“Oh my God, you have your clothes on. Are you crazy?” She laughed.
“Care for another glass of wine?”
“Only if you take your clothes off.”
Paolo took off his shirt and fumbled with his pants.
“Do you need some help?”
“I can’t unzip my pants.”
Sydney moved toward him, “Let me try.” Her wet, naked body tantalized him. She unzipped his pants.
“Boy, you’re good,” he said. He started to get aroused and kissed her neck.
“Not in the water.”
“But you look so good,” Paolo said with a boyish whine.
“No, not now. Later,” she replied with a gleam in her eye.
“Fine.” He pouted.
“Okay, so what’s up with this guy Arnaud?”
“More wine?” He held up the bottle.
“Sure.”
He poured the wine. “Arnaud…how do I put it…” Paolo paused. “Several years ago, before I knew you, I was doing some consulting work for the Italian government. The investigation brought me to Paris.”
“Investigation?” Sydney asked.
“Yes…at first the situation appeared to be innocent…”
“Situation? What the hell were you doing?”
“We were working on a pretty touchy subject that turned ominous. I really shouldn’t tell you.”
“Oh, really?” She slid her body toward him. Their naked bodies touched side by side, legs outstretched. “I’m sure I can make you tell me.” She placed her hand on his thigh.
“Now stop. That’s not fair.”
“Oh?” Her hand moved higher up his thigh.
Paolo removed her hand.
“I hate your little secrets.” She folded her arms across her chest.
Paolo’s voice changed. His eyes were less intense. He grabbed her hand, not wanting to start an argument. “I’m sorry, I know you do. Long story short, Arnaud’s daughter, Emily, was kidnapped, and I happened to stumble upon the kidnappers.”
“Why was she kidnapped?”
Paolo said nothing.
“Oh, I forgot—you can’t tell me.”
“No, I can. Arnaud was an arms dealer. By accident, I inadvertently stumbled upon his daughter’s kidnappers.” He lowered his head. “I used my gift to help rescue her.”
“How? The clairvoyance?”
“Yep. Anyway, Arnaud and I have been friends ever since.”
“Wow, so he feels obligated.”
“Somewhat. I’ve helped him over the past couple of years, and he’s made a lot of money with my influence. I’m really not sure he feels obligated. I know he’s appreciative when it comes to Emily, but other than that, it’s business.”
“I’m sorry for prying. I know you don’t like to talk about…”
Paolo changed the subject. “Shall we get dried off and get something to eat?”
“Sounds good. Can we eat in the hotel restaurant? I hear the food is excellent.”
“It is.”
Paolo stepped out of the Jacuzzi and grabbed one of the two white cotton velour bathrobes. He held the other robe open for Sydney. She stepped out of the Jacuzzi, her body gleaming from the rays of the setting sun that peered through the shaded window. Paolo wrapped the robe around her and began to rub her dry.
Exhausted, they had a quiet dinner and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
CHAPTER 62
SYDNEY LAY ASLEEP. Paolo picked up his BlackBerry and looked at the time—seven o’clock, one in the morning in the States. He exited the hotel and made a left on the Rue de Rivoli. He passed an outdoor café filled with chatty Parisians and absorbed the aromas of the bakeries as they prepared the day’s tasty treats. A hunger pang stirred at the pit of his stomach. I could go for a croissant and a cup of coffee. Paolo crossed the congested street to the seventeenth-century Tuileries Garden, at one time the home of the Royal Palace. Two small children ran by, chased by their mother as she spoke in her native French dialect. Paolo could only imagine what she was saying: “Come back here, you two; wait till your father hears about this.”
People are the same. It doesn’t matter where you were born, everyone is the same. Differences in culture, yes; still, we humans remain the same. We want to love and want to be loved. Yes, not much difference between us.
He walked to the Grand Couvert, to one of the two cafes in the garden. He chose a table and ordered a cup of coffee and a croissant. When he finished, he stood and dusted the croissant crumbs off his shirt, and then started to stroll the gardens. Paolo’s cell phone rang.
