“I’m sorry, sir. Miss Washington?”
I exhaled. “My guest, Sutcliffe. Where is she?”
“Oh. The young woman wandering around the palace.”
I clenched my fist. “Where is she?”
“Sir, we had no instructions. Security followed royal protocol.”
I gritted my teeth. “What does that mean exactly?”
“She left, your majesty.”
The irritation made the vein in my temple throb. “Why didn’t you ask my input?”
“Sir, it seemed as if the meeting with the prime minister was in a delicate state. And again, we had no instructions. I couldn’t be certain she was your guest. She was not on the royal roster. How did I know she wasn’t a lost tourist?”
Fuck the royal roster. I sat on the edge of my desk. I hadn’t left instructions. I had expected the security to let her back into the residence. I expected common sense. They saw her leave with me this morning. But they were like statues. They rarely looked around them. I wondered just how safe I was with guards who were so clearly fucking oblivious.
I closed my eyes. Where in the hell was she?
“How did she leave?” I quizzed the palace manager.
“I don’t know, sir.”
“I need to know when she left. How she left. And where she is now.”
“Sir, it’s after midnight,” he complained.
I looked at my watch. I didn’t give a shit what time it was. It was his fault she was gone.
“I expect the information to be included in the lodestar. On my desk before I reach my office tomorrow morning.”
“Yes— ”
Damn it. I needed another drink if I was going to make it through this night. Molly was supposed to be mine now. I didn’t even know I wanted her before last night. How the fuck had I lost her so quickly?
I ran my fingers through my hair, pulling on the ends in frustration. “Early,” I pressed. “I want the lodestar early.”
“Certainly.”
I hung up, not satisfied with the information I had. Not satisfied about a fucking thing that had happened since the morning.
This morning I had Molly.
14
Molly
The alarm chirped. I pulled the covers close to my shoulders. I was warm in my little cocoon. I had been dreaming. I tried to pull the dream back to focus, but it was fuzzy. The edges came and left my consciousness. And then I saw them. The dark eyes. The lust of Damon’s piercing stare.
My breath caught. I squeezed my eyes together tightly. My core fluttered remembering that look. I’d never forget it. Along with his voice in my ear. It rattled me. Unlocked something in me that wanted to break free.
I sighed when the snooze ended and the alarm chirped again.
“Fine,” I groaned. I tapped my phone, and slid my feet to the floor. I had a lot of work to make up after I disappeared yesterday.
The back of my throat tightened. I didn’t want to admit I was disappointed. How foolish could I be to think the king was going to track down my phone number or show up on my doorstep overnight? I had to stop thinking that way and accept I had an incredible memory to relive anytime I wanted. Nothing more.