‘Tomorrow,’ he said. ‘We fly out tomorrow.’
‘No!’
He shook his head. ‘You don’t have a say in this.’
‘Wow. You sound just like my brother. He doesn’t think I should have a say in anything either.’
He grunted. ‘Maybe he has a point.’
‘Or maybe he’s just a controlling bastard like you. Congratulations on finding your soulmate. I hope you’re both very happy together.’
His eyes turned to slate. His nostrils flared. ‘Are you done?’
‘Oh, but you provide such rich material. I’m sure I’ll find more.’
‘Excellent. Then while you’re finding things, maybe you can gather up your toiletries in the bathroom and we can get out of here.’
‘Why do I need to go anywhere? You know where I’m going to be tomorrow evening—working my shift at the restaurant, no doubt to be glowered at every minute of my shift by your own uncharming visage.’
‘Nice try, Princess. Leave you here tonight and discover tomorrow that you’ve done a runner? It’s not going to happen. Now go and get the rest of your things.’
‘Where do you think I’m going to run? There’s something like two flights out a day and I won’t be catching either of them, because, like I told you, I am committed to a shift tomorrow night.’
‘So you say. But I can’t take that risk. You’re coming with me tonight and we’re flying out tomorrow. Together.’
Her arms flew wide before slapping back against her thighs. ‘What is your problem? I’ve already been gone for weeks. What difference is twenty-four hours going to make?’
He zipped up the backpack. ‘Don’t you realise what you’re risking, Princess? You leave yourself open to any kind of attack. And in doing so, you expose Rubanestein in the process.’
‘And what, pray tell, do you think might happen to me? Do you think there’s a chance that I might be kidnapped and taken somewhere against my will?’ She snorted. ‘Imagine that!’
He growled. ‘I’m not kidnapping you. I’m rescuing you from yourself and your foolish actions.’
She put her hands on her hips. ‘I am twenty-five years old, and you are insisting on taking me somewhere against my will. I’d call that kidnapping.’
‘No, I’m safely returning you to the place where you belong, because if I worked out who you really are, don’t you think that anyone else who is no doubt searching for you will?’
Her head snapped up at the thought that others might also be pursuing her. But no. He was trying to frighten her. Of course, he would try to scare her. ‘You’re bluffing.’
He said nothing. Just stared at her as he stood rock solid in front of her, and his silence slid uncomfortably down her spine, dislodging her rock-solid faith in her argument. ‘So tell me, who else is supposedly looking for me?’
‘Don’t fool yourself into believing that I’m the only one. You’ve been missing in action so long that, no matter how much the palace has tried to dampen down speculation, your absence has been noted. The fact you missed the Prince’s birthday ball three weeks ago only ramped up speculation that you’d run away and were on the loose.’
She made a move to interject and he cut her off with a slash of one hand.
‘Don’t you see? A runaway princess. Alone. Unprotected. Don’t you realise the danger you’ve put yourself in, not to mention the embarrassment you’re causing your country?’
His words stung Isabella’s psyche. She hated the thought that her actions might result in embarrassment to Rubanestein, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt that if the true reason for her fleeing was made public, it would cause more damage to her country and the Prince than mere embarrassment. But there was no point trying to explain that to this man-mountain.
Izzy swallowed and spun away. Why did life have to be so complicated? All she’d wanted to do was escape from her brother and his demands and live life on her own terms. And not only was that not acceptable but now there were apparently rogue actors pursuing her?
She took a deep breath as she stared out into the dark. Tried to think. Tried to apply logic to the situation and not let his words frighten her. After all, this was a man who was trying to convince her to go with him and go quietly. Why wouldn’t he try everything to make her accede to his every demand? She spun back around. ‘But you have me now. You know where I am. I’m supposedly “safe” with you. So where’s the risk with waiting one more day? Why should I feel frightened?’
‘You should feel frightened, Princess, because, if anyone else catches up with you, I doubt you’ll be bargaining for just one extra day.’
Her mouth went dry. If he was trying to frighten her, he was succeeding. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means you’re lucky I found you first. You’re safe with me. I’ll get you home.’
