Page 4

Chapter

Three

Robbie watched Alice storm up the stairs.

He had no idea what to say to his buddies after they witnessed the former love of his life reject him yet again.

At least it wasn’t as bad as their battle fifteen years ago.

He was hardened enough the hurt simmered below the surface rather than gouging him and flaying him open like a gutted fish.

Thankfully the familiar guards were militant dudes, and they focused on setting up security and getting bags to rooms. He only heard the smart-aleck River mutter under his breath, “Poor sucker.”

With nothing to do but unpack his duffel bag, he pulled up the itinerary from Madelyne. Today she had nothing extra planned for them. ‘Settle in and start falling in love,’ were her instructions.

What a laugh. Love wasn’t going to happen. Though a million dollars was nothing to sneeze at, Robbie wouldn’t try to schmooze and trick Alice into loving him again for money.

He was here to protect Alice. Period. Seeing her again had brought all the old feelings to the surface. If only they could recreate what they’d had as na?ve eighteen-year-olds.

As a too-wise thirty-three-year-old, Alice had easily found a chink in his metal parts. He would’ve shed his battle armor and let her in, if she’d had even an inkling of interest in reconnecting or wanted to get through to him.

Robbie shook his head. Even if he could change his path, Alice didn’t appear willing to give him a chance. Far from it. He seemed to infuriate the former angel. The beautiful woman he’d just seen had the appearance of his long-lost love, but his Alice and their love were a fable of the past.

The afternoon and evening were long. He unpacked his duffel, shaking his head at all the expensive clothes and products Madelyne had waiting in the closet and bathroom for him.

He spent a lot of time on his suite’s patio, pacing, looking at the intricate architecture and wishing he could hear what Alice had to say about it, praying, and trying to distract himself by reading a John Grisham novel on his phone.

Finally, it was time for dinner. He descended the stairs, smelling the delicious scents of the takeout meal that had been delivered, ignoring Price’s questioning gaze, and wondering if he dared knock on her door.

He paced and waited. When she appeared, it was all worth the wait. She looked enticing in a long, pale blue dress that outlined her incredible shape and was the perfect complement to her tanned skin and dark hair and eyes.

She wasn’t smiling, didn’t greet him, and didn’t seem anything like the happy sweetheart he’d known and loved.

Could he blame her? Did he even know what Alice’s normal self was any longer?

Fifteen years was a long time, and he was the one who’d walked away and never returned.

Yet how could they have had a relationship?

Her mom loathed him, and Alice had defended her mom and was committed to ‘helping’ her manipulative, judgmental mom.

Price and Curtis, who were in the main room, each refused to eat with them, insisting that Madelyne had given them strict instructions that Robbie and Alice were to ‘dine alone’. Oh, boy.

They dished up plates in silence and carried the food and sparkling water out onto the patio. At least Robbie could try to distract himself with a gondola sliding by on the quiet canal below or the tinkling laughter of a couple walking hand in hand over one of the main canal bridges.

He couldn’t let himself study Alice’s face like he longed to.

That yearning wasn’t a sign of weakness.

It had simply been too many years since his eyes had feasted on her, and her face was majestic.

Similar to his first steak dinner after being deployed to Cuba.

Delectable and every bite savored. Alice was delectable, and he’d savor her mouth meeting his.

It was too warm outside, and he started to sweat. Being alone with Alice and his errant thoughts weren’t doing him any favors.

The food was incredible—zesty caprese salad with an oozing buffalo mozzarella he’d never found in the states, rich and creamy pasta carbonara with just enough bacon to not overpower the cream, and Margherita pizzas with chewy cheese and a thin crust as savory as he’d ever tried.

The takeout containers had kept the food at an ideal temperature.

The company was … awkwardly quiet. He racked his brain for something to say. Anything.

“Are you excited to see Venice?” he asked.

He remembered her obsession with the architecture of Venice, along with Rome, Prague, Budapest, Paris, and London.

She’d loved that movie While You Were Sleeping and sweetly asked if they could honeymoon in Venice like Sandra Bullock’s character in the movie.

Of course he’d agreed as an infatuated eighteen-year-old.