“Hello, Rami.”
“Hello, Paolo, how are you?”
“I’m fine, in Paris enjoying this wonderful spring day. What can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were away. Call me when you get back. Have a great time.”
“Thanks, Rami. I’ll call you when I get back.” A wave of uneasiness swept over him. Paolo looked at his watch. A quarter past one in the morning on the East Coast. Why did he call me?
Paolo inhaled the fresh, crisp morning air of the bustling city. The locals sauntered about the park. A police siren with its distinctive European sound awakened him from his daydream.
Paolo crossed Terrasse des Feuillants, a wide walkway with neatly trimmed trees on either side. He took a left down a similar but narrower pathway; the trees were almost at full blossom. The vivid green colors splashed across the blue sky. Paolo easily spotted the Louvre in the distance. He continued eastward. He stopped at one of the four fountains with its man-made ponds. Paolo watched the spew of water as it sprayed into the morning air.
“To your right is the Seine River,” the heavily accented voice behind him said.
Paolo looked straight ahead. “Arnaud, my friend, funny meeting you here.”
“Ah, Paolo, Paolo, my friend, you knew I would be here. That is why you are here,” Arnaud said with a coy smile. “Remember, my friend, I am well aware of your gift. It was here that you reunited my Emily and me. I will never forget that, my friend.” Arnaud was privy to Paolo’s gift of clairvoyance. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a wallet. With his elbow, he nudged Paolo’s arm. The billfold opened. Inside was a picture of Emily.
“She’s beautiful, Arnaud. Thank God she takes after her mother.”
“Oui, my friend.” He gingerly closed the billfold and placed it back in his pocket, as if it were a priceless gem.
Paolo began to walk toward the Seine. “Care to take a stroll?”
“After you, my friend,” Arnaud said as he gestured with his cane to show Paolo the way.
They turned right on Terrasse du Bord de L’eau. Paolo said, “I’m glad to see you, Arnaud. It’s been too long.”
“Yes, my friend, it has. You know I’m with the DGSE?”
“Ah yes, the famous French secret police. Yes, I knew that. What’s going on? When we last talked, you were supposed to be in Corsica at your estate.”
“I was as of last night, until I received a phone call from the director inquiring why you were here. You’ve become a celebrity in the intelligence communities since your president mentioned your name on that terrible day. The director asked if I would speak to you.”
“About what?”
“Why you are here.”
“For one reason and one reason only. I’m on vacation with Sydney.”
“Yes, that is what I told him. Still, he wanted me to come and speak with you. So since I have not seen you in quite a while, I thought I would come and say hi.”
“Well, good to see you, Arnaud. The suite is beautiful, thank you.”
“My pleasure. Your girlfriend is quite beautiful,” Arnaud said with a leering smile.
“How do you know? That’s a stupid question, of course you know. I’m being followed, aren’t I?” Paolo was irritated. His relationship with Sydney was private, and he meant to keep it private. The fact that he was being followed annoyed him. “So let me ask you something, you little piece of Frenc
h shit.”
Arnaud was taken aback at Paolo’s reaction. He stopped walking.
“Why am I being followed? I’m here on vacation. This is nobody’s business but mine.” Paolo’s eyes flared. His penetrating gaze caused Arnaud to step back. A bead of sweat appeared on the Frenchman’s brow.
“I am deeply sorry, my friend. I will disband the detail.” His eyes to the ground, his voice remorseful, Arnaud touched Paolo’s shoulder. “I am sorry. I will make sure from this moment on, you will not be followed. But you must understand, my friend, our world is different now…”
Paolo cut him off. “You don’t know how different our world is. I came here to vacation with the woman I love. I want to be left alone. I’m not pissed off at you, Arnaud, and I appreciate you coming here to tell me, but…” Paolo rubbed the left side of his head; the pain caused his eyes to squint. They walked in silence.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get angry with you. So tell me, how did you get involved with the DGSE?”
