her.
‘The man you fought.’
‘You’re worried about the man who assaulted you?’
No. I’m worried about what you’ll face if he’s badly injured.
The last thing Paul needed was a scandal when every action in his reign had been directed to protecting St Ancilla from the revelation of his father’s iniquities. That would lead to loss of confidence in the country and its financial system.
‘If he needs a hospital—’
‘Hardly. He’s just a little bruised.’
Eva squinted up at her fiancé, hearing unmistakeable satisfaction in his voice. Had he enjoyed the fight? The idea was out of step with everything she knew of him.
‘Okay.’ Paul nodded to the security guy. ‘Go and do what needs to be done.’
‘Yes, sir. And my apologies for not intervening earlier. It wasn’t obvious initially that the Princess would welcome intervention. When I realised the situation, I was delayed by onlookers.’
‘I understand. I’ll look after the Princess.’
Another shiver rippled through Eva. Because the man had thought she’d wanted to be groped. And because of Paul’s harsh tone. As if she were some chore, an unwanted obligation.
But that was exactly what she was. Paul had just stopped pretending otherwise.
‘What’s so funny?’
Eva blinked and realised she’d given a huff of bitter laughter. She looked past him. They were alone now, their companion already disappearing round the corner to the lane at the back of the night club.
‘Nothing.’ She tilted her head higher, meeting Paul’s gaze full-on. ‘Absolutely nothing.’
As nights went, this was an utter disaster. The worst of her life. Rejected by the man she loved. Taken in by a charming stranger who’d offered to walk her to a taxi rank when she’d decided the night-club visit was a mistake. Groped and savagely threatened. And now, if she read the crackling atmosphere right, she’d infuriated the man who’d rescued her.
Tough. He infuriated her.
She turned away and marched down the street.
‘Where are you going?’
‘Back to the palace. If the police need me to make a statement, your man can direct them there.’
‘There’ll be no need for that.’
She tossed a look over her shoulder and found Paul right behind her, so close he could have curled his arm around her if he’d wanted. But of course he didn’t want, did he? A rising tide of bitterness engulfed her.
‘Why? Are you going to get your staff to paper over the incident, like your father would have done?’ She stumbled to a halt, fear sucking in her breath. ‘He’s not going to be dumped somewhere, is he?’
Eva didn’t know the full details of King Hugo’s crimes but she knew he’d ruthlessly used his security services to make problems disappear. He’d had Princess Caro’s infant daughter stolen from her at birth because he’d refused to acknowledge an illegitimate grandchild. Eva had been shocked when her then future sister-in-law had confided that secret, but pleased she’d trusted her with it. Especially as the story had a happy ending, Caro finally reuniting with the child she’d once believed stillborn.
‘Dumped?’ Paul stared down at her. ‘What do you think’s going on? He works for the royal family, not the Mafia.’
‘Then how do you know the police won’t get involved?’
He angled his head as if to view her better. ‘Because I assume you don’t want to press charges and face the publicity that would bring. Your Fabrice sure won’t. He’ll thank his lucky stars he’s not locked up. Unless you do want the police involved?’
Eva considered it for a whole three seconds. ‘No, I don’t.’ She cringed at the thought of reliving those horrible moments for the authorities. Of what had happened becoming fodder for the press.
What she wanted was to go back to her suite and take a long, hot shower.
‘Good. Come this way.’ Paul didn’t touch her but gestured to a car parked up ahead, its lights blinking as he unlocked it with a remote control.
Eva didn’t want to go with Paul. Didn’t want to sit in that confined space with him of all people while her nerves were so jangled and her flesh crawled at the too-real memory of that man’s hands on her. Especially as Paul seemed to blame her for what had happened.
‘Eva?’
She glanced at those imposing shoulders, then at the solidity of that strong jaw. Why had she never thought of it as stubborn before?
She was tempted to keep on walking. To say she needed to clear her head rather than subject herself to his frowning fury. But she wasn’t that stupid. She’d been gullible, trusting a stranger after such a short acquaintance, but the