And releasing that pleasant memory from his past prompted others to spring free. “I remember her taking Sebastian and me to the beach where we built sand castles and played in the waves. She loved the water and swam like a fish. She taught both Sebastian and me to swim. She had a laugh that could fill a room and she loved us and my father to distraction.”
Beth laid a hand on his forearm. “Those are the memories you should dream about, Antoine. Embrace the love your parents had for you and for each other and let it be your place of dreams.”
It was at that moment that he knew that the most difficult thing he’d ever do in his life was tell Beth Taylor goodbye.
JAKE WOLF ARRIVED AT THE SUITE at the same time they finished breakfast. Antoine gestured him into the living area where Jake sat on one of the chairs facing Antoine and Beth who were seated on the sofa.
Beth looked at him anxiously, knowing he’d probably spent the morning at her place. “How bad is it?” she asked.
“The good news is the fire damage was confined to the kitchen area,” Jake said. “There is some mild smoke damage throughout but a good cleaning company should be able to take care of all that.”
A touch of relief filtered through her. Pots and pans could be bought again and held no sentimental value. Of all the rooms in the house she could only be grateful that it had been the kitchen that had taken the brunt of the flames.
Jake turned his attention to Antoine. “You were right. It was a Molotov cocktail. We found pieces of the bottle near the window and gasoline was used as the accelerant.”
“The type of bottle?” Antoine asked.
“An ordinary beer bottle that was loaded with gasoline and had what looks like part of a bed sheet as a wick,” Jake replied. “We’re hoping to pull some prints from the fragments of the bottle we collected.” Jake looked formidable as his eyes narrowed. “If we lift a print, then I’ll see to it that the person is behind bars for a long time to come. This wasn’t a simple case of arson, it was definitely attempted murder. Whoever threw that bottle had to have known that you and Beth were in the house.”
Antoine nodded, looking equally grim. “I have dispatched a couple of members of my security team to sit on the house and make sure there is no issue with looting. Beth will not be returning there until somebody is behind bars.”
Jake nodded. “That seems like a wise idea to me.”
“Hello?” Beth said in irritation. “I’m right here and I will make my own decisions.” Both men turned to look at her. “And I won’t be returning to the house until somebody is behind bars, although I would like to go there and pack some things.”
“We also found some tire marks in an area near the house we think might belong to the perpetrator. We cast them and hopefully we’ll be able to figure out exactly what kind of car it was,” Jake added.
As the two men continued discussing all the events that had taken place over the last couple of days, Beth thought about what her next move should be.
The one thing she wouldn’t do was pick up her life and go to Barajas where Antoine thought he could keep her safe. She wouldn’t become a weighted ball around his neck, another responsibility he had to take care of. That was simply not an option.
She would stay in a room here in the hotel until her place was put back together. What she wouldn’t do was stay in the suite with Antoine.
As crazy as it seemed in the short amount of time they’d spent together, she’d fallen in love with him, and now each minute that she remained with him only deepened her love. Somehow she had to cut her losses now, not get in any deeper than she already was.
She knew that when he left the country, when all this was said and done, she would be left with a heart that wasn’t just bruised, but rather battered.
“If you’d like, I can take you to get your things from the house right now,” Jake said, pulling Beth from her thoughts.
“That would be wonderful,” she replied and stood.
“I’ll go as well,” Antoine said.
Beth shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “I’ll be fine with Jake and he doesn’t need to worry about both of us.” She raised her chin slightly and held Antoine’s gaze. She needed some time away, wanted to see the damage to her home without him there.
“I would prefer you remain here, Prince Antoine,” Jake said.
Antoine hesitated another moment and then gave a curt nod of his head. “Very well, but I insist you return to my suite when you have your things,” he said to Beth. “I need to know that you’re safe and sound.”
“Okay,” she replied. It was easier to comply for now than to argue in front of Jake. But, she had no intention of spending another night in Antoine’s bed, another night of wanting him and loving him.
It was time she get back to reality and the reality was Antoine had made it clear to her that he wasn’t interested in marriage and babies. Although she knew without doubt that he cared about her, that he wanted her physically, she also knew there was no future with him.
Minutes later she was in Jake’s car and headed to her house. “How are you holding up through all this?” he asked.
“I guess as well as can be expected,” she replied. “I certainly didn’t realize what I was getting myself into by becoming friendly with Antoine. What about you? Your workload has certainly been crazy since all this began.”
He gave her a wry smile. “I’ve definitely had to stay on my toes.” The smile fell from his face. “I’ve never felt such frustration as I have over the last several weeks. I have a missing sheik and can’t seem to find a clue that might tell me what happened to him. I’ve got attacks happening on everyone and no real suspects.”
“I don’t think any of us will be the same when the royals return to their countries and life gets back to normal.” She gazed out the side window. She’d certainly never be the same. There would always be memories of Antoine and at the moment she couldn’t imagine ever loving another man.
