With This Ring

Satisfied that they were both safe I shut the door and headed to my room.

I had just arrived in my room when a message arrived on my phone.

Can you talk? Is it too late?

It was Freya, and my response was immediate.

Yes.

Her reply came quickly.

At the bottom of the stairs? Five minutes?

I thought about it for an instant.

No. Kitchen. We can make some tea or something.

The moment I hit send, I reread the message and couldn’t believe those words had come out of my head, more so because I couldn’t remember the last time I’d even touched a kitchen appliance. Putting the phone back into my pocket, I hurried immediately to the kitchen. All was dark and quiet, the staff having finished for the day. I opened a few cupboards and found the cabinet where the coffee pods and tea were kept. I pulled out a box of Chamomile tea infusion. Then I filled the kettle with water and flicked the switch on.

I sensed the moment she arrived, but didn’t turn around. For some reason I wasn’t yet ready to face her. A corner of me even felt dread that perhaps she would again blame this all on me and it would drive us even further apart. Not after tonight. I shut my eyes and hoped.

When the water boiled I retrieved the kettle and brought it over to the counter where I had already laid out the flowers in tea cups. I couldn’t believe how domesticated I was being. If any of my men saw me now, they would be in shock.

“This will calm you,” I said to her.

“I’m already calm,” she replied quietly. “My question is why were you so calm when he was pointing the gun at you?”

I looked up then, and met her gaze. Only one lamp lit the massive kitchen, but it was more than enough for me to clearly see the accusation in her eyes. “What are you saying?”

“I know that you’re usually calm, but we were in a very volatile and dangerous situation. At any moment things could have gone from bad to tragic, and you let him point a gun at you like that. What made you so sure that he wouldn’t shoot?”

I felt a surge of anger, but I kept my voice even. “Are you insinuating that I am behind all of these attacks?”

Silence. We stared at each other.

“What made you so sure that he wouldn’t shoot?” she repeated.

I tried my best to put aside my ego and I had a strange feeling of hurt she could think so lowly of me. What was important now was her safety and to assure her that I was not her enemy.

“If he had wanted to shoot me he would have done so from the moment I came in. I realized as I studied him that he was afraid of me. He knew exactly who I was and that his family’s lives would be destroyed if he dared to hurt me. My father is not a very forgiving person. He was sent there for you, not me, and if he had overstepped his bounds he would have been the one to end up dead.”

She blinked and for a moment seemed confused. “So he came to kill or kidnap me and your arrival saved me?” she asked cynically.

“I agree with you that something feels off. I can’t put my finger on it yet, but what on earth would make you think I would be behind any of this?” I asked, swallowing my pride.

“Trust is not exactly a cheap commodity in the world we come from, Maxim.”

“So what would I gain from getting someone to kill you?”

“It doesn’t have to happen now. Perhaps it’s all an act leading up to when you’re able to get me to willingly marry you. And then one of these thugs finally gets lucky and finishes the job. No one would say my death was your fault. You can play the grieving husband for a while.”

“And what would I get in return?”

She faced me bravely in semi-dark space. “Two empires for the price of nothing.”

I watched her, more impressed than furious. Even I hadn’t thought of that. She was definitely her father’s daughter.

“Sure, if that’s what you choose to believe.”

“It’s not the truth?” she asked.

“Would you believe me if I told you it wasn’t?”

“No,” she replied, “but still I’d like to hear your response.”

“It’s not,” I replied, and I heard her release a shuddering breath.

“I have more questions,” she said, taking a step towards me. “Why did you respond so fast? You couldn’t possibly have been informed and been able to appear in front of my door that quickly.”

“I followed you home,” I replied.

Her eyes widened slightly at the admission. “Why?”

I could have lied, but I told her the truth. “Because I couldn’t stop thinking about our kiss.”