Maybe ever.

  But all good things needed to come to an end.

  He was controlling as fuck.

  Determined to keep me wrapped in rules.

  Acting as if he knew better about my life and everything in it.

  Okay, he was sexy and debonair, providing me with a glimpse at something other than puppy love, but I was through with being treated like a child.

  The fact he’d left three bodyguards outside had angered me to the point I’d almost broken things inside the suite. Did he not trust me?

  I had to laugh. He was right not to.

  When I’d discovered he’d taken my keys, all the delicious time we’d spent together went poof in my mind. I had to get the fuck out of here.

  So, I devised a plan, a good one in my mind. I was no longer a child and knew that what I was doing was reckless, but if I stayed with Ashton even for a few days, I could figure out what I needed to do. Maybe.

  When room service came, it had only taken offering the three men coffee and donuts for me to get away. Honestly, it had been far too easy to do so. Yes, I was a very bad girl and loved every minute of being that way.

  I’d purchased a baseball cap in the giftshop, shoving almost all my hair underneath. At least I would be slightly incognito as I made my escape attempt. Thankfully, the rain was barely a drizzle, but the ugly day didn’t improve my mood any. I’d been so stupid, something I’d sworn I would never do again.

  Sadly, I’d been hovering in this very restroom for a solid forty-five minutes. I only hoped I hadn’t been turned in for loitering. What it had allowed me to do was study the layout of the floor that had been conveniently placed on the back of the door. I’d rethought my crazy idea more than once but the one thing I knew about myself was that in order to make any decent decisions, I needed to make them on my own, and I needed some time without pressure to do so.

  There wasn’t a chance in hell I could do that around a man like Braxton. Plus, I had a terrible feeling that while protecting me, he’d keep me on a tight, short leash, which I’d never be able to tolerate.

  Very cautiously, I opened the door, peering into the well-lit, beautifully decorated, and very empty hallway. Breathing a sigh of relief, I tugged the cap down further before heading into the corridor. Without hesitation, I moved quickly to the set of doors that should be at the end. When I noticed the bright light from outside, I breathed a sigh of relief. This was the right thing to do.

  Or so I tried to convince myself.

  The street was busy as usual, which easily helped me blend in.

  However, I continuously glanced over my shoulder as I walked, certain I was being followed. I could see huge men in black SUVs almost everywhere, which was ridiculous of course. I pulled out my phone, hurriedly dialing Ashton.

  Thankfully, she answered quickly. As soon as I did, I moved against one of the buildings, thankful he’d selected a hotel in Georgetown and not directly in the city. I was shivering from the breeze but more because of fear.

  “Oh, God. Why haven’t you called me back?” Ashton chastised.

  “I’ve been a little busy.”

  “What is going on?”

  “It’s a long story and I’ll tell you all the gory details, but I need your help.” The creepy crawlies remained, covering every inch of my body.

  “You’re scaring me. What?”

  A solid horn followed by a series of screams coming from the street forced me to jump.

  “Where are you?” my bestie demanded.

  “Georgetown. We stayed at the Four Seasons.”

  “Wow. With that hot, mysterious man?”

  “Dangerous man. Yes. I know this is a lot to ask, but I need a ride and a place to stay for a couple days.”

  “O-kay. Sure. Do your parents know?”

  “As if they care. It’s too dangerous to be there.”

  “Jesus Christ, Jazzie. I don’t like this.”

  “Just tell me somewhere to go and I’ll wait for you.”

  Sighing, she grumbled into the phone. “Let me think. Oh, yeah. There’s a new quaint coffee shop I know of. Will that do?”

  “That will be fine.” As she told me the name and where it was located, I realized I’d never felt so alone in my life. Running hadn’t been a great idea, but I wasn’t entirely certain I could trust Braxton. And I definitely couldn’t call my dad. I had no doubt he was the actual target. Even if I called to warn him, he’d barely listen, demanding I come home immediately.

  Except I doubted the colonial-style house could ever feel like home.

  “How long?” I asked, scanning the street as if aliens were preparing an invasion. In my entire life, I’d never been this jittery despite all the warnings my father had provided over the years. I’d done nothing but roll my eyes, acting as if the man was paranoid. Here I was behaving the same way.

  Well, duh. That’s what happens after almost being kidnapped.

  “Thirty minutes. Maybe a little longer. I need to get dressed. Just hang tight, bestie. I’ll be there. Then you and I are going to talk.”

  Ashton’s voice was full of concern. In all the years we’d known each other, she’d called me fun and sometimes reckless, eager to experience anything and everything. Now I’d been reduced to nothing more than a scaredy cat. I did have a fairly good reason, including I’d known for years dear old Daddy was hiding a dark secret or five.

  But just who was Braxton in all of this? “See you then.” As I ended the call, shifting to my GPS to try to figure out where the hell I was going, I thought about the pseudo friend who’d mentioned the Royal Players Club.

  Why had I listened to her?

  Had her suggestion been planned, a lure to get me to the island? Now I was working on conspiracy theories. It would seem the rational side of me had just been tossed into the trash.

  Perfect.

  What the hell was I supposed to do from here?

