Chaperoning Paris (Collins Brothers)

by Victoria Pinder

  The sirens disrupted the performance.

  Then Sean heard the woman’s yell. Then his brother Liam surprised him and met him in the hallway. Sean didn’t ask, but took a step toward the clacking of a woman’s heels in a rush.

  Liam stopped him and explained, “She’s caught. I wanted to tell you I was in the area, but I didn’t want to tip you off. Daisy’s been taken away and is en route to the FBI for transfer back to the states.”

  “Can you silence the noise and let the children finish?” Sean asked. Gigi needed to be told.

  Liam gazed at Sean, then stepped back. “I’ll go outside.”

  Sean stared at his brother who went to speak to the French authorities. Sean waited for the police cars to leave, then returned to his seat.

  Gigi’s gaze met stepped back into the theater. She smiled at him then returned her attention to the stage.

  He gave her a curt nod to indicate he handled everything, not that she’d understand anything.

  Two hours later, the announcer said, “First place goes to the new American team from Gloucester, Massachusetts.”

  A warm feeling swept through Sean. They had won. And he only hoped that with Daisy gone, he’d win back Gigi, too.

  Chapter 35

  Gigi’s mouth fell open as she shot out of her chair at the reception dinner. She rubbed her eyes and stared. Liam Collins had joined Sean in the back of the lobby. She’d talk to Sean later about love. Liam and the sirens could not be a good combination. Liam worked for the CIA. She muttered under her breath and had a few questions. “What’s the big adventurer doing here? Shouldn’t he be off on some mission to save the country from terrorists?”

  The woman next to her asked, “Who are you talking to, Miss?”

  Gigi went closer to the men. What if there had been news? She kept her feet together, and refused to let them shake. Both men mingled with people on the other end of the room and every cell in her body stayed on alert.

  Her legs twitched. She pasted on a smile and adopted an excited strut meant she’d appear normal.

  The French Prime Minister’s ambassador to the United Nations was sent to the student international assembly. Everyone gathered the crowd around him for a speech.

  Gigi held her glass for the toast afterward and focused on the speech about the youth being the future and international communication the keys to success for every person on every continent. Gigi half paid attention though she saw on the students’ faces that they were enthralled.

  She inched closer to Sean and his brother but lost sight of them in the crowd.

  Drat. Then every part of her body grew goose bumps. Sean had that affect on her when close.

  Suddenly, Sean’s hand took her arm, and her heart raced. She turned into him. She leaned in to kiss or hug him, but her arm ached from his determined grip. She struggled, and he let go. Then he directed her out into the hall outside the lobby as the bureaucrat spoke. She stayed on his arm, but fear gripped her throat.

  He guided her behind a statute and whispered, “Geegs, the video went viral for about ten minutes today. Every copy and download has been contained.”

  “Are you joking?” Her body chilled. No. Wait. Sean had he saved her. She lost track of everything else for a minute. “Sweetheart, I wish I was. Now the good news.”

  There was the good news. Was he being sarcastic? She crossed her arms. People had seen the video. “What was on it?” She refused to stare at Sean. She stared at the statute and fidgeted with her necklace. “What can be good?”

  “The FBI has Daisy in custody. She put it online and was caught. She cannot inherit from your mother if you don’t, and I have the power to ensure you get the money no matter what.”

  “How?”

  “She’s Jennifer’s sister.”

  “How is your ex involved?”

  She hadn’t understood.

  He took a step closer. “She owned Rebecca Foundation, which means if you lose, I just give everything right back to you.”

  Her eyes opened wider. “I need to talk to her.”

  “Why?” Sean stared at her strangely. “Let’s let this go now.”

  “She tried to destroy me. I need to talk to her. Find out why. Can you get me there?” she pleaded. “Why would anyone seek to humiliate me or help my mother who’s in her grave?”

  “I know why. My ex-wife was her sister. Didn’t you hear me? You shouldn’t talk to her.”

  “That isn’t enough. What else do you know?” Sean had to understand her. “How does Jennifer or her sister that relate to me or my mother?”

  Sean’s gaze became clouded, then he clenched his hands together. “Your mother left Jennifer the remainder if you never collected. She also received money from her. Turns out your mother was Jennifer’s step mother for a year before you were born.”

  “You married my step-sister?” Gigi asked, and scratched her head.

  “She never told me of her family.” He sucked in his breath. “You have no one to pay off anymore. Everything is done. If anyone who saw the video ever says anything bad, I’ll deal with it.”

  “Why?” Sean was protecting her. She remembered the boy, but the man in front of her remained her strong hero. “Why would you do that? I never did anything to prove I loved you back.”

  “Prove?” His eyes gazed at her, confused. “I love you, Gigi. You deserve to be happy, and you next to me is all I need to understand you love me.”

