Every private thought he’d ever shared with these books.
All here.
And he’d handed them over to me.
Trusted me.
My fingers skimmed over the leather-bound journals that catalogued North’s life for over a decade and a half.
He loved me.
He really did.
I sucked in a sharp breath. Because I believed him.
And I didn’t need to read through all of his thoughts to cement that belief. He could keep some things to himself. Everyone deserved to have thoughts be only theirs. Hands shaking with my decision, I repacked the journals into the box. Now that I thought about it, I was a little angry that he’d taken the risk of sending this when anyone could have broken into the box and sold the contents to the tabloids.
There was no way I was sending them back via courier.
No.
I’d just have to return them myself. Along with the reciprocation of the faith North had placed in me.
Decision made, my first call was to my boss.
My second call was to my dad.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he answered. “It’s good to hear from you. Your mother’s been calling, and she says you keep sending her to voicemail.”
“Dad, I need a favor,” I said, not addressing my mother’s complaint.
“Oh?”
“Can you find out if the film crew for Blake Forster’s current production is still in London?” I could have called Walker to ask, but I didn’t want anyone acquainted with North to know about my plans.
“Uh … sure, I guess. Can I ask why?”
“I need to know ASAP.”
“Okay. Again, why?”
“There’s someone on the crew I need to talk to.”
“I’m going to need more than that, sweetheart.”
I sighed, fearing his judgment, but not enough to not get what I needed from him. “North Hunter is the lead, and I have something of his that I need to return. Immediately.”
“Aria …” My dad’s exhale crackled the line. “Maybe you should steer away from actors for a while.”
“Dad … I won’t explain who North is or what’s between us. I just need your help.”
“If he hurts you—”
“Dad.”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “But this better not mean we’re losing you to Scotland permanently.”
I smiled, staring out my office window at the castle grounds, but I didn’t answer because I was suddenly excited to discover if that was a promise I couldn’t keep.
