“Just worried. I’m sorry about last night, Eric. I don’t know what I was thinking. I wanted to be there for you, not embarrass you.”
Clearly uncomfortable, Eric stepped back and pocketed his hands. “You’ve never embarrassed me.”
Rachelle’s voice shook with emotion. “If you don’t want me to go to Vandorra with you, I’ll understand. I know you didn’t expect me to show up at your door or the premiere. Nicolette says I have trouble with boundaries. Sometimes I can’t help myself. I had a feeling that you needed me. I just want you to know that even though we were raised apart—you’re important to me. I love you. That’s all. I can go home now, because that’s what I should have said the first day, and it’s what I needed to say before I could leave.”
Westerly’s shoulders hunched slightly. The bold action hero from the big screen wasn’t visible in this man who seemed at a loss for what to say. Magnus felt more pity for him than he expected to, but he didn’t like that Westerly had yet to say he was going to Vandorra. Short of forcibly hauling the actor onto a helicopter, there wasn’t much more Magnus could do.
“I’m not going to Vandorra.”
Shit.
Rachelle’s eyes filled with confusion. “No? But Eric—”
“I never wanted to be Water Bear Man. He’s a ridiculous character with an implausible backstory in a spandex costume. I took the role as a favor for a friend. It was never supposed to be a career. I’m not a role model, I’m a fucking joke,” Westerly said.
Rachelle touched her brother’s arm. “You’re not a joke. You’re an inspiration. Do you know how many children I’ve taught who wanted to grow up to be strong and brave like Water Bear Man? Think about the little boy in Vandorra. Meeting you will give him courage.”
Westerly withdrew from her touch and rubbed his hands over his face. “It shouldn’t. I’m not a superhero. I’m a fucking mess. I don’t want to meet that kid. He’ll see right through me.”
Rachelle looked to Magnus as if he’d know what to say. Magnus didn’t. This was uncharted territory for him as well. Clasping her hands in front of her, Rachelle took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Maybe your career isn’t what you hoped it would be. So what? Everyone I know is still a work in progress. We’re all doing the best we can—hoping to God we get enough right to make up for everything we get wrong. You can’t focus on what you don’t have. Go to Vandorra. That little boy needs to know that you care.” When Eric didn’t immediately answer, she added, “If you go, that’s what he’ll see.”
Eric covered his face with one hand. “One visit. One kid. No press.”
Rachelle looked like her heart was breaking for him. “You’ll be glad you went, Eric.”
Eric raised his eyes to Magnus’s and shot him a not-so-subtle silent warning. “Would you like to come, Rachelle?”
With a tentative smile, Rachelle said, “I’d like that.” Looking as if she’d lost a battle with herself, she threw her arms around Eric again and hugged him. “I was so worried when you didn’t answer my texts last night.”
Eric awkwardly patted her back. “Sorry, I misplaced my phone.”
Rachelle looked past him and met Magnus’s eyes. “That’s funny, I lost mine recently as well. Since I know it’s here, though, I have high hopes of finding it quickly.”
Magnus fought a smile. She’s angry with me. “Things happen. I’m sure it will turn up.”
“I hope so, since I’m not going anywhere without it.”
I do like her spirit. “I find that when I am patient and calm, I don’t lose things.”
She stepped away from her brother, and her chest heaved. She placed her hand on Magnus’s arm. “Could I have a moment alone with you?”
“Absolutely,” Magnus said, surprised at how much he enjoyed even that brief touch.
Eric looked as if he wanted to say something, but he didn’t.
Magnus led the way to the office and closed the door. She had impressed him again. He was also pretty proud of how his plan was coming together. Eric was on board with making the appearance. Rachelle had had her moment with her brother. Finn would meet his hero. If everything else went as well, the trip would end with Eric in a rehab center and Rachelle in his bed.
I should tell her there’s no need to thank me now. What I’m imagining for later will be thanks enough.
The finger she poked into his chest took him off guard. “I don’t know how things are done in your country, but we need to clarify a few points before I go anywhere with you. First, what’s with the goons? They’re freaking me out. Are they keeping me safe or keeping me here? Either way, they’re too much. I was half convinced you were kidnapping me before I saw Eric.”
Magnus smiled, which only made her more angry.
“You think it’s funny to scare people? If so, I hope your country has a second option for a king or I feel sorry for them.”
His humor and smile faded away. “Be careful, little Rachelle.”
Even though she only came up to his shoulders, she stepped closer and put her hands on her hips. “No, you be careful. Don’t become so enamored with power that you forget how to treat people with respect. I was raised around people like that. It’s not pretty.”
“I haven’t treated you poorly. In fact, I have gone way out of my way to help you.”
“Really? If you’re helping me, then why take my phone? That’s not helping; that’s controlling. Don’t confuse the two.”
Magnus sighed. “I was in the middle of something when you texted me that you were about to phone the police. You left me with no choice.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Magnus,” she said angrily. “I’m so sick of people blaming others for their own bad behavior. You always have a choice when it comes to how you treat people. I won’t be bullied. I want my phone back, and I want an apology.” She folded her arms across her chest and glared up at him.
