A Player for A Princess

“I’ve got you, my love,” I say as I stand. “You’re safe now.”

My eyes land on a pair of green ones watching me from across the room. The girl is awake, and she sees me. I’m frozen in place unsure if she’ll scream or wake her mother; if she’ll try to fight us, or if she’ll call Ratcliffe.

The girl does none of those things. She simply nods and smiles. I don’t hesitate. We have no time to waste, and I’m out the door and back to where I left Logan.

* * *

Onboard the ship, I’m holding Zelda in my arms as we decide our next steps.

“I wasn’t able to deal with Hines,” Logan says, his voice a low rumble. “You stay with her. I’ll finish Ratcliffe.”

The anger in my chest surges to life. “His ass is mine.” Every time I see the finger Zee keeps trying to hide, red floods my vision. “He dared to touch her. I will make him suffer.”

“I’ll make him suffer.” He nods to my fiancée. “She needs your strength now.”

It’s the only thing keeping me here. Zelda is hugged close to my side, and she seems smaller somehow, broken. My arms tighten around her, and with a deep exhale, I give him the go-ahead. He’s off the boat, disappearing into the night.

Reggie is at the stern, holding the wheel and waiting for our next steps. “Wade is in the area,” he says, slipping his phone into the coat pocket above his chest. “I’ll arrange a meeting with him, and the two of you can plan however you’d like to deal with him.”

“That’s good,” I say, standing and lifting Zee in my arms again. “We’ll be below.” I take her down the steps of the cabin cruiser to where a small living area fills the space below deck. Bench seating surrounds a table, and through a sliding door in the back is a tiny bedroom.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she finally says, and I pull her close to me again.

She cried almost the entire way fr

om the camp to the boat, and my heart broke over and over with her sobs. She’s been so quiet since we got onboard. I felt her recoil from Reggie, but when she heard us talking she relaxed. Her good hand is fisted in my shirt, and as much as she doesn’t want to let me go, I’m not in any hurry to let her out of my arms.

“Would you like to sleep?” I ask gently.

Her eyes close, and she melts into my chest. “I’ve missed the sound of your voice.”

Both my arms tighten around her, and I carry her to the queen-sized bed with me. I’m sitting, propped up with pillows, and she’s curled with her head on my chest. We stay that way several long moments as her breathing slows and the hole her kidnapping exploded in my chest gradually heals.

“My beautiful Zee,” I whisper, and her arms tighten on me. I stroke her forehead, then I kiss her brow. “I’ll kill them for hurting you. I’ll kill them all.”

She doesn’t speak. She only hugs me again, and a little tremble moves through her. It’s almost more than I can stand. Rolling her onto her back, I raise up on my elbows so I can see her blue eyes. They’re red-rimmed and watery. I’m feeling every emotion I see reflected at me there.

“They said you’re pregnant?” It’s a question that has haunted me for days. “You’re having my baby?”

“Oh, Cal,” she rolls forward, hiding her face in my chest. “I think I am.”

A hollow ache twists in my stomach. “I don’t understand.”

Her hand is over her mouth a moment, and she hiccups a breath. “I was bleeding.” A little tremor before she’s able to speak again. “I’m so afraid, Cal. I’m afraid something happened…”

Pulling her against my chest again, I look up at the ceiling and breathe slowly. Heat is in my own eyes this time, and I can’t believe how quickly I’ve become attached to the idea of Zelda and me as a family.

“We’ll take you to a doctor as soon as we get back. We’re leaving this place tonight. I’ll message Logan and tell him to return.”

Her body jerks, and she clutches my shirt in her fist. “Cal! We can’t leave them behind. You have to get them!”

My brow lines. “Get who, darling?”

“Ximena and Selena. The woman and her daughter who took care of me. We can’t leave them behind, Cal. They’re in danger here. If he comes and finds me gone, he’ll hurt them!”

She’s talking so fast and pulling on my shirt. I run my hands over her hair and try to calm her. “I’ll tell Logan to get them. Will they go with him? They might be afraid.”

“Selena speaks English. Have him tell her I said for them to come. Tell them my husband is here, and we need them to come with us.”