“No, ma’am. I lost my heart.”
“Psst, son!” She blows her lips. “Please! You can do better than her!”
She pisses me off, but I bite my tongue and don’t take the bait. I remain silent.
“What’s the hurry? Are you deploying again? Is that it?”
I decide to leave her hanging on that idea. “I have to go.”
Zella
The red light turns green, and I follow the car in front of me into the intersection. I look up in the rearview mirror to see d’Artagnan following me, then my phone rings. I reach over to get it, and when I answer, d’Artagnan’s voice is deep and scary sounding. “PULL OVER AND PARK. NOW!”
I put my blinker on and ask, “Why? What’s wrong?” But he is gone. I turn into the parking lot of an office building, and he pulls in the right behind me. I park in the first available spot, and he jumps out of the car, looking around like he is searching for someone as he hurries up to my door. I spool the window down, and he sticks his head inside. “GET OUT!”
My heart hits bottom. I don’t know what’s wrong, but something is. I spool the window back up as he bends down at my front tire. The front end sinks. I grab my phone as he opens the door and practically pulls me out, looking around, paranoid.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as he drags me by my arm to his corvette.
“Flat tire.” He states, and I realize he punctured my tire.
A man coming out of the office building shouts, “Hey! What’s going on?”
d’Artagnan turns his intense look on the dude, but I call to him. “It’s okay. He’s my fiancée! I’m not in danger.”
“Are you sure?” The guy yells, but he doesn’t approach.
d’Artagnan opens the passenger door, and I smile and wave to the dude. “I’m sure. I’m good. Thanks. I had a flat tire, and we’re late.”
When I’m seated, the door slams shut, and he runs around the front, climbs in, throws the car in reverse, and squeals the tires as he peels out.
“What the hell?” I ask him.
He checks his rearview mirror, then cuts his eyes at me. “Change of plans. The situation is more volatile than I anticipated.”
“What do you mean?” I look out at the street. “What happened?”
“She’s spying on us.” He looks again in the mirrors. He puts his blinker on and turns the corner, then checks his rearview mirror. “We’re being followed.”
“Shit!” I look at him, and although his actions and tone show he is on alert, there is a calm about him.
“My phone rang as soon as we left the parking garage.” He checks his mirrors as he swerves through traffic. “That wasn’t a coincidence. It was Tiara, and she pushed me, trying to find out why we were rushing to wed. I didn’t give up any reason.” His fierce eyes pierce mine. “I want you with me twenty-four seven. Do you understand? I don’t trust her!”
My voice is shaker than I want it to sound when I answer, “Yes.”
“The trust fund stipulates that I’m supposed to have a premarital relationship with a woman for the terms to be met. It doesn’t state exactly how long, but my lawyer advises it should be weeks, not days. If we elope, she can challenge me for it in court. We need to play this cool.”
“Then why did you agree to elope?”
He smirks. “Cause I want to marry you. The sooner, the better.” Then he looks at me, and the expression on his face makes every cell in my body happy.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do but be vigilant, right? So, let’s go grocery shopping.”
Chapter 22
d’Artagnan
When we walk into the grocery store, I get the cart to push, then follow Rapunzel around the store as she fills it. Enjoying the way she bends over, jacking her cute ass up on her high heels, and the way her eyes flirt when she asks my opinion on each item.