He would’ve spent every cent in his savings account and gone anywhere in the world to be on a honeymoon with Alice.

It was bittersweet to think now they’d see all the sights of Alice’s dream place, but Alice didn’t care for him any longer and they definitely weren’t on the honeymoon he’d dreamed about.

A honeymoon. With Alice. All the passion and sweet love they’d shared. All the hopes and dreams. He could easily remember how exhilarating it had felt when Alice teased him, kissed him, cuddled into his chest and clung to him.

Suddenly, it was sweltering hot on this patio.

Maybe he should shave his beard and cut his hair like his mama kept suggesting.

He’d have to grow it out again for the next undercover job.

The persona he relied on to infiltrate and all his fake IDs had long hair and a beard.

He couldn’t be waiting for hair to grow so he could track down drug lords and human traffickers.

“I am,” she said softly, in the voice that sounded much more like the Alice he remembered, not the irate Alice of a couple hours ago. “Did you tell Brandon that Venice was where we wanted to honeymoon together?”

Robbie leaned back as she smacked him with that one. All the desire to marry Alice felt so real, as if it were a living thing between them and he could reach out and grasp it. He couldn’t.

“No.” He shook his head. “That was our special secret.”

He flushed at the words. Special secret. They would’ve seemed juvenile with anyone besides Alice.

“I’m glad.” Her dark eyes lit with a warmth that used to be special for them as well. All the memories were right at the surface, and he was dreaming of Alice in his heart and his arms.

Just as quick as the connection had flared to life, she broke it, looking down at the canal.

“I wish Madelyne would’ve shared the itinerary with me. She wanted it to be a surprise.” Alice forked a bite of caprese salad—buffalo mozzarella, tomato, and basil dripping with some of the best balsamic vinegar dressing he’d ever tasted.

“You hate surprises.”

Alice stopped the bite inches from her mouth. “You remembered.”

Robbie stared at her. “I remember everything about you,” he said in a rough voice. How could she think he’d forget any detail? The time spent with Alice was the best memories of his life.

She studied him as if searching his soul, but then she looked out at the view, put the bite in her mouth, chewed and swallowed, and forked a bite of pasta and chicken.

“The architecture of Venice is incredible, eh?” he said.

She turned to him with a radiant smile. An Alice smile.

His stomach hopped and his heart slammed against his chest. The memory of that smile had gotten him through many a rough night, horrifying assignment, or terrifying mission.

He’d never forgotten the effects of that smile, but he’d had no clue how desperately he missed it until this moment .

“So incredible,” she gushed. “Can you even believe the roots to history? A crossroads of culture from the Byzantine and Islamic heritage and the heavy Gothic influence because Venice was a hub of trading with its strategic waterways.” She spoke like a hyped-up professor, then sighed and looked out over the city skyline interspersed with a latticework of waterways.

“The colorful marbles and intricate stonework, vaults, and arches astound me. The fact that it’s a manmade marvel built on millions of wooden piles driven into the soft mud and clay of the lagoon is mind-blowing.

I can hardly wait to get out there and see it all, though this view is an ideal way to get an overview. ”

Alice was naturally smart, and she had feasted on knowledge of architecture and design like he had on military strategy, weaponry, and infiltration techniques.

They were very different in their pursuits but both passionate.

He appreciated her enthusiasm and diligent study.

It made her even more appealing, and she didn’t need any help to be appealing to him.

“I’m excited to see it with you,” he admitted before he could stop himself.

Alice’s eyes widened, and she looked half-scared that he’d haul her in and kiss her and half-hopeful that he would.

“Because you have such impressive insight on the architecture and history of the city,” he added, covering his slip.

She nodded, but her smile and the warmth in her dark eyes disappeared.

“Tomorrow we start exploring Venice’s streets.

I can share the itinerary with you.” He was happy to do anything to get her to not look at him like he’d just stepped on her dog’s tail.

He gulped thinking of that. Odie. The cute little Bernedoodle had been a puppy when they’d dated.

To think the dog had been stabbed to death by the psychopath who had killed her friends and boyfriend.

Her heart was probably broken, losing so many she’d loved.

Maybe she was traumatized and it wasn’t completely his fault she was so out of sorts. Maybe.

