“Excuse me,” Kirk says, “but the lady is with me.”
“This is between me and her, Fitzpatrick, so butt out.”
Kirk bridles and he stands up too. Shannon feels like sliding under the table.
Margarete has come over. She seizes Lucien’s arm.
“Lucien, what are you doing?” She glares at Shannon as though this is all her fault.
“Lucien?”
Now Flora is coming over too. Lucien’s father is already standing up, as are the Janssens. The eyes of every person in the restaurant are riveted on them.
“Shannon, let’s go,” Kirk says, giving her his hand.
“Shannon, I have to talk to you.” Lucien’s eyes are pleading.
What a mess.
“We have nothing to talk about,” she says.
‘You heard her. She has nothing to say to you,” Kirk says.
“Lucien, what are you doing?” His father comes up. “Is this the girl you were going out with? It’s over, and the sooner you forget her, the better.”
“She’s nothing to you, Luc,” Margarete insists. “Come back to our table. The Janssens are wondering what the hell is going on.”
Her tone carries a warning.
Something in Lucien’s face changes. Perhaps only Shannon catches it. His jaw clenches and he whirls on Margarete and his father.
He says calmly, “I’m not going through with the wedding.”
“What?” Flora screeches.
“You heard me. I’m not going through with this sham of a wedding. I’m sorry you had to come all the way here, Flora, but I don’t love you. I never did.”
“Love has nothing to do with it,” Lucien’s father thunders. “Are you out of your mind? Come back to our table this instance and apologize to the Janssens.”
The Janssens appear to be very bewildered.
“I am not going to do anything you tell me to anymore,” Lucien goes on in that same calm voice. “I renounce my birthright and I renounce this family. You can cut me off and I couldn’t care less.”
He turns to Shannon again.
“We have to talk. Please.”
Her jaw drops. She can’t believe what is happening. Lucien is renouncing his family and his riches . . . for her?
Kirk cuts in, “Spare us the theatrics, Walker.”
Lucien does not take his eyes off her. “Shannon, I love you. I’ve loved you since the day we met, but I didn’t know what being in love was then. I kept thinking of you, and that is why I followed your car to the supermarket the week after. I still can’t stop thinking about you. Please . . . come with me. We don’t need these people. Together, we can go around the world and do whatever you like.”
He loves me.
The words should be music to her ears. A few weeks ago, she would have given anything to hear them. But now – in this current setting – they trigger a warning bell.
Nothing good will come out of this.
Kirk says harshly, “You have no longer any claim on her, Walker. She’s mine now.”
Shannon’s world is spinning.
She finds her voice. “Stop it, please, both of you. I don’t belong to anyone!”
But the two men face each other. The air between them is dangerously charged.
“She’s yours?” Lucien challenges, his blue eyes flashing. Shannon remembers the dark change that had come over them and suddenly, she is very afraid.
“Yes,” Kirk says. She can see his nostrils flaring in that way Jared always does when he anticipates a metamorphosis.
Don’t tell me he intends to change here right now!
“Not here,” she cries urgently.
“This has gone on for too long, Fitzpatrick.” Lucien is a taller man and he towers over everyone now. He takes one step towards Kirk, and the other man bristles. “I challenge you to a duel. No holds barred. Just the two of us.”
Shannon is beyond shock.
“No,” she cries.
“I accept,” Kirk says, just as calmly. “Name the place and time.”
Shannon knows that this is once again him going against his nature. To preserve his alpha spot, he has no choice but to accept. Or does he actually crave to finish Lucien once and for all? Because Kirk now has another reason to detest Lucien.
Her.
Oh my God, she thinks, they are fighting over me!
Her knees go weak with terror.
For the first time since this started, Lucien becomes aware that they are the center of attention.
“Very well,” he says. “I will not name the time and place here in front of everyone for obvious reasons, but you can expect an email from me to your personal account at the clinic.”
“Good. It’s settled then.”
“It is not settled!” Shannon says. Tears spring to her eyes. She turns to Lucien. “Lucien, please don’t do this. If you say you love me, then don’t do this.”