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“Yet you still came to me.” His blue gaze begged her to say that she had come for him and him alone, but this was no time for lies.
“No, I came to help my dad.” She pulled her hand free and clasped them together.
“Oh.” His disappointment was palpable.
“My dad wasn’t happy to see me. He told me to stay in the cottage until he got home from Prince Derek’s wedding. Then he’d figure out where to send me that was safe, where William couldn’t find me again, so he could focus on finding my mum without me in danger as well.”
“But then your dad disappeared …” Tristan steepled his fingers under his chin, a move so Tristan it made her pause.
She shook her head and focused on the details he needed. “Someone knocked on the cottage door this afternoon. There was a piece of cardstock, blank on one side…” She swallowed hard. “On the other side was a picture of my dad and Naomi with her gun to his head and a note telling me William had my father and I was to gain your trust but not let anyone else see me or let you know what I was about.”
Tristan nodded. “I’m glad you didn’t listen.”
She shrugged, not sure if she was glad or not. Anger still pulsed through her at seeing him with that blonde, then having the guard confirm her fears.
“He said I was to await more instructions at the cottage, not hide out at the castle.” Which she was kind of doing, but how was she to gain Tristan’s trust if she wasn’t here? Sadly, now all she could picture was that blonde clinging to Tristan. She could trust him to help her rescue her parents, but could she trust him with her heart any longer? “If I revealed my purpose to you or anyone else, he threatened to kill you and to send pieces of my parents to me until they bled to death.”
Tristan stared at her for a beat, then wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to his side.
Jennifer blinked in surprise, stunned by his bold move and how perfect it felt to be held by him again. She shouldn’t have, but she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his firm waist. She was tired of being strong, alone, and missing him.
Brushing his lips across her temple, Tristan whispered, “He won’t hurt your parents. I promise.”
She shuddered and cuddled closer to him, discouraged, terrified, and needing this man desperately. She pushed away the images of him with other women in the face of something much more important.
“How can you promise that? He’s the devil reincarnated, and he’s got them both in his control now. He’s killed before.”
Tristan nodded. “He has. But we’ve been able to thwart most of his schemes. We’ll just have to work with Ray and Jensen and figure out how to beat him this time. It’s always about power with him. He thinks he should rule Augustine.”
“That would be horrific.”
“It would,” Tristan agreed.
“I’m afraid if we work with Ray and Jensen, they’ll bring in the entire army and police force and William will figure out I told them and hurt my parents.”
“I understand. It’s terrifying to have them in his control. We’ll be discreet but we’ll need their help to prevail against William. On his last scheme, he had a dozen well-trained mercenaries with him.”
Her pulse raced. Her bear spray wouldn’t protect her or her parents against a dozen well-trained mercenaries. She had to trust Tristan, Ray, and Jensen. She had to.
“He almost succeeded in forcing Malik to plant a bomb that would’ve killed my dad, your dad, and me.”
“What?” she exclaimed, pulling away and staring at him. Fear made her gut knot. She’d known William was a murderer and capable of a lot of evil but for him to believe Malik would kill his dad, her dad, and Tristan? He must be truly insane. “Malik would never do that.”
“I know, and luckily, with a lot of prayer and miracles, Malik was brilliant. He was able to warn us and get us away from the bomb, but still make William believe he’d blown us up. William held Sophie and Sunny captive, so it was a horrifying situation for all of us, but most especially for Malik. A man will move mountains for the woman he loves.”
Jennifer could only stare at him. She wanted to be the woman he loved, wanted it desperately. The look in his blue eyes said she was that woman. If that was true, why did he date every beautiful lady that crossed his path?
Now was not the time to worry about that. They had to rescue her parents from that madman. It was the only thing that could matter right now.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Tristan knew he had to leave Jennifer to take part in the celebratory send off for his brother and his bride to their honeymoon, but he worried she’d disappear again.
“Stay here and I’ll bring Jensen and Ray back as soon as is feasible,” he instructed.
“What if William leaves instructions at the cottage while I’m gone? He said I couldn’t hide out in the castle.”
“But he also said you should gain my trust,” Tristan reminded her. “I’m sure he wants me in a vulnerable position. After we set up a plan with Ray and Jensen, I’ll take you back to your cottage and stay with you until he makes contact.”
