I can’t help blushing because I’m not used to attention. It’s intense, really intense, and I fidget on my chair, grasping the water as if it’s a lifeline.
As the cool water douses the flames inside me, I don’t miss the amused expression on his face or the gleam in his eye.
In fact, as I shift on the spot, my mind wanders, and food is now the furthest thing from my mind.
He breaks eye contact and points to the food.
“Eat, we must continue our journey.”
“Of course, um, eat.”
I’m grateful for the distraction, and as I shovel the food into my mouth, I am mentally preparing for what comes next.
Somehow,I make it through lunch, and as we head to the truck, I savor the atmosphere of the bustling town.
“How long before we reach our destination?”
My voice sounds normal, which I’m grateful for because inside my stomach is churning and my mind is awash with fantasies that are seriously making a nun blush.
“Two hours if we’re lucky. What are your plans when we get there?”
My attention diverts to the main reason I am doing this, and the nerves come back with a vengeance.
“I’m going to speak to the general manager and ask him to get a message to my grandfather. It’s all I have, and my only fear is he won’t agree to my call.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
I shrug. “He may think I’m a crazy person. I mean, I’ve never met him, and I suppose I must thank my father for that.”
“Why didn’t he allow you to visit?”
It’s an innocent enough question and one I’ve asked myself several times, but when I broached the subject to my father oneday, I wasn’t prepared for the drama that came with it. I decide not to revisit it and shrug. “He had his reasons, I suppose.”
Stefan falls silent, and as we reach the truck, he opens the door like a true gentleman and as I slip inside, I lean back against the headrest. I’m not sure if it’s the food, the company or the excitement of the day, but I’m so weary. In fact, it’s as if my body has shut down as my limbs relax and my eyelids droop.
Stefan joins me in the truck, and his voice appears to be floating a distance away.
“This won’t take long, Alice. You may as well sleep while you can.”
Sleep. Yes, sleep is good; in fact, it’s an overwhelming desire inside me now. It’s also the most important thing in my world as my mind drifts in and out of consciousness and the world fades away to nothing.
CHAPTER 8
SIMEON
We set off for the city where Goldsworthy Financial Enterprises boasts a head office, and we are only sixty minutes into our journey when Jack takes a call.
His low ‘fuck’ as he cuts it, causes me to snap, “What?”
“Liam Dettori.”
“What about him?”
I’m aware that he attempted to kidnap one of the sisters from the convent by hijacking the cab taking her to the airport, but I thought Julius had headed that one off at the pass when he blew his driver’s brains out and kidnapped her right back.
I’m not aware of the full details, but news travels fast in our organization, and despite there being a blackout on operations while we’re in the field, somehow word got back to us on that.
“He never left. When his first attempt failed, he merely shifted his jet to another location.”
