Return of the Prince

by Nana Malone

  Ella kept texting me updates on Max's itinerary. She still had a friend in his office, and she managed to get itinerary updates under the guise that I maybe was looking for someone to manage my commercial endeavors. Someone other than my sports agent.

  The assistant of course was all too willing to help. Max had tried to get me to agree to him managing my commercial endorsements way back when, way before I knew what an asshole he actually was, so it wasn't actually a stretch. When we landed, I forced myself to take a deep, long breath. This was what I had been working for the last three and a half years. I couldn't take back my life, but at least I could give Ella that gift. Now I was ready for it. Max Jacobson was going to wish he'd never laid a hand on her.

  TRISTAN…

  My mind raced as I tried to remember everything Lucas had told me. Be calm, be natural. Light fingers. I had to look at my fingers as intricate, tiny masseuses that were able to maneuver and move how I wanted.

  I had what I needed in the pouch. I could do this. If I followed through, Ella would be free.

  At least she will be.

  I still had to contend with Ashton. But her needs were my priority. She needed me to be calm, and she needed me to make this happen. I checked my watch. Right on time. Actually, a little bit early. And because I wouldn't have to go through the normal customs procedure, that would save a little more time.

  We disembarked from the plane. I'd left my bags exactly where they were. Someone else would carry them off.

  Roone preceded me. And directly behind me was Ariel. I could feel her gaze on me, silently asking me questions that she couldn't voice.

  I wanted to know what she wanted to ask. And why was she watching me so closely? For the most part, she'd been off my service recently. Maybe she thought I hadn’t noticed, but I had noted that not once in the last week and a half had she been guarding me.

  Maybe she just had a business to run.

  We marched down the stairs and across the tarmac, and I was completely surrounded by the entire Royal Elite team.

  It seemed like overkill. But hey, someone was actually trying to kill me, so there was that. Once we were across the tarmac and entered the building, the cloying heat was replaced by the stinging chill of air conditioning. I was glad I had on my blazer. Eventually, I would adjust to the temperature, but for the moment, Jesus, I felt cold.

  We all handed over our passports, and they were checked meticulously. Roone and I had diplomatic stamps, so we were shuttled off to the left. I did my best not to look around. I knew exactly where the cameras were.

  After all, I'd gone over the schematics a hundred times. Roone stepped aside to let me go first. I pulled my diplomatic pouch out. It mostly contained cash, something to make it look properly padded. I handed my passport over separately, and then I was patted down and sent through the metal detector, which was ridiculous, because anything I wanted to conceal would just be in the pouch. It didn't matter if it was drugs or something else, they couldn't search it.

  They couldn't touch me. They could merely send me back to my own country, but only if they had knowledge of any crime that I intended to commit. On the other side of the metal detector, I was handed my pouch and my passport and welcomed to the country. I waited calmly for Roone to do the same. And we waited together for the rest of the Royal Elite team.

  Knowing exactly where the cameras were, I gently shifted to talk to Roone so that my back was to the camera and Roone blocked the front of me momentarily. With my thumb and forefinger, I slid into the pouch, pulling out what I needed and tucking it into the inside pocket of my jacket.

  Roone talked into his comm unit and placed a hand on my shoulder, making me pause.

  In my peripheral vision, I noted Max and his team in the waiting area. I knew from my intel they were on their way back to the states, waiting to go out onto the tarmac. Come on, come on. Luckily, he had to get this customs procedure done first. Just 200 feet and she could be free, and I would regain part of my life back.

  "Your Highness, wait. Ariel has to check all the weapons."

  My gaze skittered to him. "What?"

  "The weapons. She has to hand over all the paperwork."

  “Seriously?”

  "It will only take a few minutes."

  I checked my watch. My window was shrinking to 15 minutes. And I wanted to be far the hell away before the commotion started. "God, do we really have to wait for all that?"

  "It's safer if there are more of us protecting you. The cars are out front, but I'd rather we have you covered."

  I shifted on my feet. "Right. Of course."

  Come on Ariel. Make it fast.

  But it wasn't her. When I glanced back over to the customs search area, I could see the holdup was the guy looking over the paperwork. He was on the phone, murmuring low to someone and holding the stacks of paper. And there were a lot of weapons and a lot of paper.

  When I saw Max's team start to move, I tried to urge Roone on. "Listen, can we just go wait in the car? The car is bulletproof, right? I don't want to just stand around here. I am getting cold. My muscles are tensing."

  He frowned. "Honestly, waiting here is better. It's just another few minutes."

  "Well, I mean, come on, mate. I'm going to be all locked up and stiff for the game because we have to wait for the paperwork to clear."

  "Just give us another minute, okay?"

  Roone was my mate. But my window was going to close if I wasn't careful. The airport was small and exclusive. Their private landing strip was less than a quarter of a mile from their main airport. And there were many businessmen on this side, all waiting to take some private jet somewhere.

  Max and his team stood and walked out of the waiting room, headed straight in our direction.

  No fucking way was Roone going to let me close enough. This was fucked. Finally, I just said, “Fuck it. Look, I'm going to wait in the car."

  Roone's hand clamped on my shoulder, and I easily shook it off.

