Page 25 of The Bodyguard

“I’m only taking a guess as to where he could be.”

We drive deeper into the city. To parts I know about but never frequent because I’m a princess.

My heart thuds in my chest. I don’t know what kind of a place this is though. The building is a mansion, pristinely kept and absolutely stunning to look at.

“Wait—”

I’m already out of the car before Igor can tell me to wait. I follow him inside the dark establishment. I’m immediately met with a richness of decor even in the dim setting. Stylish. Expensive.

Igor talks quietly to the burly man behind the desk. He seems to know the man and soon we are allowed entry.

We walk past a bar that is only starting to fill up. I’m awed by my surrounding. Venetian glass finishers. Heavy antique pieces from the Victorian era are interspersedwith sleek modern components. The result is simply stunning.

Both Igor and I scan the patrons who blend in well with the wealth of the place.

Igor looks uncomfortable and keeps glancing up the staircase and around the balcony that rims the bar downstairs.

“He isn’t here,” Igor says lying to me. Doesn’t he know that he could never lie to me?

“He is. Take me to him, Igor.”

At this point, Igor just gives up. He trudges up the staircase, his footsteps are heavy. He opens a series of doors that lead to empty rooms. Not just any rooms. Bedrooms. With beds in them. My skin ices over as realization dawns on me. There’s only one reason he’s here. And then Igor comes to one that’s locked.

“Your Highness, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“Knock on the door.”

He sighs heavily but does as I tell him.

“Go away.”

It’s Kayne’s voice.

“Langley. It’s me. Igor.”

“Go the fuck away.”

Cold dread seeps up my spine. My knees threaten to cave. I want to scream and cry and beg him to touch me instead. Images of him with another woman scald my body and I feel myself shutting down, dying a little.

Then my emotions change. No. He doesn’t get to do this to me. He doesn’t get to bury himself in another woman when I’m… when I’m here. The outpouring of tears hovers closely but my anger takes over.

I want to hurt him. I want to…

“Break the down door, Igor,” I say. Igor looks at me. My tone is as cold as the ice running through my veins. “Break. The. Door. Down.” I pronounce each word as if they were daggers spiked with poison. I’m so far gone at this time, I will fire Igor and get someone else to do the task for me.

Igor knows this.

He pushes me to the side, completely out of the way. He steps back and kicks into the door. The solid white wood, embossed with gold motifs doesn’t budge. He does it again and again until finally, the door flies open.

I step inside before Igor does, unmindful of the fact that I could be stepping into a dangerous situation.

The room is dark.

My panic at what I’m going to see drains me completely.

I’m trembling so hard I can barely turn on the lights.

And then I do.

I’m petrified and similarly furious at what I’m going to find.

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