Hostage to Love

“Baby, what is it?” Nick demanded as soon as the waiter moved off.

Belle looked over Alex’s shoulder at the guests and waiters milling in the living room. Nothing seemed out of place, and yet…

“I’m not sure.” Her father was still talking to the Finance Minister; her mother was waving around her multi-ringed fingers in emphasis of some point.

Sighing, she pinned a smile on her face. “Can we go back in?” She saw Alex and Nick exchange a look, but Nick nodded.

She didn’t want to feel uncharitable, but now that dinner and coffee had been served, she hoped it wouldn’t be long before the evening ended. No doubt she was out of sorts, because she hadn’t seen most of these people for over half a year. But right now, she just wanted to be alone with Nick.

She loved him. She needed to tell him that. Even if he couldn’t say it back.

Her father beckoned. With a sigh, she widened her smile and went to him.

…

Nick left his study, dark satisfaction lightening his feet. He re-entered the living room and made a beeline for Belle.

“Something’s happened,” she said as he drew her into a quiet corner.

God, how well she knew him.

He nodded. “John Allen just called. Mwana’s finally been tracked down to a small town outside Dusseldorf in Germany. Interpol is sending a division to the farmhouse he’s hiding out in. We should have news in half an hour.”

“Oh, Nick! This…this could be over tonight?”

His sense of elation was heady. “Yes, apparently he bribed one of the charter pilots to alter the flight plan and fly him to Germany from Hong Kong three days ago. A member of the ground crew where the plane stopped to refuel spotted Mwana and alerted authorities. They traced the plane to a small airstrip near Dusseldorf.”

“How soon will we know?” she asked, desperately trying to stem the hope that threatened to flood her.

“How soon we will know what?” Alex said from beside them.

Nick filled quickly filled him in.

“Excellent news. I’ll keep the champagne on ice.”

Nick suppressed the prickle of unease at the back of his mind as they rejoined the party and mingled with his guests. The news couldn’t have come soon enough. By night’s end, he and Belle could draw a line through this sorry mess and get on with their life together. Although he wouldn’t rest until he heard the man was in custody, the news pleased him nonetheless.

Sliding an arm around his wife’s waist, he kissed the side of her neck.

She smiled up at him. “What’s that for?”

“Is it against the law for a man to kiss his wife in public?”

Her smile widened, and his heart turned over. “Not at all. Just thought I’d ask. Someone once told me there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” she responded drolly.

He laughed and leaning down, whispered in her ear, “You’re right. And I will make my demands very clear after our guests leave.” Watching her struggle to suppress the blush invading her stunning face, he wished the guests gone. The need to be alone with his wife was eating away at him. He had things to work through, things to explain.

The conversation with his mother replayed in his mind, as well. Had he judged her too harshly? Perhaps…

She hadn’t withstood the test of parenthood, but as Belle had driven home these last two weeks, it took two people to make a marriage work. If what his mother had said was true, then…

“What are you thinking about?” his wife asked him.

He laughed. “Where shall I start? I’ve been thinking about my mother. I’ve decided to give her a chance. She was selfish and unloving when I was young, but people can change.”

Belle’s joy glowed from her face. Realizing she was happy for him sent a bolt of emotion so strong through him that he had to swallow several times just to be able to breathe.

God, now he really wanted to be alone with her.