Page 62 of The Royal Flame
River presses his lips together contemplatively. I expect him to continue attempting to negotiate with her, but instead hesays, “Thanks, Jane. I appreciate it.” Clutching onto my hand, he strides out of the room and toward the glass entrance doors.
When I cast a look over my shoulder, Jane is watching us walk away with worry radiating from her shifty demeanor.
River doesn’t utter a word until we’re safely back in the limo.
“Why would Elle and your mother come here when they’re both missing?” I sputter as the limo drives forward. “None of this makes sense.”
“I have no clue, but I’m going to find out.” He shoves up the sleeves of his shirt and slumps back in the leather bench seat.
“How are you going to do that?” I ask, but then it clicks. “You’re going to ask Noah to hack into the bank security system.”
“So pretty and so smart,” he mumbles, staring at my mouth.
I wonder if he’ll kiss me, but then he frowns.
“How are you feeling about what we just discovered?” he asks as he retrieves Ellie’s ID from his pocket.
He hands it to me, and I take it, examining her photo, which had to be taken at least five years ago, since her hair was blond in it.
“Honestly, I’m unsure how I feel. I’m glad she’s okay, but at the same time, why hasn’t she replied to any of the emails and messages I sent to her. I know she said it was dangerous for us to be in contact, but with me finding out the truth—that she’s my mother—I just… I don’t know why she hasn’t replied to me.”
“Maybe she isn’t checking her messages. I feel like if she knew you found that out, she’d figure out a way to get a hold of you.”
“Maybe.” I study the ID for a moment before tucking it away in my purse. “Why are our mothers sneaking around in banks together? And what about the yacht they were on the other night?”
“I wish I knew… Hopefully your ex-mother will know something that can at least point us in the right directions. Until then,” he gets his phone from his pocket. “I’ll text Noah and tell him to get that security footage.” His fingers move as he types.
“You know, with all the favors he’s doing us, we should do something nice for him,” I say as I tuck my leg under my butt.
He pockets his phone. “Yeah, maybe.”
“No maybes. You guys were supposed to be working on your friendship anyway. Maybe you can have like a bro trip weekend.”
“Bro trip weekend,” he says with amusement.
I shrug. “What? I don’t know what guys do for fun.”
“You’re cute,” he tells me then sighs. “I’ll figure something out.”
“Promise?”
“Pinkie promise.” He hitches his pinkie with mine, his gaze searingly intense.
My heart does this stupid fluttering thing that’s only ever happened with him.
I may have kissed him, but the limo comes to a stop in front of the Royal City Park. And just like that my heartbeat goes from flutter to faltering.
I’m nervous. I loathe that I am. That this woman, who I believed to be my mother, has such an impact on me that she can control my moods. One day, I hope to break that reaction. But all I can do at the moment is remind myself to breathe.
“Just breathe,” River whispers, reading the anxiety flowing off of me. He captures my gaze. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait in the limo? I don’t like the idea of y9ou being alone in here, but I also don’t want to make you go out there either.” He nods his head in the direction of the park.
The limo is parked at the entrance that is a canopy woven with flowers and vines that dangle from wooden beams. On the other side is a path lined with rose bushes of various colors thatcan be seen even in the darkness of night because of the various lamppost gleaming across the grassy knolls.
“I’m going.” Squaring my shoulders, I reach to open the door.
But the driver beats me to it.
I get out, on edge and a bit chilly.
