Page 113 of Cole

Cole caught the subtle emphasis on “us” and wondered how much Annie’s stepmother had influenced Duncan’s change of heart.

“Dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes,” Elizabeth continued. “Annie, are you going to show Cole to his room?”

Annie nodded, taking Cole’s hand. “Come on. You’re in the east wing.”

As they climbed the stairs, Cole leaned close to her ear. “Is there a west wing with a beast I should avoid?”

Annie laughed, the sound echoing in the high-ceilinged hallway. “No, but we do have a library that would make Belle jealous.”

They turned down a corridor lined with tasteful artwork—landscapes mostly, Cole. She stopped at a door near the end of the hall and pushed it open.

“This is where you’ll be staying.”

The guest suite was larger than Cole’s entire first apartment. A king-sized bed dominated one wall, while a seating area with plush armchairs faced a fireplace where flames already danced.Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the snow-covered grounds, illuminated by discreet landscape lighting.

“This is… something else,” Cole said, stepping inside.

Thomas had already delivered his bags, placing them neatly beside an antique dresser. Annie moved to the windows, drawing the heavy curtains closed.

“Another security measure?” Cole asked.

“Always,” Annie replied with a small smile. “The windows are bulletproof, too.”

Cole crossed to her, taking her hands in his. “How are you? Really?”

“Better now that you’re here.” She leaned into him, resting her head against his chest. “It’s been… interesting since our last conversation. Dad’s been more reasonable than I expected, but I can tell he’s still struggling with the idea of me being more public.”

Cole wrapped his arms around her, savoring her closeness even as guilt gnawed at him. The secret about the woman claiming to be her sister sat heavy in his chest.

“I’ve missed you.”

Annie melted against him, her arms sliding around his waist. “Me too. These past few weeks have been torture.”

He wanted to stay like this forever, holding her, breathing her in. But Duncan Burke’s revelation loomed over him, casting a shadow on their reunion.

“What’s wrong?” Annie asked, pulling back to study his face. “You seem… distracted.”

Cole forced a smile. “Just tired from the game. And thinking about meeting with your dad later.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie, but the omission still felt wrong. They’d promised each other honesty, yet here he was, keeping something potentially life-changing from her.

“Don’t worry about Dad,” Annie said, reaching up to smooth the worry lines from his forehead. “He’s actually making an effort. Even Julian is impressed, and he never gives Dad credit for anything.”

“Julian’s here?” Cole asked, grateful for the change of subject.

“Yes, and Benji too, of course. Full family dinner for New Year’s Eve.” She hesitated. “I should warn you, Julian can be… intense. He and Dad have a complicated relationship.”

Cole nodded, remembering what Annie had told him about her older brother’s rebellion against their father’s security measures.

“I can handle intense,” he assured her.

Annie smiled, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “I’ll let you get settled. Meet you downstairs in twenty minutes?”

After she left, Cole sat heavily on the edge of the bed, the weight of the day catching up to him. The game, the revelation about the woman claiming to be Angelica, the tension of entering Duncan Burke’s domain—it was a lot to process.

He should be focusing on his strategy for the upcoming conversation with Duncan, on how to convince the man that their security plan would work. Instead, his mind kept circling back to the woman who might be Annie’s long-lost sister.

If it was true, Annie deserved to know immediately. If it was a hoax, she should still be told so that she’d understand the true extent of the threat against her and her family.

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