Page 51 of The Problem with Princes
“Yeah, Ty’s right. I’m just stressed that you’re having to wait for me.” I stare at the door. Sander won’t break it down or anything, will he?
I forget about my hair and reach for my clothes, just to be on the safe side.
“Please, Miss Martindale? It’s for your safety as well as Prince Tyrone’s.”
“Okay. Just a minute. Let me just throw my clothes on.”
“Don’t go to any trouble on our account.” Ty calls through the door.
“Ha, ha.” I fumble with the tie on my pants, finally untangling the knot I’d put in it in my hurry to get them on. I unlock the bathroom door, just as I finished tying them.
The door swings open and Sander looks around, pulling back the shower curtain and looking me over. “You’re sure you’re well?”
I nod. “Yeah. I just hate to be late.” My eyes flick to Ty standing just outside the door. He shrugs and gives me an I-don’t-know look.
He moves forward and looks around Sander, seeing me fully for the first time since he entered my room. I see an appreciation in his gaze. I’m not even wearing makeup. Man, he might be perfect.
“My apologies, Miss Martindale.” Sander looks flustered when he eyes my wet hair hanging over my shoulder, leaving a wet mark on my shirt. “Ifound this on the floor just inside your door.” His mouth is set in a firm line as he holds up a piece of paper between his fingers.
I grab the note and open it up. Ty comes over and stands next to me, reading over my shoulder.
You should not have told him.
I look up at them. “What is this?”
Ty steps closer to me.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. Have you seen it before?” Sander looks intense.
“No. It wasn’t there this morning.” It’s weird. I hadn’t realized it until now, but in all the time I’ve spent with Ty, I’ve never once scoped out a room looking for MSG or some other dangerous person. I feel completely safe when I’m with him. In fact, I had almost forgotten the brake line incident even happened.
Ty snatches the note from my hand. “Get dressed. You’re going to be staying at the palace.”
I look at him like he has gone crazy. “Um, hello. I’m flying home tonight, remember?”
Tyrone shakes his head. “Actually, that is one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. Sander’s men have found footage of the area surrounding the coffee shop. We need you to extend your trip so you can look at all the footage and see if you can identify the man you saw.”
“But I need to get home. I have a job.”
“My secretary has already changed your flight to early Wednesday morning. I can have her contact your boss also—”
I turn on him. “What do you mean, you already changed my flight? You didn’t feel the need to ask me first?”
He seems taken aback at my response. “We need you to stay a few more days, Grace. I’m just trying to make it easier on you.” He turns me toward the bathroom. “Why don’t you finish getting ready and we’ll grab your bags. You can check out on the app once we’re in the car.”
My mind is reeling. I don’t know which part of this conversation to be mad about first.
“But now that this note has come,” his voice floats through the bathroom door. “I insist you stay at the palace.”
I wind up the blow-dryer cord and put it back under the counter. Squeezing my moisturizer onto my fingers, I rub it roughly on my face as I try to filter through my feelings. The idea that MSG knows which is my room is more than a little alarming. It captures more of my emotions than the presumptuous actions Ty has taken.
“Miss Martindale, we need to hurry. I don’t like that man knowing where you are.” Sander’s voice is professional but urgent.
I guess makeup can wait. Brushing my hair all to one side I work it into a French braid across the top of my head and down the side.
I glance in the mirror. I won’t win any beauty contests, but maybe I’ll stay alive.
I gather my stuff from inside the shower and on the counter, stuffing it into the toiletry and clear zipper bags as I open the door and walk out of the bathroom.
