The Bossy Prince (Rugged and Royal #3) - Lili Valente Page 0,62

safe in my arms, I’ll happily hold onto her for…well…forever.

Yeah, forever sounds about right. Or at least a damned long time.

I study her upturned face, determined to ask her out on a proper date as soon as we’re alone. “Overboard,” I assure her. “He jumped while I was subduing Blaire. Guess he didn’t feel up to facing the Nick-and-Beatrice double-threat. I planned to keep an eye out for him as we headed to the dock. I was about to turn the boat around and come back for you.”

Zan’s brow furrows. “No. You shouldn’t have. It’s not safe there. Stefano might be in the water, but all of his people are still at the resort, and we don’t know how much he told them before we left.”

“I don’t care,” I say. “No way in hell was I leaving you behind, not if there was even a chance you were still alive.”

She bites her bottom lip, hesitating before she says in a softer voice. “I wouldn’t have left you behind, either. I’m so glad you’re okay. I…I care about you, Nick. For real.”

“I care about you for real, too,” I say, warmth spreading through my chest. “And I’d like to discuss that further at our earliest opportunity. But for now, we should head to the airport. I’ve already been in touch with Captain Maddox. He’s fueling the jet, so we should be ready for takeoff within the hour.”

Zan exhales with a nod. “Yes. Let’s get the hell out of here. Our backup said agents should be waiting at the airport dock. We can let them take over with Blaire.”

And then she kisses my cheek. Even though it’s a firm, no-nonsense peck of her lips, it still does things to my heart.

Because it’s our first real kiss, and because I know Zan so much better now, and I know that, for her, a kiss like that is a big deal.

It means something.

Maybe even a lot of something.

As I set her back on her feet, I’m grinning like a madman.

“You two are adorable together,” Beatrice says with a dreamy sigh. “I’m so glad my latest horrible boyfriend didn’t hurt either of you. If he had, I never would have forgiven myself. I’m sorry I put you in danger. I feel like such an idiot.”

After casting an almost-shy glance my way, which makes me smile even wider, Zan turns to Bea. “It’s not your fault. Stefano did a good job of pretending to be a decent human being when you were around. I believed he was crazy about you even though I knew he was a serial liar. You’re not an idiot. Not even close.”

“Thanks, but I am. There were warning signs all over the place,” Bea says. “Looking back, I can’t see how I ignored them. I mean, what kind of normal businessman has bodyguards around all the time? Or takes calls in a soundproof room? Or worries about his text messages being intercepted like he’s being spied on by the government?”

Zan lifts both hands into the air, her fingers spread wide. “Yes! That reminds me. The digital pet. Do you still have it?”

Beatrice frowns but nods, pulling her key chain from her pocket. “Yes. It’s here.”

Zan takes it from Bea before turning back to me. “This is it! This is how he’s been communicating with his people outside the usual channels. Text message through the digital pets. We trace whatever network this is connected to, and I’ll bet my right hand we’ll have everything we need to put him away. Along with half his organization and his black market clients.”

Excitement flaring, I clap my hands together in a double fist. “Brilliant. Fucking brilliant. Now we just have to make sure someone fishes the bastard out of the ocean before he drowns. Drowning is too good for him. He deserves to rot in prison for at least a decade. Two would be better.”

“Agreed,” Zan says, nodding toward the upper deck. “I’ll jump on the VHF radio while you get us to the airport. See if I can get in touch with Neville or someone who can reach our backup man. He seemed on top of things. A discreet search party could apprehend Stefano before he finds his way back to the resort.” She pauses, glancing down at Bea’s device. “Now we just need to find a safe place to store this. I’m too wet to be trusted with anything digital.”

Beatrice reaches out. “Here. Let me hold onto it for now. I’m used to keeping