The crowded city streets gave way to winding, tree-lined roads. “How far is it?” she asked the driver.
“Five minutes more, ma’am,” the man said.
“Does Prince Magnus own a home there?”
“I believe the home he’s staying at belongs to a duke.”
“I’m surprised the prince didn’t choose to stay in the city. This doesn’t seem like a convenient location.” It feels more like where’d you stay if you wanted to do something out of the public eye.
The car pulled up to an intricate iron gate that swung open, then closed behind them. The sprawling English estate was impressive, although not the size of Eric’s. Men in suits occupied stations around the lawn, and a helicopter waited nearby.
They parked at the top of the circular driveway in front of the prominent entryway. As soon as the driver stepped out, the second man turned in his seat and handed Rachelle a black card with nothing more than a phone number printed in white. “You are never alone. If you need something, anything, call that number, but show it to no one.”
The side door opened before she had time to ask whose number it was. She tucked it inside her phone case and took her cue from the man who had handed it to her and pretended they had not exchanged anything.
Holy crap, what was that?
“Please follow me,” her driver said. “Prince Magnus is in a meeting, but he will meet you in the library shortly.”
“Before that, I’d like to see my brother. Where is he?”
“This way, please.”
Rachelle followed the driver into the house as the other man brought her one suitcase to the helicopter. She hadn’t brought much. She couldn’t imagine the trip would be for more than a couple of days.
Once inside, Rachelle hesitated when she didn’t see her brother in the library. She sent him a text telling him that she was there.
No response.
The hairs on the back of her neck rose. “I want to speak to my brother.”
The man nodded. “It should not be long. Is there anything we could offer while you wait? Are you hungry? Thirsty? There is a washroom down the hall if you would like to freshen up.”
Two men in dark suits stationed themselves on either side of the door. Rachelle had never considered herself a paranoid person, but the sight gave her the chills. “I would like to use the washroom, thank you.”
If only to prove to myself that I’m suffering from an overactive imagination.
She left the library and made her way down the hallway in the direction the driver had pointed. She glanced over her shoulder, half expecting someone to be right behind her, but no one was. She laughed nervously.
Nicolette is right, I need to get out more. I’ve lived a too-sheltered life.
The security isn’t for me. Magnus is a prince. Of course he has bodyguards. I’m reading meaning into things that mean nothing.
Rachelle relieved herself, washed her hands, then looked in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked more excited than she wanted to. Last night went badly because I let it be about me and what I wanted. Eric needs me. I can’t let Mr. You Wish I’d Been Your First and Every Fuck Since distract me from why I came.
She gave herself a stern look, then took a deep breath and opened the door. When she realized the security duo from the library was now standing outside the washroom, she nearly closed the door again. But since she wasn’t about to leave before she saw Eric, she didn’t have many options. She raised her chin and walked past them to the library.
Once inside, she checked her phone again for a message from Eric. Nothing.
On impulse, she texted Magnus. I want to see my brother now. If you don’t bring him to me immediately, I will call the police.
A moment later one of the guards stepped into the library with three bottles of water. “Prince Magnus will be here in a moment,” he said, juggling the bottles from hand to hand as he seemed to search for something in his pockets. He stepped closer. “He sent me a message. I’ll read it to you.” He held the water out. “Could you hold these for a moment?”
Confused, she accepted the bottles he thrust at her and didn’t realize until too late that he used the exchange as an opportunity to relieve her of her phone. “Please forgive me, Miss Westerly, but I was instructed to take this.”
He left as quickly as he’d arrived, leaving her standing there, mouth open, with three bottles of water. She moved to follow him, but the two men at the doorway stepped inward to form a barricade with their bodies.
Holy shit, is this a kidnapping?
How do I even know Eric is here?
Oh my God, the only one I told where I was going was Reggie.
My survival might depend on Lurch.
Chapter Eight
“Are you finished?” Magnus asked at the end of Eric’s litany of threats. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the office desk while Eric paced the office like a caged animal. He couldn’t make it out of the room if he tried, but Magnus hoped it didn’t come to that. It was unfortunate enough that Rachelle had arrived shortly after her brother had been brought to Magnus. He’d hoped this conversation would be done so he could greet Rachelle himself.
Recently, however, the universe seemed to be working against him. Rachelle had already sent a text that implied she wouldn’t wait patiently for their conversation to conclude. Hopefully Phillip had resolved the immediate concern of her phoning the police.
“You’re delusional if you think you’ll get away with this,” Eric spat. “When I get out of here, and I will get out of here, I will destroy you.”
“Terrifying as that sounds,” Magnus said dryly, “I will give you one more chance to agree to come with me of your own free will. All I require is one day of your time. One inspirational visit to a children’s hospital. Perhaps a few autographs. After that, if you still want me to, I will return you to where I found you.” Not exactly how it will go, but he needs to start agreeing to part before he’ll agree to the whole plan.
“You’re fucking crazy. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
With a sigh, Magnus stood and flexed his shoulders. He preferred to do things nicely, but sometimes it wasn’t possible. “In two minutes I will open that door and give you a choice to stay or go. However, life is full of what I call natural consequences. I don’t want to disappoint a young boy who idolizes you, but perhaps his opinion of you will change once word gets out about your drug use. You think your life is hell now. Imagine how the press will hound you when your double life is exposed. There will be nowhere you can hide. How will Water Bear Man fare in the box office once the truth about you gets out?”
“You don’t scare me. Do your worst. I don’t fucking care.”
“It’d be a career ender.”
“You’d be doing me a favor.”
Magnus sat back on the corner of his desk again. He almost had Eric where he wanted him and wasn’t about to relent, but that didn’t mean he was indifferent to the man’s pain. “Finn is ten years old. Ten. The doctors don’t know if he’ll see eleven. He wants to grow up to be as strong and brave as Water Bear Man and wants to meet him. I promised him he would—both meet you and survive. So, regardless of what you think, this is me being nice. If I were you, I’d agree. You really don’t want to test how far I’ll go to make this happen.”
Eric groaned as if trying to wake up. When he looked up again, there was more life in him than Magnus had seen to date. “There’s a lot of superheroes out there. Find one who does appearances.”