TWO AND A HALF MONTHS LATER
โYou look like shit.โ Ralph sank into the chair opposite mine and appraised me with sharp eyes. โHavenโt โcha heard of a skincare routine?โ
I didnโt look up from the screen. โCarolina!โ
The door to my office opened, and my assistant poked her head in. โYes, Mr. Volkov?โ
โHow the fuck did he get in here?โ I gestured at Ralph. โHeโs on your approved list of visitors who donโt need
appointments.โ
โRemove him from the list.โ
โYes, sir.โ Carolina hesitated. โDo youโโ โYou can leave.โ
She fled without a second thought. I didnโt blame her. Iโd been in a foul mood for months, and sheโd learned it was best to stay out of sight.
Ralph arched his eyebrows. โSomeoneโs in a bad mood.โ โDonโt you have a business to run?โ I clicked out of the
spreadsheet Iโd been examining and leaned back, irritation coiling in my stomach. I didnโt have time for bullshit today. I barely had time for lunch.
Ever since I took over as CEO of Archer Group, the companyโs stocks had shot sky-high. Likely because I
worked nonstop, more than I ever had. I barely left my office. Work kept me busy, and busy was good.
โAh, about that.โ He rubbed the back of his neck. โI wanted to tell you in person.โ
โWhatever it is, make it quick. I have a phone call with the Vice-President in an hour.โ I picked up my glass of whisky and drained the rest of the Macallan.
Yes, it was only noon. No, I didnโt give a fuck.
โThe Vice-President of the Unitedโโ Ralph shook his head. โNever mind, I donโt wanna know. But since you asked, here it is. Iโm retiring and moving to Vermont.โ
โFunny.โ
โIโm not joking. Iโm retiring and moving to Vermont,โ he repeated.
I stared at him. Ralph stared back, his face calm. โYouโre shitting me.โ
Ralph was one of those guys I pictured working till the day he died, simply because he loved his job. He took immense pride in the fact heโd built KMA into the cityโs best training center over the years, and he hadnโt given a single indication he wanted to retire until now.
โNah. Iโve been thinking about it for a while. I love KMA, but I ainโt no spring chicken anymore, and Missy and I have saved up enough for retirement. Plus, the missus has been wanting to get out to the country for a while.โ Ralph drummed his fingers on the desk. โShe grew up in Vermont. Always wanted to go back.โ
I needed another drink. โWhat the hell are you going to do in Vermont?โ
โFuck if I know. Guess I should find a hobby.โ Ralph flashed a crooked smile before it dimmed. โI know itโs sudden, but I didnโt decide until yesterday. I wanted to tell you first. Donโt tell the other students, butโฆyouโve always been the biggest pain in my ass.โ
That was as close to a sentimental statement as Ralph would get.
I snorted. โThanks. So.โ I assessed him with narrowed eyes. โWhatโs happening with the academy?โ
โMy nephew will take it over. Heโll do a good job.โ Ralph laughed at my grimace. โI know youโre not his biggest fan, but heโs been running things alongside me for years. He has what it takes.โ
โWeโll see.โ His nephew may have what it takes, but Ralph was Ralph. โWhen are you moving?โ
โEnd of August. Gives us time to put our affairs in order here, and fall in Vermont is nice as hell.โ My mentorโs face softened. โYou can call or visit anytime. My door is always open for you.โ
โFine.โ I shu๏ฌed the papers on my desk. โWeโll grab a meal before you leave.โ
โI mean it, Alex. Donโt give me that Iโm-an-asshole-who- doesnโt-need-anyone shit, either. I know itโs been a tough couple oโ months with Avaโโ
โDonโt.โ My jaw clenched. โWeโre not discussing her.
Period.โ
Ava had stopped taking Krav Maga lessons at KMA, which Iโd expected, but Ralph hadnโt stopped bugging me about her since he found out about our breakup. I didnโt give him the nitty-gritty; I simply told him things didnโt work out.
Which didnโt stop him from prying. He was a persistent bastard.
โNever figured you one to run away from your troubles,โ he said.