Had anyone else spoken to him in that tone, he would have quickly put an end to such insolence, but it was different coming from her. Perhaps because her motivation was selfless. Her only agenda was the happiness of those she cared about. His mother had been similar and had also taken people to task when they disappointed her. Something his father often said he’d loved about his wife—he was a better husband, father, king, because she had never feared telling him what she thought. Not in public, but in private, as Rachelle had.
Magnus didn’t like that he might have scared Rachelle, nor did he like the way she was looking at him. Her eyes flashed, but not with the desire they’d held the night before. He wasn’t a man who wasted his time worrying about what others thought of him, but he wasn’t comfortable with the opinion she currently had of him.
“Phillip,” Magnus called out. His head of security opened the door. “I believe we have something of Miss Westerly’s.”
“Of course.” Phillip handed the phone back to Rachelle.
“That’ll be all, Phillip.”
Once they were alone again, Magnus took a moment to replay what Rachelle had said. Dr. Stein had said something similar the night before. “It was not my intention to scare you.”
“And?”
“And the guards were meant to be my eyes and ears while I was otherwise occupied.”
“And?”
He almost smiled again, but he was learning. “And I apologize for taking your phone.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes narrowed. “Something doesn’t add up. You said Eric was going to Vandorra, but he hadn’t agreed, had he?”
“No, he had not.”
“Then why did you tell me he had?”
“I did not.”
“Yes, you did. You said—” She stopped and seemed to be going over his words in her head. “You said you would be taking both of us to Vandorra, not that he had agreed. What was your plan if Eric said no?”
“It’s of no consequence now, since he has agreed to go.”
She searched his face again. “Is he in some kind of trouble?”
&
nbsp; “That’s not for me to say.”
“Where did you find him?”
“That is another question best answered by your brother.”
She raised her chin. “Did you promise him you wouldn’t tell me? Feel like you’d be betraying him if you did?”
Magnus couldn’t meet her eyes. He had told Eric that this would all go down in a way that no one would find out.
“No matter what you promised, I deserve the truth about Eric. It’s no different than what I must do with information my students give me—”
“Your brother is not a child.”
“You think you have all the answers, but what if you’re wrong?” She moved away to sit in one of the chairs. “What if he needs me and you don’t give me the chance to help him?”
Magnus took the seat across from her. Was this how quicksand felt? Every move he made sucked him in deeper.
Rachelle felt she deserved the truth about her brother, but would knowing help or push Westerly even closer to the edge?
He didn’t want to see Rachelle hurt, but neither would he lie to her. Although he had essentially promised Eric that he’d keep his secret, she had left her job to travel across the world because she was worried for her brother. She deserved the truth. “Your brother has agreed to receive help for what he is dealing with.”
“Is it drugs?” she asked.
There was no point in telling her less than all he knew. Magnus described how he’d found Eric and what Dr. Stein had said. He assured her that the clinic in Vandorra was one of the best in Europe . . . and discreet. He would not be the first, nor sadly the last, they treated for using such sedatives.
She clasped her phone on her lap. “I’ve heard about people using them. Oh my God, why would he take an anesthetic? Doesn’t he know that people sometimes don’t wake up?”
Magnus leaned forward, his hands braced on his knees. “He knows.”
“But he doesn’t care if it kills him? Does he want to die? Has he said he wants to?”
“Not in so many words, but he’s in a bad place, Rachelle. He needs to talk to a professional.”
She bent over as if she was about to retch. “I knew it. I mean, I had a feeling that he was struggling with something, but I didn’t know it was this bad.” She covered her mouth with a shaking hand. “Now I don’t know what to do. Should I tell my family? Should I tell Eric I know?”
They sat there quietly for several minutes. Tension thickened the air. “Why are you helping Eric? You don’t seem to even like him.”
If Eric were one of the citizens of Vandorra, Magnus would have answered that it was his duty to serve his people. Eric, though, was not his responsibility. “I promised Finn he would meet him.”
“You could fulfill that promise without doing more.”
He stood. The realization that what he was willing to do for Eric was tangled up with how he felt about the woman before him was disconcerting. Yes, he was still attracted to her, but there was a quickly developing depth to it that was new to him. She was brave, fiercely loyal, and passionate. He wanted this to work out for her.
Because I care about her.
Rather than attempt to put his feeling into words, he cupped her chin and guided her lips to his. This wasn’t a plundering, but rather a tender invitation. She rose to her feet, and her hands came to his chest as if to push him away, but she didn’t.
When he lifted his head, she stayed where she was, but confusion warred with passion in her eyes. “Are you helping my brother so I’ll sleep with you?”
“What a flattering opinion you have of me.” He brushed his lips over hers again. “You will be mine, Rachelle. It’s only a matter of time. I also wish to help your brother. You will have to trust that one is not contingent on the other.”
“You’re wrong. I’m not going to sleep with you. I don’t believe in casual sex.”
“So, you are still a virgin?”
“No, of course not.”
“Divorced?”
“No.”
“Left at the altar, then.”
She pushed away from him. “I don’t need to explain myself to you, but no, I’ve never made it to the altar. I was, however, in a committed relationship each time.”
