Chapter Twenty-Six
Elizabeth huddledin the front seat while Alexander locked the door, then carefully made his way to the car. He’d had to dig the Mercedes out of its snowy cocoon this morning. They’d barely left the house for three days, and Elizabeth sighed as he sank into the driver’sseat.
“What’s wrong, Elizabeth?” Reaching over to twist a lock of hair around his finger, Alexander scanned her face, concern bringing out the whiskey-colored flecks in his greeneyes.
She tried—and probably failed—to keep a bit of the melancholy from her voice. “How do you go back to reality after timehere?”
He chuckled, then leaned closer so he could capture her lips in a tender kiss. When he pulled back, he’d sobered. “I’m not going to like leaving you to go to the office tomorrow. Promise me that you’ll stay in thehouse?”
“For how long?” As he threw the car into reverse, Elizabeth twisted the hem of her old Harvard sweatshirt. The poor fabric had lost its elasticity years ago with all of her fidgeting. Anxiety sucked, and she hated feeling like she couldn’t settle. “At some point, I have to live my life,Alexander.”
As he turned onto the beachfront road and Elizabeth gaped at the deep blue ocean that spread out before her, all the way to the horizon. “Oh my God. It’s sobeautiful.”
“Next time, I’ll bring you out to the lighthouse,” he said, a hint of longing in his voice. “I called, but they haven’t dug out from the stormyet.”
Several minutes passed before he answered her question, and Elizabeth spent every one of them chewing on her lip. She couldn’t just hide away in that big house for the rest of her life. She had to find a job, make an effort to be a better friend, seeing Toni and Kelsey more often, get back to running, volunteering at the food bank…all the things she’d put off or justignored
Alexander glanced over at her, then at a stoplight, took her hand, but kept his eyes forward. His shoulders held tension, and she squeezed his fingers. “I’m struggling, Elizabeth. There’s nothing I want more than to keep you safe and protected,” he said quietly. “Right now, that means inside the house. But I know that’s not fair to you. Milos and Carl will be staying on. Ben’s going to drop by this afternoon to update us on the case againstCPH.”
“And the…hitman?” Her voice cracked on the lastword.
When he spared her another glance, she read the answer in his eyes. “Still outthere.”
Elizabeth released his hand as the light turned green, then turned her gaze to the sea. “I won’t let him, them, anyone…take more of my life fromme.”
“I know,chérie. I’m going to send Milos for a defensive driving course, and I ordered a town car. William—my head of security—is working his magic to get the doors and windowsreinforced.”
Did he really think she was just going to let someone drive her everywhere? “I need to run, Alexander. To go hang out with Toni and Kelsey, go to the movies, out to dinner. Withandwithoutyou.”
He sighed, and his knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. “I want you to do all of those things. But not at the expense of your safety. Please, Elizabeth. Trust me a littlelonger.”
Though she wasn’t sure he’d ever be okay with her going out alone again, she nodded. “Okay.”
Relief changed his whole body language, but longing still lingered in his voice. “When we get home, there’s something I need to showyou.”
“Care to elaborate? Or do I get to spend the whole rideworried?”
When he looked over at her, the glint in his eyes calmed her nerves. “Do not worry, Elizabeth. This…I hope…you’lllike.”
Elizabeth slept all the way back to Boston. Alexander woke her with a brush of his fingers against her cheek. “We’re home,chérie.”
A yawn split her lips, and she hid behind a hand over her mouth. “Can’t stay awake in the car to save my life unless I’m driving.” She reached for the door handle, but Alexander stoppedher.
“Wait forMilos.”
“It’s the middle of the day in front of your house. Do you really think there’s a danger?” Elizabeth looked up and down the street. “There’s no onearound.”
Alexander only had a moment to scowl at her before Milos appeared at her door and Thomas showed up to take Alexander’s place behind thewheel.
Once he’d ushered her inside, he passed Samuel their luggage and accepted a small stack of correspondence with a Post-It note on top. His frown only lasted a moment, but Elizabeth’s stomach somersaulted. “I have a few calls to make. Work related—nothing to worryabout.”
“Where should I, um, go?” This wasn’t her house. Would Samuel or Donatella be upset if she hung out in the kitchen or parked herself in the upstairs study? Would they evencare?
“Anywhere youwant.”
River padded up to the both of themmrrpingthe whole way. She wound around their legs until Elizabeth picked her up and nuzzled her orange-striped fur. “Hello, sweetie.” The cat purred and butted her head against Elizabeth’s chin. “Missme?”
“She slept on your bed,” Samuel said from the parlor. “On Miss Elizabeth’spillow.”
