had Spencer standing next to it; the other had Sorin. Her knees almost failed her as her owner’s power was once again displayed for all the world to see.
A battle took up inside her. A huge part of her celebrated this while another part was consumed by dread.
She didn’t realize she’d paused until she was shoved from behind and sent down the stairs. She missed a step and barreled into the man who’d cut into the line a second ago.
The deep boom of Sorin’s voice had every single person shutting their mouths and freezing. The man who saved her from falling carefully righted her and then moved as far away from her as he could in the space they had to maneuver in. Lucian’s meathead shouted a few more sentences that had the people in front of Yasmeen scurrying down the stairs and scattering. They ended up behind two uniformed officers.
Sorin climbed the dozen steps and offered her his hand. “Come, Ms. Michaels,” he murmured in English.
“I don’t think I want to,” she rasped through her tight throat.
His harsh expression softened. “I know. Come.”
“Sorin. Where have you…? Is he…? Will I be in…?” She couldn’t complete a sentence. Could they have been waiting for this moment? Had Lucian been testing her? Had she just failed him? Oh, God, no.
“It will be fine. If it puts your mind at ease, I will remain with you once we reach him.”
She blinked as her knees knocked together. “You will?”
“Yes. You have my word.”
She searched his dark eyes then nodded and put her hand into his to allow him to lead her down the steps. “Is…is he in the car?” she whispered, dropping her chin to her chest so she wouldn’t have to see all the curious, interested looks they were getting.
Her hand was released. “Lucian would order that head up. If he were here and not in such a bad place, he would say something like; my queen should look down at her kingdom, not her feet.”
That had her stealing a glance at him to see if he was screwing with her. He didn’t return the look but bent and opened the Bentley’s door. Lucian’s queen? Happiness peeked out from behind the wall it was hiding behind in her heart.
“You will ride back on your own.” He handed her into the car. “He opted to remain behind because he needed the time to calm himself before I deliver you to him. He is incensed, Ms. Michaels.”
Every emotion she possessed ran for cover on hearing that. Her stomach lurched, and she would have dived for the other door, but she knew there was no point. She wouldn’t get far. The display on the tarmac proved it.
♦ ♦ ♦
As soon as Lucian saw the headlights pass through the gate, he turned from the cracked monitor that was on its side and kicked his way through the debris covering the floor. He left his office and leisurely made his way through the hallways, timing it so he wouldn’t have to wait. He’d done enough of that.
The outer door opened the moment he entered the foyer. A stoic Sorin in full protect mode came through first. Then Lucian’s wayward pet followed. What he felt at seeing her was indescribable. She wore a black mini-dress, high-heeled boots that came up over the knee, and the coat she’d worn to Markus’s funeral. The one he’d meant to burn.
He made his way to her and put his hand out. She looked up at him through her lashes. He could smell her fear. He could smell her. “Your coat.”
A quiet click sounded when she swallowed. She shrugged out of it and gave it to him. He took it and opened the door so he could toss it onto the steps. “Never again.” Closing the door, he turned to face her and looked her over. “Sorin, would you leave us, please.”
“No.” She cleared her throat. “Um, can he stay for a few minutes?”
“Why?” Lucian’s voice came out but a whisper.
“Because I’m afraid of you.”
He forced himself to incline his head. “Ah. It is a relief to know your senses have not completely deserted you.”
“No, Lucian. Only you did that.”
“Forgive me, pet.” He went to her and took her hand in a gentle hold. Turning it over, he pressed a kiss to her palm. Was this the hand she’d used to steal from him? Her passport? Money? Had she used this beautiful hand to open the door to freedom? So she could leave