Chapter Twenty-Two
Elizabeth fidgetedwith the hem of the cashmere sweater. A fire crackled in the hearth a few feet away, and River stretched out on the warmbricks.
Humming a Christmas song, Donatella carried coffee service into the formal drawing room, then smiled at Elizabeth as she set the tray down. “You look better,miss.”
“Please call me Elizabeth.” All of these servants, the formality, even the perfection of this house made her uncomfortable. She didn’t belong here. With Alexander at her side, she could ignore the doubts that filled her, but he was getting her laptop and some paperwork from his office, and despite the fire and the blanket he’d draped over her lap, sheshivered.
As Donatella handed her a china cup, she nodded. “As you wish, Elizabeth. Can I bring you a snack? Chocolate chipcookies?”
Her stomach rumbled at the thought, and Donatella laughed. “I’ll be rightback.”
She passed Alexander on her way out of the room, and he said something Elizabeth couldn’t hear. Donatella nodded,smiling.
As Alexander sank onto the sofa next to Elizabeth, he stifled a yawn. “The press conference is scheduled for six-thirty. We’ll make a short statement, take a few questions, and be done withit.”
“I wish I had some makeup.” Elizabeth brushed her swollen temple lightly. “I’d rather not look quite so…beatenup.”
Alexander cupped her cheek. “You’re beautiful, Elizabeth. Even with the bumps and the bruises. But I can send Samuel for anything you’d like. Or…perhaps you could call your friends. They want to see you. We could have dinner if you think you’d be up forit.”
“I guess I should get that conversation over with. You realize they’re not going to go easy on you,right?”
Alexander chuckled. “I’d expect nothingless.”
Fueled by Donatella’s chocolate chip cookies and more coffee, Elizabeth rang Kelsey, then almost cried with relief when the call went to voicemail. This wasn’t a conversation she really wanted to have on the phone.“Yes, I’m dating a billionaire. Yes, I’m staying at his house. Someone’s trying to kill me. There are armed guards around the house. I’m scared I might have to go into witness protection. Oh, and by the way, can you bring me someconcealer?”
Rather than try to explain everything, she opted for a simple message. “Hey. I know you and Toni have been worried. I’m okay. I need a favor, though. Can the two of you come for dinner tonight? At Alexander’s? And um, bring your makeup kit? I’ll text you theaddress.”
Once she’d sent the text, she tucked her phone into her pocket and gestured towards her laptop. “I want to look at those files again before the feds take this away fromme.”
The doorbell rang as she entered her password, but she barely noticed until the shoutingstarted.
“Sir,” a deep voice called. “Please—”
“Goddammit. I’m his bloody brother. If you thinkI’mthe problem, then Alex has clearly made a big mistake hiringyou.”
Alexander rolled his eyes as Nicholas burst into the room, followed by a burly, olive-skinned man the size of a small mountain. “You couldn’t have shown them a photo?” Nicholasasked.
“I’ve been a bit preoccupied. Or did you forget that we didn’t get home until after six this morning?” Despite the harsh edge to Alexander’s tone, he poured his brother a cup of coffee. “It’s all right, Milos. My brother isn’t normally this…testy.”
“Yes, Mr. Fairhaven.” Milos turned on his heel and strode out of theroom.
“Apologies,” Nicholas said as he tugged at the neck of his white Oxford shirt, then turned his focus to Elizabeth. “How are youfeeling?”
Nervous. Terrified.Exhausted.
Elizabeth forced a smile. “I’ve beenbetter.”
“Shite, Alex. Aren’t you taking care ofher?”
Alexander clenched his fists on his thighs. “Nicholas…”
Elizabeth covered Alexander’s hand with hers. “He’s taking care of me. Maybe a little toowell.”
“Oh?” Nicholas accepted the coffee with a raised brow. “Care toexplain?”
She blushed. “He’s just a littleoverprotective.”
“I believe the term she used was control freak,” Alexandermuttered.