  CHAPTER 18

  Braxton

  I wasn’t prone to feeling any emotion like guilt or remorse. That hadn’t been programmed in me when I’d been born. There were likely reasons for it that a psychiatrist could provide after months of self-reflection, but I couldn’t care less.

  What I felt bad about was my accusatory tone with Jasmine. My thoughts that she could be lying to me about everything had continued to build given the lack of sleep and my increasing frustration. Instead of simply sitting her down and asking questions gently, I’d been a raging lunatic.

  Fuck.

  Then I’d left her, likely feeling like a prisoner. Shit. I’d need to make it up to her and the only way of doing that was by being truthful and a decent human being.

  “I’m headed back to the islands,” I told Valerio.

  “Oh? What happened?”

  I glanced into the rearview mirror, my gut telling me her father was in more danger than he’d accepted or realized. “We need to learn more about our good buddy, Justin Sinclair. I rattled his chain but he’s a pivotal point of our father’s secret book. I feel confident of that.”

  “Did something happen?”

  I’d resisted calling him the night before, simply because I’d needed time to think and process. “Let’s just say my guest is a current target.”

  “Ah. You like this girl.”

  “Maybe a little bit too much but we need to turn the tables, by using the information provided by our father coupled with what the three of us have collected to determine who is most likely trying to bring us down. It is entirely possible I was right about the Honoured Society. If they know I have her, they will attempt to take her away.”

  Valerio exhaled. “Why do I feel like there’s a hell of a lot more to this story?”

  “Let’s just say arranged marriages seem to be popular in Aussie land.”

  “Ah, fuck.”

  I was exhausted, furious with myself for treating her so badly earlier. The night had been incredible, the closeness we’d both felt full of chemistry and emotions. Yes, she needed to come clean about everything she knew, and I sensed there was more but my arrogance had done the talking, not my brain. Her fucking father had almost sold her to a pig. She had every right to be skittish, untrusting. “That’s what I say. Plus, Justin insinuated our father was blackmailing him because of a gambling debt he owned to the mafia.”

  “Jesus Christ. This man sounds like a real prize.”

  “A man I wouldn’t mind destroying. Plus, I have a feeling my efforts would bring about a much stronger connection with Jameson Bishop. We could kill two birds with one stone.”

  “Tall order, brother. A dangerous one too.” He’d deepened his voice.

  “Don’t I know it. I’m headed to St. Martin this time. I’m not taking any chances. I can do additional research from there, putting a few bugs in people’s ears.”

  “You mean stirring up a hornet’s nest.”

  “Sometimes that’s necessary.”

  Now he laughed. “Sometimes you won’t just get stung. You’ll die from the poison they inflict.”

  “It’s necessary. I will keep her safe.”

  “As I sensed, you really do care about this girl. Just be careful your judgment isn’t clouded by your emotions. We should talk when you get there. I’ll prep Gage. How long are you going to be there?” Valerio knew when I set my mind to something, there was no changing my decision.

  “As long as it takes to ensure Jasmine is protected.” My emotions. I wasn’t certain I had many left inside of me any longer.

  His laugh was a brotherly, knowing one. “Be careful, Brax. You really are wearing your emotions on your sleeve.”

  “Very funny. I think you’re talking about yourself.”

  “Touché.”

  “I’ll call you.” At least I could trust the two men. Anyone else? That I wasn’t so certain of. And I very much needed to trust my little captive.

  If that’s what I could call her.

  I made a turn onto the street where the hotel was located, certain I was making the right decision in getting her out of the country. Something else I’d learned over the years was that certain enemies had far-reaching tentacles.

  When my phone rang not once but twice before I made it to the hotel, my instinct told me the feisty vixen had managed to get away.

  “Jack. What?” I was being terse but after the meeting with Justin, my patience was lower than before.

  I was forced to pull into the parking garage given the number of vehicles behind me, hopeful the call wouldn’t be cut off.

  “She’s… We…”

  Fuck. “I’m losing you.” There was nothing but static on the other end. With all the updates with cellphones, the almost nonexistent internet connection seemed outrageous. I’d barely shoved the gear into park before I jumped out, almost dropping the key fob in my attempt to lock the damn thing. I couldn’t get to the elevator fast enough, trying Jack’s number twice more before the doors were opened.

  I’d known the man on and off for years, his background in the military a perfect backdrop for turning mercenary then bodyguard. I’d called on his services more than once, needing the extra muscle for various East Coast events.

  I’d also asked him to see if he could find anything out about Justin. He had different connections than I did, which could prove helpful.

  In turn, I paid him damn well for him to provide whatever sized team I needed. Three should have been enough to guard one pretty girl. If I hadn’t been so angry and concerned, I might have laughed. I could swear Jasmine was an escape artist.

  I didn’t bother calling again, heading to the floor in a flash.

  Jack was pacing the floor in front of the room, which told me everything I needed to know and nothing I wanted to hear. When he saw me taking long strides in his direction, he shook his head.

  “Look, I’m sorry. I had no idea the girl was that cunning.”

