Page 27 of The Spy

Lucan considered her words. “You’re right. But this is exactly what some psycho wants us to think.” He shook his head. “The house is on lockdown. They will find him or we will be locked in our rooms forever…which wouldn’t be so bad…” He wiggled his eyebrows to lighten the situation. But her worried frown seemed to increase. “Talk to me.” He sat down in a chair and gently tugged on her hand until she sat on his lap.

“I had a stalker once.”

Lucan purposefully resisted going stiff and alarmed. He pulled her back to lean against him and ran a hand up and down her arm. “An old crush?”

“Perhaps he thought himself that way. He was a very wealthy, very evil man who I went undercover for. I worked as his housekeeper of sorts for six months. And he never gave up, never stopped trying to encourage me to his bed. But I would have none of that.”

Lucan picked up one of her hands in his own, fiddling with her fingers.

“Until it became so bad we cut the mission short and I tried to disappear.”

“Tried?”

“He followed me, somehow, and learned that I was not from Jordan as I originally led him to believe.” She shook her head. “He was enraged, I heard. I was spared the sight because I was long gone, but initially he was convinced I had left for America and that I hid out there.”

“And now?”

“Well, I don’t know about now. But about three years ago, I heard he had some leads, and I needed to lay low. You had just showed up in my life outside of training and everywhere you went, the paparazzi followed and not just them, a whole slew of people who would suddenly know every detail of my life.”

“And that’s why you ended things?”

“Not totally. Stop asking me.”

“So, you think this is the stalker.”

“No, he’s been silent for years. It just reminds me why we are better, safer, apart.”

Alarm grew in Lucan’s chest. “No, how can you say that?”

“Look at the situation. And think about it. We can’t bring this kind of risk to our countries, our families.” She tensed and stood up, pacing the room.

Then Barlow stood at their doorway. “You are well.” His face lined with worry.

Lucan waved him in. “Thank you Barlow. We are.”

Anna ran to him and gave him a quick embrace. “Thank you for coming. What is this?”

“Our sources know nothing. The best we can suggest is a possible connection to the psycho man you both know.”

Lucan knew that was the most logical path, but something twinged inside and he suspected more was at play. And Anna’s face had gone blank, a resolved sadness in her eyes that he didn’t like. If he didn’t figure out this mess soon, he suspected he might lose her all over again.

Chapter 15

Anna wished to be left alone. She needed to think. Lucan and Barlow were lost in security detail conversation, how many of her men and his men would be present at all times, what to do about the wedding, things she understood but no longer wanted to discuss. She wandered to the door, and both men stopped and looked up at her.

“I would like to go for a walk.”

Barlow furiously texted, and running footsteps sounded in the hall.

When she left, three men accompanied her. With a sigh, she began to regret her time spent in the international scene.

Their worst nightmare had happened and now, some enemy had discovered their personal lives, or her life, or his. Who knew? But Anna suspected everyone would be safer if they were separate. One of them led to discovery of the other.

The wedding was to be in two days’ time. She sought out a rooftop, or a high space. She wanted a view. Of all the places to be staying, the Torren palace should be the most secure. But the glint off the scope. How could they have entered the palace grounds? It just seemed impossible to her.

She rounded a corner and asked a staff member about access to the roof, the one that might overlook the entryway courtyard. They gave instructions and also indicated that it had been searched twice over.

“I just want to see the view.”

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