  “No. It’s not enough. But first, I still want to talk to her.” She’d face this woman then thank Sean and his family. “I had a whole plan on how we might end up together. It’s gone now. And I need to see her. Then we’ll talk about us, about the future.”

  “Why?”

  “My mother screwed up my life. I don’t know why she hated me,” Gigi said. “I never will, but I want to talk to this woman. I need a clue on why my mother hated me.”

  “I’ll talk to Liam.”

  She sucked the air around her and gazed up at him. Now she had to find a way to help Sean.

  Chapter 36

  Sean escorted the students to the post competition goodbye festivities on his own. Gigi stood nearby, but remained silent.

  The students hopped on the bus, and Sean followed them. She waved the group off.

  Then once she saw the bus leave, Gigi strolled from the hotel down Avenue Gabriel to find the embassy. Clenching her fists, Gigi hoped her feet would carry her toward Lillian and to confront her now.

  Sean had loved her. She still loved him. A silly grin formed on her face at his face in her memory. Lillian had gone too far. To prove to herself she could be happy again, she’d tell off this Daisy. Collinses have the strength and gumption to survive anything.

  At the street corner, she waited for the light to turn. Whenever she slowed down, her hands fell to her sides.

  Soon, she was at the embassy.

  The three-foot metal barricades formed a long line to get into the embassy. She folded her arms and waited in line with people filing for passports and visas for her appointment.

  Someone pushed behind her. She had forgotten Parisians did not stand in lines well, and she had to fight the crowd that would push her down and walk over her. An hour later, she filed close enough and the guard near the ten-foot black fence took her name. He checked his list then told her, “When you enter, you are to go to the right and tell the guard outside the door your name, Miss Dumont.”

  She nodded, but her skin prickled at being singled out. The guard stared at her until she said, “Okay, thanks. Go right.”

  He pointed with his hand to the gate and she stepped forward. Then he buzzed her in. She tugged at her ears and walked away from the crowd. A lot of stares followed her, and her steps forward became even more awkward.

  She squared her shoulders anyhow. She had come here for resolution and to see this Daisy in person. What would she say to her though? How did she confront someone who tried to sabotage her adult life with her past depression for profit on the Inter
net. Someone who’d helped her sister hone in on her Sean? “Hello” sounded too polite.

  Gigi hesitated at the door. She had nothing to say. She’d come to look the woman in the eyes.

  Gigi crossed her fingers, took a deep breath, stepped inside, and told the guard her name.

  The guard nodded. “Mr. Collins’ guest. Wait here.”

  She nodded then reminded herself get mad. She clenched her fists and punched the air. She had been publicly humiliated. She should imagine one of those major slaps to the face of the woman who’d done this. Gigi hid her arm behind her back. Not that she could. The police or whoever was in charge would stop her, though in her mind she visualized the scene. Good. Now she needed to figure out what to say.

  The guard signaled for her to go into the next room. Gigi straightened her clothes, and desperately tried to figure out what she'd say. The doors in front of her made an electrical noise signaling to open. She pushed on the door. Inside, Liam waited with a woman sitting in a chair. Upon closer inspection, Gigi breathed easier as she gazed at the woman’s hands and feet chained to the foot.

  “Gigi, this is Daisy,” Liam stated in a directorial tone, then closed in closer to her.

  She froze, and Liam squeezed her hand in support. Sean’s little brother had grown up into a gentleman.

  “You okay?”

  She nodded at Liam, and he told her, “You have ten minutes.”

  She stared at Liam and waited until he left the room. Then she gazed at the woman, Daisy. Gigi bit her lip and squared her shoulders. She needed to yell at her and tell her off.

  Gigi opened her mouth but nothing came out.

  Daisy’s eyebrows rose and she shook her head. “Age hasn’t helped you, sweetie. Lillian always said you were an ugly beast.”

  Daisy had short blond hair and a petite frame, with the basic demeanor of a pretty girl who always got whatever she wanted. Gigi hated her type. Her mother had had the same appearance. Gigi opened her mouth to scream, but instead, she squeaked, “Hey.”

  “Not the brightest bulb in the pack, I see.”

  No words formed in her throat. Daisy sounded like her mother. Without intention, Gigi flinched. To calm down, Gigi rubbed her neck and tried to sound firm. “Did . . . Lillian . . .?”

  Daisy interrupted with a sneer. “Did Lillian think you an idiot undeserving in her will? Yes, Giovanna, she did.”

  Damn. Gigi blinked rapidly and attempted to sound in control, “I was threatened with character destruction. I’d have lost my job. Why did . . .?” She took a breath, needing to stop the tremors in her voice. She swallowed, then she finished her question in one breath. “Why did you put it online?”

  “Are you scared? Lillian thought you slow, but from what I can see you have no voice, no guts.”

