The Accidental Mistress (30 page)

Christophe smirked. His gaze returned to the
clouds and his thoughts drifted to her smile, the feel of her skin,
her laugh. He missed her already.

***

Zuri glanced to her mother. She and Nanette
sat perfectly still. Other than the attempted rape that her mother
had suffered at Detrick's hands, she told her father everything. At
first he objected, refuted, and outright dismissed the notion that
Detrick was at the heart of his financial struggles. But when she
explained the skim as it was explained to her by Christophe, her
father paled, and grew silent.

"Claude, are you
okay,
mon chér
?"
her mother asked softly.

He leveled his gaze on Zuri. "Have you
confronted Detrick with your suspicions?"

"No, yes and no. I told him I knew that he
was working with Elliot Montague, but nothing more."

"This cannot be. He dare do this, to us." He
looked to his wife, his face contorted with pain. "After all we've
done in friendship for him."

"Stay calm," Nanette said.

He shook his head. "I want you to call the
gendarmerie, Nanette. I want this reported immediately. Then call
Jean Pierre. I need to get my affairs in order."

"
Père
, no. Don't." Zuri reached for
his hand. "You can't. He's covered his tracks. And at this point it
would be your word against his. An audit would hurt you, hurt the
company."

"Then what are you
proposing? That I let him get away with it! I will kill him, see
him dead for what he has done! Betray me? I
—
"

"Claude!" Nannette, leapt to her feet. She
rushed to her husband and put her hand to his chest, and his face.
Claude closed his eyes and calmed himself. He gently pushed away
her mother's hands. "I am stronger. I will deal with Detrick my
way," he said through clenched teeth.

"
Père
, I haven't told you the good
news."

"What news?" he asked.

Her mother gave him a pill. He took it
obediently and Zuri sucked down a breath trying to measure her
words. "I lied. The bank never granted an extension. This week they
want to collect."

"And that is good news?" her father
asked.

"No. There's a man. The
president of Montague. His name is Christophe Montague He didn't
know what Elliot and Detrick were planning. In fact, he was brought
here under false pretenses. He wants to go with a merger. To give
us controlling interest... sixty-forty.... and then give us the
opportunity to buy
—
"

"No. I don't want a merger!"

"
Père
... this deal.

"No! I will not allow those people to steal
my company!"

Zuri looked to her mother who stood over her
father frowning. "Claude, here what Zuri has to say."

"I don't want a merger. I'll make some
calls, speak to the bank. I can get another extension."

"No you can't,
père
." Zuri stood. "It's
over. If you delay this or fight this, you expose yourself. They
could uncover what Detrick did."

"Those men have been after the Blue Oasis
since the doors opened. Elliot Montague does not want to partner
with me. He wants to take my company."

"Why? Because of how you purchased the
Antillean from under him?"

Her father's glare made her courage wither
in her chest.

"Zuri, that's enough. Show respect. Claude
shouldn't be upset." Nanette admonished.

"How did you arrange this?
Why would Montague agree to this? It makes no sense,"
Père
snapped.

Nanette looked to Zuri as
well for an answer. She considered telling them that she trusts
Christophe. How she's falling in love with him, and he's helping
them because of his feelings for her. But she knew not to. "I
negotiated the best deal possible. This is not with Elliot
Montague. I can show you the contract. This gives you a chance to
recover. In five years you can buy the company back at its cost
today with no interest. The only alternative is to let the bank
collect at the end of the week or risk an audit that will expose
what Detrick has done." Zuri went to her knees. She put her hands
on her father's lap. "It's a good deal,
père
, the best deal. Please don't be
stubborn. Take the deal and get better. Then take the Blue Oasis
back."

"I want to speak to your mother alone. Leave
us," he said, looking away.

Zuri sighed. She rose. She pleaded with her
mother with her eyes. Nanette smiled and nodded that she'd handle
it from there. "I only did what I thought was best. I love
you."

Père
didn't answer.

With a heavy heart, Zuri left them.

***

The limo drive to Park Avenue didn't end
soon enough. He wanted out of the car, out of his clothes, and a
hot shower. He tried to call Zuri but her phone went to voice mail.
He considered sending her a text but figured he'd seem to
eager.

Christophe stepped out of the car and
hurried through the door held by his doorman. He took the elevator
up to the sixtieth floor. His penthouse loft apartment was one of
the three he had in the city. He figured his mother would be held
up in one of the others waiting on him. He was wrong.

"Hello Stephan," Stephanie Montague said as
he entered.

Dropping his suitcases, he glanced up at her
then closed the door. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you we would speak when you
returned."

Christophe picked up the mail left for him
by his service. The lights were dimmed. His mother sat on the sofa
sipping her tea. He decided on the chair across from her. The
sooner he dealt with her the better. "What is it?"

"You forced Elliot to take a commercial
flight back from Martinique? Why didn't you two fly back
together?"

"What does that matter?" he said, opening
one bill then the next.

"It matters to your cousin. You've wounded
him deeply. He told me everything."

Christophe’s eyes lifted from his letter.
"I'm sure he told you nothing. Elliot's schemes caught up with him
in Martinique and I put an end to it. Running to hide under your
skirt is pathetic."

"You're buying a hotel for some woman you're
sleeping with?" She tossed back, her eyes narrowing.

Christophe stared at his mother. "And what
if I am?"

"I won't have it."

"You have no say."

"Who is she?"

"Why?"

"Are we here again? You being once again
manipulated by some woman? Hadn't I spared you enough humiliation
with Gabriella. Why do you seek these women out? Ones who only want
to use you and exploit the Montague name!"

"You mean instead of remaining trained to do
your bidding?" he snapped.

