Page 5 of The Spy

She blushed. “I’m sorry. But you know, why not combine purposes?”

“I knew Thad always wanted to be a CEO. I’m more than happy he found one who can keep his opinion of himself where it needs to be.” Nico grinned. “Happy to have you as part of the family, Sage. If you could coordinate with mother, we will get our schedules all linked up and make certain we support the two of you in any way you need. Remember what father always said, ‘The crown is not about the King or the queen, it is the two of us together who make this position.’ I feel that carries over to each of you.”

Lucan’s heart pinched. He missed his father. And that counsel, some of his last to the family, to work together with their future spouses, sat with him as a compelling reason to find that kind of support in his life, to feel the strength of a feminine hand on his arm, standing at his side. Again, as if helping him count breaths, he yearned for Princess Anna, his Sammy, and hoped a part of her wanted him too, though he knew she never would.

Chapter 4

“Princess Anna.” She muttered. “Princess Anna.” Her whisper felt foreign to her ears. She must become accustomed to using her name and title. “Queen Anna.” She closed her eyes tightly, squeezing away the stress. “Her majesty, Queen Anna.”

A small beep made her jump. An incoming video conference call, on her secure line. She checked the details.Lucan.Her palms immediately clammed up. And she felt her training for stressful situations kick in. Taking a deep breath, she chided herself, “Just answer the phone.”

His face filled her laptop screen. She resisted the urge to reach a finger out to touch the side of his cheek. “Lucan.”

“Sammy.” His eyes filled with yearning and the mention of her name on his lips, that mouth that had captured hers so desperately the last time they were together caused shivers to race through her. Trying to push those thoughts away, attempting a weak effort to be professional, or to at least behave as old friends do, she said, “How are you?”

He continued to stare, the intensity of his gaze boring into her even over the screen. “How was Egypt?”

She thrilled at the knowledge that he had seen her. “Short.”

He nodded. “You look lovely in green, but brown hides you best.”

“I don’t imagine I’ll be going back any time soon.”

He leaned back and picked up a pen. She smiled. He always fiddled with pens. The one trait he fought undercover. If anyone knew, it would give him away in a half second.

“How’s your mother?”

Her heart clenched and tears welled up in her eyes. She longed to rush into his arms. For some reason, the façade of strength was hardest to keep up when talking to him. Raw and vulnerable, she wished to hide at the same time she hoped to bear all. He would understand. Of all the people in the world, only Lucan could empathize. She needed him, and yet she couldn’t ask, didn’t dare ask him to come.

“Do you need me to come?” His eyes held compassion, love, and hope. And it was the hope that gave her pause. She couldn’t raise expectations, couldn’t do that again to him. Though she longed for his touch, longed to pretend he was hers.

She shook her head. “No.”

His shell returned. She watched it assemble as his face became a mask. “You’ll get an invitation to the gala, and Thad’s wedding. Feel free to ignore both if things get…if you are otherwise engaged.”

She nodded and suddenly wished to be off of this call, and as far from thoughts of him as she could. “Thank you. We appreciate your call and your mother’s and his majesty’s condolences already sent. The Torren chocolates will be gone rather quickly I’m certain.”

“You’re welcome. We express our love at this time and will seek for opportunities to lighten your burdens.” He sounded official and distant just as she had. It could have been a press release announcement.

“We thank you. I’m sure my mother will be…pleased.” She choked on her words.

The pause continued. She didn’t know what else to say to him, unsure how to end the call. His face gave no indication of a spark of feeling. She waited. And then he said, “I hope you’re well, Princess Anna.” He bowed his head, and then the screen went blank.

She threw her head down into her arms at the desk and cried out her disappointment into the wood beneath her.

Chapter 5

As soon as Lucan snapped his laptop closed, he got a call on his emergency line.

“Yes.”

His throat tightened as the voice on the other end told him of a breach in security, a safe house facility had been attacked and a mother and her daughter ripped from their new home. While listening, he started texting his assistant on his other phone to prepare for immediate departure to Thailand.

As he rushed through the back corridors of the palace he kicked himself for his inattention. How could he have let surveillance slip? The man giving the report wasn’t very clear as to what exactly had happened. Lucan had asked for a team to be assembled and for the commencement of a perimeter search of the area.

The woman had been instrumental in bringing down a ring of traffickers and her life was in danger. He clung to the hope that he could find her and her child yet alive and unharmed.

The engines of the Valdez jet were running when his car skidded into the hanger. He ran inside, the staff carried his bags, and just after the door was shut and sealed, they were pulling out of the hanger and then racing down along the runway.

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