She shook her head. “That’s not enough. I need to know he is. I need to know I am.”
She was genuinely upset, and he was filled with an anger that had nowhere to go. Something had spooked her. Whether the threat was real or imagined, he would do whatever it took to make sure he never saw that look in her eyes again. “I should not have allowed you to choose your own hotel. Phillip, have her things packed and brought down.”
“No,” she protested. “It’s not the hotel.”
He nodded for Phillip to do as he asked, then turned his attention back to Rachelle. “Women shouldn’t travel on their own.”
She stood. “Don’t go there. Don’t get me all upset with you, too. I can only freak out about one thing at a time.”
Magnus rose to his feet. “What happened?”
She rubbed a hand over her forehead. “First, could you just apologize for that comment about women? I can’t be rescued by a sexist pig . . . not even if he’s a prince.”
Well, then. Her mind went on curious tangents. “Which part was wrong?”
She sighed and waved her hand. “Forget it. You’re right, it would take too long. I don’t need to move to another hotel, but I do need to hire a security guy . . . a bodyguard . . . something. One for me and one for Eric. Are they expensive? I have money in my savings if we’re talking about a couple thousand, but I’ve tied up a lot of my money in a retirement fund. I can’t ask my family for help. Not until I know if I actually need it. And I’m fine. I can do this on my own. Is there an Uber app for goons?”
“Rachelle Westerly, if you don’t start making sense soon, I will be forced to call your grandmother.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I would.”
She glared at him. “Oh, yeah? Then I’ll call your father.”
“And say what?”
She wilted somewhat. “I don’t know. I don’t even know why I said that.” She sat back down. “This is stupid. I’m arguing with you about nothing when I should be doing something.”
“Because?”
“I’m being followed.”
Her words shot through Magnus. “Why do you think that?”
“Reggie told me.”
“Who’s Reggie?”
“He’s my brother’s electrician, but he’s here in Vandorra. Eric asked him to watch over me.”
“And discovering that this electrician is following you is what upset you?”
“No, while he was watching me, he saw a woman watching a man who was watching me.”
“Have you been drinking?” Was she even in danger, or did she need to speak to a professional as well?
She flew back to her feet. “I don’t know why I thought you’d help me with this.” She paced in frustration. “Go back to your palace and your orphan receptions, and I’ll figure it out on my own.”
She moved to walk away, and he pulled her to him. “Stop.”
She froze against him.
He struggled to keep his thoughts straight as his body went haywire simply from having her so close. “Who is following you?”
“I don’t know,” she said, and her eyes reflected her confusion. “Reggie could be wrong and there’s no one. Or he could be right—”
“What did he say he saw?”
She relaxed somewhat within the circle of his arms and told him exactly what Reggie had said her pursuers might want. “Crazy, right? Stuff like that doesn’t really happen, does it?”
He debated which she needed more: the truth or comfort. People absolutely were kidnapped for ransom. The world could be an ugly place—even in Vandorra. “It does, little Rachelle. Unfortunately, it does. I’ll send two of my royal guards to watch over your brother.”
She nodded and met his eyes. “And me?”
“I’ll protect you.” He pulled her closer. If someone actually was following her, his men would find them and deal with them accordingly.
She leaned back and said, “The driver who took me from London to you gave me a black card with only a phone number on it. He told me to call it if I ever needed help. He said I’m never alone.”
How did Phillip miss this? “Did you recognize the man?”
“No. I’d never seen him before.”
“Where’s the card now?”
“In my purse.”
“Give it to me and I’ll find out who he is.”
She hesitated, then stepped back, dug the card out of her purse, and handed it to him. “Who do you think is following me?”
Magnus pocketed it and chose his next words with care. The real possibilities would only scare her, so he kept those to himself. “Probably photographers hoping to get a shot they can sell.”
She didn’t need to know that Reggie’s guess was a very real threat—especially since she was now in the public eye. Sadly, it was impossible to have something without someone also wanting to take it from you. He would never forget the day he’d discovered his cousin Davot had hired a man to kill his father. The attempt had failed, but there had been no way for Magnus to reclaim his childhood innocence. The world would forever be a different place for him. One in which he needed to be strong enough to fend off any threat at any time. Despite only being seventeen, he had gathered enough evidence that he could have had his cousin convicted; then he and Phillip, who at that time had been new to the royal guard, had gone to threaten his powerful cousin. Together, armed with evidence, they had backed the man down. His father still did not know the real cause of his boating accident. At the time, he had been reeling from the death of the queen, and Magnus had not wanted to add betrayal to his grief. From then on, Magnus had cleared the way for his father. King Tadeas’s strength as a leader had always been his ability to inspire his people, and Magnus made sure nothing stood in his way for long. Together they had moved Vandorra forward. As much as the world needed warriors, it also needed people like his father and Rachelle to make sure society was something worth defending.
Rachelle smiled in relief. “I hadn’t thought of a photographer. That makes sense.”
Magnus placed his hand on her lower back and guided her out of the hotel and to a waiting car. “Now tell me, what’s your issue with orphans?”
Chapter Seventeen
After the way the day had started, Rachelle hadn’t expected to enjoy a moment of it, but as Magnus whisked her away in a sports car, excitement surged again. When he wasn’t being insufferable and arrogant, being with him was a heady experience. Everything else faded away when he looked at her. When he took her hand in his and rested it beneath his on his thigh as he drove, she could barely concentrate on anything else.
To cover her nervousness, she talked. She explained in detail that her desire to decline the invitation from his father had nothing to do with the cause and everything to do with not liking to be forced to do something.
“I understand that feeling well,” he’d said.
“Of course, I’ll end up going to the reception anyway. I can’t say no.”
“Unfortunately, that has not been my experience with you,” Magnus said with dry humor.
A laugh burst from Rachelle. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
He brought her hand to his lips. “Yes, you are.”
Her heart did a funny flip. He hadn’t said where they were going. Erotic sex-dungeon fantasies warred with more mundane possibilities. Although she enjoyed reading about wild escapades, she tried to imagine what her reaction would be if he actually brought her to one. I’d probably faint. Or let out a nervous fart. You never read about those happening.
She studied the strong profile of the man beside her and wondered if the women he normally dated were so sophisticated they didn’t even worry about such things. “Where are we going?” she asked.
He glanced at her, then back at the road. “You shouldn’t get into any car without knowing. I could be taking you anywhere.”
She went to pull her hand free, but he held it firmly. “That’s not funny.”
“It’s not meant to be. You need to be more careful, Rachelle.”
This time she did tug her hand free. “I am careful.”
“Are you? Who knows you’re with me today?”
“Reggie. Why are you doing this? I just started to relax, and you’re making me nervous again.”