  His words struck a chord. Both in a protective way and in knowing that’s exactly the kind of woman Jasmine had become. “She’s gone.” I felt it in my gut and soul. I could feel her energy when she was near. Right now, I felt nothing but a stark icy cold.

  “Yes, she’s gone. We scoured the hotel and went to the closest shops but she’s nowhere. And worse, she took her phone with her.”

  “Fuck. I’m not going to ask how. She has her ways, but I need to find her.”

  “What do you want the team to do?”

  As I yanked out my phone, prepared to find Jasmine’s old college roommate that I’d tracked down and located every scrap of information about, I thought about his question. “Are you and the team working for the next week or so?”

  “No. We have no gigs. Why?”

  “After I find her, I’m headed to a secure location where I can keep her safe. There are some bad dudes after her. I’m not going to allow anything to happen. Gather the team and your belongings and meet me at the usual private airport.”

  Jack nodded. “You don’t want my help finding her?”

  “I have a feeling I know who she contacted to try and buy herself some time to sort things out. When you leave, grab my suitcase.” When I captured her again, the woman was going to get the whipping of her damn life for putting herself in harm’s way all over again.

  And God help anyone who dared touch her.

  He grinned. “You need a personal assistant.”

  “You might be right.” I was angry, furious in fact, but Jasmine truly didn’t understand how much danger she could be in.

  At least in the islands, I could also control the comings and goings of the guests if necessary.

  “We’ll head that way in a few. I’m sorry, Brax. She’s damn good at slipping away.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ve experienced that myself. Now you know in the future she’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants, including her escape. Be prepared for anything.”

  “Don’t worry. The team will be better prepped.” He turned to leave, and I shook my head.

  This was going downhill quickly, which also added to the risk. I found Ashton’s phone number, not hesitating to dial it. There was no reason for her to answer given it was a California number and could be considered spam.

  When she did, I was shocked.

  “Ashton Parker.”

  “Ashton. My name is Braxton Royal.”

  Her voice instantly hitched. “What do you want? I don’t know you.”

  “I think you do. In fact, I know you do. Don’t hang up. I know you’re a very good friend of Jasmine and I need you to listen to what I’m going to tell you.”

  “Why should I?” The girl was protective. At least I had that going for me in a sense.

  “Because her life is in jeopardy.”

  Her exhale was a clear indication she was beginning to understand.

  “You have two minutes.” Her voice was curt. She had talked with Jasmine. Whether or not my little koala had said much about what was going on remained to be seen.

  “I’m well aware that you are close friends with Jasmine and have been since college. And I believe you know she and I are close as well. What you might not know is that she’s in danger. There are some bad men determined to kidnap her.”

  “From you. Yes.”

  “I can understand why you think that but I’m her only real lifeline at this point. Did she tell you what happened last night?”

  Her hesitation meant I was on the right track. “No, she hasn’t yet. What happened?”

  “She was almost taken off the street by three men who’d been hired by someone. I assure you they didn’t have good intentions.”

  Ashton gasped. “Oh, God. Is she okay?”

  “Yes, I was at the same charity event and prevented the jerks from taking her, but they will attempt it again. She doesn’t understand I have her best interest at heart. We don’t know each other that well, but she was angry with me for a callous thing I said. She cannot be on her own.”

  “So what do you want me to do about it?”

  “I know she contacted you this morning.”

  Hearing her sigh, I could tell she had no desire to betray her friend. “Because she trusts me.”

  “You’re meeting her somewhere. Aren’t you?”

  “She needs some time. You’re pushing her. Her fucking father is pushing her.”

  “Time she might not have. Tell me where you’re meeting her.” There was no doubt the girl was in a vehicle of some kind.

  “I can’t do that. She’d kill me.”

  “Ashton, I get it but what neither of you understand is that if I’m right about the people behind her attempted kidnapping, they won’t care who she’s with or that other people could be hurt. You can’t protect her. Do you want that on your conscience?”

  Time was running out.

  My gut told me that.

  “How do I know you’re not the bad guy?”

  I had to laugh. “Because you’re a smart girl and you already looked up my entire family. Didn’t you?”

  “Yes. Okay, I did, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a bad guy in disguise.”

  “I am a bad guy in disguise. Anyone will tell you that. But I have no intention of allowing anything to happen to your best friend. I need you to trust me on that alone.”

  I was now standing in front of the elevator pacing back and forth. I refused to lose the connection.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Ashton. I’ll have her call you later. Okay?”

  Finally, I sensed when something snapped within her. “If you dare hurt a hair on her head, I will track you down myself.”

  “Deal.”

  “There’s a coffee shop about eight blocks away from the hotel you’re staying at. I could tell she was scared.”

  “As she should be. Thank you, Ashton. You’ve done the right thing.”

  “I hope so. She’s a good person with a shithead for a father.”

  At least that much we could agree on.

  It was time to get the hell out of the city.

  CHAPTER 19

  Jasmine

  The strong cup of coffee had done nothing but churn in my stomach.

  I was antsy, even terrified and there was no reason for it. Or was there? So much didn’t make any sense but as I’d been waiting, I’d thought about the off the cuff meeting with Maggie I’d had, the recommendation she’d made.