“Well, I aim to please.”
And she did.
Harcourt’s voice sounded tinny and worried as he pleaded with her to answer. “Adele, please, where are you?”
She counted off the seconds, waiting for her father to speak again. It didn’t take long.
“I’ve been trying to reach you for two days, Adele. I know you’re busy with classes, but it’s imperative that I speak with you. There seems to be a problem with your credit card. Someone bought an airline ticket with it.”
Yes, someone had. She had, in fact, but how was that any of his business? Granted, he paid her bills, but that was a father’s duty. If the credit card company had questions about her spending habits, they should have contacted her.
She sighed. What would he do if she continued to ignore him? Cause her more problems, no doubt. If the nitwit got it in his head that someone had stolen her identity, he might just cancel her cards altogether. That simply wouldn’t do. Why couldn’t the stupid wanker just leave her alone?
She smiled. Her father would totally lose it if he heard her use such language. A lady wasn’t supposed to use street language or even know what it meant. Sometimes she wondered how her father managed to remain so out of touch with the real world.
He probably thought she was still a virgin. If he only knew.
But for right now, she still needed to play the game, to be his pure and innocent daughter. She hit his number on speed dial and waited for him to pick up. As much as she prefered to leave a voicemail rather than actually speak to him, it would only delay the inevitable. But luck wasn’t with her—or perhaps it was. Either way, she’d leave him a message and get on with her plans.
“Father, I’m so sorry I missed your calls. Silly me, I forgot to recharge my phone, so I just got them all now.”
She paused, trying to decide what to do about the charges. “I’m sorry about the mix-up on the credit card, but I took care of it. No reason for you to be concerned. They promised it would be straightened out on the next statement.”
By the time he found out she was lying, she’d be on the other side of the world. Once she passed through Customs in the States, she’d start using the cash she’d saved for just this purpose. It should slow him down considerably when he tried to track her down.
“I’m in the midst of my exams. I’ll be busy with studying for a while, so don’t worry if you don’t hear from me.”
When she disconnected, she shut the phone off in case he tried to call her back again. She simply did not need the distraction.
Two more days of exams and then she’d be on a nonstop flight to San Francisco. There, she’d rent a car and drive up the coast to Seattle. She couldn’t wait. For the first time in her life, she was going to be on her own, free of the constraints her father and Kyth society had placed on her from day one.
There was a lot about being Dame that she wasn’t excited about, but having power over life and death was a serious rush.
It was rather ironic that her father was worried that someone had stolen her identity to charge a few measly purchases on a credit card. The one who had really robbed her of her birthright was Kerry Thorsen. Since no one had raised an uproar or rushed to Adele’s defense, she would eliminate that problem herself. So far, she’d used an intermediary to launch the opening salvos. She savored the knowledge that she—and she alone—controlled the fate of people halfway around the world. Little did they know that soon, very soon, she’d take a much more hands-on approach.
But right now, she had exams to study for. After all, the future Dame of the Kyth couldn’t risk failure of any kind.
Chapter 10
Piper took her time walking from the bus stop to Kerry’s house, thinking about her fledgling relationship with Grey. They had talked all weekend—well, not all weekend. It would be more accurate to say they’d squeezed in a few conversations between other activities.
She’d been unable to think about much else since Grey had dropped her off at home last night. Once again he’d insisted on seeing her to the door—and inside.
The man was nothing if not thorough. There wasn’t a square inch of her apartment—or her—that he’d overlooked. She hoped he’d gotten some rest after he’d left. Her head had hit the pillow right after she kissed him good-bye, and she’d slept straight through until her alarm went off.
Her past was the one thing they hadn’t touched on. They’d discussed everything from sports to books to music without once mentioning their lives before Seattle. For her, it had been a deliberate, if difficult, choice. But now that she thought about it, Grey hadn’t exactly poured out his childhood memories either.
Maybe he, too, had secrets he wasn’t in a hurry to share. She thought about her own. It had only been a few months ago that she’d learned the truth about her father, and therefore her connection with the Kyth. In some ways, finding out that he’d died while she was just a toddler had eased the hurt she’d felt her entire life.
But that she had a sister, well, that was the real shocker. She still didn’t know what to do about that. Going from having no family to being related to royalty was a lot to absorb.
She let herself in the front door of the Dame’s house and paused for a few seconds. She could hear the rumble of Ranulf’s voice coming from somewhere toward the back of the house. From the sound of it, he was talking to Sean and Kenny.
Keeping to her normal routine, she stopped in the dining room to pick up her folder from Kerry. It was heavier than usual because of several upcoming foundation events. Good. She’d rather be busy than bored anytime. Not that she’d find sitting only a few feet from Grey boring. Nerve-wracking, maybe, but certainly not boring.
So finding their office empty was disappointing. She set her file next to her computer and unpacked her things, including the extra scone she’d picked up for Grey on the way to the bus.
As soon as she sat down at the computer, though, her good mood disappeared. She’d had fun with Grey over the weekend but the events that had brought them together had never been far from her mind. She logged on and sat back to eat as the computer did its thing.
