The next day, Ryenne was still reeling from Lucien’s admission. She wanted to think it was just the medication, but he wasn’t on any. Maybe it was the pain from the stabbing.

Whatever had made him say it, he had said it.

He loved her.

She wasn’t ready for love.

Regardless of her mixed up feelings, one thing was clear. She couldn’t go home tomorrow while the Fangs were after the Malraux. Even though she only partially agreed with Françoise and Emma that she was the one who had brought the Fangs down on the Malraux, she felt responsible enough that she couldn’t just leave them to deal with this threat alone. Who knew what the Fangs would do next?

And Chantal must be wrapped up in this. She was at the club with a guy she ignored who may have been the one to stab Lucien.

Today didn’t seem like the right time to go out and find Chantal. But she would soon, because there was no way she was leaving tomorrow. And she’d have to let Gavin know.

It was too early to call New York, so she sent an email with lots of apologies and kissy-face and heart emojis. He wouldn’t be happy. In fact, he’d be thoroughly annoyed at her.

But he’d understand, eventually.

The rest of the day was spent helping to take care of Lucien and trying to never be alone with him for fear of the conversation he might try to broach about what he’d said last night. It had to have been the cloud of pain making him think he loved her. He couldn’t actually love her. No one had ever loved her other than Gavin and her mom, and they had to.

Guys didn’t voluntarily fall in love with Ryenne. Or maybe she pushed them away before anything serious could happen.

She had thought this trip to Paris would be safe. She and Lucien had only known each other for a few months and they’d been on separate continents for most of it. This was only supposed to be ten days in Paris for fun, good food, wine, and sight-seeing. And sex with Lucien.

She’d never imagined there could be enough time for either one of them to fall in love.

So, she avoided being alone with him. Anytime Pascal needed to change his dressing, she was there. When it was time for Pascal to leave, she made a point of walking him out. If Lucien needed food or drink, Ryenne made sure to offer to get it before anyone else could.

By mid-afternoon, Lucien felt better and wanted to get out of bed and walk around. Guy and Ryenne helped him down the stairs to the back patio. It would still be a day or two before he’d be able to shift and run as a wolf in the Bois de Boulogne, but at least he could sit in a real chair while getting fresh air in the backyard.

Françoise, of course, attempted to spoil him, bustling around and bringing him treats from the neighborhood patisserie, while brewing him fresh cups of coffee every couple of hours.

The sun felt good on Ryenne’s skin after having been cooped up inside with Lucien and the Malraux all day.

Guy stood. “You doing okay?”

Lucien nodded.

“Then I’m going to head home to shower and change for the family dinner tonight. I’ll see you guys in a couple of hours.”

Ryenne jumped to her feet, not wanting to be left alone out here with Lucien. Françoise was inside brewing coffee again, and Ryenne didn’t know how long she would be. “Oh, um, I’ll go with you.”

Guy gave her a funny look. So did Lucien.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she glanced at the display. “It’s Gavin. I’d better take it.”

Lucien nodded. “Yeah, I’m guessing he’ll be pretty upset about you missing the wedding.”

Ryenne nodded and dashed into the house and up the stairs to their room, answering the phone on the way up. “Hey Gav.”

“No, Ry, you’re not doing this to me. You promised.”

“I know and I’m so sorry.”

Gavin sighed. “How is he?”

“He’s doing a lot better, but not as well as he should be. Somehow the Fangs are involved in this. They’re targeting the Malraux just like they targeted me in Kenya. I can’t leave them alone to deal with this. Lucien and I know them the best. I have to help them.”

“I get it. I really do. I just wish it weren’t now.”

“Hi, sweetie,” a new voice said.

It was her mother’s voice, so unexpected that Ryenne’s stomach clenched. “Mom? What are you doing there?”

“Gavin called and told me what happened so I came over to be on the call. I’m sorry I’ll miss you for dinner on Sunday. I was looking forward to seeing you and hearing about your trip.”

Ryenne grimaced. Another important person in her life disappointed with her. She started to apologize again but her mother cut her off.

“It’s okay, Ryenne, I understand. I’m here about something else.”

Ryenne’s intuition pinged at a sour note in her mother’s tone and wished Gavin had video-called so she could see their faces. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“Not exactly,” her mother said. “Do you know someone with the initials T.O.?”

“Not off the top of my head. Why?”

“I got a letter signed by a T.O. He or she—I have no idea—claims to have information I might find interesting and they want to set up a meeting.”

