Scandal and the Runaway Bride (Heirs to an Empire 1)

She looked at William and compared him to his brother. He wasn’t quite as imposing as Stephen, but there was a strength about him that was reassuring as well as being infuriating. He’d lost his father, too. And he’d had his own grief to deal with. Maybe not the same pressures as Stephen, who was the

eldest and the heir. But grief and adjustment all the same.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly now. “I’m sorry about your father. It must have been hard for you as well.”

His eyes softened with sadness and pain. “He was a good man. Losing him was unexpected. We all managed to step into new roles in the company with only a few bumps. But living without him...that’s different. So many times I’ve wanted to call him and ask his advice, and I can’t.”

“But Stephen’s been the one in the spotlight. I hope you and your siblings haven’t been forgotten.”

He smiled a little. “Forgotten by the press? That’s a blessing.”

Of course. And if anyone found out they were here together, he’d be in the press and...it explained why he was holding on to her phone.

“Compromise?” she offered, her voice deliberately light. “You let me check my phone. You can vet any messages I send. And I will give it back to you. You trust me a little, and I’ll trust you.”

He considered for a moment, his gaze holding hers. Something strange swirled through her belly at his close examination. It was as if he could see right into her and her thoughts and feelings. She didn’t really trust him at all. It was something he’d have to earn. But this might be a start.

He reached inside the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out her phone.

“You had it with you the whole time?” Gabi couldn’t help the censure that colored her words.

And then he smiled. Smiled for the first time all morning. Had he smiled at all yesterday? She was hard-pressed to remember. But this one...oh, that swirly feeling came back with a vengeance. It lit up his face and made his eyes sparkle with impishness. Wasn’t this inconvenient? The last thing she needed was to find her ex-fiancé’s brother attractive.

“Of course I had it with me. And I was going to suggest what you just did. I don’t want you to be a prisoner, Gabi. I just want this whole thing to be done cautiously and correctly.”

“To protect Stephen.”

“And the family. The tabloids will jump on any little thing, and while my mother is as strong as they come, I’d like to keep her from salacious speculation.”

“You’re very loyal,” Gabi murmured, impressed despite herself.

“I protect people I care about,” he admitted. “I didn’t always, but I do now.”

“In addition to managing part of the family business.”

“That, too. It’s been a big learning curve.”

He handed her the phone and she cradled it in her hand. It was warm from being in his pocket and the knowledge felt more intimate than it should. “Thank you.”

“After that, you’re welcome to explore the château and the gardens. Just please don’t leave the immediate property. As far as I know, no one knows we’re here.”

On one hand it was lovely to know she wouldn’t be cooped up in the house. On the other, closeting her away felt strange and wrong. But it was only for a few days. That was what William had said.

And William, she was quickly realizing, appeared to be a man of his word. So far.

CHAPTER THREE

WILL PRESSED THE phone to his ear and closed his eyes. “Yes, I know. No one knows we’re here, Stephen.”

His brother went off again, and Will told himself to be patient. He understood Stephen being upset. He’d been betrayed, and if the truth got out, he’d be utterly humiliated. This wasn’t the first time. Being rich and an earl made him desirable. But he was also very human, and right now his pride was understandably smarting. He’d never truly gotten over Bridget’s betrayal. That was driving his emotion now more than Gabi, so William took a breath and stayed calm.

When Will could finally get a word in, he interrupted. “You should know that she’s very contrite. She panicked. She didn’t do this to create problems for you.”

Why he was defending Gabi was a mystery. Maybe it was the soft look in her eyes this morning. Or how she’d offered a compromise and had stuck to it, no tantrums or pouting or trying to renegotiate. He pinched the skin above his nose and sighed. “Stephen, it was a stupid idea in the first place. And if you think she was using you, perhaps you need to look in the mirror. You were using her, too.”

There was silence on the other end.

And then a click.