A holler from a man on the deck above me, though, persuaded me to keep going.I hadn’t got all that way just to give up at the final hurdle and give Ian and his numerous cameras a bird’s eye view of me falling back to the depths below.
“Ah, there he is.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and lowered my head at the sound of Ian’s irritating tone, bracing myself for however many more banal comments I’d have to put up with before Laurent’s military plans came to my rescue.For one protracted moment, I was unable to look up and face my fate, knowing once I’d met the piggy eyes of the man who’d wield power over me, there would be no going back.In the end, it was his goading mockery that insisted I reach the top, and hauling my weary body over the edge of the vessel, his words rang in my ears.
“Come on, Adam.I knew you could do it!”
Landing in an undignified heap on the deck, I pulled myself slowly to my feet.Undoing my life jacket, I attempted to find my bearings.There, on either side of the space I’d fallen onto, was what looked like a full military parade, with troops in regalia lined up behind their president, alongside the usual suspects I used to have to deal with during my London jaunts.
Ian.
I met his knowing stare, noting that he, too, was in full ceremonial dress.The taunting smirk on his face was precisely the sort I’d envisioned that he’d wear—cruel and unforgiving—exactly the kind of sadist I knew he was, but straightening my tie, I refused to let my concern show.
For the first time in my over-privileged life, I had to come to heel, but even before I fell to my knees, I clung on to the reasons why.
I would do whatever it took to buy back my freedom and the chance of a life with Caroline, to see Ian answer for the unmerciful way he’d run Britain into the ground, and, if I was truly blessed, to take my first real steps toward redemption.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adam
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MY KNEES HIT THE HARDdecking below, my lungs pushing the remaining air out of them as my gaze lingered on the shine of Ian’s shoes.Once upon a time, I’d worn shoes that shone that way—black, polished, and spotless.As I remembered, I used to have my little girl clean them for me on her hands and knees, with her tongue.Yet as the cold breeze of the channel whipped past me, suddenly I was the one kneeling with everything to prove.
“Commander General Harper has returned.”Ian clapped his hands together, his voice raised as though he wanted as many of the assembled men to hear his elation.“We have been so worried about you, Adam.”
“It’s so good to be back, Mr.President.”
Playing it safe, I kept my gaze low, but I knew that at any moment, Ian was about to have a surprise when Kaspar stumbled on board.The sentry on duty had mentioned there was someone following me, but the last person Ian would be expecting was a woman.
“I missed you.”He took a step forward, and I noticed how the volume of his voice lowered.“I missed my friend.”
I risked a glance at his face, trying to assess his sincerity, but it was impossible to tell if he truly meant it.He spent so much time lying to himself that I’d begun to think he believed the lies, as though if he said the statements often enough, then they would become the truth.
“It hasn’t been the same.”He shrugged.“Not without you there at my side, heading up Fortorus and keeping me sane.I put Commander Mitchell in charge of the place, of course, but he is not you.”