Should she check her e-mail or wait for Grey? There was no telling how long it would be before he showed up. Especially if he was out on Talion business. The Dame’s correspondence couldn’t wait all day, but for now she’d start processing the bills that had been piling up. Most were routine, but the last one came from what she guessed was a law office. Though not the one the Dame used. Piper studied the envelope.
Maybe the firm had a website. It was worth a try anyway. She did a Google search and found it. When she looked at the homepage she realized Horn and Burns, Inc., wasn’t a law office after all. They did private investigations, specializing in background checks.
With a trembling hand, she opened the envelope and skimmed the bill, her eyes zeroing in on the project name—Piper Ryan. She forced herself to set the bill back down on the desk rather than give into her urge to run it through the shredder.
Damn Grey! He had no right poking around in her life. Okay, maybe he did, but what if the investigator had gone far beyond her work history?
She was running out of time in more ways than one. She needed to leave for class soon, but she was worried about the PI report. Feeling sick, she processed the invoice, wondering if she was issuing payment for her own doom. She had to talk to Grey, and soon.
After shoving her things into her backpack, she gathered up the documents that needed Kerry’s attention and carried them out to the dining room. Her hopes that she could just drop them and run died instantly.
Kerry looked up with a smile. “Hey, Piper. I was just going to come looking for you. I hope your weekend was as relaxing as ours. There’s nothing like a couple of days up in the mountains.”
Okay, what should she say? Less information was better. “It was great to have some downtime after the week we had.”
She handed the folder to Kerry. “Do you want to take a quick peek through that in c
ase you have any questions?”
“That’s all right. I’ll read it this afternoon. Any problems can wait until tomorrow.” Kerry leaned back and stretched. “Have you heard from Grey this morning? I knew he was going to be running late, but I expected him before now.”
It wasn’t like him to not check in with Kerry. “Do you want me to track him down for you?”
“No, he’ll show up eventually. Ranulf’s here, and Sandor is on his way, so I’m not alone.” Then Kerry frowned. “Maybe you should wait until Sandor gets here, though, so he can run you over to school.”
“No, I’ll be fine.”
Kerry looked hesitant. “Okay, if you’re sure. But call when you get there and when you get home. We worry.”
Piper had to laugh. “Have you always been this much of a mother hen or did special training come with the job?”
“Hey, now. Show some respect! I’m royalty, you know. Queen Elizabeth and I are like this.”
Kerry held up her crossed fingers and tipped her head back in an effort to look down her nose at Piper. Even if she’d been standing up, it wouldn’t have worked with their height difference. At least she had a good sense of humor.
Piper tilted her head to the side and made a slow study of Kerry. “I somehow doubt the good queen would be caught dead wearing ripped jeans, flip-flops, and a football jersey.”
“Well, she did grow up in Buckingham Palace.” Kerry sipped her coffee and added, “Trust me, I didn’t.”
The Dame rarely mentioned her background. Piper had so many questions, but now wasn’t the time.
To keep the mood light, she bowed as she backed away.
“I’m out of here, your royal highness. Don’t forget to leave your crown on my desk. It’s time to polish it again. Wouldn’t want you to look tarnished next time you royal folks get together to toss back a couple of cold ones.”
She and Kerry were too busy joking to notice they were no longer alone. Piper backed right into Grey, startling herself. He caught her around the waist to keep her from falling. Her body recognized his touch well before her brain did and wanted to go into cuddle mode. Then she remembered she wasn’t all that happy with the man and jerked free of his grasp.
“Sorry, Grey. I didn’t mean to run you down.” She slipped past him. “Bye, Kerry.”
She made it all the way to the door before Grey caught up with her. “The Dame suggested I drive you.”
“Suggested or ordered?”
He gave her a puzzled look. Smart man, he was clearly picking up on her temper. “Does it matter?”
Being alone with him in that fancy car of his was the last thing she needed or wanted. “I already told her I’d take the bus.”
“Don’t be stubborn, Piper, unless there’s a reason you don’t want to be alone with me.”
He planted himself in front of her, frowning. She didn’t want to see the hurt in those blue eyes. This wasn’t her fault. Yeah, sure, he was in charge of security and investigated anyone who worked for the Dame. Yes, she was being unreasonable, but he could have told her. If it was routine, why not say something? He’d had plenty of time over the past few days. It was killing her to not know if he’d even read the report yet.
Her intuition said he hadn’t. There’s no way he would have seen her file and not come after her demanding answers. Better to start putting some space between them right now.
“Listen, I don’t mean to be a pain.” She ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it away from her face. “I’m not used to having people hover so much. But for the sake of maintaining the peace, if you’ve got time, I’d appreciate a ride.”
“I’ll make the time.”
They walked to the car, neither of them making any move to pick up where they’d left off last night. It was surprising how much it hurt, but now wasn’t the time for a long discussion.
The short drive to school passed in silence. Grey concentrated on driving, and she fiddled with the straps on her backpack. It was a huge relief when he pulled over to let her out.
