Page 89 of Regally Binding

Bear spoke so quietly that she leaned closer to hear him. “I don’t know. I’m overthinking, too, and that isn’t me. I’m rationaland make decisions based on realistic threats and planning. But with you…”

“With me what?”

Liss turned in her seat to face him. He said nothing more, and she pushed his hand from her thigh as she stared. Occasionally, headlamps from other cars lit his face. His lips were tight, and there were too many lines on his forehead. Her gaze dropped to his hands. His knuckles were white, and he gripped the steering wheel.

Bear’s eye twitched as he said, “With you, I’m scared. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. I’m selfish because you’re going through this shit. But, Liss, soon we’ll never see each other again, and the only thing that gets me through that is knowing you’re safe. You don’t deserve any of this. You’re a good person.”

“Am I?” She wanted to hurt him like she was hurting, but those glimpses of his body language proved he was in pain too. Instead, she returned to her humour defence. “I once put pepper in a punter’s dinner rather than salt.”

Bear threw his head back and laughed. Liss nearly grabbed the steering wheel as the car wobbled across the road. Tears sprung from his eyes. “I bet he deserved it though.”

“He pinched my arse,” Liss replied. “I dropped his ham on the floor three times before smothering it with pepper. The dickhead said it was the best ham sandwich he’d ever had.”

Tears rolled down Bear’s cheeks, and his whole body shook with laughter. “Is that really the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

Liss shrugged, and her smile was tentative. She grabbed Bear’s shaking hand and placed it back on her knee. “I used clean toilet water in another guy’s drink.”

“What did he do? Because I know he did something to deserve it.”

“He stole my phone on the way to the palace and told me that he didn’t want to see the photo I’d sent to a guy of me in my underwear because it must have been bad.”

His chuckle was short-lived. “Whoa. That was me! Although, I got off lightly. I was a dick to you when we first met.”

“And several times after.” Liss leaned over and kissed his cheek. “You’re worried about me, Bear, but I worry about you too. Your job is dangerous, and a part of me wonders if one day I’ll read an article telling me you’re dead.”

“If anything happened to me, you’d never read about it.” She shivered at the emotionless way he said it. “I’m going to miss you. If the prospect is this painful, I don’t think I’ll cope.”

“You will. You can do anything.” Bear lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist. A tear slipped down her cheek, but she swiped it away before he saw it.

“My job is to notice things,” he said as he turned the car with one hand. “But I’ll pretend I didn’t see that.” She huffed as pain cracked her heart. “I’m worried about you too. Those bastards planted a bomb in the pub you managed. Things are escalating from idle threats.”

“Do you think it’s Marianne? As much as I hate her, I can’t believe anyone would do this for a royal title,” Liss replied. She stretched her legs. They’d been on the road for hours, and she wasn’t sure where they were, when they’d be home or where home would be that night.

“Power makes people do crazy things. I suspect she’s after money too. The escalation suggests that she knows Beatrice has taken away some of your grandad’s pills. Strike asked her brother to watch over Gable and Beatrice. Everyone is at risk until we get the results.”

“This is my fault. I wanted a family. I didn’t want to be alone anymore, but if my link to the royal family had remained a secret, none of this would be happening.”

Bear moved her hand to his thigh so he could use both of his on the steering wheel. Streetlights, houses, and public buildings hinted that they were in the suburbs now. Liss glimpsed a pub that Isla had dragged her to once while hunting for the single guy from her course that she wanted to “accidentally” bump into. It was a failed stakeout fuelled by tequila slammers. Liss sighed. She wouldn’t have adventures like that again. She’d see the world but without her friends. She didn’t want any of this.

Guilt covered her body like a rash. But she remembered all those days her mum had dragged her tired body back from work after being overlooked and used. She had more skills and intelligence than all those executives. Her mum should have received respect and a chance to live and change the world. She had to do it for her. It was the best way to honour her memory. Liss had spent years hiding in the pub, but this was her time to make the world know her mum’s name. Her mum would have done this, so Liss had to take her place. Yet her terror and sadness sickened her.

“None of this is your fault, so don’t think that.” Lights flashed across his weary face. “You didn’t ask for any of this, and you’re a victim here.”

“So how do I stop feeling like this? What can I do to fight this situation?”

“You hide.”

Liss pulled her hand away, but Bear grabbed it and held it against his heart. “I can’t protect you when the threats are unknown. I’m terrified you’ll get hurt, and I’ll break if something happens to you. We’re going to a safe place.”

“No fucking way. I have to get to the pub. I know the bomb didn’t go off, but I must check that the place is okay.”

“Liss,” he pleaded.

“The pub used to be my home. I might never visit again, but it was my family, my safe space, and where I made some of myhappiest memories. At the very least, I need to check it and say goodbye. And don’t Liss me, the person you’ve cared about and had feelings for over the last couple of days—”

“The last twelve days. I’ve cared about you and had feelings for you since the first day I met you,” Bear interjected.

Liss closed her eyes and lowered her head as she allowed herself a moment to reflect on his admission. She wanted to relax into his declaration, but she couldn’t. She looked up and caught his eye. A streetlight flashing across his face made them look watery.

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