Page 31 of The Spy

His phone rang. “Yes.”

“It’s the Cuban from last year. They were after you.”

“How are all these people finding me? It seems too much of a coincidence that suddenly everyone knows where I am.”

The pause on the other end irritated Lucan. “Speak up, whatever it is, tell me.”

“It was the airport hanger in Thailand. You entered as the slave holder and flew out as Lucan on the Torren jet. They tracked you down.”

Lucan tilted his head back, not daring to look at Anna. It was his fault. He’d made an idiot mistake, and now the world knew who he was.

“I’m sorry, boss.”

“Thanks, I’ll be in touch.”

The voice that responded stopped as soon as he clicked to disconnect the call.

“It’s not your fault.”

“Of course it’s my fault.”

“Whatever he just told you, don’t torture yourself.”

“How’s your leg?” Lucan hated that she was in pain, hated that their most beautiful moment had been ruined, and now, as he looked to his future with dread, hated what he was about to do.

“It’s pulsing, but more dull. I’ll be fine. Lucan. We’re fine. This could have been so much worse.” She choked on her last word, and he moved across the moving, bouncing ambulance to sit beside her on the gurney. “I’m so sorry.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be sorry. This isn’t you, or me, or anything. This is our life. This is what it would be all the time if we are together.” She waved her hand, trying to speak through her tears. He saw her struggle and he pulled her up against him, his heart breaking.

“Hush, shh. We can talk about it later.”

She nodded and gripped his arm, staying within his embrace until the ambulance pulled into the hospital.

The staff wheeled them away into separate rooms, treated their wounds on the secure, royal only, level of the hospital, and the whole while, Lucan stewed.

If he was known, if it was out there that he was a prince of Torren, then he would never be safe in his home, never be safe again as his true identity, and Anna would never be safe either if they were together.

Watching her crumble before him, her blood spreading, he had never felt more terror. All the missions he had ever run, the dangers he had ever risked taking, had never given him as much terror as the helpless feeling of Anna getting shot in front of him. And he knew he couldn’t bare that again.

And he knew if he left, she would be safe.

Chapter 17

Anna heard Lucan’s knock and recognized his footsteps, but she kept her eyes closed. His soft sigh, his ragged breathing, his shaking hand that touched her arm told her what he was going to say.

She opened her eyes, sat up and clung to him. His haunted and despairing expression would scar her memories forever.

He cradled her in his arms, sitting at the side of her hospital bed.

They cried, the bed shaking from their silent sorrow. His tears fell into her hair, wet her face. Hers fell onto their hands, clenched together.

Until there were no more tears, until their sorrow escaped to the new hole in their hearts and ached with a sharpness that stole Anna’s breath.

Lucan pressed her back down onto her back on the bed. “Rest. They say you lost blood.”

He stood.

Panic raced through her. “Wait, Lucan, no!”

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