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I nod. “I can only assume that he does.”
“Why didn’t you set him straight?”
“There’s no point. Didn’t you see the wedding band on his finger?” I ask rhetorically.
He answers my question anyway. “Yeah, I did. But none of our intel indicated he was married. If he is, that changes things. Are you sure you still want him protecting you and Alex while you’re here? There are plenty of other options at Shining Knight; you don’t have to choose him if you don’t want to.”
“I know, but there’s no one I trust more,” I tell him.
“In any other scenario, I might be offended. But I get it. Let’s see how the meeting goes, and you can decide after that. For now, let’s go play in the snow. It’s my first time getting to romp around in it, too.”
The last two days have been absolutely nerve-wracking for me, anticipating my next encounter with Patrick. At least this time, I’ll be more composed and not have a tear-stained face. As I stand in front of the glass doors of Shining Knight, it takes all my courage to enter. I have no idea what to expect from this meeting or if Patrick would be willing to take on the assignment. After all, I left him over nine years ago and hadn’t tried to contact him since, but not because I hadn’t wanted to.
“Are we going to go in, Mommy? It’s cold out here.” I look down at my precious little boy and give a little bob of my head.
“I’m right here with you, Ariella. Or should I call you Ari?” Kiernan teases. I scowl at him because he knows that Patrick is the only person whom I've allowed to shorten my name.
I take Alex’s hand and enter the imposing building, admiring the inlaid stone walls and water fountain in the lobby. The receptionist greets us warmly and directs us to the appropriate floor. Alex races toward the elevators so that he can be the one to press the button, and we catch up to him just as the doors open. Once we’re inside, I ask him to press the number ten for us, and he does so gladly. The ride up is quick, so quick, in fact, that my ears pop from the ascent.
“I bet you wish that had taken a little longer. Now you don’t have time to back out,” Kiernan says, chuckling.
No sooner than we are off of the elevator, a beautiful woman with long chestnut hair greets us with a broad smile. “Hello! You must be Princess Ariella and Prince Kiernan. I’m Amelia, Ethan’s wife and better half,” she laughs. She looks at Alex and gives him a slight curtsy, “And you must be the esteemed Prince Alex that I’ve heard so much about.”
Alex smiles wide, completely enamored with Amelia. He bows in response and takes her hand to give it a small kiss. What a little flirt!
As Amelia titters with amusement, I lean over and whisper to Kiernan. “I know he learned that from you!”
He puts his hands up in surrender, “Guilty as charged. But can you blame me? He’s got a way with the ladies.”
I shake my head in mock annoyance at Kiernan, then ask Amelia, “Do you see what I have to put up with?”
She laughs good-naturedly. “Please, follow me. Ethan’s expecting you. Just so you’re forewarned, the entire Alpha Team is in the conference room along with Ethan and Ben.”
“Oh. I thought this meeting was just supposed to be with Ethan. Who’s Ben?” I ask.
“Ben is my brother and Ethan’s best friend. They started Shining Knight together. Because this is a high-profile case, we wanted everyone to be here for their input.”
“Honestly, I was hoping for a low profile.”
“Don’t worry. No one on the Alpha Team is aware of who you are, at least not until introductions are made. And once you leave this building, no one will use your titles or treat you as royalty if that’s how you prefer it.”
“Thank you. It would be nice to feel ‘normal,’ even if only for a few days,” I say.
Kiernan laughs, but not in a fun way. “Ariella, what’s going on back home isn’t going to be over in a few days. This could be a long-term assignment, which is why your father wanted only the best.”
“How long is ‘long-term?’ Weeks? Months?”
He merely shrugs as if that’s an acceptable answer.
“We’ll make sure you’re protected as long as necessary,” Amelia says reassuringly. The lengthy amount of time is only a small part of the problem. It’s the fact that Patrick was the person I had intended to hire, and there is no way he is going to want to be away from his wife for such an extended period. Yet, I don’t know if I could live with a stranger for weeks, months, or however long this will take to get resolved if Patrick isn’t the one protecting me.
When she opens the door for us to enter, all eyes turn in our direction. Everyone in the room stands up while Ethan and Ben come over to greet us. Once that’s out of the way, they gesture to the three side-by-side open seats for us to take. Patrick’s eyes widen in surprise when he sees me, affirming Amelia’s previous statement that the team was unaware of who their client would be.
“Patrick!” Alex yells as he runs over to greet his new friend. He takes the available seat next to Patrick and looks at me to make sure it’s okay for him to sit there. I give him a dip of my chin and a smile, granting him permission. In Cothena, the children sit after the parents have taken their place.
I occupy the chair to the right of Alex, and Kiernan takes the one on my other side. As I scan the room, I recognize a face that’s permanently etched on my brain, even though I had only seen her for just a few seconds. Patrick’s wife sits directly across from me, and now I have to go through this meeting trying not to compare myself to the beautiful woman. Her skin is a pale ivory that’s smooth as glass, while mine has a darker olive tone. Her hair is strawberry blond, and mine is jet black. We both have green eyes, but hers are vibrant, while mine are pale and nearly translucent. We couldn’t be more different, and I have to wonder what Patrick ever saw in me.
Amelia gives everyone a little wave. As she turns to leave, her eyes focus on Alex sitting next to Patrick. She looks from Alex to Patrick and back to Alex again. Then she does the same thing, only between Alex and Kiernan. When her gaze meets mine, there’s a question in them that I’m unwilling to answer. I look down at the table instead of at her. I only lift my head when I hear the door shut behind her.