  He frowned, and his eyes went wide in surprise at my ability to do that.

  No use telling him that Frank had been training me for years.

  I just waved behind me. “I'll be in the car."

  "Your Highness, you have to wait.”

  I ignored him and just kept barreling forward, seeing my quarry, knowing what I had to do.

  My heart thundered in that rapid-fire te-ka-te-ka-te-ka-te-ka beat. I couldn't even hear anything else. I knew Roone was coming for me and I had to move fast. I had to be faster than him, faster than Max, faster than Max's people, and faster than any of my guards who were now shifting on their feet.

  It was then that Max really looked up. And his gaze focused on me. He skittered to a stop. "Tristan? Tristan Winston?" His voice was booming as if we were, in fact, old friends.

  He seemed to forget that he’d told me that he would make me pay tenfold for stealing Ella from him. He'd said it publicly after a party. And I'd made it a point to tell him that he would never be seeing Ella again.

  But now, he acted as if we were friends, all for show. There wasn't a single doubt in my mind as to whether or not he'd changed, because I didn't believe he was capable of changing. He put out his hand as if to draw me in close for a hug, and it confused me. Because that was not the plan. The plan was that I’d slide right by him and bump him.

  But maybe this was better?

  I moved my backpack to my other shoulder and reached inside my jacket pocket. I could feel the slide of a little plastic baggy between my fingers. When I palmed it, I grinned at him. Diverting his attention with one hand clapped on his shoulder. "Max. Mate, it's been a dog's age." And then I let him hug me. And just like that, with one hand clapping on his back, I slipped my fingers into his jacket lapel. And I deposited the drugs.

  It was that easy.

  Max frowned at me slightly as he pulled back, as if confused by my level of enthusiasm. But whatever.

  I pulled back and grinned at him. "What's it been, a couple years?"
/>
  "Yeah." And then his smile hardened. "How's Ella?"

  I forced my lips to tip up and to show some teeth. Just because I was showing teeth didn’t mean I was smiling. "Oh, you know Ella. Tough that one. Busy too."

  "Yeah, shame about that three-picture deal though."

  It was hard work containing my snarl. "Yeah, you know, she did lose that one, but this new movie has Oscar buzz written all over it."

  He frowned then. "Well, glad she's doing well without me. Independent films seem to suit her."

  "Yeah, but I feel like she is poised to break into blockbusters again."

  "Oh, God, I hope so."

  As if. I could see it in his eyes. ‘Over my dead body’ is what he really meant to say.

  Roone caught up to me easily. "Your Highness, I'll have to ask that you wait for the rest of the team." His voice was low, icy. He was pissed. It was fine. I didn't want any big to-do.

  "Sorry Roone, I saw an old friend. Couldn't help but come say hi."

  Roone nodded. "Max Jacobson, I know your work."

  Max grinned at him, preening from the praise. "Always great to meet a fan." He clasped Roone's hand and shook heartily.

  There was something in Roone's eyes that told me that he hadn't meant it as a compliment.

  "Good man."

  "Well, Max, I don't want to hold you guys up. You know, my Royal Guard is a little concerned about my safety."

  "All right. I guess I had heard you and Ella had seen a spot of trouble."

  "Did you? It hasn't really been public news."

  "Well, you understand, I'm in the know when it counts."

  I grinned at him. "Sure you are." He'd probably heard about Ella hiring more security, which was unavoidable, but still, he shouldn't know why. "Well, it was good to see you. I wish you luck on whatever endeavors you’re pursuing."

  "Well, you know, back to L.A. Ella's in L.A. now, right? I'll have to make an appointment to catch lunch with her."

  Inwardly I thought, Yeah, gonna be hard to do that from a jail cell. But I smiled and stepped back. "Yeah, definitely. I'm sure she'll look forward to it."

  Then I stepped aside, allowing Roone to direct me backward. His lips were tight with irritation. "You can't shake me, Your Highness."

  "Great. Now you're calling me Your Highness?"

  "Well, that's what happens when you're trying to slip your security."

  "Sorry. I'm sorry mate, okay? My bad. Just let me go out to the car?"

  "Fine. But I'm staying with you."

  "Fair enough."

  As we approached the exit, I held my breath. Waiting. Waiting for the dramatics to ensue. Max was going to have to go through customs. His handlers had his bags, and they were loading them through. I stopped and pulled out my phone. "Can we just stop here for one second? I just want to check in with Ella and tell her I ran into Max."

  “You can’t do that in the car?”

  “It’ll just take a second.” After all, I had to be sure my plan had worked.

  He nodded. I just had to confirm. It was too risky to just get in the car. I needed to see it happen, to make sure she was safe. I watched as Max handed over his passport and his paperwork.

  And then the dogs were brought out. Showtime.

  They sniffed each of the bags calmly, making sure there were no explosives, no drugs.

  But there are drugs…

  And then Max was patted down. Still nothing.

  But then one of the dogs walked right up to him and sat down.

  I could feel the tension crackling up my spine like one of those Fourth of July sparklers. Pop, pop, snap. Every guard in the place tensed. Two from the east side of the room stepped forward, one approached from the metal detector, and one moved away from Ariel and our crew and toward Max.

