His Forbidden Princess (3 page)

He had to change that.

Paul slid into the passenger seat. “She was pissed.”

Ian chuckled. “I bet.”

Sofie was a firecracker when he’d first met her, and he was happy to hear that hadn’t changed. She took shit from no one. Well, no one except her mother. “She didn’t make it too hard, did she?”

“No, but her personal secretary? Louis, some French guy, was insane. I swear I almost knocked him out.”

Ian made a mental note about the secretary, because the last thing he needed was anyone running interference when Sofie’s life was at stake. Seeing her was hard enough, but now Ian was putting himself back in her world and he had no idea how they were going to handle it. He had to be the professional. He had to keep his distance. But he also knew this was Sofie, and that changed everything. The last thing he needed were members of her entourage going off the rails.

He also had to consider every one of them was a suspect.

His first thought was that she needed to go into hiding until they caught the bad guys.

But where? Someone was in the United States ready to go after her, and it was Ian’s job to keep that from happening.

A cup of jasmine tea was exactly what Sofie needed and her lady’s maid, Ella, always seemed to know. She hadn’t seen anyone from her security team since they’d deposited her back in the hotel, and she didn’t know the reason why she’d been fetched from the store and driven back to the Waldorf. Nothing had been said except that there was an emergency and that
they,
whoever
they
were, wanted her in a secure location.

She could have objected, but her bodyguard reminded her that she had to respect safety directives. Every time she got that reminder she remembered her brother, who didn’t take heed and paid with his life.

Sofie looked around. Right now there were several of New York City police officers

patrolling her floor, and there were two Americans from one of their law enforcement agencies stationed in the room with her. They were very polite, big men in dark suits with ear pieces, and she felt safe with them close by, but there was no getting around the fact that she’d been moved swiftly from her shopping trip and was now a prisoner in her suite.

“You’re upset.” Ella, who had been a constant presence in her life, sat on the sofa next to her. “What’s running around in that head, my girl?”

“Other than questions? Nothing. I wish someone would talk to me. I don’t know what happened; why there was sudden danger…it’s upsetting.”

Just like when she was a child, Sofie pulled her knees to her chest. She’d shed her official clothes the minute they arrived back at the suite. Her preference when she didn’t have to go out in public was always the same—well-worn blue jeans, a long sleeve tee shirt and soft, thick socks.

She had a blazing headache and like she told Ella, many, many questions.

There was a knock at the door and the two agents moved to answer. That was Sofie’s cue—she was on. Even wearing jeans, having no say over her movements, being told where to go and what to do, she was still a royal and represented her country, so self-pity and hysteria were not allowed. There was no doubt that members of her entourage were upset. But no matter what she felt, she kept her emotions tightly wrapped.

Since she'd awakened that morning, she couldn’t stop thinking about her brother.

Philippe was two years older than Sofie and was raised from birth to be the next King. He'd strong, fair-minded, and kind. He'd been so very kind. His life had been cut short when the cowardly terrorists bombed a new school he was touring in a small, quiet mountain village.

Fortunately, no children were in attendance, but if it had been an hour earlier, the incident could have been even more tragic than losing her brother.

What it did show was that the insurgents could strike anywhere, at any time, and would do so to make a point.

“Princess Sofia,” Her head of security, Jasper, was white as a sheet. He’d been dealing with the increased threats and suffocating security measures for the past five years. Truthfully, she didn’t know if he was up to it anymore.

“Jasper. Is there any news? What’s happening? Why did I have to return here?”

“We have little information, Your Highness. However we do know that something

happened with your family. We’re awaiting word.”

Her family? Had the bastards attacked her family again? God, she couldn’t bear to lose anyone else. Not after Philippe. “You don’t know anything?”

“Not yet. I’m waiting for word from the FBI. One of their people has been in touch with the palace.”

Jasper breathed out. He didn’t like having to relinquish control to the local authorities.

