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William Rindlesbacher
Jennifer’s breaths came in heaving gulps, and she sank to the wood floor in a heap. Her legs couldn’t support her. That monster had kidnapped her father too. William would cut her parents, torture them, and eventually kill them. What could she possibly do to stop him? How could she gain Tristan’s trust while not telling him what was happening and not letting anyone else see her?
She struggled to her knees, bowed her head, and prayed desperately for strength and some kind of inspiration. Nothing came to her, but as she opened her eyes, she was eye level with the wedding invitation for Prince Derek and his American bride, Ellery Monson.
It was at least a way into the castle, but she’d have to hide once she got in and then somehow get Tristan’s attention.
Gain his trust but not tell him the truth? Could she do that? To Tristan?
Jennifer looked at the picture of her dad again and hot tears streamed down her face. She remembered her mum, cut from William’s knife and in his possession. It made her want to stay on the floor and sob.
Even as she had that thought, she knew she had to take action to protect herself and hopefully rescue her parents. Rushing around the cottage, she found a small rucksack, a can of bear spray, and a couple pocket knives. There was no gun, not even in the safe. It was probably for the best. She’d never shot a gun before.
Jennifer set the bag to the side. She couldn’t take it into the wedding, but she wanted to be prepared when William sent her next instructions.
If she could sneak into the castle and somehow get Tristan alone, on his brother’s wedding day no less, would she dare confide in him or would William somehow know? The man claimed he had eyes and ears everywhere, and she believed him. He could have people loyal to him in the police force or the royal guard.
But Tristan…
Despite him breaking her heart by moving on and getting engaged, she could trust him to help her. Unless he let something leak to Ray, his dad, Chad, or Jensen. They were all trustworthy men, but once something started leaking, it just kept leaking. She worried her lip and prayed harder.
Even if she walked William’s precarious slackline, she didn’t know that her parents would survive. If he truly killed them and Tristan, she wouldn’t just mourn. She’d never recover.
Chapter Three
Tristan sat through the beautiful and well-attended wedding of his second-youngest brother, Derek, the famed ‘Ninja Prince,’ and Ellery Monson, the top female ninja warrior in the world.
This gorgeous and well-attended wedding was a direct opposite of Ray and Macey’s quiet ceremony two weeks ago—a wedding Ellery had unwittingly ruined by listening to Naomi Rindlesbacher’s lies about Hattie being a murderer.
This wedding was on a stretch of grass next to the castle overlooking the gorgeous valley with the multi-colored mountain slopes as the perfect backdrop. Flower pots decorated any spare spot of ground, and wreaths and hanging flower sprays were draped everywhere. Steffan and Hattie were seated a few chairs away from him, beaming and in love, with no need to hide. Scores of friends, family, foreign and Augustine dignitaries, members of the local church and community, and media were in attendance. Almost two hundred was the count he’d heard had been invited, and they’d all appeared to come.
Finally, the royals of Augustine had nothing to hide, and they were free of William and Naomi Rindlesbacher. Ray had relaxed initially when the two had disappeared, focusing his men on finding the pair of criminals and Leslie, but security had been increased for this event. There were numerous guards openly armed and some masquerading as guests. Only those with an official invite had been allowed through the gates. An embedded security code on each invite had been scanned by the guards. Each guest had also been searched with high-tech scanning equipment and only small purses for the ladies or camera bags for media members were allowed through the gates, after passing through a scanner better than any airport security.
They were safe; no bombs would get through today. The bride was radiantly gorgeous in a white satin dress that fit her simplistic beauty. The groom was properly smitten and handsome in his dark gray tux.
Besides the heartbreaking lack of his mum in attendance, it was a picture-perfect day. The only other person who wasn’t in attendance …
Tristan risked another glance around. Henry. How dare he miss this important event? Things were shaky enough between Henry and the king. Tristan had overheard some media questioning where the prime minister could be.
Jennifer, regrettably, wasn’t here either.
Or was she?
Many people had sunglasses on to protect their eyes from the slanting late-afternoon sun and some women had fancy hats. One particular woman had both a hat and glasses on, her hair hidden by the large brim. She was seated near the back of the crowd in a white floral dress. Her fit body, the smooth line of her jaw, her deeply tanned skin, and those generous lips seemed like dead giveaways to him.
Why was she hiding behind the hat and sunglasses? Was it really her or was he imagining it was because he wanted to see her again?
It wouldn’t do to have the crown prince craning his neck to stare at the crowd, so Tristan sat straight and tall, a slight smile on his face, his arm draped over the back of Kiera’s chair as he teased that she had to be his date since he was ‘dreadfully alone.’
Chad had brought a date, attempting to prove he’d recovered easily from Sophie Pederson’s rejection. It was easy for Tristan to see that his close friend wasn’t interested in the fake-looking blonde on his arm. Chad was partial to brunettes and had only brought her so he wouldn’t be alone.
Jensen was alone. Misery should’ve loved company, but Tristan was happy his brothers had all found their ideal match; it would be great to see Chad and Jensen do the same. Thankfully, darling and wild Kiera had at least a dozen years before she could even look at the opposite sex. Tristan smiled more genuinely, thinking what a sixteen-year-old Kiera would say to that when the time came. If only she could stay twelve forever.
Tristan focused on the beautiful ceremony. It rushed by far too quickly. The family would be the first to congratulate the bride and groom, then the crowd would take their turn before the guests would walk around the side of the castle, the path a temporary suspended glass bridge that led to the massive courtyard out front where the dinner, reception, dancing, and wedding celebration would be held. Hopefully none of the guests were afraid of heights.
He was one of the first to congratulate Derek and Ellery. He appreciated all of his sisters-in-law; they were each generous, kind, witty, and the right match for his brothers. Only Malik wasn’t married yet. He and Sophie hadn’t announced a date, but his youngest brother had put a huge princess-cut diamond ring on the accomplished chef’s finger last night. Malik was begging her to elope tomorrow. As the ‘Charming Prince,’ Tristan imagined Malik would convince her soon.
The dramatic way the two had reconnected two weeks ago, barely escaping William Rindlesbacher’s nightmare schemes with their lives, and the fact that they couldn’t leave each other’s sides now, Tristan imagined Sophie wouldn’t make Malik wait long.