“That sounds really sketchy, Mom. Ignore it for now. I hope to be back next week and we can deal with it then. If we have to, we’ll call Scotty and see if he can get fingerprints off the letter or something. I just need to put off coming home for a couple of days to make sure Lucien gets back on his feet and is healthy enough to deal with the Fangs. Something is going on here, but I hope we can resolve it quickly, maybe by the end of the weekend.”

“Okay, sweetie. Stay safe. I love you. Here’s Gavin.”

Ryenne could hear muffled words on the other end of the line, and then Gavin returned.

“I’m really sorry I can’t go to the wedding with you,” she told him.

“Yeah, I just didn’t want to have to go alone.”

“If it really bothers you, email them and say something has come up and you can’t go. Tell them you’re deathly ill. Christopher wouldn’t want to risk getting sick, especially before his honeymoon.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me my ex actually has sex with the toad he’s marrying.”

Ryenne grinned. “Oh hey, why don’t you take Mom?”

Tinkling laughter met her words. “You don’t want to bring an old lady like me,” her mom said in the background.

“Nonsense, Willow. You’re the hottest woman over forty I know.”

“Oh, Gavin. You’re like a son to me. I wouldn’t take my son to his ex’s wedding.”

“It was just a thought.” Ryenne heard movement on the other side of the bedroom door. “I’d better go. We have a family dinner tonight and I need to help Lucien get ready.” She tapped the button to hang up and tossed her phone on the bed.

As if saying his name had conjured him, Lucien opened the door and stood alone in the doorway. “We need to talk.”

Ryenne blew out a big gust of air from between her lips. She had dreaded this moment all day, but it was bound to happen. She couldn’t avoid him forever. And even if she had managed to avoid him until dinner, at some point afterward, the two of them would be left alone in Lucien’s room.

“Why does it feel like you’ve been avoiding me?” he asked.

She bit her lip and tried to decide what to say. But, other than for work purposes, she didn’t know how to lie and hide her feelings. “Last night you said you loved me.”

“I did?”

Confusion made her mouth drop open. “Yeah, when we were talking about your family not liking me, you said I should give it time and eventually they would come to love me like you do.”

The furrows of confusion on his face smoothed away and he approached the bed. “Oh. Wow. This is awkward. I didn’t mean I love you like I’m in love with you. I meant that I care about you. We’ve been through a lot together so, of course, I love you.”

She sat on the bed and stared at him. Could this be the truth? Relief warred inside her with disappointment. All this time while she didn’t think she wanted him to be in love with her, now that he said he wasn’t, her feelings were hurt.

“Oh,” she finally said.

“Of course, I’ve been falling in love with you pretty much ever since we left Kenya together,” he continued. “But I haven’t dropped over the edge yet.”

Her stomach flipped. So, he wasn’t saying he couldn’t ever love her, he just didn’t yet. She supposed that was better.

“Okay, yeah, that makes sense. I’m sorry, then, for my behavior today.”

His face crinkled in confusion once again. “Why did thinking I was in love with you make you avoid me? I guess you don’t feel the same way about me?” His tone dropped and she could hear the pain she had caused.

“It’s the same for me, it really is.” The words tumbled out. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Lucien. “Like you, I’m just not fully there yet. And I’ve never been there with anyone before, so the feelings, and your feelings especially, had me really confused and I didn’t know what to say or how to act. And you’re injured, so this isn’t the best time for emotional drama.” She swallowed. “You need to focus on healing.”

He stared at her for a moment and then nodded. “I’d like to shower before dinner. Can you help me? The wound has closed but it still hurts to twist.”

“Sure. Sure,” she rushed to say.

She guided him into the bathroom and turned on the hot water while he undressed. He stepped into the narrow stall and scrubbed his hands through his hair, head tipped back into the stream. Ryenne watched the water flow down the strong lines of his face, down his hard pecs, down his tan skin, into the tumble of hair at his groin.

Lucien’s hands fell to his sides and Ryenne averted her gaze to find him staring at her. She licked her lips, guilty and aroused. His palm opened toward her. Returning her gaze to his normally bright golden eyes, she was surprised to see sadness clouding them.

Undressing quickly and dropping her clothes on the floor next to his, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her into the stall. A few drops of water reached her around his body and she shivered.

He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned into him.

“I’m sorry about today,” she whispered into his shoulder.

His arms tightened in response. Her own rested on his hips. Passing her left hand over his wound, she verified it had closed. She dropped her hands to the dip above his butt and savored the feel of his soft skin.

“I’m sorry, too,” he whispered.

She shook her head, her cheek rubbing against the top of his chest. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

He said something in French but she didn’t understand. Tilting her head up, she gazed into his eyes. He kissed her, so softly, so wet, and she melted even more.

They’d be okay.