AllFreeNovel
Share Us
21
I don’t knowwhy I’m still surprised by Noel’s level of wealth and opulence. Not when I literally grew up in this world, and especially not after living in his mansion for the last couple of months.
But when the Range Rover pulls through the wrought-iron, ivy-covered gates of Noel’s French wine-country estate, my jaw drops.
It’s not a house. It’s a kingdom. It looks like we’re approaching Versailles itself as we drive down the elegantly tree-lined drive up to the sprawling manor, with the rolling vineyard behind it.
“I’m glad you approve.”
I blush, yanking my wide-eyed gaze from the window to turn to him. I didn’t say anything. Apparently, my face did for me.
“I mean, you know,” I shrug. “It’s nice enough, I guess.”
“It’ll do, then?”
I smile. “It’ll do.”
It’s been like this the whole trip—both of us using layers of sarcasm and humor as obvious armor. Or, maybe it’s just me using it as a protective layer, and he’s going along with it because he knows it’s what I need.
That actually makes the most sense. I’m aware that I don’t even know the full story or magnitude of what’s going on right now. But even what I do know has me terrified.
Something tells me, Noel doesn’t get scared. “Fear” is just one of the long list of things he’s become lord and master of over the years.
I shiver as I glance back at the approaching estate. It might be stunning, and this might be a paradise escape. But it’s anescape, literally. Not a holiday vacation.
When Liam barged in on me in the library back at Noel’s place, his face was enough to tell me something was wrong, even if all he told me was that I had to come with him immediately. Eventually, when I saw the security guys combing the house with the same little chemical detection wands and dogs they use at the airport, I made the connection on what was going on.
I also eavesdropped enough on Noel’s snarled phone conversations on the plane, though he kept his voice hushed at the back of the cabin, to understand what’s happening.
There’s a war on. Or, someone’s trying to start a war. Explosive devices similar to the one that went off in the Charm, Inc offices have been found at a number of Noel’s properties—his house, his main office, and a couple of other businesses—as well as a few of his cars.
The problem with Noel’s suspicion of Oliver’s involvement in any of this is that an equal number of bombs have been found athisown home, and businesses, and cars. Including Jacob’s house, apparently.
Even still, I can see it clearly on Noel’s face: despite the devices found on the Princes’ properties, and despite Oliver being sent to the hospital by a blast at his penthouse?
Noel still considers him suspect number one. I even heard him on the plane talking to who I think was Liam about the superficial nature of Oliver’s injuries from the explosion at his penthouse.
I shudder, mulling over that particularly chilling theory: that Oliver sabotaged his own interests, and even hurt himself purposefully in order to distance himself as a suspect once he came after Noel.
But what’s even more chilling to me, though, is that they found one of these homemade firebombs at The Slipper. Which means this is about me, too. This isn’t simply someone trying to hurt Noel. Not when they also planted a device at the dingy little pub I work at.
I could hug Liam for even thinking to check there. I talked with Harry on the plane, who seems to be doing okay. Shaken, but okay. And still making sarcastic cracks.
“If you don’t want to work here anymore, El, you can just tell me. Blowing the place up seems a little drastic.”
I smile a little as I replay that memory of two hours ago.
She’s safe now. To keep things quiet and not cause a panic, or cause whoever is responsible to take things up a notch, the whole thing is being kept quiet and out of the press. But, a few people know, and know why they need to keep it to themselves.
So for now, Harry is staying at Vera and Gus’s place for a few nights. And she’s assured me that the ironworkers across the street are keeping tabs on her, too.
And me?
I glance over at the powerful, grim-faced, larger-than-life man sitting next to me in a suit.
I’m also safe now.
Liam is still in London,being Noel’s eyes and ears on the ground there. But a number of his trusted security personnel have arrived in France with us. Though apparently, they’re exclusively sticking to the property perimeter or the gatehouse virtually out of sight of the main house.
