My stomach clenched as I stared down at Nattie. Her features were pinched with fear and concern, and now I understood why. She was afraid for her life. So, she hadn’t actually lied to me–not really.
She was abused…just by her brother not a spouse or significant other. Was I justifying her behavior? I wondered if Ava would call me out on that the moment she left. But I didn’t think I was.
I wanted to believe her. Maybe I was being stupid, maybe I was leading too much with my heart, but I was falling for her more and more with every second that passed.
Every time we were together, our connection seemed stronger. Was I reaching? Was I desperate?
Maybe.
Anything that threatened our relationship scared me—terrified me, actually. I wanted nothing standing in our way, but right now, it looked like just about everything was.
Not only was Nattie’s life in danger, but she was royalty. And I seriously doubted I had what it took to pass whatever test came with being her official partner.
The background check hanging over my head was enough to make me sweat. At this rate, we’d probably be escorted off the premises first thing tomorrow—and I doubted they’d even offer us breakfast on the way out.
Still, I was here now, and I wanted to offer her my support, so I pulled her closer to me, kissing the top of her head. “Nattie, I’m so sorry. How can we help?”
I shot Ava a warning glance, not wanting a full-court press about the gory details. She’d share them when she was ready.
She craned her neck to glance up at me, her eyes hopeful. “There is something, but…I cannot explain more until tomorrow.”
“After the background checks are finished?” Ava asked.
“Yes,” Nattie said with a bob of her head. “My sister wants to be very careful. You could be working for my brother.”
“We’re not,” I assured her. “And we’ll do whatever it takes to prove that.”
She flicked her gaze back to me, a mixture of concern and fear floating in her eyes. “Thank you. I don’t believe you are, but…well, our chance meeting does lead to some ambiguity on that point.”
“I have no idea who your brother even is,” I answered, desperately trying to convince her she could trust me. “If I tripped over him, I wouldn’t know.”
“And if you were working for him, you would say exactly that,” Alex said.
All eyes turned to him, and he shrugged. “Sorry, but it’s true. That’s why she’s being cautious.”
“Good point, Ace. But I have one, too,” Ava said. “We don’t know your brother. So, if he were to show up here…”
“You wouldn’t know that you shouldn’t believe him,” Nattie finished as she nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket. “Here is a picture of Nikolai.”
She swiped to another photo. “And here is a picture of my mother. Neither are to be trusted, though I doubt Nikolai would stoop low enough to bother with you.”
The words stung. Not because she was suggesting that I was unimportant, but because it reinforced my assumption that I’d never hack it in her world.
“That said, trust no one except, me, Nadia, or Stefan.”
Ava’s eyebrows arched high on her head. “Wow, all right.”
“After tomorrow, things will be clearer, and then you can make your own call about whether or not you’d like to stay.”
“Assuming we’re allowed to,” Ava shot back.
Nattie’s eyes lingered on me. “If you have had no dealing with my brother, there would be no reason for you to leave.”
“We haven’t,” I promised. I hadn’t recognized either picture as anyone I’d ever met in my life, so I hoped there would be no evidence produced to say otherwise.
“Right,” she answered. “I should be getting back before Stefan realizes I am gone. But can we speak privately for a moment?”
“Yeah, of course,” I said almost too eagerly.
