Page 42 of A Wise Prince

I turn and Kate’s standing in the doorway, watching me.

“Everything OK?” I ask. Her brows are furrowed.

“They aren’t sure. Some neighborhood kids were playing nearby. There doesn’t appear to be any video footage showing sabotage of the gate. It could have been the kids. They are checking the video surveillance from nearby properties,” she says on a sigh. “Either way, my parents will be moved to a new location for the duration of the trip.”

“And you?” I ask her, leaning back against the railing.

She shrugs. “My sister comes in tomorrow night. I…should spend time with her.”

She walks over and leans on the railing, looking out at the vista. “Are you actually going to go to this auction?”

I turn and our elbows touch. I swear electricity flies between us. There’s something about this woman.

“Yes,” I answer. “I haven’t come this far to turn back.” And I mean it. This may be the only opportunity I have to try to find my mother’s crown, to try to bring back a small part of her.

“Then, I’ll stay here. You aren’t going alone.”

I place my hand on her arm and look down at her. “You can’t come with me. It’s too dangerous.”

“Then why are you going?” she counters, raising an eyebrow.

“Because…” I trail off because the truth is, I’m expendable.

Her hand on my cheek pulls my attention back to her.

“Auggie…don’t do anything crazy, OK?” she says quietly as she searches my eyes.

I place my hand over hers and then pull it to my lips to kiss her palm. “I can’t promise that.”

Her eyes close for a moment and then open. “I can’t change your mind, can I?”

I shake my head. “No, you can’t.”

“I should go, then,” she says, and I realize then that she doesn’t think she matters to me.

I grab her arm and move us so that I’m caging her against the half-wall of the balcony overlooking the pool. “You are not going anywhere. Your safety is all I care about right now and I want you here with me, where I know you are safe.”

“Auggie, what are we doing?”

“What do you mean?”

She sighs. “I mean this,” she says as she motions between us.

“We are enjoying each other’s company,” I say as though it’s obvious. Part of me wants to say more, to say the truth, but I stop short of declaring my affection for her.

“That’s what I thought,” she mumbles, looking down at her feet. “I…we should probably just end this now before one of us gets hurt. I’ll find a guest room. Thanks for letting me stay tonight.” She pushes out of my hold and walks back inside, leaving me in stunned silence. For one, no woman has ever turned me down or broken up with me or told me they don’t want to have a relationship with me. This is unchartered territory, but what hurts the most is that it’s Kate telling me this, not just some woman.

Fuck. I love her. How can I already love her? I stand there for a long time watching the last rays of sun disappear beyond the horizon. Trying to figure out when exactly I fell in love with the woman who just left me here. And then trying to figure out how in the hell I can win her back.

Kathryn

“Kate, did your dad…” Jackie starts to speak to me as I walk down a random hallway in search of a bedroom.

She stops when she sees my tear-stained face.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, her tone softening. “Are you alright?”

I wipe the tears from my face, feeling embarrassed. Why am I letting this get to me? I knew he would be like this. I knew this was just a fling. I knew this was going to end this way, so why do I care?

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