you please, but she cannot. Ensure you are never followed here.’

‘How are we going to do that?’ Mav asks, looking at Shade and me. ‘We’re being watched.’

‘Tunnels,’ Sauvage says. ‘You are familiar with some of them, I think. They extend much further than you realize. This town is likeEmmental…Swiss cheese under its streets. There is an entrance through a crypt in the oldest graveyard.’ He smiles darkly. ‘The name is Banderville. Poetic, non?’

He walks to the door. ‘Take care of my petite fleur. Order what you need for her and it will be brought. When she is well, she will begin.’

He leaves us reeling in his office. We sit in silence for a moment.

‘Jesus,’ Shade mutters, raking his hands through his sandy hair that’s in dire need of a trim. ‘This was her plan. To come to a notorious gangster and make a deal.’

‘Because we couldn’t help her,’ Mav mutters.

He shakes his head at us.

‘I’m not sure what I thought she was going to do, but it wasn’t nearly this risky, or brilliant.’

He smiles down at the slumbering girl on my lap.

‘You’re crazy, Tulip, you know that?’ he says softly, moving her hair gently out of her face.

She doesn’t even shift in my arms.