From here, I’d say he’s beautiful, perfect even. But then again, nobody’s perfect.
His full lips lift marginally into a smirk—a dark, sinful smile.
A promise of something devious, decadent, and devilish.
Instead of fear gripping me, I feel a twinge of something I didn’t think I could ever feel. Yearning. Shaking my head, I turn on my heel and hasten my way through the building. As I race farther from the stranger, my body cools and the pull toward him eases, allowing me to breathe.
As soon as my feet hit the sidewalk, a black cab pulls up. “Need a ride, love?” the driver questions with a thick British accent.
I offer a smile and nod. ”Please, I’m heading to Knightsbridge.”
He exits the cab and rounds to where I’m standing. With one hefty tug, he lugs my suitcase off the trolley and hauls it into the trunk.
“It will be forty quid from here. Is it a hotel you’re going to?” His brogue is thick and I have to really pay attention to understand.
“I’m heading to this address.” I hand him the piece of paper on which I jotted down my new address. He nods and I question further, “Oh, and the fare is forty pounds?” Feeling like a tourist, I watch his amused expression.
“Yeah, that’s it. You’ll get used to it in no time,” he responds, speaking a little slower this time for me to catch the words. Nodding, I open the door and slip into the bench seat. My mind flits back to the stranger and I wonder who he is. Even though I know I shouldn’t, I wonder what would happen if I saw him again.
Would he want to take me to dinner?
Perhaps a date?
“You here on holiday then?” the driver questions, distracting me from the unwarranted thoughts.
“No, I’m here for work actually. It’s a short-term contract.”
“Then I suppose a welcome is in order. I hope London treats you well.” He offers a kind smile and as tense as I am being alone with him in the car, I nod.
He turns the key and the engine roars to life. As we pull away from the sidewalk, I glance out of the window to find my hunter watching me as if he knows where I’m headed.
Would he find me? Or would the city swallow me?
Unlike Cinderella, I don’t leave a slipper for him to find me.
Instead, I leave the dark prince in the dust. An excited smile plays on my lips and I wonder if I’ll ever see him again.
Do I want to? Yes, perhaps I do.
Carter
To say I’m both intrigued and frustrated is an understatement. I watch as her cab pulls away, then head to the town car waiting for me. It’s parked in the pick-up section of the parking lot and I slip into the backseat. I nod at Baines, my driver of ten years. “Follow that cab, Baines. I want to see where she’s headed.”
He doesn’t question me. Instead, he roars after the quickly disappearing vehicle. We’re only three cars behind her, but I keep my eyes on the road. Swerving through London traffic is never a good idea, but right now, I don’t care.
I feel like the goddamn prince chasing after a princess.
If Ben were here, he’d call me a stalker. I disagree. If there’s something you want in life, there’s nothing that can ever stop you from getting it. Why wait when life is so short?
I retrieve my phone from my pocket and type out a message to my assistant, letting her know I won’t be in the office today. I should be focused on work and the upcoming charity event my father planned, but my mind is still on the woman with the incredibly unique eyes.
She’s enamored me and I don’t even know who she is.
“Sir, are you not going directly to see your father?”
Glancing up at Baines, I shake my head.
“Not yet,” I respond, watching as we catch up to her. She doesn’t know I’m behind her, so close, yet so far. “I’d like to know where this woman is staying before heading home.”
“Do you know her?”
I chuckle. “No, Baines, she’s… I don’t know. I just saw her moments ago at the airport, but she’s incredibly beautiful.”
He laughs, the sound rich and heavy, smoky even. The man has known me most of my life. When I want something, I tend to get it.
“We’ll head to the mansion soon. But first I need to collect paperwork from my father’s office. I’m scheduled to meet him later, so we have time.”
He doesn’t respond as he follows her cab. I notice the closer we get to the city, we’re headed for Knightsbridge.
Moments later, we’re pulling up to one of the more elite apartment buildings. Strangely enough, I know who owns them. Smiling, I tap call on my phone. It only takes three rings before Bennett answers.
“What can I do for you, mate?”
“Who’s the new woman you’ve got moving into the building in Knightsbridge?” I question my best friend. Bennett Ainsworth. Our friendship has moved from school, to college, and now that we both run successful companies of our own, not much has changed.
Even though Bennett’s been involved in some shady deals when he worked for a security company, I’d trust him with my life.
Baines takes the road that winds toward the Hamilton Estate, while I ask my best friend for the information I need on my runaway princess.
“I’ve just followed her from the airport to your apartment building in Knightsbridge.”
“You’re such a fu*king stalker, Cart,” he responds with amusement clear in his tone at my psychotic tendencies. Perhaps it was over the top following her, but the look she offered when she slid into the back seat of the cab was a challenge. Find me if you can.
“I’ll have to check the log of new tenants. I have three new people arriving today.”
“Get back to me later,” I tell him. “After my meeting with my dad, I’ll need some good news.”
He sighs, knowing my relationship with my father is strained at the best of times. “I’ll call you tonight. I’m heading into a meeting now.”
I hang up before he says goodbye, knowing he’ll curse me later for it.
I sit back, still annoyed at the pointless trip I made to the airport to collect my sister who wasn’t even on the flight. She didn’t even have the decency to let me know she missed it. The whimsical girl drives me insane. Sometimes I wonder if we’re even related.
I’m about to put my phone away when it rings. Swiping the screen, I answer. “Hello, father.”
“Carter, I’m running late. Meet me at four. Also, I spoke to your mother and told her I’m getting the private plane to fly your sister home because she needs to be here for the charity auction.”
“I’ll be there. I’m stopping at home to collect the documentation you asked for. I’m sure Kat will be back for the event. She knows how much it means to the family.”
My family owns a chain of boutique hotels. We’ve had celebrities and royalty stay at our hotels and I’m about to take over the acquisition of new properties in different countries to expand the chain worldwide. My sister will take over the marketing, but if she doesn’t behave herself, I have a feeling there may be a problem with her finally taking over from my mother.