โIโm not running from anything.โ
โThen why do you look like hell? Not to mention youโve been in a foul mood since January. Whatever you didโโ
โWeโre. Not. Discussing. It.โ A vein throbbed in my temple.ย Thisย was why I abhorred human companionship. People couldnโt shut the hell up. โNow, if youโll excuse me
โโ
โSir?โ Carolina poked her head in again, her face pale and not a little terrified. โUh, you have another guest.โ
โIf they donโt have an appointment, I donโt want to see them.โ
โAbout that, itโsโโ
โDonโt bother, Iโll announce myself.โ A statuesque blonde swept in like she owned the place. The vein in my temple pulsed harder. โPrincess Bridget of Eldorra, here to see AssholeโI mean, Alex Volkov.โ Her smile came off both polite and menacing.
I was impressed, if not annoyed.
How hard was it to find competent staff who could keep intruders out of my office these days?
โPrincess.โ Ralph waved two fingers in the air. โRalphie.โ She nodded.
Ralphie?ย I wasnโt going to ask.
Bridgetโs bruiser of a bodyguard stood behind her with his ever-present glower. He might be the one person in the world who had a better poker face and a shittier disposition than I did.
โIโm sorry.โ Carolina looked like she was on the verge of panic. โThe princessโโ
โLeave. Iโll take care of it.โ My call with the VP was in forty minutes, and Iโd already wasted enough time.
โThatโs my cue.โ Ralph rose. โIโll take you up on the meal, but it looks like you have some stuff to hash out first.โ He tilted his head toward Bridget but kept his eyes on me. โThink about what I said.โ
โSure.โ I would rather eat rusted nails than visit Vermont. I didnโt do country life.
When the door closed behind Ralph and Carolina, I leaned back in my chair and laced my fingers over my chest. โTo what do I owe the pleasure, Your Highness?โ I kept my expression impassive and tried not to think of the last time Iโd seen Bridgetโin her car, taking Ava from me.
Even if I was the one whoโd pushed Ava away, I hated Bridget a little for that. For being able to comfort Ava when I couldnโt.
The blonde looked down her nose at me. โI know what you did.โ
โYouโll have to be more specific. Iโve done a lot of things in my life, as you well know.โ
โCut the bullshit.โ Bridget walked up to my desk and leaned forward, pressing her hands on the table. Her eyes glinted with steely knowledge. โYouโre having Ava followed.โ
My shoulders stiffened before I forced them to relax. โPrincesses shouldnโt say the word โbullshit.โ Itโs terribly undiplomatic.โ
โDonโt deflect. Rhysโฆโ She angled her head toward the bodyguard, whose gunmetal glare darkened the longer he looked at me. โโฆcaught him. It turns out itโs a small world after all because they served in the military together. In fact, Rhys saved his life, so it didnโt take much before he spilled. Now, I want you to explain why, exactly, youโre having Ava followed. Havenโt you done enough?โ
That fucker. No wonder the guy Iโd hired had been avoiding my calls.
Navy SEAL of honor, my ass. Incompetency and disloyalty were a worldwide scourge.
โPerhaps you should check your facts because I did no such thing,โ I said coolly. โDelusional much?โ
โDonโt lie, Alex. Youโre not as good at it as you think you are.โ Bridget pierced me with her stare. โHe told us you ordered him to keep an eye on her. Not to harm herโฆbut to protect her.โ
A familiar pressure built at the base of my neck and spread until it enveloped my skull in a crushing grip. โAnd you believed him?โ I straightened my shirt sleeve. โDoesnโt say much for your bodyguard that he would believe lies so easily. No wonder you got kidnapped.โ
A low growl emitted from said bodyguardโs throat. He stepped forward, his eyes promising vengeance, but Bridget stayed him with a warning look.
โYouโre deflecting again.โ She relaxed, her hard expression melting into a thoughtful one that sent the hairs on the back of my neck rising. She slipped into Ralphโs vacated chair and crossed one leg over the other.
โI didnโt say you could sit.โ I didnโt give a flying fuck that she was a princess. This wasย myย office.ย Myย kingdom.
Bridget ignored me.
