Page 17 of Royal Guard

Agents surrounded me. A hand landed on my shoulder and I was coaxed to stand. They were going to lead me away, away from Garrett—

No they weren’t.

I was terrified but my father had taught me to never let people see you’re scared. I drew myself up to my full height and did my best attempt at what I callmy mother’squeen voice. “I have done nothing wrong,” I said. “And you have no right to detain me.”

The hand disappeared from my shoulder. All the agents took a step back and looked at Director Gibson, their faces pale. Garrett took a step forward and put his body between me and them.

“How the hell are you going to make her disappear?” asked Gibson. “She’s aprincess!She walks into a hotel, it’ll be all over the newspapers!”

“We’ll be discreet,” rumbled Garrett. That voice. It seemed to vibrate through my whole body, leaving me thrumming and tight-breathed.Oh God, what have I done?I was dangerously attracted to this man. Every time he gazed at me in that raw, heated way, I felt my body’s answering call, shockingly strong. I wanted to run and press myself to that big, hulking body and tilt my head back for his kiss. I wanted to feel those big hands on my back, on my ass, sliding up under my breasts and parting my thighs. I wanted to writhe against that strong chest and those hard abs, clawing at him as he tore my clothes apart.

Now I was putting myself in his care: we’d be together constantly. How the hell was I going to control myself?

Emerik elbowed his way through the agents. “Your Highness! I must protest! You’re entrusting our safety to—”—he lowered his voice to a harsh whisper—”to acommon soldier!”Then he glanced at Garrett. “No offense.”

“None taken,” growled Garrett. “Never been ashamed of being a soldier.”

I glared at Emerik. He was treating Garrett the same way I’d seen the FBI agents treat him when we’d first arrived: like a beast. People were polite withGarrett, but only because they were scared of him. They talked down to him. With the FBI agents, it was because he wore threadbare clothes instead of a suit. With Emerik it was because he wasn’t the right social class. And all of them treated him as if he was stupid. Well, I wasn’t going to stand for it anymore. “Thatcommon soldiersaved all of our lives!” I told Emerik tightly. I looked at Garrett. “What’s the plan?”

“We’ll need one of your cars,” Garrett told Director Gibson. “And I need a gun.”

Gibson looked incredulous. “I can’t give a civilian an FBI firearm! Do you know what—”

“If you want her to live, give me a gun!” snapped Garrett.

Gibson glared at him...and then motioned for the nearest agent to hand over his weapon. Garrett took the holster, too, which he had to adjust to fit his big frame.

“Now what?” I asked.

Garrett met my eyes and then his gaze rolled down my body, head to toe. I was a complete mess...but the look in his eyes didn’t say that at all. He looked at me as if I was the best thing he’d ever seen and that sent a warm glow right through me.

“Now,” he said, “you disappear.”

Garrett got behind the wheel of one of the FBI SUVs and drove us back up to the highway. Director Gibson got agents to collect my luggage and load it into the back. I grabbed a moment alone in the back seat to change. After rummaging through my suitcases, though, I realized I had a problem. I neededto be inconspicuous, but how do you do “inconspicuous” when everything you own has been picked out by the palace stylist to look good for the crowds? Half of the clothes were fiercely traditional, like the dress I’d worn that morning, and the other half were one-off designer pieces. I eventually pulled on the white business suit I’d worn at the UN, but I knew it still wasn’t right. I still looked likeme.It would do for now, but I had to do better. I’d put enough people in danger already.

Emerik, Jakov and Caroline got back in and we sped off. Garrett’s first stop was a strip mall. He got me to draw as much cash from an ATM as my card would allow. “After this, no credit cards,” he told us over his shoulder as we climbed back in. “And everyone throw their phones away.”

“Ourphones?!”squeaked Caroline. She’s addicted to her phone, usually messaging some guy. But she along with the rest of us dutifully dropped our phones into a trash can as Garrett drove past it.

“You really think they’re tracking us like that?” I asked, my voice shaking a little.

“Your Highness, I don’t knowwhatthe hell is going on,” said Garrett. “But I’m not taking any chances, not with...you.” On the last word, his eyes met mine in the rear view mirror and locked there, and I felt that pull, stronger than ever. Then he looked away as if embarrassed, and I nodded and looked at my lap, face flushed.

And next to me, Caroline nudged me in the ribs and gave me atell me everythinglook.

I gave her an innocent shake of my head, as if nothing was going on.

We had to ditch the SUV, Garrett said, because theFBI could track it. So our next stop was a used car dealership calledHonest Al’s.Most of the cars had rust patches and the dealer...well, maybe I didn’t understand American humor but he didn’tlookhonest.

I gazed up at the sky. It was just past noon and it wasferociouslyhot. Emerik was scowling but I loved it. The sunshine in Lakovia always felt somehow distant. Here in America, the sun touched your exposed skin, its warmth soaking into your body. It made me want to strip everything off and bathe naked in it. I flushed at the thought and tried to look innocent.

Garrett looked around for a few minutes and eventually settled on a car. There was a lot of negotiating, some handshakes and then a few extra bills changed hands. “Alright,” said Garrett when it was done. “He’s going to ‘forget’ to put the paperwork through for a few days.”

Emerik stared at what he’d bought. “You can’t be serious.”

But I was staring for a different reason: I loved it. For a second, I forgot my fear.

It was a white pickup truck that had once been red: the paint still showed through in a few places. There were dents and chips on almost every surface and the wheels were thick with dried dirt. I’d never seen one up close before. Immediately, I was in some American movie, with small towns and high school proms and skinny dipping in the lake and—

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