‘What of it?’
‘And so people noticed a resemblance. It’s only because the waiters were suspicious that they pleaded ignorance. But who else have they—whoever they are—flashed that photo to and who aren’t suspicious enough to want to protect my privacy? You did that. You made me instantly recognisable by making me wash the colour from my hair.’
‘You don’t know that.’ But he did know for a fact that he’d flashed the photo of a smiling blonde princess to Tom Parker, and it had stirred his memories, even though her hair had been coloured all the colours of the rainbow.
‘You do! You were so incensed that I’d dared colour my hair and sully my Princess roots that you made me wash it out. You were so sure that we’d be on a plane the next day that you didn’t think for a moment that maybe it was better to keep my disguise in place until we were on our way?’
He growled, a low and guttural sound emanating from his throat.
‘Is that all you’ve got to say, bounty hunter?’
‘Anyone might have recognised you in that photo anyway, colour or no colour.’
‘Might have. But you ensured it was a certainty. Thanks for protecting me. I think I was actually doing better by myself.’
She flung her head back against the headrest. Hell. What was she going to do now? Her backup plan to make a scene at the airport was looking increasingly more perilous. If she made a scene, if there were agents on the island looking for her, and one of them was no doubt stationed at the airport watching every departure—it wouldn’t just be security who noticed.
Was that preferable to trusting Theo?
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE PRINCESS WAS RIGHT.It was Theo’s fault. He’d known people had been on his tail ever since he’d taken over the case, it had only ever been a matter of time before they would discover the identity swap the Princess had made in Sydney that he’d discovered himself. It followed that it would only be a matter of time before they’d follow him here, to Lord Howe Island.
Theo had led them straight to her.
Thank god he’d found the Princess first, but now that the storm had prevented them leaving the island, they were sitting ducks. No wonder she was angry. The only silver lining now was that she might actually believe him, that others were actively searching for her. But he wasn’t about to throw that in her face. This wasn’t a point scoring exercise. This was serious.
‘I’m so sorry,’ he told her on their way back to the apartment. ‘I’m so sorry I’ve brought this down on you.’
‘You should be,’ she said, her teeth troubling her bottom lip. Her options for escape were shrinking. Hope evaporating with it.
Escaping Theo was one thing, having plans to change his mind or elude him, was one thing, but knowing there were others also after her complicated any hopes of escape.
The ride back to the apartment was no way a repeat of their ride to the restaurant. Now the slow ride was painful. A painful reminder of all the things that remained unresolved between them. Now their drive seemed never-ending as her brain tried to work a solution.
How was she supposed to seduce him when anger fired her blood and filled her veins? What point would there be even trying if he was so determined to bring her back to her former life and a loveless future, whatever she tried? And if she couldn’t, how was she ever going to succeed at making a scene at the airport and getting away. The airport had only a handful of flights in or out. It was the first place the agents would have staked out.
What the hell was she going to do?
At long last they arrived at their accommodation and Isabella sprang out of the car the moment he pulled up. ‘I hate this,’ she said, storming down the hallway. ‘You have stolen my freedom from me. You’ve entrapped me and given me no choice. Are you happy about that?’
‘What?’ he said, tossing car keys down on a hall table.
‘What do you think? Now that there are people somewhere on the island after me, I have no choice but to return to Rubanestein with you.’
‘You were always going to be returned to your home, Princess. Either that or be caught by rogue actors. You just didn’t accept it. Thank your lucky stars it was me who found you first.’
She tossed her head. ‘Thank you? For putting me in this situation? For insisting on dragging me back to Rubanestein when it is the last place I want to go? I don’t think so.’
‘So what of your other choices?’
She kicked up her chin. ‘I had plans.’
He snorted. ‘Well, good luck with those, Princess.’
‘I was doing fine until you showed up. Maybe you should just leave me here, to deal with whoever else it is looking for me. Surely my fate couldn’t be any worse than being returned to Rubanestein.’
He shook his head. ‘Please, Princess, your brother is trying to save you from danger.’