He pulled out his phone. “Is your phone number still the same?”

She stared at him, the bite on her fork suspended in the air. “Yes, but I blocked you, and Rockwell had me inform clients I’d be out of town and leave my phone with him in case someone was tracking me on it.”

That stung that she’d blocked him, but from a security standpoint he was grateful she didn’t have her phone turned on. “Oh.” He could ask her to unblock him, but as she stared at him, he could see fire burning in her dark gaze. What had he done now? He slowly slid his phone back into his pocket.

“You didn’t even know I’d blocked you?” Her fork clattered to the plate.

Robbie’s gaze fastened on her face. Her dark eyes were wounded and her mouth pinched. He’d done something else wrong, and he wasn’t even certain what. “How would I know you’d blocked me?”

“If you tried to call or text, you would’ve figured it out.” She glared at him.

“After our last … conversation.” He moistened his lips and tried to think how to phrase his next words. “You wanted me to call or text you?”

“No,” she snapped. “That’s why I blocked your number, because I didn’t want to hear from you ever again.”

Robbie had no words. She’d blocked him and didn’t want to hear from him, but she was angry that he hadn’t tried to call or text?

It made no sense to him, but he nodded his understanding anyway and forked some more pasta.

The rich bacon flavor was the perfect hint to the creamy pasta.

He would’ve preferred a side of chicken or steak to get his protein in, but he couldn’t complain about authentic Italian food.

Except it wasn’t settling well in his upset by Alice’s anger stomach.

He had no idea how to respond to Angry Alice.

The only time he’d seen her mad was that last awful fight they had.

Fifteen years of anger at him? Was she as bitter as her mom at this point?

Alice’s chair scratched back, and she stood.

Robbie stood as well. Was she done eating? Her plate was more than half full, and there was a lot of extra food inside.

“You’re just going to sit and eat at a time like this?” she asked.

“Um …” He splayed his hands. “What would you like me to do, Alice?”

“Nothing,” she hurled at him. “Exactly what you’ve done the past fifteen years regarding me. Nothing. You stormed off and never even tried to call or reach out, never attempted to fix things between us.”

Robbie rubbed at his neck. What was he supposed to do or say?

He had stormed off and never tried to reach out.

He’d thought she was furious with him. He’d asked her to come with him and all she could say was he’d never been supportive of her mom’s supposed illness, she had a scholarship, and Georgia Tech was a better school than the universities in Fort Moore.

In his eighteen-year-old mind, her mom’s manipulation of Alice had been strangling their relationship, and they’d been at an impasse. She had wanted to stay in Atlanta and pursue her architect dreams, as well as be there for her mom. He had wanted to become an Army Ranger and save the world.

Had Alice’s mom ever released her iron grip?

Probably not. And even though he was retired, he was committed to doing undercover jobs for Aiden that weren’t a good fit for a married man.

The impasse was still as large as it had been fifteen years ago.

He had no clue how to leap over it, or if Alice would even want him to.

“Argh!” she cried out when he said nothing. She threw her hands in the air and then spun. “I’ll storm away this time.”

With that, she rushed through the patio doors. He watched her through the glass. She stalked across the main area and disappeared up the stairs.

Robbie sank into the chair, staring despondently out at the canals and buildings.

What was he doing here? Keeping Alice safe was the standard answer he’d given himself, but any of the four capable men in the penthouse could keep her safe.

All he had done was anger her. What had happened to the sweet, fun, and angelic girl he’d left behind?

She’d become an angry and scarred woman.

All the people close to her had been murdered by a madman, and she was left with her mom, who was a bitter, controlling grump in his opinion.

If only he could help Alice heal emotionally, be there for her like he used to. But he was nowhere close to that eighteen-year-old boy any longer, and he had no idea what Alice wanted or needed to heal.

Robbie had tried to convince himself that he didn’t want any kind of relationship with Alice and he was only coming to help protect her. He knew now he’d lied to himself. He wanted every part of Alice—emotionally, physically, spiritually, intellectually—just as he had fifteen years ago.

And she wanted nothing to do with him.

He scrubbed at his beard and then rubbed at the back of his neck.

What was he doing?