“What do you mean, Jackie?” The small hairs on my arms stand on end. My heart begins to pump hard. “Who did you keep away from me?”
“Blaire.” She hangs her head as her shoulders crumple in shame. “I went to see her the day you came to say good-bye to Ollie. I only had your best interest at heart …”
Barely keeping my control in check, I turn to face my sister, holding her by the arms. My hands are trembling. “What did you do, Jackie?” I whisper harshly. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Oh, Ronan … I …” She looks up at me. “There’s so much that I have to explain.”
Blaire
“Au revoir,” I say as I watch the couple leave the gallery. Their bank account took a hit, but their home is going to look fabulous. It’s been a couple of months since I moved to Paris and things couldn’t be better. Jacob and Joanna have been a pleasure to live with and work for, and I’m in love with the city. The architecture, the culture, the fashion, the food (oh my God, the food!), the art and the people are all breathtaking. Every day I fall a little bit more in love with it all.
I sigh, giving my head a tiny shake, and go back to my desk and get back to work. I’m going over some paperwork when I hear the glass doors open and close behind me. Smiling, I turn around to greet the new customer.
As my eyes land on him, my smile freezes and I feel the air knocked out of me. Blinking repeatedly, I absorb his achingly beautiful features, but it’s his eyes that hold me captive and their slave.
“Hello, Mrs. Klein,” he says huskily, his voice full of tenderness.
“What—” I grip the desk, feeling like I’m about to faint. “What are you doing here?”
“Elly told me where to find you.” He closes the space between us, detaches my fingers from the desk, and takes me in his arms. My knees give out, too weak to hold me straight, but he holds me tight in his embrace as he caresses my wet cheek.
“I came to get what’s mine. Besides, you forgot something.” He takes my hand in his and places the paper ring on my finger, right where it belongs. Then he smiles into my eyes and the world suddenly makes sense once again.
“Always and forever and over a thousand eternities, mine.”