Page 95 of The Princess Trap
“What kind of so-called king preys on his own family that way? You’re so obsessed with titles and power, and what everybody thinks… What if the man youreallyare was exposed to the world? What would you do?”
Harald stood before them, his face twisted into a sneer. “Very philosophical, Ruben. I’m utterly shamed.Soembarrassed. Now get my wife out of that fucking car, before one of my boys loses control of his weapon and shoots your darling fiancée.”
Cherry brought a hand down on Ruben’s shoulder even as he started to react, his vision blurring, his world a haze of red. She dug her nails into his flesh, hard. “Stop,” she whispered. And then she pushed the phone into his hand.
He looked down at the screen, and relief flooded through him.
There was a little red light blinking in the left corner, next to the words:LIVE STREAM.
Ruben faced the king with a smile, holding the phone up between them.
“Well, would you look at that,” he called. “It seems everyone does know.”
“Know what?” Harald demanded.
“Who you really are.” Ruben tossed the phone across the tarmac, watching as his brother snatched it out of the air and looked at the screen.
The way his eyes widened, frantic and afraid, was almost the sweetest sight of Ruben’s life.
Almost.
“Tell me,” Ruben said. “Can you see how many people are listening right now?”
Harald looked up, his face slack. “The number… the number keeps changing.”
“Ah, that means people are still watching. I’m not great with social media, but I think that video stays up for the next 24 hours. Plus, you know, it’s still—”
Harald threw the phone against the tarmac. He released an unearthly scream, stamping on the device again and again, his movements vicious and brutal. The men standing behind him began to mutter amongst themselves, watching him warily, as if wondering whether they should take action. When he threw himself to his knees and began punching thephone, smashing his fists against the ground, Ruben backed away, towards the waiting car.
“Go,” he said to Cherry, keeping his eyes on Harald.
“But—”
“I’m coming. But I’m not about to turn my back on him.Go.”
To his relief she went. He heard the swish of her skirts as she stuffed them through the car door. And then, with halting, backwards steps, he reached the car himself.
Cherry’s hands guided him in. He didn’t tear his eyes from his brother, a ragged mess screaming at shards of glass and plastic on the ground.
Not until Cherry shut the door and shouted, “Hans!”
The engine roared. And just like that, they were away.
Chapter Thirty-One
“Agathe!” Cherry couldn’t hold back her grin as she caught sight of the old woman, sitting patiently at the back of Ruben’s jet. There was a familiar, plastic pet carrier in her lap. “You brought Whiskey!”
“Hello,min kære. Of course I did! And look at you, so beautiful this evening.”
Cherry patted awkwardly at her hair. The ton of enormous hair grips that had been used to pin it into place were mostly gone. It sprang out around her head like a cloud. “Thanks, Agathe.”
“You are welcome.” The old woman’s tired face lit up as Lydia appeared, leading Ella onto the plane. Ruben followed behind, Hilde in his arms. That child could truly sleep through anything. Cherry was rather impressed. “Children,” Agathe whispered happily. “How wonderful! We will have an excellent time.”
“Right...” It occurred to Cherry that she had no idea wherethey were going. A private jet and a hell of a lot of money were one thing, but she didn’t even know if Agathe had a passport. Unless Helgmøre was part of the European Union. How did that work, again? Free movement, or something like that?
Demi would know, for sure. Cherry scouted the narrow space for her friend’s reassuring presence and found… nothing. There was Lydia, strapping the sleeping Hilde into a seat, and Ruben having a very intense talk with Ella, but no sign of Demi.
Well, there weren’t many places to hide on a plane. “One second, Agathe,” she murmured. “I just need to ask Demetria something…” With a smile, Cherry headed for the front of the jet.
