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“Ari.” Brad cradled her close to his chest. “How did you escape?”
Arianna clung to him and admitted in a whisper, “I stabbed him with my heels.”
Brad grunted out a disbelieving laugh. Then he kissed her on the forehead. It was a brotherly kiss, she was certain, but it felt like so much more. Probably because she was a mess right now and the fact that Brad Rivera was here and holding her felt as surreal as it did wonderful.
“You and those heels of yours,” he said softly.
“What? They make my legs look fabulous.” She couldn’t believe she was teasing, but this was Brad. He was brilliant and irresistible, and she was safe now. With any luck, Sergeant Mueller and his buddy would capture the Gifted Genius and all of Europe would laud the Augustinian military men as heroes.
“I cannot argue with suchpracticallogic.” He smirked down at her. He’d always teased her about her impractical shoes and fashion designs, and she’d teased him right back. His final shot was always, ‘I cannot argue with suchpracticallogic.’
She smiled at all the memories. He’d been her big brother, her hero, her secret crush. Then he’d broken her heart. Her smile slid away. “Tonight, thoseimpracticalheels saved my life.”
“Ari,” he breathed out the nickname only he and her dad still used. “I can hardly wrap my mind around ...” He started to pull back. “I need to track him down.”
“Sergeant Mueller and another guard ran after him.” Far from wanting to hit him and demand answers, she simply wanted him to stay by her side.
The exterior door flung open, and Sergeant Mueller and the guard ran down the hall toward them.
“Did you find him?” Brad asked.
One negative shake of the head was all they received. Sergeant Mueller had the note and her blood-tipped heels in his hands.
“We have to keep looking,” Brad insisted.
“All the perimeter and gate guards are searching the area surrounding the castle and the village.”
Brad didn’t appear satisfied, but he said nothing. The sergeant outranked him, and she could tell it chafed at him.
“Miss Gunnell,” Sergeant Mueller continued, “I believe the General and the Lieutenant General will have some questions for you.”
Arianna nodded and leaned into Brad. “Please don’t leave me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said.
His words were the promise she needed to cling to. She’d almost been murdered, but somehow Brad was back just when she needed him.
If only they could pick up where they’d left off. Finally past the friendship barrier to kissing and loving each other.
No. That wasn’t happening. She’d focus on being grateful he was here as a friend, and she would not forget the fact that he’d left her high and dry eight years ago. Being in his arms was a thrilling kind of comfort, but she could never trust this man to stay by her side for good.
ChapterTwo
Private Brad Riverastayed by Arianna’s side, except to grab a warm blanket from the laundry to wrap around her, receiving a sweet whisper of thanks in return. He only nodded in response. How was he supposed to react to the adorable girl of his childhood transforming into the most captivating woman he’d ever seen?
He’d been stunned by the brief glimpse of her in the ballroom. Currently, she was disheveled and had barely escaped with her life. Brad had used her horribly eight years ago, the night of his mum’s funeral. He’d let Arianna hold and comfort him, and when she’d bravely tilted her face to his and kissed him, he hadn’t turned away.
He’d instinctively and selfishly responded, sharing the most incredible kiss of his life with Arianna. Then instead of telling her what a jerk he was, or being a man at all, he’d escaped from the nightmare that was his life at the time. He’d lost his mum and caused another beautiful woman’s death days before. He’d ditched Arianna and any hope for a future with her in the worst possible way.
Sergeant Mueller ushered them up the stairs past the main levels and the ball that Brad had rushed away from half an hour ago. They were then escorted into General Ray’s private office.
Arianna looked up at him with gratitude in her teal-blue eyes. Was it only him, or did he sense a leeriness as well? He deserved much worse than a leery look. He deserved a slap in the face, a punch to the gut, ranting and screaming about what a jerk he was. But for some reason, she didn’t give it to him. Instead, she’d hugged him and clung to him and even teased as they used to. It was probably the stress of almost being murdered by an infamous serial killer. He could hardly wrap his mind around that.
Brad couldn’t deny he’d deserted Arianna years ago. He was serious when he’d told her he wouldn’t dream of leaving her now. If General August didn’t assign him to protect her, he’d resign from the military and make her safety his personal quest. He had hoped the military would be a great career path for him, as fighting, shooting, and protecting were the only areas in his life he seemed to excel at any longer. He’d become an expert at guerilla warfare during the past eight years, trained by tough tribal warriors and tested by battle after battle to protect innocent villagers from warlords, intertribal wars, and roaming thieves and attackers.
But for Arianna … He glanced over her beautiful but tear-stained face, the dark smears under her eyes that made her look exhausted and vulnerable. Her dress was ripped, revealing far too much of her beautiful legs. Her feet, hands, and cheeks were red from the cold.
Still, undeniably the gorgeous and accomplished royal stylist he’d glimpsed on media posts with the royal family a few times. There was also a hint of the seventeen-year-old girl he’d surely injured.
