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“I live an hour away from your home. Stay the night at mine and I’ll drive ye there tomorrow.” His cheeks reddened inthe warm office light. “I mean as friends. I wasn’t suggesting anything else. Just a place to stay so we don’t wake your da. Let me take care of ye.”
My breathing stuttered. “The picture you painted, the loch, the mountains, a hideaway, that’s where you mean?”
“Aye, it is.” Something shifted in his expression. “Say yes, or do I need to kidnap Her Royal Highness to get to keep ye for a little longer?”
I’d never wanted anything more.
“One hundred percent yes.”
Raphael exhaled in relief then shifted to action mode. He filed his flight plan then left a voice message for Riss, drop calling her first to chew up the line, then telling her exactly what he saw in quick, succinct sentences.
I did the same, keeping my focus on the view outside the window to control my nerves. Then at Raphael’s request, I switched off my phone. A helicopter landed, rattling the glass. Raphael strode out to greet the pilot then came back for me.
Him reaching for my hand in quiet enquiry would never get old.
We lifted off and sped over the city I’d escaped. It was under two hours’ flight time, and I was consigned to the back seat, a requirement of the hire being the other pilot, whose name was Colin, copiloting so he could return with the craft the same night.
I watched Raphael at the controls, performing his checks then flying us with a steady hand. In the low light, I curled up on the seat and just stared. Helicopter flight wasn’t new to me; my father used to prefer it, when he’d worked, as it was so much faster than driving or the train. But another part of the evening was entirely novel.
The sensation in the centre of my chest when I caught Raphael glancing back at me. The way I couldn’t stop tracing hisjaw with my gaze, and the happiness in my soul each time he smiled.
I was in trouble. Not only from rogue photographers who wanted me acting up for their lens, or for fleeing the palace rather than facing the authorities, but because of something else strange and unexpected.
A dangerously warm and generous spark that I didn’t even try to stop from catching aflame in my heart.
Chapter 22
Raphael
At the rumble of gravel under my wheels, Alex stirred. It was after two in the morning, and we’d finally made it home having left the heli at Inverness airport, returning to where I’d left my car, rather than flying all the way home. It meant a drive from there to the McRae estate, but I’d need the car to transport her across the Highlands tomorrow, so I’d told her to close her eyes and sleep. My worries over her being drugged had faded. She’d shown no effects. Getting to her in time had worked, thank fuck.
Tiredness had nothing on me. Throughout the dark drive, I’d buzzed with adrenaline and a deep sense of rightness at what I’d done. At Alex coming home with me to where I could guarantee her safety because I’d be right there with her in my territory, my people around us.
She stretched in my passenger seat and peered out at the towering stone walls of Castle Braithar. “You live here?”
“For the past few months. I used to share an apartment with my sister until she shacked up with my best friend. I gave them space and accepted the spare rooms here. Gordain owns the castle. He likes to have a bodyguard on-site.”
“Gordain. He owns the bodyguard service, doesn’t he? You said he set up the team to guard his son-in-law.”
“Aye. Well remembered.”
“Then this is where the rock star lives?”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Don’t tell me you’re a fan of Leo’s. I’ll have to kick ye out.”
She giggled. “I don’t fangirl over anyone. I was just wondering about showing up unannounced.”
“It’s late. I’ll introduce ye to the family in the morning.”
When Alex’s curious gaze turned into a nod, I jumped from the car and rounded to open her door, offering her a hand to climb out. Then I grabbed our bags and took the princess home.
My rooms in the castle were hidden away at the back, off a corridor that was rarely used by anyone other than me. I let us in, bracing myself at the strange reality of being here with Alex, then showed her into the big room that was both my bedroom and living space.
Through her eyes, I saw the two-seater sofa and coffee table to the right, and the king-sized bed to the left. On the far wall, a counter ran the length with an office chair scooted up to it and stacks of books and other personal possessions on top. I hadn’t personalised it since Valentine had moved out.
I snapped on a lamp. “Make yourself at home. It isn’t much, but it’s private, and you’re safe here.”
She slipped off her sandals by the door, her focus skipping over my world condensed down to this space. “You brought me home to a castle. I bet that impresses all the girls.”