“While my uncles are in town?” she asks warily.
“And for safety,” I admit. I’ll keep as much to myself as possible but if giving Alyssia a glimpse of truth helps turn her decision in my direction, all the better.
“There are some people in the industry who’ve heard about the baby.”
“What people?”
“A few journalists.” It’s not a complete lie. “Not important journalists but who knows what they’re likely to print. In Monte-Carlo, we have a better chance of controlling who sees what and keeping the level of privacy that we want.”
Again, none of that is a total lie.
I don’t tell her about the picture because I don’t want to her worked up. It’s my job to help her keep stress to a minimum, especially since the potential danger brought to her life is my damn fault anyway.
“And you think these reporters will, what, catch me on the way to work or wait outside of the train for me like paparazzi?” She snort-laughs. “I’m hardly that interesting. All I do is go to work and local markets hunting for new baby clothes.”
The mention of the market makes me flinch.
“There’s still a possibility of them encroaching on your life in undesirable ways,” I reply. I part my lips to tell her that this doesn’t have to be a permanent move but that’s bullshit.
I do want her closer long-term. And it’s not just because of the safety risk.
“Okay,” she finally says.
“Okay?”
“While my uncles are here, we can give it a try.”
“And then?” The eagerness in my voice isn’t lost on me.
“Then we’ll see.” She sighs. “I do love that view. All of the yachts coming and going from that vantage point might be fun.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mm,” she responds, her voice growing softer, tired. “I’ve never been on a yacht,” she says around a yawn.
My heart squeezes and my arms ache to hold her in them right fucking now.
“I’ll have to change that,” I murmur into the phone.
“Yeah right.” Her words slur.
“You should go to sleep.” Saying those words is worse than pushing a rock up a mountain with both hands tied behind my back. I want to keep talking to her, to continue assuring myself that she’s safe.
But she needs her rest.
And I should let her go.
“Put the phone down next to you,” I say.
“Huh?”
“When you lay down, put the phone on the opposite pillow.”
“As soon as I lay my head down, I’m going to fall asleep. I’m usually able to stay up later than this but I’m tired today.”
“Doesn’t matter. Put the phone next to you and fall asleep.”
“You’re a weird guy.” She yawns again as I laugh.
