He stopped despite every sinew straining to race away. ‘Yes?’
Eyes eerily similar to his examined him with the same intensity he knew lived in his eyes. It was the Domene way. ‘She means something?’
His breath shuddered out, the truth permanently altering him forever. ‘She means everything.’ He may only have accepted that recently, but deep inside he knew Lotte Lillegard had held a powerful place in his heart for a long time.
Dios santo, let him be given the chance to repair the damage he’d done.
‘Then do whatever it takes to bring her back. You’re not allowed another misfortune. Do you hear me?’ the King demanded.
A rock wedged in his throat. With a brusque nod he finally gave into the urge and raced to thepalaciodoors.
The King’s own fastest supercar waited with the driver’s door open and the engine running. Behind it, three cars filled with Cartanian’s black-clad personal army.
But even as he dove into the car and stomped his foot on the gas, he knew that not even the world’s most efficient army could do a single thing if the woman he loved had been harmed. But Valenti knew one simple thing to be true.
If he lost Lotte, he would also lose the will to live.
‘Hello, beautiful. You’re awake. Good.’
Lotte forced her eyes open, then blinked to better see in the dark surroundings. She was in the back seat of a car, and it was dark outside.
The vicious headache throbbing at her temples made her swallow a moan.
Memory filtered in as she attempted to move and felt a sharp pain at her wrists. The row with Valenti. Fleeing thepalacio. The crash…
Bleary-eyed she glanced down. Her breath stopped.
Dear God, she was tied up?
‘You’ve given me quite the runaround,’ her captor said, twisting in the front seat to peer down at her. ‘No worries. I relished the challenge.’
She sucked in a breath which threatened to turn into a sob. No, she was absolutely not crying over this situation. ‘Y-you’re sh-sh-posed to be in jail.’ She stifled another moan. He’d given her something, maybe drugs that slurred her speech?
His grin would’ve been almost charming if it wasn’t borderline unhinged. ‘It helps when you happen to be the favourite grandson of a judge,’ he said.
She squeezed her eyes shut, gathering herself. ‘What a-are you planning to do with me?’
His eyes darkened. ‘Are you going to live up to the promises you made?’
‘Wh-what promises?’
‘Be bold. Be brave. Reach for what you want. Remember I’m here for you, always.’
Her signature words, repeated back to her in his mildly sinister voice sent chilled shockwaves through her. She didn’t think it was wise to point out that she’d said that to millions of her followers.
‘And what is it you want exactly?’ she asked as evenly as she could manage, considering the heart hammering itself into extinction against her ribs.
Disappointment reflected in his face. ‘Did the flowers and the notes not clue you in? I’m in love with you. We’re meant to be together.’ He tapped the laptop on the passenger seat. ‘And once we get you ready, there’s a celebrant waiting online to marry us.’ Another demonic smile displayed perfect white teeth.
A hysterical laugh tore from her throat before she could stop it.
Wasn’t it justmarvellousthat she would throw the loophole of freedom through marriage in Valenti’s face only for her to land herself in this situation? Could she have scripted this demented set of circumstances any better if she’d tried?
‘Don’t laugh at me,’ came the growled warning.
She shook her head frantically. ‘I’m not. I’m laughing at myself.’
His anger didn’t abate. ‘I still see nothing funny about us being together. If you hadn’t made me chase you around the globe, rescued you from him…’ He leaned over and lowered his face to hers. ‘I don’t know what the hell you saw in him. He’s twice your age. Is it the royalty thing?’
