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The men’s faces both registered surprise, then recognition.
“I am also Prince Tristan’s girlfriend, and he asked me to wait in his suite for reasons that are none of your business.” She tilted her chin up. She didn’t want to insinuate anything or stain either of their reputations, but she had to get these guards to leave her alone so she could sneak out of here and deal with William and protect her parents. Alone. She’d been alone for the past eight months. She didn’t know why she’d let herself hope for anything different now. The visions of Tristan by her side had been too tantalizing. It wounded her to have them ripped away.
“If you’re the crown prince’s girlfriend, why is Prince Tristan currently dancing with a gorgeous blonde? Why aren’t you with him at the wedding dance, and why did you sneak across the hall?”
Jennifer’s heart sank. The man she’d always thought she could trust, the man who loved her and only her … letting her sit in his suite waiting for him, and now she was being interrogated by guards while he danced with a ‘gorgeous blonde’...
She wouldn’t have called the woman gorgeous. Mildly attractive, maybe borderline pretty.
“He had to make an appearance at the dinner and dancing,” she said, though she hardly believed it herself. “My father asked me not to be seen because of my mum’s disappearance, which is why I’ve been waiting in Tristan’s rooms. I got bored, so I snuck across to see what was keeping him.” Her shoulders slumped. “There was a blonde clinging to him.”
The speaking guard’s face registered compassion. He looked her over. “I’m sorry, miss. Even though you’re the prime minister’s daughter, I still need to search the suite and detain you until we have answers or confirmation from the crown prince.”
“Confirmation from me about what?” Tristan strode up from the back staircase. Jennifer hadn’t even heard him coming, so focused on explaining herself and her own heartbreak.
“Prince Tristan.” The guards both bowed. “Miss Shule claims you asked her to wait in your suite.”
“I did, and I need you to keep her presence here quiet. Thank you.” He nodded to each of them, then strode around them and put his arm around her waist. “If you’ll excuse us, please.”
“Of course, sir.”
Tristan escorted her into his rooms. Jennifer felt a mixture of relief at him coming for her, desire to never have him release his arm around her waist, and anger at him for making her wait so long while he flirted and danced with the ‘gorgeous blonde.’
He shut the door behind them, and she pulled away and spun to face him, folding her arms across her chest. “How was the dancing?”
“Luckily, I escaped before I had to dance.”
“That’s not what the guard said.” She arched an eyebrow, her stomach churning uncomfortably.
Tristan eased closer, and instantly Jennifer was overwhelmed by his magnetic presence, his blue eyes, his delicious scent. “What did the guard say?”
“That you were busy dancing with a ‘gorgeous blonde’ while I waited up here. My parents are probably being tortured and murdered by William as we waste time.”
“Jenn, I didn’t dance with anyone. Some women from America surrounded me. With Jensen’s help, I extracted myself as quickly as I could. I only want you.”
Jennifer held up a hand. She didn’t know what to believe right now, and it wasn’t the time anyway. “Can you help me rescue my parents? That needs to be the focus right now.” Not her unrealistic desires to have the crown prince love her and only her.
He nodded tightly, though he looked far from done proclaiming his innocence. She’d seen that blonde clinging to him. He tilted his head to the couch. She walked over and sank into it, crossing her legs. Tristan sat down, far too close with as out of sorts as she was feeling. He rested his arm along the back of the couch, his fingertips brushing the bare skin of her neck. She straightened away from him.
She had to trust him to help her parents, but she couldn’t trust him with her aching heart.
“A few days ago,” she started, before he could touch her again and mess up her focus completely, “William, Naomi, and my mum showed up at the village I was volunteering at.”
His eyes widened.
“My mum was tied up. William cut her arm and then he grabbed me and cut me on the abdomen.”
“I’ll kill him,” Tristan growled. The protectiveness in his voice and fierce look in his blue eyes made her heart skip a beat.
“We have to find him first.”
He gritted his teeth. “What did he say?”
“He told me to go home and play my part or he’d send my mum to us a piece at a time.”
“Jenn … I’m sorry.” He wrapped his hand around hers. She drew strength from his strength and could almost believe he could right every wrong, could almost forget about him and the blonde, him falling in love with Macey. Almost.
“He told me to talk to no one,” she continued, “especially you, and await his instructions.”
