31. Kristina

31

KRISTINA

“ Stop!” I flung open my door, jumped down and ran to him. “ Stop! What are you doing?”

The barrel of Garrett’s gun never wavered. “Someone told the assassins we were at that motel,” he growled. “Someone told them we were at the ranch. It wasn’t Emerik. It wasn’t Jakov. She’s the only one left.”

Caroline was sobbing, hysterical. “ This is crazy! I’m her friend! I’m her best friend.”

I nearly grabbed Garrett’s arm but I was too scared the gun would go off. “Garrett, she’s right!” I told him.

He wheeled to face me. “Your Highness, let me handle this! If you want to help, search her!”

“Garrett, it’s not her! She’s my friend!”

“We all threw our phones away,” he said. “She must have another phone, or a radio. Some way of contacting them.”

I raised my hands in defeat. Doing it might placate him. “I’m sorry,” I told Caroline. “It’ll be okay.” I helped her stand. She was still wearing the jeans and t-shirt she’d fallen asleep in and I passed my hands gently over them. Nothing. Of course there was nothing. It was crazy to even think—

Wait. What was that, deep in her back pocket?

When I pulled out a phone, I nearly dropped it.

“It’s not what you think,” said Caroline.

I wanted to throw up. Caroline?!

“It’s not for the assassins!” she sobbed. “It’s for Sebastian!”

The world seemed to stop. I stared at her, incredulous. “Aleksander’s assistant?!”

Her eyes were full of tears. “We’re in love,” she whispered.

“Why keep it a secret?” asked Garrett. “Why have a second phone?”

“Palace staff aren’t allowed to fraternize,” I told him. “If anyone found out, they’d both be fired.” I stared at Caroline and felt my face fall as I figured out what had happened.

“What?” she demanded. “Look, it’s not the assassins! It’s just Sebastian! And I know I should have thrown it away along with my main one but no one’s tracking it! I bought it for cash and I only use it for him! He’s the only one who even knows I have it!”

Garrett and I exchanged looks. My stomach knotted. She doesn’t realize. Oh God, we’re going to have to tell her.

“ What?” Caroline begged.

“You send this Sebastian guy a message?” asked Garrett. The anger had gone from his voice. His gun swung down to point at the ground. “You tell him we were at the motel?”

“Yes,” said Caroline uncertainly. “He was worried about me.”

“And did you tell him we were in Texas?” I asked gently. “Did you tell him we were at Garrett’s dad’s ranch?”

I could see the realization start to form in her mind. “Yes...but…” She gave a choking, hiccoughing sob. “But…” She looked around at our faces. “But that doesn’t mean that….”

I bit my lip and nodded sadly.

“But we’re in love!” She stared wildly at me, willing it to be true. And then her face slowly crumpled and she went sickly pale. “Oh God. Oh my God. This is all my fault!” She took a stumbling step towards Garrett. “Your dad...oh my God, I’m so sorry!”

Garrett just shook his head and turned away. He thrust his gun back into his waistband and let out a long, bitter sigh.

I ran to Caroline and threw my arms around her. “It’s not your fault,” I told her. “You were used. You had no way of knowing he was one of them.” Inside, I was shaking with rage. Sebastian! That utter bastard! He’d exploited a naive young woman’s feelings and he didn’t care about her at all. She’d nearly died in that fire.

We all climbed back into the pickup. For a second, we just sat there in silence. I still felt the anger rolling off Garrett in waves but it was directed outward, now, at the assassins and Sebastian, not inward at our little group. For the first time, we knew we were all on the same side. And that meant we could finally go to New York and get me home.

“Send a message to Sebastian,” said Garrett. “Tell him we’re on our way to Chicago. By the time he realizes we’re not there, you’ll be on a plane. ”

I nodded and started tapping in the text message. “I’m going home,” I thought in wonder. Then I realized I’d said it out loud.

Garrett slowly nodded. Then he looked at me and I drew in my breath when I saw the sadness in his eyes.

That’s when it hit me. I was going home and I’d never see him again.