“After the arrest of the terrorists Abir and Duman, I had to inform the DGSE of my history—or, I should say, they already knew about my history. They recruited me, and I didn’t have a choice—either join or go to jail. I chose to join.”
“I understand.”
“Then, after the nuclear explosion in the Urals, the director approached me about our relationship and how you helped your country find and neutralize the bomb in Detroit. I told him that our relationship was a business one.”
“How did they know about us?”
“They had a picture of us sitting at the outdoor café, the day you gave Emily back to me.”
“Do you think the director believed you?”
“No. If he did, I would not be here. He thinks you are in the intelligence community. He wants to make sure there will be no problems while you are here in Paris.”
Paolo touched Arnaud. He looked into his eyes and said, with sincerity, “Don’t worry, Arnaud, you can tell him there will be no problems.”
“That, my friend, I know.”
“Paolo, Paolo,” the sound of a female voice came from behind them. A broad smile came across Paolo’s face as he turned. Sydney was walking toward them.
“That must be Sydney?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Well, I should be going.”
Paolo held out his hand to stop Arnaud. “No, stay. I’d like you to meet her. Business is business—this is personal.”
“Are you sure you are not in the Mafia?”
Paolo smiled at the joke. “No. Sydney was curious about you, I know she’d like to meet you.”
“Ah, you know what they say about us French—we are irresistible to your American women.”
“I’m not worried.”
“Not worried about what?” Sydney kissed Paolo on the cheek.
“Oh, nothing. Syd, I’d like you to meet my friend Arnaud.”
“Ah, the mysterious Arnaud.” Sydney held out her hand.
Arnaud took her hand, looked into her eyes, and bent at the waist. Ever so gently, he kissed her hand. “Paolo surely understated your beauty. You are like a goddess.”
“A goddess? I’m flattered. Paolo, I’m a goddess.” She flashed a Hollywood smile at Arnaud.
Paolo rolled his eyes.
“I told you, my friend, they find us irresistible.”
“Please. I’m going to get sick.”
Sydney stared at the two with a puzzled face.
“Paolo, it is always good to be with you. I have an appointment that I have to attend. I hope you enjoy the Belle Etoile. If there is anything you need, please call me, my friend. My contacts in the City of Lights are many. Sydney, it was my pleasure to meet you. I envy my friend here. You are most spectacular.”
“Thank you very much, Arnaud. Have a great day.”
“I most surely will.”
Paolo and Arnaud hugged. “Tell Emily I said hi.”
“Most certainly, my friend.” Arnaud turned around and walked toward the Louvre.
“What a line of B.S. What is he, a car salesman?”
“Pretty close,” replied Paolo. “Pretty close.”
“It seemed that the two of you were pretty animated—is everything alright?” Sydney asked.
“Everything is fine, just a little misunderstanding among friends.”
“I see,” Sydney responded tentatively.
“How about some breakfast? There is a café across from the Hotel Regina. Then we can go to Louvre. What do you say?” Paolo’s voice was upbeat.
“Sounds like an excellent idea.”
They sat next to each other at a small circular table. Their breakfast consisted of croissants and cheese omelets. Both were amazed at the amount of traffic that sped past them.
“Look at that, Paolo! A woman wearing high heels and a dress, riding to work on her bicycle.”
“Yep.” Paris is a city unique unto itself—uncompromising in culture and yet beautiful and free-spirited, like New York. It’s one of a kind. Paolo and Sydney spent the remainder of the day at the Louvre and walked the streets of Paris while they shopped for their children.
They enjoyed an extravagant meal at the hotel. The restaurant was decorated in the style of Louis XVI; they sat in opulence, drinking wine and laughing. They ended the evening with a nightcap. Sydney and Paolo snuggled on one of the padded outdoor lounge chairs on the Belle Etoile terrace. The two watched the glow of the city lights and stared into the darkness. They fell asleep under the stars that twinkled above in the majestic night sky.
