Once in Paris by Diana Palmer Page A

today.”
    She let out a breath. “I’ll bet he hit her,” she said miserably. “He made all sorts of threats against her and the baby if I didn’t cooperate with his plans. I suppose he’ll find out what we’ve done?”
    He nodded. “Sooner or later.”
    â€œHe said that Philippe was coming back today and he wanted to see me,” she told him. She smoothed back her hair. “Why did my mother marry Kurt?” she asked angrily. “Couldn’t she see what sort of man he was?”
    â€œSure she could. He was rich,” he added.
    She leaned back heavily against the seat. “Will he hurt her any more, do you think? And what about the baby?”
    â€œThey’re probably safe enough for now. But Sabon’s going to be out for blood when he learns what we’ve done. I’ve just put you out of his reach for good. He won’t take it lying down. He’ll be plotting his revenge on both of us, and on anyone connected with you. And probably, so will Kurt.”
    Her pulse was racing. She put up a hand and brushed back her long hair. “What are we going to do?”
    â€œWell, you’re not going home, for a start,” he told her grimly. “We’re flying back intoFreeport instead of Nassau. I’ve already phoned the house and told them to have a driver who doubles as my bodyguard to meet us. It wouldn’t do for Arthur to pick us up, anyway, under the circumstances. We’ll stay in Freeport for the time being, until things die down and I can get my security chief over here with a team.”
    â€œYou really think Philippe Sabon is a threat, don’t you?” she asked worriedly.
    He took her hand in his and held it warmly. “I know he is. But nothing’s going to happen to you. You’re my responsibility now. I’ll take care of you.”
    She gnawed her lower lip. “It’s like a nightmare,” she said aloud. “This is the 1990s. Things like this aren’t supposed to happen! Heavens, I can’t have a total stranger trying to force me to marry him!”
    â€œSabon is filthy rich. He usually gets exactly what he wants. Your stepfather is in hotter water than he realizes.” He glanced at Brianne, who was visibly pale. “I think our best bet is to have you live in the States, where my security chief can keep an eye on you. You said once that you wanted to go to college and study math. Do you still?”
    She stared at him with carefully concealed horror. He’d just married her. She was daydreaming about living with him, loving him, sleeping in his arms—and he was offering her a college education.
    â€œI hadn’t thought about college lately,” she confessed.
    â€œYou’re not too old to start,” he said easily. “We’ll enroll you in a small college near D.C., and under an assumed name, so that Sabon won’t be able to find you. But even if he does, Tate Winthrop will be somewhere nearby, or one of his people will be. You’ll be watched night and day until this is over.”
    â€œI can’t stay with you?” she asked, carefully avoiding looking directly at him.
    He sighed. “I’d like you to,” he said bluntly, his expression solemn and intent. “But that isn’t going to be possible after what has happened between us, Brianne.”
    She was surprised. “I don’t understand.”
    â€œDon’t you?” He laughed coldly. “Listen, honey, you’re a tasty little banquet and I’m a starving man. All my good intentions won’t spare you if we’re under the same roof for very long.”
    â€œBut I want you,” she protested.
    â€œWant!” he scoffed. “You’re a child on fire with the forbidden. You’ve just discovered sensual pleasure and you want to explore it. I’ve done my exploring. I have nothing to offer you except a few feverish lovemaking sessions in