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“Jenn,” he began.
She held up a hand. She wasn’t finished. “You ripped me apart. Devastated me. I could barely function. You made me doubt everything we had, everything I believed.”
“Jenn …” He looked tortured, contrite, as sick as she’d felt when she heard that awful news.
“How could I have been so stupid?” Tristan shook his head. “I should have told you yesterday on the trail, but there’s been so much upheaval and secrecy, I forgot you didn’t know. But of course you wouldn’t. We kept it so quiet.”
“What are you talking about?” Anger and confusion fought inside her. This wasn’t contrite. He couldn’t claim he hadn’t been engaged. The whole world had seen him kiss Macey Clifton like she was his one true love on that talk show. Of course she’d also seen Macey kiss Ray in that first press release, claiming it was Tristan. She’d known instantly it wasn’t Tristan and wondered what twisted game that woman had played with both of their minds.
“Ah, Jenn, I’m so sorry. My engagement with Macey was a farce. A hundred percent. Purely a scheme to bring an expert into the inner circle to help us with security. I was being threatened, and we were investigating my mum’s death. The engagement meant so little to me that I didn’t consider how it would look to you. That must have hurt you, and I completely understand you’d be upset and questioning how I could possibly move on like that. I am very sorry.”
Jennifer felt like somebody had slammed something into her forehead. She staggered.
Tristan reached for her and this time she let him rest his hands on her waist and steady her.
She just stared at him. “You weren’t really engaged?”
“No.” He smiled slightly. “Ray fell for Macey from the moment they met. He tried to be all noble about it, but I could see it and I pushed them together.”
They studied each other for a few beats. It was a lot to digest. She took a deep breath, but she didn’t quite know what to say. Macey wasn’t some scheming woman and Tristan had never loved his now sister-in-law or betrayed Jennifer by asking someone else to marry him. It was insane. If only she’d known.
“Your dad insisted you had left me and didn’t want me to come for you, and that you couldn’t love me any longer. I didn’t want to believe it but as months dragged on and not even a simple text from you …” His voice was sad, but his gaze was still intense. “I know how broken feels, Jenn.”
Her heart went out to him. That had been horrible of her father to do. In his mind, he’d been protecting her from William Rindlesbacher, not letting anybody know where Jennifer was. But couldn’t he have quietly given Tristan some hope?
Jennifer eased closer to him. She slid her hands up his chest and framed his strong jaw with her palms, liking the feel of the scars on one side. “You promise it’s only me for you?”
“I swear it, Jenn.” His voice was earnest, intense, and beautiful.
He bent down closer, and she arched up.
“Prince Tristan,” a deep voice said from off the trail on the wooded side.
Jennifer tasted disappointment instead of his lips yet again. Despite the interruption and the yearning to kiss him, though, she felt light and happy. Tristan was still hers. He hadn’t fallen in love and been engaged. He loved her.
“Forgive me, sir.” A man edged closer to them. “But it’s going to be dark soon and General Ray does not want you two exposed with only one guard.”
“We understand.” Tristan nodded to the man.
He turned her with his arm, took her hand, and they walked back toward the cottage. The guard stayed hidden, but Jennifer knew he was there. It brought back the worries about William and her parents.
“My dad asked me to go on a hike in the morning,” he told her. “With Curt, Aliya, and Philippe.”
“I’d love to go. If that’s okay,” she hastened to add. She’d love to meet Prince Curt’s sassy American bride and she loved hiking, especially with Tristan.
“We’ll make the arrangements to keep you safe.” He squeezed her hand and smiled at her.
They reached the villa far too quickly, and darkness crept in around them.
“Do you want to go in my room and … talk?” Tristan asked, leaning down to be closer to her.
“Yes, please.” Her heart hammered at what ‘talking’ might involve. His room was the only one Chad had removed the recording devices from.
They walked up to the door, typed in the code, and then went inside. One of the guards silently appeared in the doorframe and held up a hand to them. Tristan nodded.
Tristan told her stories about Sunny, Sophie’s daughter, as they walked into the main living area and tried to act casual. The guard returned and gave them another nod. He quietly let himself out and Tristan armed the security again.
They headed up to his room, and Jennifer’s nerves and anticipation ramped up. Her hand trembled slightly as he escorted her in and closed the door behind her.
