Page 62

“Liza, how did you get my number?” I ask her.

She looks down. “I overheard Jared say he was going to bump into you. It just sounded…wrong. So, I called Tessa, and she gave me your number.”

Tessa. God love the woman, but seriously? She could have told me. Tessa is like another mom to my siblings and me. Hell, she was our nanny for many years. Tessa and I would have a long conversation tomorrow, but now I needed to figure out what Jared was actually up to.

Liza looks around again. “I should go. I told them I was going to get souvenirs for my niece. They’ll start to wonder if I don’t hurry back.”

I nod. “Is it your number that you’ve been calling me from?”

She shakes her head. “I bought a cheap phone over here.”

“Good. Text me from it if you hear anything else.” I stand and start to head back down the alley, but I turn back to her. “And, Liza, thank you.”

She nods. “Your family was always good to me. I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to them, especially you.” She says the last part quietly, and it’s then I realize she must have a crush on me. Shit, well, that can’t be dealt with right now.

“I appreciate that,” I say as I nod and walk away. I’m left with more questions than answers. What business would Jared’s family possibly have that would involve us? And why has he been here for a month? My heart thumps as I think of Kate. Has he been watching her, too?

Kate

Auggie hasn’t returned any of my texts and I’m starting to get concerned. I’m lying on a bed, staring at the ceiling when my phone vibrates with an incoming text.

Auggie: Sorry, had a situation

I sit up and read his message again before replying.

Me: A situation?

Auggie: I’ll explain tomorrow. Get some sleep

I groan and flop back in the bed, where I spend the next eight hours contemplating everything that’s occurred.

By the time we board Air Force One, I’m exhausted. I crawl into the bed in my dad’s private chambers and fall asleep for the entire fight.

“Sweetie,” my mom says as she gently shakes me awake. The humming of the plane’s engine fills my ears as I blink a few times. I look around and remember where I am.

“We’re about to land,” she instructs.

I nod as I get up and go to sit in a chair. My sister is curled up in a chair across from me, clearly watching a movie. She giggles as she sips water. At that moment, I envy her, I envy her innocence and her ability to stay oblivious to everything around her. She hasn’t once questioned our sudden change in vacation plans. Although, I’m fairly certain my parents have presented it a little differently to her than they have to me.

The plane bumps as we land, the brakes screeching as we come to a stop on the tarmac. I can see a hangar up ahead with several police cars parked outside it. Our pilot steers us in that direction.

We are whisked off the plane and into a giant SUV with tinted windows. None of us say much as we drive. I occasionally point out something to my family, a coffee shop I go to, a museum they should visit, a park that has a beautiful butterfly exhibit.

I can see my sister’s eyes widen as we pull up to the Summer Palace. It’s impressive and beautiful. I smirk and wonder what she would think of the Royal Palace, which dwarfs this one in both size and grandeur.

Auggie stands on the steps and relief floods me. I don’t know what happened yesterday. Hell, I don’t know what is happening right now.

I get out of the car without saying a word to my family and walk straight to Auggie, wrapping my arms around his waist. He’s still for a moment, and then I feel his arms come around me.

“What’s going on?” I murmur into his chest before I look up into his eyes. He’s worried and it shows.

“Come inside and get settled and then we can talk.”

He takes my hand and I follow him. Tessa greets me with a big hug, making me feel slightly better.

“I made up the same guest room for you, sweetie pie. Let me know if you need anything else,” she says.

She gives Auggie a pointed look before walking over to my parents and sister who are being greeted by King Michael who gives me a quick hug. Princess Susanna walks in with her husband, Logan. She immediately walks over and hugs me.