a tomato. “Do you really think I can disappear from my father’s radar?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see why not. Don’t turn on your phone or any other device he can track without talking to the security teams first. Stay at the apartment until it’s been long enough to be safe. Then emerge. He’s not actually dangerous, is he? Just controlling and vindictive?”
Minnie stabbed a bit of lettuce onto her fork. “I don’t think so. He’s never hurt me. He’s threatened a few times, but it’s mostly glares and... deprivation isn’t quite the right word, but it’s the only one I’ve got. Limited meals. Enough, but not good food, you know? Cut off my internet. Take the keys to my car. Turn off my cards. Things like that.”
“Well, I promised to protect you, so I’ll do my very best to make sure he can’t do any of that to you ever again.”
“Thanks, Joss.”
He gave her the smile that graced a hundred magazine covers. “You’re welcome, Lady Waterford.”
That made Minnie frown. “If we’re legally married, I don’t know that I am Lady Waterford anymore. But also, if we’re legally married, I’m sure you can call me something less formal. I’m not thrilled with Minnie, but it’s better. You used to call me that in school.”
The grin widened. “Very well. Minnie. You may not like it, but I think it suits you.”
As Joss stared at the darkness outside the window, he listened to Minnie’s even breathing on the other side of the train car.
Not exactly how he’d ever figured his wedding night to be.
He hadn’t thought this through.
It would protect Minnie from her father, but what about the implications with his father?
He’d never promised to love her or until death they do part. The more he thought about it, the more he knew that wouldn’t cut it with his father.
The rash decision might end up being the biggest mistake of his life.
But it was too late now.
Unless they could get a quiet annulment. His father could perform weddings. Could he also perform those? Would it still protect Minnie from her father if the marriage was annulled?
The profoundness of it all threatened to overwhelm Joss.
He closed his eyes and let the movement of the train lull him to sleep.
When he awoke, it was because his assistant shook him and told him they were nearly to New Ancora.
There could be cameras so he needed to look put together and not like he just rolled out of a sleeper car.
Once dressed, he went back to the sitting area of the car. Minnie sat there with a cup of coffee in one hand as she stared out the window.
“Are those windows one way?” she asked. They were already passing through suburbia, but moving too quickly for anyone watching to see more than a glimpse inside even if they could see in.
“Yes. The curtains will be down before we arrive, though. Just in case.”
“Good to know.”
She still wore the same thing she had when she came to his suite the day before. He should have offered her something of his to wear or sent someone out to get her a few things.
That could have aroused suspicion if the wrong person saw, so it was probably best he hadn’t. His clothes wouldn’t fit her anyway.
Minnie had left the hotel an hour before he did and was taken straight to the train car before it was connected to the train itself. She wouldn’t leave until after it was disconnected and in secure storage.
His assistant knew Minnie was being taken to the apartment. No one else knew anything except she didn’t want to be seen.
A few die-hard royal watchers and one or two reporters waited on the other side of a fence as he exited the rail car. Joss waved then headed straight for the waiting SUV.
The rest of the day was spent doing the things he normally did on a Tuesday, though he kept wishing for an update from Minnie. She didn’t have her phone or any other means of communication as far as he knew.
He should have left his tablet for her rather than stuffing it back in his bag, but too late now.
That needed to be fixed. Pressing a button on his phone, he asked his assistant to come in for a minute.
“Yes, sir?” Trey held a notepad and pen as he sat across the desk from Joss.
“Lady Waterford will be staying at the apartment for an undetermined period of time. Have you checked what she ordered yesterday?”
“I