  All I heard was Max saying, "What the hell is this?"

  One of the guards asked him, "Sir, are you by chance carrying any illegal substances?"

  Max gave a harsh chuckle. "No. Of course not."

  "Then you'll consent to a search?"

  "Of course."

  It was done. Just like that. I turned to Roone then. "All right, let's go."

  Roone pushed open the door, and all it took was three seconds before I heard the guard say, "Sir, can I ask you what this is?"

  “But… that’s not mine.”

  I heard the shuffle and clamor of the other guards moving in, and I knew it was over. It was finally fucking over. I stepped into the sunshine behind Roone and let the sun beat down on my face as I soaked in the freedom before stepping into the darkened interior of the SUV.

  Ella was free. I had done it. And that motherfucker was going to jail for a very, very long time.

  NINETEEN

  TRISTAN…

  I FELT like I'd been beaten up.

  My muscles were heavy, my head was foggy, and I was tired. Straight from the airport, I'd been driven to practice. The adrenaline was coursing through my veins, knowing that I'd managed to pull my plan off after all this time.

  Three and a half years just to make our paths cross. To free Ella. I'd done it. And no one knew I'd done it. I couldn't very well text her, just in case anyone went looking, so I had to act as if everything was all right, as if I hadn't changed the course of her life forever. I'd also changed the course of Max's life forever.

  I’d waited for it, the torrent of guilt, the remorse that came with changing Max’s life for the worse. But it had never come. Instead, I'd arrived at practice feeling oddly, euphorically light. Later I’d realized that was strictly adrenaline.

  Because by the time practice started I felt like crap. Utter shite. I was lethargic and tired. Coach had been screaming at me from the get go. By the end of practice, I had a booming migraine, and all I wanted do to was scrape the mud and muck off my brow and crash.

  When I was deposited in my room, it was Jax who left me there. When my gaze met his, he studied me carefully. "Your Highness, are you all right?"

  "Yeah. Nothing ten years of sleep won't solve."

  He nodded slowly. "I'm not saying that you had anything to do with what happened at the airport, but if you did, I certainly hope that you know enough to keep it to yourself."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Exactly. Because what reason would you, a Prince of the Winston Isles, have to do with someone like that? His bad reputation precedes him."

  Oh, this was interesting. Had Jax heard something? "I only know him peripherally through Ella. I have no personal attachment to him whatsoever."

  Jax nodded. "That's good. Plausible deniability if anyone should come asking. Of course, Ariel will make sure no one comes asking."

  "She doesn't need to bother with that. Because there's no reason for anyone to come asking."

  He smiled. "Well then, goodnight, Your Highness."

  "Goodnight."

  I closed the door. Once he was gone, I sagged against it.

  Tired didn't even begin to cut it.

  The shower was the best thing I'd ever done in my life. Still, I waited for the guilt. When it didn't come, I assuaged my lack of guilt by reminding myself that karma was acting through me. Yes, I was completely aware of how self-serving that was but I didn't give a shit.

  I was out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my waist and heard a knock at my door.

  For the love of Christ, the last thing I needed was someone else checking to make sure I was in my room where I was supposed to be. I had an early morning tomorrow, and coach would not take kindly to me having another shit practice.

  I checked through the peephole and saw the one person I didn't expect. Ariel.

  I opened the door with a frown. "What's wrong?"

  She blinked rapidly, and her gaze searched my chest. Everywhere her eyes tracked, I felt heat trace over me like a lover's fingertips. "What's wrong? What do you need?"

  "Answers, for one."

  I scowled at her. "What are you talking about?"

  She didn't wait for me to
invite her in, barging right past me. "You're up to something, Tristan, I'm worried it's going to get you killed."

  "Ariel, is now the time?"

  "When is the time? These days, we're never alone, which is probably for the best."

  I hitched my towel tighter. And then I leaned against the desk in the hotel room. She wanted to do this, fine, we could do this. "You're going to have to be clearer about exactly what I did to you."

  "It's not what you did to me." She frowned and started to pace, her teeth working her bottom lip just like she always used to do whenever she was working through a problem or trying to figure something out. Careful, she'll figure you out.

  "Look, I don't even know what the hell that was at the airport. But something has been bugging me since before we left. For a week now, I've been sitting on this, trying to decipher it, doing all the research in the world. That guy today, that was Ella's former manager."

  I opened my mouth to say something. But what was I going to say? After all it wasn't a question. She already knew the answer, so I kept my mouth shut and watched her. She didn't need me to say anything, she was on a roll. "And they parted ways about six months into you dating her."

  Again, not much for me to say. So I just waited.

  "Did you have anything to do with that?"

  I shrugged. "If you're asking if I told her to leave him, no."

  She lifted a brow. "But that doesn't necessarily say that you're not the reason."

  "I would never make her leave her manager. That's business."

  "But if there was a reason to leave him…"

  I shrugged. "Ella made a change all on her own. I just backed her play."

  “See, right there. It's what you're not saying. The things that are being said between the lines, not using words but using evasions. Why did she leave her manager?"