“Don’t ever call the love of my life an ogre again,” Alice hurled at her. “I told you Robbie is my choice. You’re going to have to figure out how to deal with that.”
Her mother’s eyes widened, and she fell back a step. Alice never snipped. At anyone.
Robbie squeezed her hand. They walked into the main living area with the guards trailing them.
Alice was fed up. She turned and glared at the guards. “We are leaving by choice. You do not need to follow us. Back off.”
They stopped, but they had their orders from her mother, and they’d have to attempt to follow them.
Alice tugged Robbie forward again.
“I love my angelic Alice, but the sassy Alice is breathtaking too,” he said in a low rumble. “Especially when the sass isn’t directed at me.”
She laughed, but as they made it through the living area and into the hall leading to the front doors, she stiffened and stopped walking. “Robbie, I’m afraid to go outside. Big Buddha will know you’re here and come for you.”
“I’m counting on it.” He turned to her with a brave grin. “I put out a challenge on the dark web and told him to come find me on the Fourth of July in Atlanta.”
“Robbie. You didn’t.”
“We’ll catch this guy and then we’ll be free to be together.”
“Until you have to leave for the next mission.”
“There is that.” He bent and stole a quick kiss. “I ached for you every day, Alice. I talked to Aiden about shorter missions or local assignments. It won’t always work, but Aiden agreed and understood my desire to stay closer to home. I’ll try to make it work to be together more.”
“Oh, Robbie.” She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him.
The kiss quickly took on a life of its own. Maybe her mother’s bodyguards would have to throw them out after all. She smiled against his lips and kissed him deeper.
“Ahem,” a sweet female voice said from much too close.
They pulled apart to face Priscilla.
“Don’t mind me.” Priscilla smiled. “If you can spare just a fewminutes, I thought I could offer some advice for Robbie to get through to Marianne. She’s had a hard life, and she loves Alice more than anyone. I can help you win her over.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Robbie said.
Alice felt warmth for her pseudo aunt. Priscilla had always wanted her and Preston together, but she must’ve accepted that Alice loved Robbie and wanted to help. “Thank you, Priscilla.”
Priscilla smiled. “Let’s slip into the study.” She tilted her head to the door. “Alice, will you be a dear and go get my asthma inhaler and my prednisone from my purse and a water bottle from the kitchen? I’m struggling with the heat today, and all this drama is pushing me over the edge.”
Alice didn’t want to leave Robbie’s side, but Priscilla’s breathing was short and she didn’t want her mother’s only friend to have an asthma attack. She looked at Robbie. He nodded to her. He’d be safe inside the house. Chatting with Priscilla would prolong facing the dangerous world outside.
“I’ll be all right with Priscilla.” Something unsettling glinted in his blue eyes as he opened the office door for Priscilla and smiled at Alice.
“I’ll be right back,” she said.
She walked away as the door closed. Something felt off, and her stomach churned.
It made sense, of course. It was the Fourth of July and Robbie was here. She was ecstatic he’d come for her, but Big Buddha would make a move. She absolutely knew it. Where would he attack and how was Robbie so certain he could stay safe?
Alice wanted nothing more than to go to her apartment and hide out there, kissing and hugging Robbie until the holiday was over.
Rushing back to her mother, James, and Preston, she told them, “Priscilla needs her prednisone, asthma inhaler, and a water bottle.”
They all sprung to action, searching Priscilla’s purse for the needed medications. They couldn’t find them in the overflowing and large purse. James offered to go to the car and look for them while the rest of them kept looking.
Alice chafed to get back to Robbie and hoped Priscilla’s asthma attack didn’t flare into something dangerous.
