Part 4 (2/2)

”Not so fast.” Armand put a hand on her arm to stop her. ”Even if that were true, you'd still want to re-think your plan. If I were you, I'd wait for a bit. Stay out here with me for a few minutes more. Don't go inside right away.”

Julie froze. The idea was tempting. Very tempting. It was exactly what she needed, to let him comfort her, distract her, take her mind off Brennan. But she couldn't. Not when she was carrying her mother's suitcase, the one thing that would invariably spoil everything between them. ”What do you mean 're-think' it?”

”I a.s.sume you're still concerned about Brennan's well-being, aren't you? Even though I'm certain it's he who's made you so unhappy.”

Julie ground her teeth. ”Would you stop it? Of course I'm concerned about him. Why wouldn't I be? And who says I'm unhappy anyway?”

Armand rubbed his thumb across her tear-streaked cheek. ”These do-the tears that you shed for him. When are you going to admit it's true and let him go?”

”Soon, all right?” Julie jerked away from his touch. ”Not that it's any of your business. Just leave me alone.”

”Wait.” Armand grabbed hold of her once again. ”Let me finish. How do you think Conrad is going to react if he sees you returning from Brennan's bed in tears? Take a moment to compose yourself-for everyone's sake-before you plunge us all into a world of pain.”

”A world of pain?” Julie snorted. ”Oh, please. Overdramatic much?”

”No, not at all. Have you ever seen Conrad lose his temper? You have no idea how upset he could get if he were to believe one of us were in trouble.”

”Don't I?” she asked, glancing pointedly at him. ”You mean like at my birthday party? When he got upset with you?”

Armand shook his head, a bitter smile curving his lips. ”I a.s.sure you, I got off easy that night-and only because Damian intervened.”

Julie nodded, acknowledging Armand's point, remembering scars and ravaged flesh, tales of Conrad's viciousness. Vincent. Damian. Who knew how many others? ”All the same, I doubt he's going to lose it over a few tears. Besides-” she pointed at her face, ”-see? No more tears. So it's all good. No need to worry. So...I'll see you around, I guess.” She turned away once more, but before she'd taken more than a couple of steps he stopped her again.

”Wait!” His voice was sharp, the single word an order that lit the fuse on her temper.

”What now?” she snarled, turning her head to glare at him over her shoulder. No one barked orders at her like that. No one.

”Where are you taking that?” he said, pointing at the suitcase.

Her heart began to race as he closed the distance between them. ”I told you. I'm going back to the house.”

Armand frowned. ”Back to the... Wait, is that where you've been keeping it? In Brennan's apartment? I should have known.”

”What you should have done is forgotten about it. It's mine now, Armand. And it's no business of yours where I keep it.”

”Ah, now there's where you're wrong.”

”Really?” The stubborn set of his mouth did not make Julie happy. And the way he was eyeing the suitcase, as though debating whether or not to try and s.n.a.t.c.h it from her hand, that really didn't make her happy. He couldn't be seriously thinking that, could he? ”Wrong about which part?”

”All of it! It's not yours. It is my business and I'm not so faithless I'd have forgotten after a mere few weeks.”

She supposed she couldn't argue with that. If circ.u.mstances were different, if for example it was she to whom he was so committed, she was sure she'd find his faithfulness a very admirable thing. Right now, however, it was simply infuriating.

”How could you think I'd forget?” Armand continued. ”I told you it wasn't over.”

That stung. She recalled his remark clearly. She'd thought he'd been referring to them. She should have known better. ”Well you know what, Armand? It is mine. Conrad gave it to me. Besides, you told me the girl it used to belong to is dead. She is still dead, isn't she?”

A look of pain crossed Armand's face. ”Oui,” he answered, his tone somber.

”Exactly.” And I'm right here, d.a.m.n it, and still alive. ”So we know she doesn't care what becomes of this stuff. And you certainly weren't using it. All this time it's been locked up in the attic. n.o.body even knew it was there. How was that better?”

”I knew it was there. I was trying to keep it safe. I was trying to preserve her memory. Why can't you understand that?”

Julie sighed. ”I do understand. And I appreciate it more than you could possibly imagine. I wish there was some way to make you see that.” He deserved honesty. He deserved to know why it was so important to her. But Conrad had insisted she say nothing. ”Why can't you just let it go? I promise I'll take care of it. You know I will.”

”But why should you have it? What do you want it for? Other than to torment me. Is it simply because it comes from Conrad? It didn't, you know. Not originally, I mean. None of this came from him.”

”This has nothing to do with Conrad. And you can't really believe I'd do all this just to upset you.”

”What else am I to think? You say I have no use for them, but what about you? Other than the night of the party, I've yet to see you wear a single piece of her clothing, nor a single piece of jewelry. So what good are they doing you? Why not let me take care of it until you have need of another costume?”

”You don't know that.” Julie gestured at the suitcase. ”You think you'd recognize every item in here? You hadn't even opened it in what-forty years?”

”Oui. Forty years. What of it? She meant a lot to me. Have I not made that clear?”

Oh, yes. That was abundantly clear, had been so all along. She shook her head. ”Why can't you just let it go?”

An angry growl left Armand's lips. ”You're impossible. I don't know why I even waste my breath talking to you. You're nothing but a spoiled child. Do you really think you're ent.i.tled to whatever you want, simply because you want it? Do you think it's owed to you somehow? Well, it's not!”

”That's not fair.” She didn't expect to be given everything she wanted, just this. And it was owed to her. Not that she could ever hope to make him understand that.

”No, it isn't fair.” He stalked closer as he spoke, his hands fisted menacingly at his sides. ”After all this time... It's not at all fair that I should have to grovel, that I should have to beg you to return what was never yours in the first place. It's not right.”

Julie shrank back a step. She wasn't used to being treated so harshly, wasn't used to feeling threatened like this. Wasn't used to being frightened. It was the worst feeling in the world and she hated it.

No. Never again. Never again!

Memories sifted through her mind, reminding her of who and what she was. Her spine straightened as the surge in her blood s.h.i.+fted fear into anger. ”Enough.” She held up a hand to halt his progress. ”Stop right there. I don't want to fight you, Armand, but I will if I have to.”

”Fight me?” Armand looked startled. ”What are you talking about? I'm not going to fight with you.”

”Oh. Okay, well, that's good. Glad to hear it. But I guess that means you're backing down now, because you're not getting this away from me without one, so...”

”Why are you doing this?”

Julie sighed. If it were up to her, she'd tell him everything. She'd say whatever she had to say to erase this anger between them, to ease his worries and stake her claim on her mother's belongings... So what if he'd known her, loved her, remembered her? Julie was her daughter, her blood. And blood was still thicker than water, wasn't it? Either way, the decision to speak or not speak was still not hers to make. ”Look, it was Conrad's decision to give me the suitcase, all right? If you don't like it, I suggest you take it up with him. Just leave me the h.e.l.l alone.”

”Don't think I won't go to Conrad about this,” Armand replied, still glaring coldly at her. ”I still have some influence with him, you know.”

Julie shrugged, faking indifference. ”Good. I'm sure you do. Go right ahead then.” She turned away then and headed once more for the house, Armand following at her heels.

”I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. I don't see why we can't work things out between us.”

”There's nothing to work out.” She could be just as stubborn as he was. Especially since she held the winning hand. She was mostly sure Conrad would back her up. Mostly sure he'd figure out some way to get Armand to back off and leave her alone. Almost positive that, whatever that way was, it would not involve hurting Armand...

At least she hoped that would not be the case. Sometimes with Conrad it was a little hard to tell. Maybe sending Armand into the lion's den wasn't the best idea.

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