SAFEHOUSE

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Chapter 21

My eyes flashed open and I realized that I was sitting up in Julien's bed.

I felt hands grasp for me in the dark, before I heard Julien's voice try to soothe me. "Amira, darling, are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?"

I slumped back against him, trying not to hyperventilate again. This was the fourth night in a row that I had such a vivid nightmare as that. It had been weeks since I had nightmares from my incident, but now they seemed to haunt me every night. I didn't know what was causing them, but I truly wished they would stop.

"Okay," I said, my voice shaky. I knew Julien felt helpless, but there really wasn't anything he could do. I just had to endure them as long as they lasted.

"Did I tell you about your surprise next week?" Julien asked, clearly sleepy still. This caught my interest.

"What surprise?"

Even exhausted as he was, Julien laughed at me in my eagerness. I knew he was only trying to distract me, but it was working.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?"

“No…” I replied, “I suppose it wouldn’t.”

I was beaming for the rest of the morning. After getting ready for work, I headed over to meet with Marie in the kitchen as she had asked the night before. Usually we met in the foyer to discuss with the other two housekeepers our plan for the day, but this sounded like it was just going to be me and her. Whatever that meant.

I finished up my egg and cheese croissant that Gervaise happily had ready waiting for me when I came into the kitchen. I gave him a hug, and fixe

d my uniform, nervously waiting for Marie.

Her demeanor was no different than usual when I saw her click across the kitchen in her same old black shoes. When she turned towards me after grabbing a cup of coffee, however, I knew I was in for it. Whatever we were about to talk about… it wasn't gonna be good.

She gestured for me to have a seat at the table, and I slowly sat down, not taking my eyes off of her for even a second. I could feel the apprehension rise in my body, as if I were waiting for a coiled up snake to strike at me any moment.

She cleared her throat. "I do not play the games, Miss Jackson. You know that. I ask you so to know what is going on with you and Monsieur Malveaux. I want truth."

Well, I couldn't say that I wasn't expecting it. But I really wasn't expecting it.

I bit my lip, unsure of how to reply. "Well what exactly do you want me to say? I know you're not blind. Julien and I are together right now. And I… I care about him."

Marie frowned at me, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. "You care about him? After short time with him? I know you feel care about him, but are you sure this isn’t about his wealth?"

My jaw dropped open. Did she really just say that?

"I don't know what you're trying to get at, Marie, but please don’t question my feelings for Julien. They are real, and I don't need to answer to anyone about them. He knows how I feel, and that's all that matters," I replied, my voice feeling tinny even in my own ears. I quickly rose from the seat and walked right out of the kitchen, unsure of where I was heading.

The further that I went down the hall, the faster than I walked. And then I was practically running out the door, headed to the secret garden. I made it to one of the benches outside and sat down, trying to catch my breath.

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Chapter 22

I don’t know how long I had been sitting there, my chest heaving as I cried hard. I knew Julien wasn’t going to be around for a while, so I was left all by myself to deal with Marie’s accusations against me. I knew that she truly cared about Julien, but her remarks to me were so cold…

But was she right?

I had to question my own motives, even though I knew I was no gold-digger. Just because someone grows up poor, doesn’t mean that they suddenly leap after the first guy with deep pockets. I shook my head, trying to clear the negative thoughts that threaten to swell inside. I didn’t want to let her words get to me, but they already had.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alain slowly make his way over to me, pulling his hat off and holding it against his chest. I tried to wipe my face, knowing that it was no use. It was obvious that I had been crying, loudly.

“My sweet Bree, what is wrong?"