relations.
It was an appealing offer in that it would get Kieran away so he would quit obsessing about Annika. But, Kieran wasn’t an ambassador. He was a soldier. True, a soldier within a country completely at peace, but a soldier none the less.
He didn’t have what it took to negotiate. Look what he’d done to poor Claire. He’d threaten to cut her throat if she didn’t tell him where The Scepter was. Of course, he would have never harmed a hair on her head. He could no more kill an innocent, unarmed woman that he could a cowardly, sniveling, rapist who refused to fight.
What to do?
His decision would be a lot easier if he knew where Annika was. After leaving Myridian, Kieran immediately traveled to New York City to find Annika. He had no clue what he would say to her, but he had to see her. Seeing Mason admit his crimes made him remember that Annika was truly a victim and deserved his forgiveness. Where they would go after that, he had no clue.
Walking into Itch, it brought back his first memory of Annika. When she was glamoured as the sexy librarian, Ashley. It brought a smile to his face. He walked up to the bar and ordered a beer. He was nervous as hell and figured a beer would give him more time to think what he would say.
He wasn’t sitting at the bar for five minutes when Marcus walked up. He held his hand out to Kieran and they shook. “What can I do for you, my man?”
“I’d like to see Annika. That is, if she’ll see me.”
Marcus gave a brilliantly white smile. “What, you don’t come prepared with any threats this time?”
Kieran held his hands up in mock surrender. “Nope. Just my charm.”
Marcus laughed. “Well, I truly would like to help you but she’s not here.”
Kieran took a sip of beer and quirked an eyebrow at him. “Are you lying to me, Marcus?”
“I would lie to you in a heartbeat if I thought I was protecting Annika--but no--I’m not lying. She’s been gone for over a month now. I have no clue where she is.”
“How can you not know where she is? She has a business to run?”
Marcus shrugged his shoulders. “She checks in every once in a while. Pops in, handles some stuff and then pops back out again.”
Kieran nodded. “How is she doing?”
“Annika is a strong woman. She’s hanging in there. But she’s sad. For what that’s worth.”
Kieran nodded again. He reached in his wallet and threw a tip on the bar. Turning to Marcus, he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to him. “Will you give this to Annika for me?”
Marcus accepted the paper. “What’s this?”
“It’s the deed to Saving Grace. I promised Annika it was hers if she helped me with that last job.”
Marcus quirked an eyebrow. “The way I hear it, Annika didn’t exactly help you finish that job up.”
“Regardless…it’s hers. See that she gets it.”
“Sure thing.” They shook hands goodbye and Kieran turned to leave.
“Hey, Kieran.”
He turned to look at Marcus.
“I heard what you did with Mason and Renard.” He put his fist over his heart in a gesture of thanks.
Kieran smiled in acknowledgment and walked out the door.
Next, Kieran went back to Balvraine. He had hoped maybe Annika was visiting Claire. But that was a bust as well. Claire had not seen Annika in over a month but she told Kieran not to worry. She was sure Annika would show up sooner or later.
Finally, Kieran visited Annika’s Aunt Mary, who had moved into cottage just outside of Kestevayne. She had not seen or heard from Annika either. Mary was actually worried whereas Marcus and Claire seemed more laid back about her absence. Mary and Kieran promised each other they would let the other know the minute they heard from her.
Since returning to Kestevayne, another week had passed and he had heard nothing about Annika. Claire had promised to contact him once either she or Marcus saw her.
Sighing, Kieran stood up and went back inside. He went into the kitchen and poured himself another beer. He looked around at his empty apartment and he felt like a stranger in his own home. Nothing in life was exciting anymore. He had a military career that was stagnant, he was being asked to be an ambassador for his country, which was such a bad idea, and the woman he loved was nowhere to be found.
He kept