“Each time?” He arched an eyebrow. “How committed could you have been?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You are a real ass sometimes, you know that?”
He laughed. “Only sometimes? That’s an improvement.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Would it help if I told you that I normally avoid complicated, but you’re one hot mess I can’t get out of my head?”
“No, it wouldn’t,” she said, but she smiled cautiously. “But I am grateful for what you’re doing for Eric.”
Progress.
“I’ll take that.”
“Just not that grateful.”
He placed his hand on her lower back to guide her out of the room and decided to have a little fun with how easy it was to rile her up. “Of course, true gratitude will come after I’ve had you.”
She stopped, her eyes flew to his, and he loved that the fire was back. “I wish I could tell if you’re joking.”
“There’s only one way to find out. You’ll have to get to know me.”
Her eyebrows came together in the most adorable frown. “Last night fell apart because I let this—this—whatever this is distract me from why I came to London. I’m here for Eric. Anything else will have to wait until I know he’s okay.”
She needed time—reasonable, considering the circumstances. He checked his watch. “If we leave now, we’ll be in Vandorra before nightfall.”
A short time later, Rachelle accepted an offer of a drink from a female attendant on Magnus’s plane. A glass of wine might calm her nerves. So far, the spontaneous travel had not relaxed her. She was seated beside Eric, who had suddenly become protective of her. His distrust of Magnus radiated from him. Across from them, Magnus worked on his laptop—answering e-mails and occasionally barking scheduling changes to the men seated behind him.
Magnus looked up and said, “Once in Vandorra, while in public you should both refer to me as either Prince Magnus or Your Royal Highness. Anything else is considered an offense punishable by imprisonment.”
“Sounds like a fabulous country to visit. Can’t imagine why I’ve never been,” Eric said.
“He’s joking.” Rachelle couldn’t imagine such a law could survive in modern society.
“I am not,” Magnus added matter-of-factly before returning to his work.
“It’s going to be fine,” Rachelle assured Eric. “I’m sure Magnus wouldn’t let anything happen to us.”
“Don’t you mean Your Royal Highness, Prince Magnus?” Eric asked dryly. “I’ve never understood the fascination with royalty. I mean, what do they even do? Magnus, tell me, what was the last thing of importance that could actually be attributed to you? You know, outside of redesigning your family’s crest or something.”
Magnus looked up from his laptop and met Eric’s gaze. “Last year, I successfully renegotiated a labor agreement with the European Union to allow free movement of people and payments for Vandorra citizens—vastly reducing unemployment and growing our economy by 2.5 percent. Since I have taken the lead on domestic and foreign policy initiatives, poverty is down, enrollment in universities is up, and our lower crime rates reflect that the needs of my people are being met.”
Eric’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
Magnus closed his laptop. “In Vandorra, royals are not figureheads. The welfare of our people depends on us. From the time I could walk, I understood that the survival of my country would one day rest on my shoulders.”
Eric looked mildly impressed, but that was huge for him. It gave Rachelle hope that Magnus could actually convince Eric to sign in to a clinic. It also made Rachelle glad she hadn’t told Eric that she knew anything. The last thing the trip needed was another layer of tension. Eric said, “That’s a lot of pressure to put on a kid. Wh
at if you had decided you didn’t want the keys to the kingdom?”
Magnus shrugged. “I wasn’t given the freedom of choice. My mother had only one child.”
“Thankfully I was the second son in our fiefdom,” Eric said. “Brett took over the family business, which allowed me to step away—far, far away—a move that was the best for all of us.”
The sadness in his voice pulled at Rachelle’s heart. “Not all of us, Eric. I needed as much help with Nicolette and Spencer as I could get. I still do.”
Magnus nodded at Rachelle. “She does. Nicolette is a wild one.”
“How do you—” Rachelle started to ask, then shook her head. “I don’t want to know, do I?”
“Probably not,” Magnus said with a shameless smile.
The three of them fell quiet again. She decided it might help for her brother to see, as he opened up, that she wouldn’t come at him as if she knew all the answers. “Until recently I thought I was the only thing holding our family together; then I realized it was perfectly capable of going on without me.” She touched Eric’s arm. “I’m here because I love you, but also because I was hoping you could help me. I thought that getting to know you again might help me find a piece of myself I lost somehow.”
Eric placed his hand over hers. “I didn’t think any of you needed me.”
Rachelle blinked back tears she thought would be too much for the moment. “Well, now you know we do.” Magnus excused himself, saying he needed to use the facilities, allowing Rachelle and Eric to continue their conversation in private. The prince had two sides—one maddening and arrogant, the other surprisingly considerate and supportive.
Eric lapsed into silence before once again meeting her eyes. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA since you arrived.”
“I understand. It’s not like I didn’t spring my visit on you.”
Let me in, Eric. Please.
“How’s Mom?” Eric asked.
“Better now that she watches Linda twice a week. I had a hard time getting her out of her house before then. Spencer and Hailey have set a wedding date for November. They’re hoping you’ll come. We all are.”
“It’ll depend on my filming schedule.”