He felt he knew his job better than they ever could, but today proved, once again, that Jasper was unable to keep up with the ever increasing threats.

“Thank you, Jasper. I appreciate being kept informed. I want to know the second you hear a word. I don’t care if it’s good or bad.” Folding her arms and pacing the room, Sofie thought about how her life had changed since she’d been invested as the Crown Princess. It wasn’t something she ever wanted or ever planned for. When she was in university, she actually thought she might relinquish her title.

There was another knock at the door, which she hoped meant there was news, and Sofie wondered if she could convince her American keepers to let her talk to the Ambassador. She should be allowed to do anything she wanted, that was the way things were in her world, but in the United States, where barely anyone knew her, she had to follow a different set of rules.

However, that wasn’t going to stop her from trying.

“Gentlemen, I’d like to be taken to the Embassy. I need to see the ambassador so I can find out exactly what happened with my parents and my sister.”

The two agents who had just entered the room looked at each other, obviously baffled at her demand.
“Never ask, Sofia,” her mother always said. “You’re a princess, you tell people
what you want.”

“Ma’am, we have orders to keep you here at this time,” said one of the Americans.

“You will be fully briefed, ma’am. We’re sorry for the delay,” said the other.

“I beg your pardon.” Sofie put on her best royal air. “You may have orders, but
I don’t
.”

“Please be patient, ma’am. Our supervisor will be here shortly, and he’ll have all the information you need.”

They were exceedingly polite and she had to give these men credit. Usually her princess bluster flustered the most controlled authority figure. Not them. They were well-trained, unflappable. It actually made Sofie feel safer.

The door to the suite burst open, and her personal secretary flew into the room only to be stopped by the two very large emissaries from the FBI.

“Get out of my way. I need to see the princess.”

One of them turned to her. “Ma’am?”

“That’s
Your Highness
, you oaf.” Louis wasn’t an Aubonnian by birth, but his family moved to the country from France when he was a child. He was high strung on his best day.

“It’s fine,” she responded. “They’ve been quite polite, Louis, if a bit obstinate.”

“These Americans have no respect.” Louis’ outrage was evident, and in Sofia’s opinion, misplaced.

“They’re doing their jobs and doing it quite well, Louis, and until we know more, we are going to cooperate. Understood?”

“Humph. Well, your schedule has been completely thrown off. You’re supposed to have dinner with several African ambassadors to discuss the potable water project. We can still get you there, but I would like to make it later so you have some time to rest. We can have a hairdresser brought in…”

The last thing Sofie wanted to do was have dinner with the ambassadors even if the water issue was something she was eager to learn more about.

Louis was still blathering on about her hair. Or maybe now he’d moved on to her dress.

“The black dress should work. I’ll push dinner back to eight-thirty?”

“She’s not going anywhere.”

The deep baritone filled the room. As always, it exuded steady confidence and authority.

There was nothing threatening, no need for a raised voice. Sofie turned and locked eyes on the man who’d meant everything to her. The one for whom she would have given up her whole life.

“Ian,” she whispered.

“Your Highness.” He dipped his head in greeting.

Appropriate, respectful. And certainly not the way she’d been greeted by him in the past.

Of course when they knew each other at university, he thought she was just another student, Sofie, the girl he’d fallen in love with. Looking at him she could see that he’d changed, but only for the better. He was bigger, broader. His face was the same, high, defined cheekbones, an angular jaw, and he still had the most beautiful dark hair with gold flecks. He was exceptionally handsome, but it was his eyes that drew her in. Round and so dark they were almost black, Ian’s eyes were like jewels. Magic.

“I had no idea you were—”

“I’m the head of the FBI task force. I’ve been operating in the background during your visit.”

“So you’re in charge?” Louis snapped. “What is the meaning of the way your people are treating the Princess? She needs information.”