Iโd already picked up my phone to call security when she said, โYou secretly hired someone to look after Ava because you still care about her.โ
Why theย fuckย did everyone want to talk about her? Was it Torture Alex with Avaโs Name day?
I slammed the phone down and stood. I was done with people today. The Vice-President could wait another day or week for our phone call. โI donโt have time for this. Iโโ
โStill care about her,โ Bridget repeated.
โTake a pill for the delusion, princess. I used her. I got what I wanted. Now Iโm done. Iโveย beenย done for months.โ I shrugged on my jacket. โNow fuck off.โ
โFor someone whoโs usually so composed, youโre awfully agitated,โ she said. โI wonder why.โ
โHow about you mind your business, I mind mine.โ I flicked my eyes toward Rhys, who glared back at me with dangerous gray eyes.
Bridget tensed. โWhatโs that supposed to mean?โ โYou know what it means.โ
โFine. Stay in denial.โ Bridget stood, her complexion a shade paler than before. โI guess you donโt want to know about Ava.โ
โWhat about Ava?โ The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Shit.
A small, triumphant smile spread across Bridgetโs face. Between her and Jules, โannoying as hellโ must be a requirement for Avaโs friends.
โForget I said anything. You obviously donโt care,โ she said.
โJust tell me,โ I gritted out. โNot unless you admit it.โ
My blood pressure skyrocketed to alarming levels. I wasย thisย close to drop-kicking a princess, bodyguard be damned. โThereโs nothing to tell.โ
โFor a supposed genius, you areย dense.โ Bridget somehow managed to look down her nose at me even though I was taller than her. โYou didnโt hire someone to follow Ava all these months to protect her for no reason. To be clear, I despise you for what you did, and I donโtย wantย her to forgive you. But I love her more than I hate you, and she hasnโt been the same since Philly.โ A troubled expression crossed her face. โI didnโt say anything at first because I thought you didnโt care, but now that I know you doโdonโt insult me by denying it again,โ she said when I opened my mouth. โI may not have a MENSA-level IQ, but Iโm not an idiot. I hate to admit it, but youโre the only person with any hope of getting through to her. Iโve tried, Jules and Stella have tried, Josh has tried hard as he canโฆ but itโs not working.โ
I suppressed a flinch at the mention of Joshโs name. โAvaโs fine. Sheโs healthy and thriving in school. Sheโs even swimming on her own now.โ
There was no use pretending anymore. Bridget saw right through my bullshit.
โOn the outside, Ava is fine,โ she said. โNot on the inside. SheโsโฆI donโt know how to explain it. Itโs like sheโs missing the spark that makes herย her.โ
I knew exactly what she meant, because Iโd seen that spark die in front of my eyes.
I exhaled a ragged breath and tried to gather my swirling thoughts. They were usually crystal clear, each arranging themselves in the perfect pattern for me to analyze and strategize, but Iโd barely slept over the past few months, and I hadnโt eaten in almost twenty-four hours. I was a mess.
Iโd been a mess since I let Ava go.
โI donโt know if sheโll forgive you for what you did,โ Bridget said. โOr if Iย wantย her to forgive you. But itโs not about me. Itโs about her. Imagine how she must feel, finding out both her โfatherโ and her โboyfriendโ lied to her for so longโandย finding these things out at practically the same time. She says sheโs over it, but you donโt just โget overโ something like that.โ She glared at me. โAt least tell her your true feelings. She doesnโt trust herself right now, much less in love or other people. And an Ava who doesnโt trust or believe in loveโฆwell, thatโs not really Ava, is it?โ
My heart twisted into a knot that blocked the air from my lungs.ย โI canโt.โ
โWhy not? You care about her. Perhapsโฆโ She paused, her face contemplative as she examined my tight jaw and rigid frame. โYou even love her.โ
โGet out.โ
โYouโre being a coward. I thought you werenโt afraid of anything, yet youโre afraid to tell her how you really feelโโ
โBecause sheโs better off without me, okay?โ I exploded, months of pent-up emotion bursting forth in one giant, scalding wave.
Rhys stepped forward, but Bridget waved him back, those blue eyes trained on me with fascination. I didnโt blame her. Iโd never blown up like that in front of another person. Ever.
