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"Come, baby, get there because I can't hold back." He had a hand on my clit, pushing me hard into orgasm, driving me.
We came together this time. After, he pulled me into his arms and held me. "Fucking hell, Elsa. It's never been like this," he confessed.
I kissed his chest and let sleep claim me, hopeful that this marriage could work out. We had lust on our side,andI had love. We'd have a baby soon. He'd fall in love with me. We'd be a family. I'd have a family, I thought joyously.
But when I woke up, I was alone.
And then I was alone for the following week.The whole week!
When I texted him, he simply said he was traveling and didn't know when he'd be back. He didn't reply to any of my other texts and didn't pick up the phone when I called.
Madame Lefèvre was openly hostile whenever she saw me, which wasn't often. I left early in the morning and came back home late in the day.
"He's not home," I told Thierry as I kneaded dough.
"And Madame Lefèvre?"
I shook my head, my movements becoming more forceful as I worked the dough. "Still, Mrs. Danvers," I replied, rolling my eyes. "I don't know what her damage is, but she sees me as an interloper. She's been with the Archers for a long time…tells me how his family is going to treat me if I ever meet them."
That was another bruise. He hadn't made any effort for me to meet his family. He had two brothers, a sister-in-law, and parents. I had met no one. On the other hand, he hadn't met Thierry or any of my other friends who were family. He'd not even met Angelique who had been my friend and neighbor for the past several years since I moved into my apartment in the Marais.
Thierry's brow furrowed with anger. "You don't deserve this, Elsa. You deserve someone who's there for you, especiallynow." He looked pointedly at my belly.
I shrugged, trying to keep the tears at bay.Damn hormones!
"I thought maybe he was trying, you know? That night, with the candles and rose petals, it felt like he was making an effort. But now, I just don't know."
Thierry, who was standing by the oven, came over to me, took my flour-dusted hand in his. "Listen, you're stronger than you think. And fuck him if he can't get his act together."
I looked into his sincere, reassuring eyes and nodded, feeling a bit of the tension ease from my shoulders. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
He pulled me into his arms and held me. I rested my head against his shoulder. Thierry came into my life right after Mamman passed six years ago. Since then, he'd been my rock both as a part-time employee and a friend.
He pulled back and smiled warmly. "Time to get these loaves in the oven. The early birds will be here soon."
We worked in companionable silence for a while, the familiar tasks providing a welcome distraction. As I shaped the dough into perfect rounds, I let myself be enveloped by the soothing routine of baking.
Chapter 8
Duncan
Ishould have known one of my brothers would show up—my life was in more chaos than usual. But I was still surprised when I saw him at a corner table in the opulent Ritz lobby bar, his head buried in a book, ignoring a woman at the next table who was all but shoving her tits in his face. My brother, the quintessential nerd, was always lost in some ancient text or historical conundrum.
This bar was one of my favorite places, or rather, it used to be. Since Elsa had told me my apartment looked like a hotel, I had started to find the Ritz with its crystal chandeliers, dark wood paneling, plush velvet seating, and golden accents on the wrong side of gaudy and cozy.
As I approached, Dean looked up and grinned. Closing his book with a decisive snap, he began to whistle the bridal chorus.
"Fucker!" I gave him a hug.
Once we settled down, I had a drink in my hand. Dean was already on his second, he told me, as he had been waiting for me and had lost track of time (this happened a lot with Dean).
He gave me a quizzical look.
"What?" I asked impatiently.
"Imagine my surprise when Madame Tight Arse told me that you've not been home and are living here at the Ritz while your bride, who I may add is not liked by said Tight Arse, is living at your placealone."
I glowered at him. "Now, Dean,brother, how on earth do you think my personal life is any of your business?"
