We sat together at the table on the balcony, getting a great view of the castle and the hills beyond. It stopped raining yesterday, so the sun was out. It was still chilly, so London wore black leggings and a loose sweater. Even in the bulky clothing, she still looked eye-catching. Her slender neckline and petite shoulders reminded me of everything that existed under the fabric.
We had just finished lunch, and now we enjoyed the comfortable silence between us. She was reading a book, and I was enjoying the view of Scotland and my woman in one look. I wasn’t even this comfortable with Ariel, someone I’d known and trusted for a long time. I knew I couldn’t marry someone who wouldn’t further my political agenda as well as my business goals, but I knew I would never find this special tranquility again with someone else.
Only with London.
I was happy. I was at peace. They were two sensations I’d never had the honor of enjoying once in my life. Now that I had them, I never wanted to let them go. Marriage wasn’t on my mind, but I certainly couldn’t let London go.
Not when she changed my life.
Ariel wouldn’t be happy, but she’d have to deal with it when the time came.
London cleared her throat then set down her book. Her fingers quickly adjusted her hair even though it wasn’t in her face to begin with. She began to squirm, like she was suddenly uncomfortable sitting in the chair. “There’s something I want to talk about…”
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we were going to have a conversation about our future. I was annoyed, but what did I expect? Of course, she wanted to know where we stood. The fact that I told her I loved her should have been pretty clear evidence that I was in this for the long haul. “I’m listening.”
She paused as she tried to think of how to begin the conversation. Her eyes shifted back and forth. “Well…I’ve been here for a while and—”
My phone started to ring on the table. Ariel’s name popped up on the screen. I could take advantage of the interruption to ditch the conversation, but that would only postpone it, not get rid of it. I silenced the call. “I apologize. You were saying?”
“I understand if you need to take it, Crewe.”
“I’m sure whatever you have to say is more important. She can wait.”
Her eyes melted just as they had that morning. She never showed her appreciation that I’d given her as much power as Ariel and Dimitri, but when she looked at me like that, I knew she was touched. “Thanks.”
I rested my fingertips against my lips as I waited for her to continue.
“Anyway…I’ve been here for a long time…seven months. Things are different than they were when I first came here. Obviously, we didn’t like each other very much.”
I could keep the smile off my face. “No, I wasn’t your biggest fan, and you weren’t mine.”
“Definitely,” she said with a chuckle. “I came as your prisoner, and I still am your prisoner…but since things are different—”
Ariel called again. Her name displayed on the screen as the phone vibrated loudly against the tabletop.
I hit the ignore button again. “I’m sorry, Lovely.”
“Maybe it’s important.”
“She can wait until you’re finished.”
She didn’t melt this time, probably put off by being interrupted twice.
“Please continue.” I didn’t care about interrupting people, but it was obvious London was putting her heart on display, and I didn’t want to make her feel foolish. She didn’t open up to me very often, and I wanted her to feel comfortable doing it.
She sighed before she continued. “Our relationship is different now, obviously. And I want other things to be different too.”
“Such as?” I wasn’t sure what she could possibly want. She didn’t have a care in the world, and she could have anything she possibly wanted. I would lavish her with expensive clothes, jewelry, and exotic trips around the world.
“For one, I’d like—”
Ariel pounded on the door. I could hear it all the way on the balcony. “Crewe, answer the damn door. We have an emergency on our hands.”
Now London had to be cut off. This conversation could wait until another time. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” I left the table without saying another word to her, knowing Ariel would never come to my door like this unless it really was an emergency.
London let me go without an argument.
I got to the door in my jeans and t-shirt, something Ariel hardly ever saw me in. “What is it?”
She didn’t waste time with a smartass comment about me blowing off work today. “Pias sent our shipment to Istanbul, but it was intercepted.”
“Intercepted?” I blurted.
“Yes. By pirates. Everything was lost.”
That was a huge blow to our deal. Millions of dollars of product were on that ship. “Jesus Christ.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
I shut the door behind me and followed her.
18
London
I picked the wrong time to have my conversation with Crewe. If I had just done it a few hours before, I would have had his undivided attention. But he was gone with Ariel all day and most of the night. He didn’t call to check in, so I had no idea when he would be back.
Bad timing.
The stress of the situation was getting to me because I really had no idea how he would react. In my heart, I believed he cared enough about me that he wouldn’t hurt me after I made my request. He would be understanding and compassionate. He would understand he couldn’t keep me as a prisoner forever.
We couldn’t stay like this.
I had my own dreams and ambitions. I couldn’t be his plaything forever.
If he loved me, he would let me go.
And I believed he did love me—in his own way.
Crewe returned at three in the morning. I knew he was home because I hadn’t been able to sleep without him beside me. I tossed and turned constantly, the sheets feeling cold without the heat of his body to keep me warm throughout the night. I was used to having sex before bed, so that threw me off too.
He walked inside and tried to shut the door as quietly as he could, assuming I was asleep.
I sat up in bed wearing one of his t-shirts and sweat pants. I usually slept in just my underwear, but that was too cold when I was sleeping alone. “Everything okay?”
He stilled at the sound of my voice then flicked on the light near the doorway so he wouldn’t have to walk around in the dark. “Yeah. We retrieved the shipment.”
“How did you manage that?”
He ran his hand through his hair and kicked off his shoes at the same time. After working for over twelve hours, he probably didn’t want to talk about it, but he didn’t show me any attitude. “I’ve got eyes and ears all over the world.”
I didn’t leave the bed because I knew he would join me once his clothes were off. “Sorry that happened.”
“Not your fault. No one’s fault, really.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and set it on the nightstand. “I know you were trying to tell me something earlier, but can it wait until the morning? I’m out of it right now.”
“Of course—”
A gunshot rang through the air.
Crewe stilled, his eyes immediately moving to the window.
A machine gun sounded in the distance, echoing across the castle walls. It was coming from outside, near the entrance.