“Let’s sit down.”
I walked over to the table. “What do you mean you knew I did a college report about it?”
“I had my men look into you. The first time I saw you, I wanted to know everything about you.”
“That’s how I felt about you.”
“But unfortunately. . .you didn’t get the full story on me.” He sighed. “You should know everything, before you say yes to my extension.”
“Everything about you?”
“No, Eden.” He frowned. “Everything about us.”
Chapter 33
Confessions
Present day
Jean-Pierre
Our dinner at the Louvre had been the proper moment to tell her everything. Every minute with her, I’d wondered when I would tell her. There’d been no doubt that I would keep this war a secret. She had to know how her aunt had walled her off and even invaded her privacy with the security cameras.
But most of all, she had to know all the things I’d done too. I’d invaded her privacy. I’d broken into her home and been prepared to steal Belladonna back to me. I’d become obsessed and out of control.
I’d killed for her. I’d destroyed families and broken homes just to have a moment where I could sit at a table across from her.
My heart ached as I lowered my voice. “You have to know the truth.”
She gave me an intense gaze and remained silent.
Sound came from behind me. Louis appeared right on time. He pushed a huge flat screen tv that had wheels at the bottom and stretched out pass the length of his body.
I’d given him my tasks this morning.
He read the list of things I wanted. “Are you sure, Jean-Pierre? Everything is fine between Eden and you. Why change things?”
“Because I don’t want anything to get between us anymore. And the only way I can make that happen is with the truth.”
Louis shook his head. “But we’ve come so far. What if she walks away?”
“I’m more worried that I won’t let her walk away, if even she wants to.”
So much had happened.
We’d brought guns and men to New York for Sasha.
During our last meeting at a high-end hotel in New York, Sasha didn’t show up. Instead, he’d delivered a gang of Jamaicans to kill Louis, Rafael, and me. We’d barely made it out of New York. Later our pilot notified us, that several planes had been following us. At the last minute, I made the decision to lead the planes back to France, verses taking them to Belladonna.
A shoot out happened in France. My men outnumbered Sasha’s newly appointed Jamaicans. We sent their bodies back to America.
No regrets. That forced me to stay in France and heal, which brought Eden to me.
And more events continued outside of us.
While Rafael and I fought Jamaicans in Paris, Sasha had made his play against Kazimir. The news reported that the Lion was dead.
My gut said to wait for clear evidence. Many times people had been reported killed to only pop up on the other side of the globe and full of vengeance. It was best to tread carefully with my support for the Russians in the future.
Kazimir’s Uncle Igor had planned a month of ceremonies and funeral celebrations for his nephew. Days later, Louis had reported that there’d been a shootout in the castle.
This morning, the news had reported Igor dead along with others.
The Russians are taking care of everything. All I have to do is sit back and watch. Whoever is alive, I’ll decide if I need to deal with them or not.
In the Louvre, Louis slid the tv next to our table, handed me the remote control, and then left. I knew he was annoyed with me. From his point of view, there’d been no reason to tell Eden the truth. I had her where I wanted her. Many of my men found Celina’s death a viable option to winning the whole war.
But I’d loved and began broken relationships based on secrets and lies. I would not start like that with Eden.
I turned the tv on.
“What this?” she asked.
“Footage from your apartment three years ago.”
She shifted her view to the tv screen. “My place?”
“Yes.” I stiffened, forcing myself to deal with what was coming ahead.
The image played of Eden’s apartment. The camera views were divided by four different camera screens. One camera showed Eden sleeping in her bed.
“This is the night I broke into your apartment.”
She raised her hand to her chest and widened her eyes as she stared in shock.
On one screen, I came into view.
At that moment, I paused the screen.
She turned to me. Her bottom lip quivered. I knew that if I placed my hand where she held her on her chest that her heart would be booming against my palm.
“This will be a lot to tell you in one night.” I rose from the table and kept the remote in my hand. “Surely, there’s already so many questions in your head. I want you to know everything, Eden. Including all of the things. . .the bad things I’ve done. . .in the name of winning your heart.”