His mother's brows lowered and so did her
voice. "I will not have you using my company to pamper your whores.
And I certainly won't have you jeopardizing your legacy on some,
some little dark-skinned island girl."

Christophe chuckled. "I
don't need your permission to do anything. You aren't working on
all the facts. Elliot has emptied his trust, he wanted that hotel
for
—
"

"I don't care!" Stephanie waved him off.
"Elliot has been dealt with. He's returning to France with me. You
will cancel this deal and tell those people that Montague will have
no part of this," she said as if tired of the conversation.

"Or what?"

Openly challenged, his mother wasn't sure
how to respond. Christophe had dealt with her tyranny many years.
But not anymore. Her power wasn’t as far reaching as it was with
Elliot or even his father. He would not be tamed or controlled by
her. Her seat on the board meant nothing with him holding a
controlling share. It was the only way he'd accept the position in
the company and live out his mother's dreams for the Montague
legacy.

"Nothing to say? We're done. Leave."

"How dare you! I'm your mother."

"Exactly, and as my mother there are
boundaries. I'm tired of your constant interference. Your shadow.
My life isn't yours anymore. It belongs to me. I let you control me
for far too long. Who she is, what I do, how I plan to live each
day is my decision."

"Have you forgotten Gabriella? How close you
came to making the biggest mistake of your life. I protected
you."

"You never let me forget." Christophe rose.
"And I sometimes wonder if you were standing between how things
might have been. I won't make that mistake again. Leave.

"This will not happen. I'll go to the board
and expose your little plan."

Christophe stopped midway to his room. He
cast his mother a look from over his shoulder. "You undermine me
with the board, or in this business and I'm done. I'll walk. Let
Elliot run Montague."

"Nonsense."

"Try me."

***

Zuri listened to the
voicemail for the tenth time. Christophe's soft smoky voice
speaking in his unhurried manner relaxed her. She decided to wait
until nightfall to call him. She'd rather talk to him under the
covers. Her smile faded. Her father's reaction was to be
expected.
Père
was
a very proud man. But with the added factor of his health, she was
on edge. She really hoped her mother could soothe him and get him
to see things her way.

A soft knock came to her door.

"Come in."

"Are you okay?" Joi asked.

"Where have you been?" Zuri said falling
back on her pillows. "Things might have gone better if you were
here."

"I couldn't do it, Zuri. I just, I don't
know. I feel so bad that this happened under my watch. So useless."
She closed the bedroom door and circled the foot of the bed.
Kicking off her shoes he climbed on top and scooted closer to Zuri.
She rested on her, putting her arms around Zuri's waist. Holding
her sister, Zuri stroked the back of Joi's head. "Their bedroom
door is closed. How did he take it?"

"Not well. First, he learns that his friend
betrayed him, and now he hears that he has no choice but to align
with the men he believes have been trying to rob him."

"Did you tell him that Christophe could be
trusted?"

"Yes, but why would he believe that? I think
the contract will make it better. If he sees the agreement in print
he will accept it."

"I think so too."

Nanette opened the door. She looked over at
the bed and smiled at her daughters. "Girls, your father wants to
talk to you. Come."

Neither moved as quickly as
they should. They both dreaded a talk with him in this state. But
they left the room and followed their mother after she coaxed them
with some loving words of encouragement.
Père
wasn't in bed. He sat in a sofa
chair near the open window in his room. He looked over at Zuri then
to Joi, then away. Zuri’s heart dropped, but she walked over and
stood before him.

"
Je ne peux pas le croire,"
Claude
began, looking from one daughter to the next. "You have grown up
into women before me. I'm very proud of how you both worked
together to save our company. Very proud."

Joi leaned in and kissed
her father on both cheeks. "We love you
père
. There is nothing we wouldn't do
for you."

He nodded, patting his daughter's cheek with
his good hand. He smiled at Zuri. "I'm not well. Your mother and I
talked and I know this."

"No,
Père
. You’re fine," Joi
whined.

"Listen to me. Everything I've done, I've
done for you girls. If I live to be a hundred or leave this earth
tomorrow, this is for you. I have to trust you to be able to carry
on. You took on a giant of a company and found a way to keep us
from drowning. I love you for what you've done."

"Will you accept the
deal,
père
?"

He nodded. "When I'm stronger we'll deal
with Detrick Chevalier. Now we work together to protect the
family."

Zuri looked to her mother who winked. No one
could calm her father like her mother. She wanted to cry, she was
so relieved. There was actually a light at the end of the tunnel.
"You will get stronger. You’ll be on your feet in no time." She
went to him and hugged him.

Père
smiled. "Jean Pierre will bring the papers so that you will
have my proxy. I trust you, Zuri. I'm so proud of you."

"I won't let you down."

***

Sleeping in her bed again was the added
bonus. She stayed up as late as she could but eventually drifted to
sleep waiting on Christophe's call. It finally came closer to
midnight.

"Hello?"

"Are you awake?"

Zuri yawned. "I am now. How was your
flight?"

"Long."

"I miss you already," Zuri said.

"I miss you too. I've got a few meetings to
take care of. Tomorrow I will have new contracts drafted and faxed
to you. Send me the fax number by text. Do you have an attorney
that can represent your father?"

"Yes, his name is Jean Pierre."

"Good. When I return on Wednesday we'll meet
with the bank."

"Wednesday? That soon?"

"You don't want me to come?"

"No. Of course not," she smiled. They sat in
silence for a lengthy pause. "So is that it? You called to discuss
business?"

He chuckled. "Well no. Not
exactly.
Comment vont votre
famille?
"

Zuri giggled. "I'm
impressed. You speak French so sexy. The answer to your question is
my family is well.
Père
and I had a long talk. He's agreed to the merger.
My mother and sister are happy. Things couldn't be better and I
have you to thank."