“Thanks.”
But before she could make her escape, Grey was out of the car and heading for her. Breaking and running was the coward’s way out. She held her ground and let him come to her.
Grey didn’t hesitate. Piper was pissed about something. Fine. He got that. But damned if he had a clue what he’d done. At first he’d thought she was just trying to play it cool in front of Kerry. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to be the subject of office gossip.
But she’d kept it up even after they were out of sight. He certainly didn’t appreciate being treated like some nameless chauffeur. She’d better explain herself or he was going haul her delectable ass back to his place. He could bloody well guarantee she wouldn’t enjoy the direction the discussion would take after that.
She slammed the car door, drawing the interest of passersby. All right, if she wanted to make a spectacle of herself, he’d gladly to help her with that.
He stalked toward her, taking petty pleasure when she stumbled one step backward and then another. At least she had enough sense to read his mood. He kept his hands at his sides but pressed close enough to feel her pulse racing.
“Care to tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?” He shifted his hands to his back pockets because he couldn’t be this close to her without wanting to touch.
“Grey, get out of my way.”
He’d never been one for public confrontations, but he wasn’t about to back down now. Inching a little closer, he did his best to make his demand sound reasonable. “Answer my question, Piper, and I’m out of here. Or tell me to fuck off, if that’s really what you want.”
She flinched at that last one. “Grey, not now. I really do need to go.”
“Fine, but you’re just postponing this discussion.” He checked his watch. “I’ll be waiting right here to pick you up after class. Don’t make me hunt you down.”
She got right up in his face. “Yes, and we all know how good you are at hunting, don’t we? We’ll have that talk, Greyhill Danby—but I won’t be the only one doing some explaining.”
She poked him in the chest with her forefinger for emphasis. He captured her finger with one hand and the back of her head with the other, yanking her into kissing range. It wasn’t clear who closed that last little gap.
Right now her temper was a definite match for his, as was her passion—hot, spicy, and one hell of a turn-on. The envious whistles from a couple of frat boys reminded them that they were in public. With great effort, he broke off the kiss and took a step back. Both of them were breathing hard.
He pointed at her. “I’ll pick you up. Right here.”
Her chin lifted. “Fine. You do that.”
He stared into her eyes for another few seconds, drinking in all that heat. “I’m leaving now.”
“Good. While I’m in class, you can do what you do best.”
“And what would that be?”
“Screw with people’s private business.”
All right. So much for waiting until later for all of this. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“People have secrets for a reason, Grey.”
Then she was gone, leaving him staring after her and wondering what kind of secrets had made those pretty brown eyes so damn sad.
It wasn’t until he sat down at his computer and logged on that he figured out the answer to his own question. The PI’s report had come in. The only question was how would Piper know about it? Any correspondence should’ve come directly to Grey.
There was only one way to find out what had happened. He checked his e-mail. Sure enough, the investigator had sent him an update. Rather than open it, he checked Piper’s e-mail next. Her in-box was full of new messages, but nothing suspicious. Then he spotted an envelope with the firm’s letterhead tossed in the recycling bin. Obviously the bill had landed on Piper’s desk instead of his, which explained her temper.
As Chief Talion it was his job to know everything about th
ose who surrounded the Dame. That he was even hesitating to delve into the report was a clear indication of how much Piper had come to mean to him. What the hell was he supposed to do? His duty to his Dame or to the woman he … liked a whole lot?
Damn it all, he didn’t need complications like this when they still had a bomber on the loose.
He logged out of Piper’s e-mail account and returned to his own desk. He’d pick her up at school and take her someplace private. His hotel or her apartment, it didn’t matter which. Then he’d give her the chance to explain herself before he read the report. He was putting them both in a difficult position, but he very much wanted her to trust him with her secrets.
Satisfied he had a solid plan in place, he called Sandor to see if he’d heard back from the lab on the explosive. It would probably be another dead end, but they had to start somewhere.
“Adele, this is your father calling”—Harcourt paused for effect—“again. Now quit avoiding me and return my call. Your exams are over, so you can’t use that excuse any longer. Also, don’t bother lying about the airline ticket. I verified that you did in fact purchase it.”
The phone cut him off for talking too long. He hit the redial button and paced the length of the parlor while he waited to finish leaving his message.
“I want to know why you’re making a trip to the States. If you want to take a trip to celebrate your graduation, there are many more appropriate destinations.”
He drew a ragged breath. “Please, sweetheart, don’t cut me out of your life like this. Whatever you have planned, we can work on it together.”
Rather than hang up, he held on to the phone, his knuckles white and aching, until the final beep told him he’d run out of time.
He worried that he was out of time with far more than just the phone call. Now he had to fall back and regroup before the silly twit ruined everything. His decision made, he called the airline and booked a ticket to Seattle.
He was sure her final destination would be the Dame’s house, so he’d be waiting for her when she got there. Then he’d remind her of something she’d obviously forgotten: When it came to plotting their future, he was at the helm.
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