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He shut the door behind them, and she pulled away and spun to face him, folding her arms across her chest. “How was the dancing?”
“Luckily, I escaped before I had to dance.”
“That’s not what the guard said.” She arched an eyebrow, her stomach churning uncomfortably.
Tristan eased closer, and instantly Jennifer was overwhelmed by his magnetic presence, his blue eyes, his delicious scent. “What did the guard say?”
“That you were busy dancing with a ‘gorgeous blonde’ while I waited up here. My parents are probably being tortured and murdered by William as we waste time.”
“Jenn, I didn’t dance with anyone. Some women from America surrounded me. With Jensen’s help, I extracted myself as quickly as I could. I only want you.”
Jennifer held up a hand. She didn’t know what to believe right now, and it wasn’t the time anyway. “Can you help me rescue my parents? That needs to be the focus right now.” Not her unrealistic desires to have the crown prince love her and only her.
He nodded tightly, though he looked far from done proclaiming his innocence. She’d seen that blonde clinging to him. He tilted his head to the couch. She walked over and sank into it, crossing her legs. Tristan sat down, far too close with as out of sorts as she was feeling. He rested his arm along the back of the couch, his fingertips brushing the bare skin of her neck. She straightened away from him.
She had to trust him to help her parents, but she couldn’t trust him with her aching heart.
“A few days ago,” she started, before he could touch her again and mess up her focus completely, “William, Naomi, and my mum showed up at the village I was volunteering at.”
His eyes widened.
“My mum was tied up. William cut her arm and then he grabbed me and cut me on the abdomen.”
“I’ll kill him,” Tristan growled. The protectiveness in his voice and fierce look in his blue eyes made her heart skip a beat.
“We have to find him first.”
He gritted his teeth. “What did he say?”
“He told me to go home and play my part or he’d send my mum to us a piece at a time.”
“Jenn … I’m sorry.” He wrapped his hand around hers. She drew strength from his strength and could almost believe he could right every wrong, could almost forget about him and the blonde, him falling in love with Macey. Almost.
“He told me to talk to no one,” she continued, “especially you, and await his instructions.”
“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.”
