Close Cover (Masters and Mercenaries #16)(72)

Remy sat back, shocked. But it explained so much. “Josette?”

Jean-Claude stood up and walked over to the windows. The sun was up, turning the whole bay pink and orange. In the distance, the shrimpers were already moving out, ready for the day’s catch. “I’ve loved her since we were kids, but she never once looked my way. I know she’s a conniving bitch, but the heart is a stupid thing, Remy. I stood by you on your wedding day and that might have been the worst day of my life. I stood there smiling and saying all the right things, but there was hate in my heart. I was practically gleeful when you two divorced. I wanted you to leave so I might have a shot. Of course that didn’t work out either. When she came back, I knew I had to leave and I put it all on you.”

Holy shit. He wasn’t sure how he felt, but he knew getting mad wouldn’t change a thing. How many years had his cousin been hurting? “Jean, I didn’t know. I’ll be honest, if I had known, I would have walked away from her. I never loved her. I liked her. I was attracted to her, but I married her because it seemed like it was time.”

“Yeah, that was the worst part,” his cousin replied.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Maybe if you talked to her.” The thought that he’d taken something from Jean-Claude made him sick inside. Especially something that had turned out so poorly.

A low, humorless chuckle came from Jean-Claude’s chest. “You think I didn’t? I went to her the night before you married. I went to her when you divorced. I won’t go to her again, and that’s precisely why I’m leaving this morning. My bags are packed. I’m offering you and Lisa the house if you want it. Consider it a gift to placate my conscience. The keys are upstairs. If you don’t want it, I’ll sell it off.”

“That house has been in your family for a hundred years.”

“And I’m the last of my line. I don’t think I’m going to come back. View the house as a way to make up for all the blackmail. I know it’s been damn hard on you and I made it harder.” He glanced toward the back, as though he could see up the stairs and into the apartments. “You’ve got a woman now. You can’t stay upstairs forever, and dear god if you want to keep that woman, don’t let her live with your momma.”

“I don’t know how long she’s going to be here.” He had the sudden urge to tell his cousin the truth. After all, keeping things to themselves hadn’t worked out. “She said what she said last night because she was drunk, and this is not a woman who gets that way often. She’d had too much wine and a bunch of hard days and I don’t know, maybe she got a little territorial. Josette was bitchy to her and Lisa doesn’t take a bunch of crap, if you know what I mean.”

“I don’t. Why wouldn’t she stay? She’s the reason you got the money on time.”

“Her brother is the reason I had the money. Lisa is my client.”

Jean-Claude’s brow rose. “Your client? Like as in she requires your bodyguard services?”

Remy nodded. “She’s got a mafia hitman after her. Don’t worry. I was careful. I don’t think he’ll trace her back here. My company had an operative stay in her hospital bed, and this afternoon they’ll try to draw Francesco Biondo out. Not that catching him will solve our problems. She’s stuck here for a while. I didn’t want to get the whole town up in arms, so I let them think she’s my girl.”

“Well, from what I heard, she’s good at playing the part,” his cousin pointed out.

“Yeah, well, we had some practice, and then she found out I was being paid to watch over her. She didn’t know. Her brother asked me to keep my professional duties to myself. I thought I could have my cake and eat it too. The real problem is I figured out I love her too late. She knew she’d been lied to and she says she can’t forgive me.”

And yet she’d felt perfect in his arms the night before. He’d had to carry her upstairs and help her get out of her jeans. When she’d sunk onto the double bed, she’d pulled him with her, wrapping her arms around him and falling asleep. He’d known exactly what would happen if he stayed there. He would have woken up kissing her, cuddling her. It had taken everything he had, but he’d slid away and slept on the extremely uncomfortable couch.

He hoped she didn’t hate him this morning.

Jean-Claude was shaking his head. “It sounds like she’s already forgiven you. Oh, she’ll tell you differently, but declaring herself your fiancée last night, that was what she wanted when she couldn’t think straight, when the pain meant nothing and it was all about what she wanted with her heart. So don’t fuck it up. Use this time to wrap her up and let her know you won’t let go.”

In vino veritas, as his pop-pop would say. Had she told the truth last night? Was that what she wanted?

“I lied to her,” Remy admitted.

“Were you trying to hurt her?”

“Hell, no.”

Jean-Claude pointed a finger his way. “You’re one of the single best men I’ve ever met in my life. Unless something’s happened in the past couple of years to change things, you’re honorable and good to the people around you. You tried to make things work with Josette. You tried to give her what she told you she wanted. What she really wanted was an entirely different life where you didn’t work your ass off and could spend all your time worshipping her and being the golden couple of Papillon. If this Lisa is anything like that, do your job and let her walk away.”