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How could she have forgotten?

She whirled on him and wrapped her free hand around his arm.

“Robbie! What are you thinking? You should’ve stayed in hiding.

Why would you come today of all days? The day the murders started.

Big Buddha would love to have it come full circle.

You need to leave. Hide. Now!” She pushed at his arm, terror ripping at her insides.

“Not even Alice wants you here,” Preston said, looking down his nose at Robbie. “You need to leave.”

“That is not what I said.” She turned to Robbie, who was frowning at her. “I love you, Robbie, and you have to be safe. What if Big Buddha finds you?”

“That’s one of the reasons I wrapped up my job and took a redeye flight to get back to America. We’re going to finish this.”

Robbie was brave and strong and completely out of his mind.

“No! Please. Let’s go hide somewhere. Together. Please,” she begged, her stomach flipping and her nerves like taut strings. Her eyes darted around, waiting for a sniper to shoot him from one of the trees.

“Alice.” Robbie’s voice was patient, his blue eyes pleading with her to support him, but she couldn’t support him in being murdered. “Please trust me.”

Alice looked up. Four of her mother’s bodyguards were waiting for her command. To escort Robbie off the premises?

“Let’s go,” she whispered to Robbie. They had to hide and somehow get through this day. “Keeping you safe is all that matters today.”

“I’ll be safe. I promise you it’s all going to work out.”

Alice stared into his eyes. She wanted to trust him as much as she loved him. Finally, she whispered, “Okay.”

He nodded to her, then turned to face the group.

“Goodnight,” she muttered diplomatically to her mother and the Lavitys, then tugged on Robbie’s hand.

They made it past the four guards without any adverse effects. Her mother muttered something under her breath, but Alice didn’t catch much more than ‘ogre’ .

“Don’t ever call the love of my life an ogre again,” Alice hurled at her. “I told you Robbie is my choice. You’re going to have to figure out how to deal with that.”

Her mother’s eyes widened, and she fell back a step. Alice never snipped. At anyone.

Robbie squeezed her hand. They walked into the main living area with the guards trailing them.

Alice was fed up. She turned and glared at the guards. “We are leaving by choice. You do not need to follow us. Back off.”

They stopped, but they had their orders from her mother, and they’d have to attempt to follow them.

Alice tugged Robbie forward again.

“I love my angelic Alice, but the sassy Alice is breathtaking too,” he said in a low rumble. “Especially when the sass isn’t directed at me.”

She laughed, but as they made it through the living area and into the hall leading to the front doors, she stiffened and stopped walking. “Robbie, I’m afraid to go outside. Big Buddha will know you’re here and come for you.”

“I’m counting on it.” He turned to her with a brave grin. “I put out a challenge on the dark web and told him to come find me on the Fourth of July in Atlanta.”

“Robbie. You didn’t.”

“We’ll catch this guy and then we’ll be free to be together.”

“Until you have to leave for the next mission.”

“There is that.” He bent and stole a quick kiss. “I ached for you every day, Alice. I talked to Aiden about shorter missions or local assignments. It won’t always work, but Aiden agreed and understood my desire to stay closer to home. I’ll try to make it work to be together more.”

“Oh, Robbie.” She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him.

The kiss quickly took on a life of its own. Maybe her mother’s bodyguards would have to throw them out after all. She smiled against his lips and kissed him deeper.

“Ahem,” a sweet female voice said from much too close.

They pulled apart to face Priscilla.

“Don’t mind me.” Priscilla smiled. “If you can spare just a few minutes, I thought I could offer some advice for Robbie to get through to Marianne. She’s had a hard life, and she loves Alice more than anyone. I can help you win her over.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Robbie said.

Alice felt warmth for her pseudo aunt. Priscilla had always wanted her and Preston together, but she must’ve accepted that Alice loved Robbie and wanted to help. “Thank you, Priscilla.”

Priscilla smiled. “Let’s slip into the study.” She tilted her head to the door. “Alice, will you be a dear and go get my asthma inhaler and my prednisone from my purse and a water bottle from the kitchen? I’m struggling with the heat today, and all this drama is pushing me over the edge.”

Alice didn’t want to leave Robbie’s side, but Priscilla’s breathing was short and she didn’t want her mother’s only friend to have an asthma attack. She looked at Robbie. He nodded to her. He’d be safe inside the house. Chatting with Priscilla would prolong facing the dangerous world outside.

“I’ll be all right with Priscilla.” Something unsettling glinted in his blue eyes as he opened the office door for Priscilla and smiled at Alice.

“I’ll be right back,” she said.

She walked away as the door closed. Something felt off, and her stomach churned.

It made sense, of course. It was the Fourth of July and Robbie was here. She was ecstatic he’d come for her, but Big Buddha would make a move. She absolutely knew it. Where would he attack and how was Robbie so certain he could stay safe?

Alice wanted nothing more than to go to her apartment and hide out there, kissing and hugging Robbie until the holiday was over.

Rushing back to her mother, James, and Preston, she told them, “Priscilla needs her prednisone, asthma inhaler, and a water bottle.”

They all sprung to action, searching Priscilla’s purse for the needed medications. They couldn’t find them in the overflowing and large purse. James offered to go to the car and look for them while the rest of them kept looking.

Alice chafed to get back to Robbie and hoped Priscilla’s asthma attack didn’t flare into something dangerous .

At least her mother and Preston were focused on finding Priscilla’s medications and not telling her she shouldn’t be with Robbie.

There was one thing she was certain of … she was meant to be with Robbie.