It was strangely cathartic.
โI couldnโt protect her. She was hurt because ofย me.ย My uncle kidnapped her because ofย me.ย And I couldnโt stop
him.โ I pressed my lips together, trying to calm my rampaging pulse.
Five months later, I still woke in the middle of the night, terrified something had happened to Ava. Envisioning all the things thatย couldโveย happened to her had things gone sideways in my uncleโs office. That was why Iโd hired the private investigator-slash-bodyguardโI couldnโt look after her myself without putting her in more danger, but Iโd be damned if I left her defenseless and alone out there.
Of course, I needed to fire the guy for not keeping his mouth shut, but this was D.C. There were ex-military and ex-Secret Service types everywhere.
Bridgetโs expression softened. โYou saved her life.โ
โI was the one who put her in that situation in the first place,โ I said bitterly. โPeople around me always get hurt, and for all I haveโโI swept my arm around my sprawling officeโโI canโt guarantee their safety.โ I raked a frustrated hand through my hair, glad my office was soundproof and surrounded by tinted glass. The last thing I needed was for my staff to see me lose my shit.
โNothing in life is guaranteed, but youโre Alex Volkov. Your uncle caught you off guard because he was your uncle, but now that heโs out of the picture, do you really think anyone else can get the jump on you?โ Bridget shook her head. โIf you do, then maybe it is best you stay away from Ava. Like I said, I despise what you did to her, but I also believe you love herโeven if youโre too stubborn or stupid to see itโโ
โI have an IQ of 160,โ I said, insulted.
โIntellectual intelligence doesnโt equal emotional intelligence,โ she retorted. โAnd do not interrupt a princess. Itโs terrible etiquette. As I was saying, youโre too stubborn or stupid to see it, and now itโs too late.โ
I paused, letting her words sink in. Dread uncoiled at the pit of my stomach. โExplain.โ
Bridget and Rhys exchanged glances before she responded in a wary tone. โAvaโs moving to London. She switched her fellowship location. Her plane leaves inโโshe checked the clockโโan hour.โ
London.ย Another city, another country, another
continent.ย She would be thousands of miles away from me.
Fuck. That.
The dread turned into full-blown panic. โFlight info,โ I snarled.
โI donโt know.โ
I wanted to strangle her. I didnโt care that Rhys was packing heat and looked ready to tackle me if I so much as twitched the wrong way.
โI swear to God, Bridgetโโ
โWhy do you want to know?โ she demanded. โItโs not like youโll go after her. You saidโโ
โBecause I love her!โ I slammed my hands on the table. โThere, happy? I love her so much I would rather give her up than hurt her. But if you think Iโm letting her go to another countryย alone,ย with no protection, youโve got another think coming. Now give me her fucking flight info.โ
Bridget did, a spark of triumph gleaming in her eyes.
I was well aware sheโd baited me, but I didnโt care. All I cared about was getting to the airport in the next hourโ fuck, the next fifty-six minutes. I would figure everything else out laterโAvaโs protection, my enemies. For now, I just needed to see her. Hold her.
I brushed past Bridget and Rhys and stormed toward the elevator, ignoring Carolinaโs startled jump.
โCancel my call with the VPโsend my sincerest apologies and tell him I had a last-minute emergencyโand book me a ticket to Europe that leaves in the next three hours,โ I commanded as I passed her. โDulles Airport.โ
โYou want me to cancel theโโ โDo it.โ
โCertainly, sir.โ Carolina sprang into action, her fingers flying over her keyboard. โWhich city wouldโโ
โDoesnโt matter. Just do it.โ โRight away, sir.โ
I only needed the ticket to get past security.
My stomach sank when I saw the empty seating area and closed door leading to the jetway.
โFlight 298. Did it leave?โ I demanded of the attendant behind the counter.
โYes, Iโm afraid the plane took off a few minutes ago, sir,โ she said apologetically. โIf you would like to book another flightโโ
I tuned her out, my heart beating a desperate, lonely rhythm in my chest.
The plane had left. Ava was gone.
