Broken French: A widowed, billionaire, single dad romance, Natasha Boyd [e reader books .TXT] 📗

“The artist’s name is Ursine Vulpine,” Xavier said, handing me a towel from the stack Paco must have left out for us.

“It’s beautiful,” I said as my hair stood on end, and goosebumps raced over my skin. “Haunting. But you need to turn it off.”

Xavier stopped and swallowed. He seemed about to say something and stopped himself. Around us the female singer’s voice grew and enveloped us in her desperate plea to not fall in love.

I watched as Xavier understood what I meant, the words registering, and surprise and regret rippled across his face.

Turning my back on him, I bit down hard, and pretending I needed further drying, concentrated on my legs and arms.

Then his arms were around me. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into my hair. “You are amazing.” He swallowed loudly. “But—”

“I know,” I said quickly, desperate for him not to finish that sentence. I squeezed his forearm. “It’s okay. I meant what I said at lunch. I know what this is. It’s just … this thing between us … it’s more than I planned … it’s difficult.”

He inhaled deeply. “It is,” he admitted. “It is for me too.”

I turned in his arms, and for a moment I could believe he might give us a chance for something beyond two days if he only knew how I felt. It was a scary leap for him. What if I made it first? “I … I’ve never felt like this before.” My voice broke on the admission.

“I’m sorry, Josephine,” he murmured, instead. “I don’t know if I can ever … you deserve so much. You deserve a whole heart.”

His eyes were fixed on mine, begging me to understand.

I laid my hand on his chest. “I’d be content with your broken one,” I whispered.

His throat bobbed thickly, and his eyes closed.

Water filled my vision, spilled down my cheeks, and dripped to the deck.

“Monsieur Pascale!” Paco’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “You are back. Thank God. I was about to sound the emergency horn.”

We both swung around to Paco. He’d aged fifty years since we’d seen him two hours ago.

“There has been an urgent call from the mainland.” He stopped, his face crumbling. “It’s Dauphine,” he said.

Chapter Forty-One

I wasn’t a mother, but even I knew as the shaft of terror cut through me that there was nothing worse than this.

As the anchor clanged back up into place, Paco haltingly repeated what he knew. Madame had taken Dauphine to see the Roman ship exhibit. Arriette’s brother had approached Madame while she waited for Dauphine to return from the restroom. While they talked, someone else must have somehow managed to get to Dauphine. She’d disappeared into thin air. Dauphine was missing.

Xavier’s knees buckled. Both Paco and I lurched forward to grab him. Immediately he shook us off, but his eyes went to another place. His mind had disconnected from his body. We were strangers to him. I followed as he scrambled to find his phone, cursing and yelling as he threw things across his desk to look for it. I saw it peeking out from his pink shirt lying across the bed. Grabbing it, I held it out. He snatched it from me and seconds later was barking down the phone at Evan.

I didn’t know whether to stay or go. I was invisible right now, and I was okay with that. I just wasn’t sure what to do. How I could help. God, I hoped Dauphine was okay. Surely, her uncle wouldn’t hurt her. Especially if money was what he wanted. I yearned to say this to Xavier, but it seemed inadequate comfort for the terror rolling off him in waves. I could tell he was contemplating how to get back to his mother’s house faster.

Why hadn’t people invented teleportation yet?

The boat was moving at a fast clip. The afternoon waves were rough, and my stomach lurched. Wondering how best to help, I reluctantly left Xavier on the phone and went to the bridge, clinging tight to every handrail.

According to Paco, the boat needed to refuel before heading back on the hours long trip to the mainland.

“I should have done it this morning,” he cursed, his face scrunched in agony, and I could see he was on the verge of tears. “Why did I not do it this morning?”

I squeezed his wrinkled hand where it gripped the wheel.

Paco had already called Andrea, Rod, and Chef, and we would pick them up at the dock in Calvi as soon as we could get around the headland.

Every moment counted.

Feeling helpless, I went downstairs and slipped the rubber seasick bracelet back on my wrist. I quickly stripped off my wet bikini and holding onto the towel rail for balance against the rocking motion, rinsed the salt off my body. I pulled on shorts, a t-shirt and running shoes, and threw my wet hair up into a bun. Then, trying to keep my hands busy and my mind distracted, I packed all my belongings, unsure where I’d be sleeping tonight or if I’d be sleeping.

Poor little Dauphine.

God, I hoped she wasn’t scared. What kind of monster might this uncle of hers be? Xavier had mentioned he’d had problems.

My stomach twisted in fear, I felt ill. What must Xavier be going through?

I wanted to be with him and comfort him through this. Trying to think how I could be most helpful, I thought through what we might need when we found her, or what the night might bring. She’d probably have to talk to the police. There’d probably be a lot of waiting. I went to her room. It was freshly made up. A few of the animals she’d left behind were sitting on the bed. I could pack a bag with a change of clothes for her. I went and grabbed the beach bag she and I had been using and took a set of clothes and pajamas from her drawer. Then I selected a small, soft, clingy monkey from her animal collection. In the bathroom, I went