Page 21 of Captured

“Miss Clark.” Stefan reached them and laid a hand on Nicki’s shoulder, staying her as Dimitri shrugged off her hold. “Creating a scene is not to our advantage. Not here.”

“Well, it sure as hell?—”

Their argument dissipated into a fierce whisper as Dimitri exited the reception room. The Raptis manor house featured expansive rooms and narrow corridors, but Lauren, he suspected, would behave the way most stalking victims would. She would head outside, someplace that wasn’t closed in, so she couldn’t be trapped. Somewhere there would be some people, but not too many, so she could be alone without being isolated.

Front or back veranda?

The front afforded the parking crew, but the back would have the staff setting up for the fireworks display Raptis had announced so proudly earlier in the evening. That was where she would be, he thought. Easier to explain away.

As he walked, he checked in with his men, each new report causing him to lengthen his stride.No, no, no.

Smithson, it seemed, remained one step ahead of them. Time to change that.

Dimitri had been to the Raptis home enough times on detail with Ari that he knew the layout. Moving quickly, he signaled a few of the house staff, men and women he’d seen before and so knew were hired by Raptis and not planted, to accompany him. His orders were precise, easy to understand. These people were not fools and knew the value of accommodating the royal family’s security team. They hustled out ahead of him toward the back of the house, their momentum giving him easy cover.

By the time he stepped out onto the veranda, however, he could see he was already too late.

Smithson had found Lauren.

The older man leaned into the cool, slender blonde as she stood facing the large house, her body plainly in sight. As she’d no doubt suspected, the veranda wasn’t at all abandoned, with quiet staff members moving chairs into place and lighting sparking torches at the perimeter of the space. Between the spitting crackle of the flames and the flickering lights, the torches gave him a greater opportunity to approach the couple, but he went slowly, easily. Smithson wouldn’t do more than talk, not here. He wouldn’t harm Lauren, not with this many witnesses.

But sometimes words could wound far more effectively than a blade. Not often, but it happened. And it was happening now.

“—fascinated with you since the moment I saw you, dangerously, emphatically so. You know that, my sweet?—”

Dimitri’s eyes sharpened as the last word was garbled. It couldn’t have been what he thought it was, he clearly had misheard. But still, what was Smithson doing? Was this amarriageproposal? Here?

“Mr.—” Lauren faltered, tilting her head artfully. “Henry, I’m flattered, you know that I am. But with your wealth and position, you could have any woman in the world. You don’t truly want me.”

“You’re wrong.” The words were spoken quietly, but there was such steel behind them that Dimitri paused, shifting his weight to the balls of his feet. Lauren also seemed to realize her mistake.

“Then—if you do, which again, I am desperately flattered by, give us time to work through a relationship like two normal people. With my studies, I haven’t had a chance to breathe.”

“Your degrees were completed a year ago, and you’ve not remained long enough in one place since then until now. Don’t think I’m not aware as to why. You knew of my interest, Lauren. You didn’t reach out, when you easily could have.”

“I’m only twenty-three?—”

“And I have loved you for easily half your life. First, yes, as an uncle, a friend. But you have grown into the woman I always knew you could be. And I can’t bear to be apart from you any longer. Iwon’tbear it.”

“But—”

“I know your hesitation, Lauren. I do.” The sudden admission appeared to take Lauren by surprise, and Dimitri stiffened as well, alert. He had circled to the right of the pair so he could see them both clearly. Lauren’s flustered nerves and fear, some of which he suspected was artifice, some of which he knew wasn’t. Smithson’s hard triumph at having cornered his prey. “Your parents have explained how much freedom they’ve given you—too much freedom. No, no,” he lifted a hand to stay whatever protest or agreement Lauren was about to share.

At that moment, Dimitri’s earpiece crackled, and he instinctively looked toward the door, as if he could picture the wide front veranda atop the circular drive, and the third new vehicle that was now idling there, low and sleek and belonging to Smithson. The bastard was going to move tonight.

“But freedom is not for everyone, Lauren. What have you done with yours? Dashing around the world, playing at runninga business, playing at having a life. It is time you live your life in earnest. I can show you how.”

“Then perhaps we should wait until I know I can be the mature wife you need?” Lauren sounded a little desperate now, and Smithson seemed to react to it, a wolf leaning in for the kill. “I’d be better able to handle the duties and responsibilities of your social calendar—and know for certain what business I would want to pursue—in a few more years. I can get focused, make decisions.”

“I will not wait another year, certainly not three. I’ve everything already prepared to leave tonight.” He reached out, cupping her chin to lift it. “I get what I want, Lauren. I’ve always gotten what I wanted. You know that perhaps more than anyone. And now what I want is you.”

“Oh myGawd!” The strident voice of Nicki Clark, sounding like she was cheering on the game-winning goal in the World Cup, caterwauled over the space, causing both Smithson and Lauren to jump. “Stefan, will youlookat all the sparklers!”

Thirteen

Lauren wheeled around, shocked to see Nicki stumbling forward as if she’d downed an entire bottle oftsipouro. Which would have been a trick, because the girl barely drank enough to give herself a buzz. But you’d never know it given the way she plowed forward, knocking into a small collection of chairs before Stefan reached her.

As usual, the unflappable diplomat was fast and efficient, but Nicki seemed to be overmatching him with her sheer physicality. She flailed her fist, cracking him in the jaw, and even Stefan seemed surprised at the force of the blow. He bent to gather her up, and she sprawled forward, halfway down the stairs, barely keeping her feet.

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