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"Elsa,ma chérie, is everything okay?"
I never called him so he knew something was up. "Papa, I've been told that Pascal is making a move against you."
There was silence for a long moment, and I wondered if he'd hung up.
"Ma chérie, listen to what your Mamman used to say and stay away from my world."
"Papa, how am I supposed to do that when you were the one who dragged me into this by telling Pascal Fournier you’d marry me off to him?" I demanded.
I could hear his frustrations through the bits and bytes of the phone line. "This not your business."
"Youmade it my business," I accused him, "I've been told that I'm in danger. Your grandchild may be in danger."
"That's nonsense," Papa scoffed. "No one cares about you."
"Until you put a target on my back with that reception party," I pointed out.
"Everyone understands you're off limits now. You're an Archer as well as a Moreau. You've never been safer."
"Papa, Pascal is a dangerous man."
There was a brief pause, and then he laughed a cold, dismissive sound. "Pascal? He's all bark and no bite. Don't worry about it. I've got everything under control."
"Papa, this is serious," I insisted, my voice rising with frustration. "You can't just dismiss this."
"Elsa, I don't have time for your paranoia," he snapped. "Stay out of this. It's none of your concern."
Tears of anger and helplessness welled up in my eyes. Damn pregnant hormones! "Papa, am I safe?"
"As long as you don't do something stupid," he replied coldly. "Now, I have to go.Au revoir."
He hung up before I could say another word. I stared at the phone; disbelief and disappointment coursing through me.
When Thierry came by before closing to check on me, he noticed my distress. "What's wrong? What did that asshole do?"
"Which asshole?" I asked. "If you’re talking about my father, then you’re absolutely right."
Thierry groaned. "Jean-Luc is a puss boil on a rat's ass."
I grinned at the image. "Vincent warned me that Pascal Fournier is planning something against Papa and that I might be in danger. But Papa told me not to worry andthat this wasn't my business."
Thierry's eyes hardened. "Like I said, Jean-Luc is lower than a worm. But I agree with him; you have nothing to worry about."
"Really?" I had my hands on my hips.
"Pascal would be a fool to come after you now that he knows you're an Archer. As Jean-Luc's daughter, you were already off limits, now even more so."
I wasn't certain, but the fact that Thierry was so sure of my baby's safety did make me feel better. What would have felt evenbetter, I knew, was talking to Duncan about it. When had he become the one who made me feel safe?
Seeing me look forlorn, Thierry wrapped me in a comforting hug.
"It's going to be okay, Els."
I leaned into him, soaking in as much comfort as I could.
Chapter 30
Duncan