CHAPTER 63
So long, I must say to you today
I will miss you while you are away
My heart will ache because you are not near
Love has no boundaries, love is ever consuming
It will always be the love I have for you
So long, I must say to you today
And when you decide to come home
I will be here to love and to hold you
WHEN MORNING CAME, Sydney ordered room service while Paolo showered. She was dressed in a long, dark-blue, open-front cardigan, a tight body-fitting shirt, and jeans. Sydney looked as if she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. Paolo wore an Italian blue contrast shirt with French cuffs, brown khakis, and a blue blazer. He sat in the bright morning sun as he drank his black coffee and watched Sydney walk the terrace. The brilliance of the sun’s rays laid shadow to her. Paolo stared as she gazed at the Parisian skyline. The Eiffel Tower loomed to her right, the Louvre to her left. His heart fluttered at the beauty that stood before him.
“I wish I had a camera. You look magnificent this morning.”
Sydney turned and faced Paolo. She leaned against the railing between two potted plants. “Thank you. I don’t feel magnificent.”
“Well, you sure look magnificent.” Paolo stood and walked toward her. “The city of Paris is a beautiful sight, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Paris is beautiful.” Her voice was melancholy.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She put on her best smile.
“You don’t sound okay.”
“I’m okay, probably jet lag.” She placed her hand on his.
“Do you want some tea? A little caffeine might help. I’m going to get more coffee. I can heat up some water for you.”
“No thanks, I’m fine. I’m going to walk around the terrace.”
“Okay, enjoy.”
Paolo poured himself another cup of black coffee and watched Sydney. Why do I have such a hunger for this woman? She was the woman in his dreams, the silent yet ethereal being that clutched his heart and nagged at his soul. He became a prisoner within his own heart. Even his children whom he loved dearly didn’t have the impact this woman had on him. The questions loomed inside him. His eyes were clouded by the darkness of his love for her.
To truly love is to give up your life for others. It is to make yourself vulnerable—vulnerable to the hurt, the pain, the sorrow, the joy, and the ha
ppiness that love has to offer. It is to love unconditionally, not wanting anything in return, and to know you love another human being with a complete love that can never be questioned.
“Paolo, Paolo, are you there?” Sydney’s voice broke the silence of the morning. She stood before him, waving her hands in front of his face.
“Of course I’m here, where else would I be?”
“You seemed to be zoning out, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking about how gorgeous you are. I love you, Sydney Hill. I love you with my whole heart.” As he said this, peace settled over him, like a warm, gentle breeze. “Why, thank you. What are our plans today? Paolo, are you crying?”
“No, it’s springtime allergies,” Paolo wiped the tear from his eye and composed himself. “Today is Eiffel Tower day, so I thought we could …” His cell phone rang. “Hello?…Good morning, Jim…Excellent, thanks for letting me know…I don’t think so…Tell Jayne and Danny I said hello. Thank you for calling.”
“That was Jim. The plane is in London. They’ll arrive in Paris this afternoon. Tony wanted to know if we need the plane.”
“Do we?” Sydney said.
“I don’t think so. They’re not going to be here that long. Besides, we still have another two days in Paris, then off to Sorrento. I’ll check with Tony next week, and if the airplane is still in Europe, then we’ll take it home. How does that sound?”
“Sounds fantastic.”
“I need to make a couple of business calls, then we can get going.”
“Me too, I want to call Lisa before she goes on her hiking trip. Do you mind if I go do a little shopping?
“No, have a good time. Tell Lisa I said hi and when you come back, we’ll head over to Notre Dame.”
“Okay, I’ll be back in a couple of hours.” Sydney leaned over, placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him. “Thank you, Paolo, you’re a wonderful man.”
“Thanks. Have a nice time.”
“I won’t be long.” Sydney walked back into the suite.
“I love you, Sydney Hill, I love you,” Paolo whispered. He went over to the balustrade and turned toward the east as he called his daughter. Then he called Arnaud to confirm the arrangements for dinner that night.
Messenger From God (The Last Eulogy Series Book 1) Page 28