“I’m not sure any of us will recognize normal when it does happen again,” Jake replied drily.
Within minutes they were back at her cabin. As she got out of the car her heart constricted in her chest. A big, burly man stood at the front door and wore a uniform that identified him as part of the security Antoine had provided. He was definitely big enough that anyone with half a mind would think twice about trying to get past him.
Jake flashed his badge and the man nodded at them and stepped aside as they approached the front door. Beth used her key to unlock it and then went inside.
The scent of smoke still lingered and the knot that was her heart tightened painfully. Hearing about the damage and actually seeing it were two different things.
The breakfast nook had been the focal point of the fire. The windows were gone, had exploded from the heat and the walls around the area were blackened. Still, it wasn’t quite as bad as she’d imagined. The walls looked solid and the fire had been contained to the nook area.
Jake placed a large hand on her shoulder. “This will pass and all will be well again,” he said.
She nodded, but she doubted that everything would ever be well again. She left the kitchen and went into the bedroom to pack a suitcase.
It was crazy, how in the space of three days Antoine had completely taken over her life, her heart. The fact that he’d told her he’d done terrible things as an interrogator for his country didn’t taint the love she felt for him. It would be like blaming a soldier of war for having to kill his enemy in the middle of a battlefield.
The fact that he was tormented by what he’d had to do in the name of his country only spoke of the pure heart that beat in his magnificent chest.
When she had finished packing what she thought she needed for a couple of weeks away from the house, she and Jake got back into his car and returned to the hotel.
“We should have an official report on the fire within the next couple of days,” Jake said. “Have you contacted your insurance agent yet?”
&nb
sp; “Not yet. I’ll do it sometime this afternoon,” she replied.
“Beth, I don’t know what your relationship is with Prince Antoine, but please take care of yourself. Bad things seem to happen around these royal visitors.”
For a moment she had the urge to tell Jake everything, about the notes she’d found and about Aleksei Verovick, everything about Antoine’s suspicions that the attacks weren’t about the COIN coalition at all but rather about something more personal.
But, she would be betraying Antoine’s trust if she told, and besides she reminded herself that by this evening he’d know it all anyway. Jane’s deadline was quickly approaching and there was no doubt that she would stick to her word and pass the notes to Jake that evening.
When they reached the hotel Jake lifted her suitcase from his trunk and insisted he walk her back to Antoine’s suite.
Antoine opened the door and she saw the relief on his face. “Thank you, Sheriff,” he said as Jake dropped the suitcase just inside the door.
“No problem,” Jake replied. “I’ll be in touch when I have more news and please, next time you decide to leave here, take your security with you or call me and I’ll do my best to provide protection.” With that Jake left and Beth turned to face Antoine.
“You can unpack your things in the dresser,” he said, “and there’s plenty of room in the closet.”
Beth shook her head. “I’m not staying here, Antoine.”
His handsome features pulled into a deep frown. “Of course you’re staying here,” he replied with a touch of that natural command in his voice. “It’s the only place I can ensure your safety.”
“I’m going to stay in the hotel room where I was the other night. I have to get back to my real life, Antoine. I have duties and responsibilities here and I can’t just hole up here with you and forget everything else.”
He walked toward her, his eyes pleading. “Beth, please. My heart will only be at peace if you’re here with me, where I know no more harm can come to you.”
She took a step back, not wanting him to touch her in any way, afraid that he might be able to change her mind. What he didn’t understand was that harm would come to her if she stayed here with him.
There was no doubt in her mind that they would make love again, that he would make her fall deeper in love with him. Then there was a chance that her heart might start believing that somehow, someway, they had a future. And it would all be a lie, a fantasy that would never come true.
“I’ll be fine here in the hotel,” she replied. “We have a good security team and I feel safe here in the confines of the hotel.”
“Have I done something wrong? Something to offend you?” he asked and then didn’t wait for her to respond. “Beth, you’re the most important woman in my life. I couldn’t bear anything happening to you.”
“Nothing will happen to me,” she replied, a lump rising in the back of her throat. He was breaking her heart even now, telling her how important she was and yet unable to speak any words of love.
She picked up her suitcase and started for the door. “Beth?” he called and she turned back to look at him.
“The woman, Janine Sahron. Can you still arrange for me to speak to her?”
With everything that had transpired she’d forgotten all about Janine. She glanced at her watch and then back at him. “Give me a little while to get settled into my room and then I’ll go to the office and call her in. I’ll let you know when she’s there and you can speak with her.”
“Thank you. Unfortunately, I only have the remainder of the afternoon before the notes will become public knowledge.”
She nodded and then left the suite. She realized as crazy as it seemed, she’d wanted him to stop her from leaving, she’d wanted him to break down and tell her that he was madly, passionately in love with her and she’d completely changed his mind about never marrying, about never having a family of his own.