“I understand. Please sit down, Your Highness.” He motioned to the sofa, stiff and formal, but when they made eye contact? A spark, a flash. And then a long, smoldering ember ignited, warming Sofie from the inside out. All these years and he evoked the same response as when they were students. “Your parents and sister were attacked while they were en route to the residence in the mountains. Everyone is going to be fine, but there were some injuries.”

“That doesn’t explain what happened today. Why has Her Highness been kept under lock and key?” Louis was getting downright nasty and Ian’s lack of response made her secretary even bolder. She should step in to stop it, but there was a shift in posture, a change in stance and it was obvious Special Agent Stuart was about to push back. Hard.

Ian raised his eyebrow and stood, towering over the much shorter Louis. “I don’t recall that we’ve ever met, Mister Relyea, and I understand your concern, but I don’t answer to you.”

One step towards Louis and Ian established his dominance—it was very subtle, but very male.

“Are we clear?” Ian asked. “I answer to my government, and when directed to, your government.

You are
not
the government.”

Sofie slumped down in her seat. “Louis, with the attack on my family, they assumed there would be an attack on me. Am I right, Special Agent Stuart?”

“That’s correct. We’ve been monitoring all threats on you and your family. There are reasons to be concerned and it’s why we’re going to move you to a safe location.” He was not giving her a choice which meant he was operating with authority.

Authority over her.

“Is there any information about my family?” Knowing that her parents and most

especially, her sister, were safe was the only thing on Sofie’s mind. “Ian?”

Using his first name was a mistake. The shock of seeing him when he first came in the room was one thing. But familiarity was not acceptable, and it wasn’t safe. The people who were depending on her needed her to keep her wits about her. She shouldn’t be focusing on the tall, gorgeous man who was making her remember what it was like to be so in love it hurt.

Ian still hadn’t given her an answer, though. He wouldn’t even look at her.

“How many times must I ask the question?”

He closed the distance between them and the pained look on his face told her what she didn’t really want to know. “Sofie.” His voice was tender, soft. “Your sister was injured. It’s serious, but she is expected to make it. Your parents will both be fine.”

“You will address the princess as
YOUR HIGHNESS
!” Louis chided. Through the haze of tears, Sofie saw only Ian. His eyes were still focused on hers, but when he heard the order, barked with such disrespect, his jaw muscles clenched and he turned.

“
You
will get the hell out of here!” He pointed at the two FBI agents standing at the edge of the group. “Clear the room. Every one leaves.”

She’d never been so relieved—or so terrified—obviously he realized she needed the

space, needed time to process what had happened.

Oh, God…Anna.
Her little sister. When Anna had come into her life, Sofie was sure the blonde, blue-eyed baby was just for her. She was smart, happy and perfect. They were four years apart and her sister was a formidable presence. If she were honest, Sofie believed Anna would be a stronger queen than she ever would be.

“I’m not leaving you alone with Her Highness,” Jasper retorted. “I’m in charge of her security.”

“Yeah,” Ian said. “Not anymore. I had a conversation with the palace. As in the

Archduke. I’m in charge of her security.”

He’d talked to her father? Ian was going to take charge of her protective detail?

“Now give the princess some space. We’ll come up with a plan as soon as she’s

comfortable being part of the discussion.”

There was no shortage of objections, especially from Louis, who as usual was more

interested in how this was affecting him.

Ian didn’t care. He herded everyone out and once the door was closed, he latched it. She was now locked in a hotel suite with the most handsome man on the face of the earth, the man she once thought of as the love of her life. The man who broke her heart into a million pieces.

“You spoke to my father?”

He stepped back into the living room, and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Ian was always fit and strong, but as he aged, he filled out. He looked like a man, not a university student, but all that was just physical. This man was in control. He was sure of himself—

confident. It had been eight very long years missing him.

“I called the embassy, and the ambassador wanted me to speak to the Archduke directly.

Understandably, he’s very concerned. But he seemed comfortable with me taking charge of your security.”