She turned her computer on, then tapped his knee to gain his attention. "In my report, I saw one of the strengths of the country is that your family is loved by your constituents and some see your family as a bridge to their own financial success of the future. So if someone is using my report, they'd find a way to discredit that in someway."
He flipped through the papers she laid next to him. "Who did you give this reportto?"
At Whitehall and Fisk, she didn't book the clients. She was paid on delivery, and she’d gotten a bonus for the rush job. She truthfully had no idea who other than the face of the man who creeped her out at her office. Her face heated. "I don't know. It was ordered and I delivered per instructions. A man came to pick it up and that wasit."
He leaned forward in his chair. "Could you identify the man if you neededto?"
"Yes." She nodded her head fast. She'd never forget the goosebumps she’d gotten near the man. "He was older and slightly heavy-set—he was waiting for me out on the sidewalk, and then walked with me back to my office. His boss was in a hurry for the report. I spent probably ten minutes talking tohim."
He read her first page. "Interesting. It could be aclue."
They worked in silence as the minutes ticked past. She had the last three programs running. She finished and saw that his computer was connected to hers. He must have set up that security feature. She didn't question it, but told him, "I just completed my reports. Sending you inairdrop."
A second later, she heard his computer ping and saw he accepted the file. She stilled as she watched his face while he read. He clearly understood every word, and a vein in his forehead lightly throbbed as he concentrated. Once he finished reading the full report with updated profiles, she heard him send the file to someone else at the same time he asked her, "How do you know how to dothis?"
She closed her laptop and put it beside her chair. "I'm an analyst. It's been myjob."
He closed his laptop as well and scooted his chair forward, taking her hand in his. "You are obviously very talented and will be a great asset to myfamily."
Family. Yes. She needed to talk to him. Her heart sped up from his simple touch, but he was right. First, they needed to clear the evening of all potential problems. She pressed her lips together as she wasn't sure how to broach her tender heart's current question about love. Instead she stayed in the now. "Can we talk about who sent thepictures?"
He released her hand. "Your sister. Who else would have access to thephotos?"
Her parents wanted her wedding and they'd not leave the door to their house open to anyone. But if Amy still had her key, Evie likely did too. Tonight was to be just them and once everything was cleared up, she'd find a way to tell him that he was her world. Later. She stood. "The pictures were at my parents’ house. I'll talk to her rightaway."
He handed over her shoes. Right—storming the palace to find Evie while barefoot probably wasn’t a good idea. She used his arm as an anchor and slipped them on. He went to the closet to get his as he said, "And I need to have a personal conversation with my brothers and Babik, the general. Can we start our evening together in an hour? Dinner is first on my mind. I’m gettinghungry."
"Me too." One hour until she had to tell him how she felt. Hopefully this might strengthen their marriage, but a "what if" game started in her head. She drowned out the noise. "Sounds good. I want to clear theair."
"Oh? Come here. I missed you." He wrapped his arms around herwaist.
His kiss was strong and she held him tight. Loving him was so natural and part of her and it only intensified as he held her close enough to hear his heart. She had to find out if he might love hertoo.
The kiss ended and she smiled, looping her hands around the back of his neck. "Good, because I missed youtoo."
"If you want your sister on the next flight, it can be arranged. Anything you want isyours."
Did that include his heart? She'd have to ask, but for now she adjusted her blue dress and checked for wrinkles while she avoided his gaze. "All I want is our wedding to go off without a hitch. I'm worried about what might happen to your family—if something does, it's myfault."
He rubbed the small of her back. "No, it's not. Relax. I'll deal with the bad guys. You deal with yoursister."
"Okay, I'm going." She straightened her spine and walked to the door. They left the suitetogether.
He kissed her forehead and they separated on the landing when he went upstairs. She quietly made her way down to the hall where the guests were. Her parents had the door to their suite open and she heard them talking about their plans for cement in Avce. Amy assumed it was to someone on the phone, and headed straight to her sister's room andknocked.
No one answered. She tried the door and it opened. She stuck her head in and asked, "Evie, are you inhere?"
Her sister with her perfect blonde hair and blue eyes came out from her balcony, wrapped in a white shawl, like she let the evening warm air dry her off. "Amy! You shouldn't be here rightnow."
Now, if her sister and Michael were in the middle of a romantic interlude then she didn't want to be in the room either, but Amy saw no sign of Michael. She pushed open the door and squared her shoulders. "Did you send the pictures to thenews?"
"No." Evie urged her inside and closed the door behindher.
Calling her a liar might feel good, but would accomplish nothing. Instead, Amy crossed her arms. "Who else would even know the picturesexisted?"
Evie's face paled, but she crossed her right hand over her chest. "I don't know, but I didn't send them to the news. I swear it on Grandmother'sgrave."
An image of their sweet grandmother reading them both a story while they were curled up in her bed flashed in her mind. "You lovedher."