She was such a fool. Funny, she could swear that there had been moments when she’d felt not just red-hot passion, but also real love emanating from him.
And if she were perfectly honest with herself she’d admit that deep inside her was a crazy little niggle of hope that somehow, when this was all over, they would find a way to be together.
And that little bit of hope almost scared her as much as everything else that had happened in her life since she’d handed those notes over to Antoine.
Chapter Nine
She seemed to take the very air out of the suite when she left. Antoine eased down in the leather chair by the fireplace and stared toward the bank of windows, his thoughts consumed with Beth.
How had she managed in such a short space of time to do what no other woman had ever done before—get so deeply under his defenses?
As he imagined leaving this place and returning to Barajas without her in his life, his heart ached with a pain it had never felt before.
He loved her.
The knowledge blossomed inside of him. He wanted to wake up each morning with her head on the pillow next to his. He wanted to hear her laughter every day of his life. He needed to go to bed at night and hold her in his arms.
He loved her.
And he intended to do nothing about it.
He sighed wearily and leaned his head back. She deserved a man with no baggage, children whose safety she would never have to worry about, and a life filled with happiness and nothing else.
He couldn’t give her that.
All he could give her was bad dreams and fear, a lifetime of wonder and worry, looking over her shoulder and wondering when somebody from his past might find them.
No matter how much he loved her, he would never allow her to have a meaningful place in his life. She meant far too much to him. The best thing he could do for her was let her go so she could find a man who could love her the way she was meant to be loved, a man who could give her a future filled with nothing but joy.
He stood as a knock sounded at his door. It was Sheik Efraim Aziz. Antoine gestured the tall, dark-eyed man inside, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts.
“Would you like something to drink, my friend?” Antoine asked as Efraim sat on the sofa.
“No, I’m fine. I just wanted to check in, see how you were doing since your brother’s return to Barajas.”
Antoine eased down in the chair opposite Efraim. “Of course I miss him being here, but it was important that he return to Barajas and continue the job of running the country.”
Efraim raked a hand through his black hair and released a sigh. “Who would have thought when we all got together and planned the COIN Coalition to benefit our nations that we would be sitting here now with one of us missing and betrayal surrounding us.”
“You’ve learned nothing more from the other members of your security as to who Fahad might have been working with?”
Efraim frowned. “Nothing. The man took his secrets to his grave and I’m still not sure who we can trust at the local law-enforcement level.”
“What do you think of Sheriff Jake Wolf?” Antoine asked, aware that within hours Jake would have the notes Beth had found in his possession.
“He seems an honorable man, but Fahad certainly blindsided me and that makes me wary of trusting anyone.”
Antoine offered his friend a small smile. “I hear there’s one woman you’ve come to trust pretty well.”
A responding smile curved Efraim’s lips. “Callie.” He said her name with warmth. “Yes, she has become important to me.”
Callie McGuire was Assistant to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs based in Washington, D.C. She’d come to Wyoming to help facilitate the COIN summit. Her family owned a ranch locally and it had been on her land that Fahad had tried to kill Efraim. It had been Callie’s brother who had killed Fahad when he’d believed his sister was in danger.
“From what I know of her, she seems to be a good woman,” Antoine said.
“She is my heart,” Efraim replied in a surprising show of emotio
n.
“I’m happy for you.” Antoine felt the lump that formed in his throat as he thought of Beth and all that he would never share with her. “Do you plan to take her with you when you return home?”
“We have no plans beyond today,” he replied. “Right now it’s one day at a time, but whatever happens, wherever I go I know that she’ll be at my side.”
“Do you have any new theories about who was behind the attack on Amir?” Antoine asked, wanting to steer the conversation away from matters of the heart.
A frown once again swept across Efraim’s features. “I have worked any number of theories in my brain, but can’t make sense of any of them. I have thought about this until my head hurts and I can’t come up with any definitive answers. What about you?”
“I wondered about Kalil Ramat.”
Efraim’s eyes widened. “We all know the people of Saruk and Kalil himself were against the coalition, but we have all been guests at Kalil’s home. His son is our friend. I can’t imagine that Kalil would be behind a plot to kill us all.”
Efraim only echoed what Antoine felt in his heart. “Beth Taylor, the head of housekeeping, found some notes in Amir’s room taped to the bottom of a drawer.” Antoine decided it was time to share what he knew.
“Notes?”
Antoine told Efraim what the notes contained and about he and Beth taking them to Jane for fingerprinting. “She managed to pull a print from them.”
Efraim leaned forward in the chair, his features radiating a deadly calm. “Who?”
“A man named Aleksei Verovick. He has ties to the Russian mob.”
“The mob would have no vested interest in us making trade agreements with the United States,” Efraim scoffed. “What we need to do is find out who hired this Verovick.”
“I agree. But that’s easier said than done.” Antoine released a weary sigh.
“You’ve given this information to Sheriff Wolf?”
By Order of the Prince Page 11