  A squeak escaped her mouth. What? How had she let her win? Turning on her heels, Gigi knocked at the door, which opened immediately.

  Liam helped her out with his hand on her back. “I called Sean. Take the car outside to join him.”

  “But . . .” Gigi lost her voice. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She’d intended to be the victor, and vanquish Lillian from her head. She’d then run to Sean’s waiting arms. Clenching her jaw, she couldn’t see that being possible now. “We made plans.”

  “You shouldn’t be alone,” Liam told her. “Don’t listen to trash, Geegs. Go home. Marry my brother and stay away from bad people.”

  Cackling from behind her wafted in the air, and Gigi rushed out the door. Today had not gone according to plan.

  The car waited outside for her. Without an argument, she stepped inside the vehicle. Nothing had gone as planned, but she hadn’t known what else to do. At lease Sean wasn’t here.

  The car drove toward the students’ celebration. Her heart sped up as she pictured Sean’s warm face. She needed to hold him.

  Today, her past had stolen her energy to fight.

  Chapter 37

  Sean had the students in a circle talking to each other. Sean stared at the half-opened door as he listened to Erica say, “Every one of my dreams came true here.”

  Then Gigi entered the room. She took his breath away. The students stopped talking and giggled at him. The same thing had happened to him in high school, every morning. She had walked into class to sit next to him and all he ever saw was her.

  Now he clenched then unclenched his fists three times, reminding himself to focus. Everything in the room became clearer and Sean saw Gigi’s eyes watered. His gut dropped into his stomach because she was near tears. “Students, go inside and dance with the others. Ms. Dumont and I need to talk.”

  Gigi nodded at him, covered her face and stepped back outside.

  Raphael told Erica as they left, “If one of the French boys tries to kiss you again, it’s because you left my side. Stay close.”

  Erica shook her head. “I handled it.”

  At least the boys understood they needed to protect the girls. Sean knew his responsibility, too, and proceeded outside to the gardens. He caught up to her in a few long strides and stopped her with his hand on her shoulder.

  Instantly, she turned into him and buried her face against him.

  Rocking her softly, he told her, “Gigi, it’s okay. You’re safe, now.”

  “I couldn’t speak to her,” she sobbed. He continued to hold her. “I wanted to prove I was strong, but I’m not.”

  “Doesn’t matter. The case is solid.”

  “You shouldn’t be here. I don’t deserve you. I lost,” she said while she hugged him tight. “Losing means I get to live with regrets for the rest of my life.”

  “No, it means you’re out of practice. I’m not going anywhere.” He hugged her then kept her in his arms. “You don’t need to win anything. You ran away and lost the ability to fight back, sweetheart. Going there today, alone, was a big step forward for you.”

  “Stop being nice to me.” She pushed on his chest to get away, but she pushed half-heartedly then gave up. Instead, she chose to stay right there, in his arms. And her tears ran into his shirt. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

  “Yes, you should. You need more work. Tonight we’ll work on you getting angry,” he told her but she never left his arms. “You don’t have issues getting mad at me.”

  “You changed…”

  “How? I’m still the guy who loves you.”

  “Not what I mean. You took responsibility and grew up nicely. I need to be like you,” she said. “I swore I’d find a way to prove I was good enough for you.”

  He cocked his eyebrow. “Seriously, is that what’s been bothering you? Gigi, you do help me all the time.”

  She stared up at him, looking wide-eyed and confused. “How? You’re always protecting me.”

  “You pushed me to talk to my dad,” he whispered. “And you listen to me.”

  He kept his voice low but clear. “Go to the hotel. The students want to leave the party soon, go get dinner on our own, and take pictures near the Champs Elysee. We’ve passed it a few times, but they want to stroll.”

  “I’ll go.” She gulped for air. “Thank you, Sean.”

  Watching Gigi sashay away, hope struck him. Had she not seen how she’d changed his life? If she needed proof, he’d show her tonight.

  Chapter 38

  Gigi hadn’t wanted to cry, but the second she closed her door in the hotel, the dam burst. Crying earlier on Sean’s shirt had been the only the surface. She stared hard at herself in the mirror, and she was so sick of the sad face that stared back at her.

  No. Her entire body shook. Gigi clenched her fists on the vanity. She refused to cry.

  But the question kept pounding in her head. Why had it been acceptable to her mother for this Daisy stepsister to post something on the internet about her almost attack? And why hadn’t Gigi been able to say anything? She clutched her pillow and collapsed on the bed. Then she realized her frustration came from not having the words. And her unresolved mother issues had stopped her from trusting Sean.r />
  Gigi sat up and went to the desk. She’d make a list of life with Sean and her hopes and dreams versus a life alone without him. She rummaged through her bag for her tablet and furiously typed out her thoughts. She expressed the questions and what she needed to say out loud.