Chapter 2
Courtney
The sound of a crying baby wakes me. I turn over and stretch, taking a moment to gather myself before dealing with my five-month-old son, Micah. The plush carpet embraces my feet with softness as I pad into the nursery.
Micah’s on his back, kicking his little legs in annoyance, and I gently lift him into my arms.
“Good morning, sweet boy.”
He smiles when he sees me, immediately fisting a lock of my messy hair.
“Ouch,” I tease playfully. “Are you trying to kill your mommy?”
A bit of drool comes out of his mouth as he gives me another toothless grin.
He’s such a sweet baby, with big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. He’s still mostly bald, and the fuzzy hair on his head is white-blond, which is funny considering I’m a natural redhead. Of course, his father is blond and blue-eyed.
His father.
I try not to think about him.
I moved heaven and earth to disappear so he never finds us, but I’ve been second-guessing that decision almost since I made it. Sometimes I look at Micah’s little face and guilt washes over me when I realize how much his father is missing.
Then I remember how much danger we would be in if I allowed him to be in our lives and those feelings go away.
Shaking off the moment of melancholy, I change Micah’s diaper and put fresh clothes on him.
It’s June and already scorching outside, so I choose little navy-blue shorts and a light blue onesie.
We go back into my room, and I put him in his bouncy chair as I get dressed and brush my teeth.
I pull a brush through my hair, put it in a ponytail, and then carry Micah to the kitchen.
Once he’s in his highchair I warm a bottle for him and make myself a cup of coffee. I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to make some oatmeal when I hear a knock at the door and glance at the clock.
Seven-thirty on a Sunday morning.
Who on earth could it be?
Unease washes over me, and I pull my Sig Sauer P365 handgun out of the cabinet where I keep it hidden, sticking it in the back of my denim shorts. Then I pick up my phone and open the security app I use. Whoever is standing there is wearing a baseball cap and—sticking his tongue out at me?
I roll my eyes and put my gun away before opening the front door.
“I almost shot you, you big lug!” I say, laughing as I hug my brother, Landon.
“Surprise!” He looks up with a grin, and I’m taken aback at the bruises covering his face.
“What happened to you?” I demand, ushering him inside.
“Went on a little mission that almost went sideways. But it’s all good.”
“Dammit, I told you not to go,” I mutter, nudging him into a chair. “Are you hurt anywhere else or just superficially?”
“A few bruised ribs, but I’m all right. I’m actually here because I need to talk to you about something else.”
I frown. “What’s going on?”
“I had a very interesting conversation about you this morning.”
“This morning? It’s not even eight o’clock.”
“Believe me, no one was more annoyed than me to be woken up at the ass crack of dawn.” He turns to Micah. “How’s it goin’, big guy? You miss Uncle Grim?”
I hate that he uses his nickname with the baby, but they’re buddies and he’s a great uncle. Not to mention a fabulous older brother.
He plucks Micah out of his highchair and gives him his bottle.
It’s sweet watching them together, my six-foot-four-inch brother with muscles on his muscles, who’s as badass as they come but as gentle as a lamb when it comes to his nephew.
“Are you going to tell me who called you or leave me hanging?” I demand, folding my arms across my chest.
“Well, you’re not going to be happy, so don’t shoot the messenger.”
“Ah, shit. He found me.” I sink into the nearest chair, all the air leaving my lungs in a rush.
“No, but you can’t ghost everyone you know without someone trying to find out why. I told you that would come back to bite you in the ass.”
“Lennox.” Another wave of guilt washes over me.
My best friend.
Probably my ex-best friend now.
“She was worried. When Joe couldn’t find you, he reached out to Chains. When he wouldn’t tell them anything, Daniil got involved.”
“Crap.”
“And he called me first thing this morning.”
“What did you tell him?”
Landon shrugs. “The truth, without details. That you’re fine, but you went through something personal, and you’re taking some time to figure things out.”
“I’m guessing he didn’t like that answer.”
Landon chuckles. “No, not really. And it gets worse.”
My eyes snap to his. “Worse?”
“He’s on his way here. To Vegas.”
“Motherfu—” I try not to curse in front of the baby even though he’s not talking yet. I’m just trying to get out of the habit before he is.
“The lease and utilities are in Rage’s name,” Landon says, referring to his closest friend, Elliott Rageis. “So, while it’s not a huge leap, it wouldn’t just jump out at him if he’s done a search. I don’t know that he’ll find you, but this might be a sign, Court.”
“You know why I haven’t told him about the baby.”
“I do know. And I understand it. I also have your back, no matter what you decide, but as a man—I would want to know. I would be fucking pissed if there was a woman out there who kept my kid from me.”
“I know, dammit. I know.” I get up and yank the InstaPot out of the cabinet and start tossing in ingredients to make oatmeal. Oats. A banana. Milk. Cinnamon. Brown sugar. A dribble of maple syrup. A few pats of butter. Pinch of salt.
“Raisins or no?” I ask Landon.
“No raisins.” He gets up, Micah still in his arms, and comes to lean against the counter as I work. “Courtney. Listen to me. I can protect you. Both of you.”
“You have a job and a life. And I can’t afford to pay you to be my full-time bodyguard. Besides, the people I’m afraid of would find a way. They always do.”
“Daniil could protect you.”
“At what cost?” I ask quietly. “We both know he would want to marry me, make this a big deal, and I don’t think I’m cut out to be royalty. And I’m definitely not cut out to be someone’s arm piece while he fucks everything that moves on the side.”
“You don’t know that he would be that way—he tried to ask you out multiple times.”
“Trust me, I know his type.”
“Just because he might want to marry you doesn’t mean you’d have to.”
“And risk him taking custody? He’s rich and powerful. He could take the baby and I’d never see him again.” I turn the switch to the correct setting and reach for my abandoned cup of coffee. “Dammit, it’s cold.” I dump it in the sink and brew another. “You want a cup?”
“Courtney, would you stop a minute?” He puts a hand on my arm.
“I don’t know how long you can keep hiding.
If you want me to move you again, I can.
Short-term, we can keep doing this. But long-term?
Micah will have to go to school, make friends, play baseball or hockey or do karate or whatever.
You know damn well you’re not going to make him move every six months. ”
I drop my head, letting my chin hit my chest. “I’m scared.”
“Of Dan? I mean, I don’t know him super well, but he always seemed like a solid guy to me. Loyal, trustworthy—”
“He’s a prince, a very powerful man in Europe. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”
“Even if it meant the possibility of becoming a family? You’re not giving him a chance, Courtney.”
“Once he finds out about Micah, it’s too late. Don’t you see?” I grip the edge of the granite countertops so hard my fingers turn white. “He’ll sweet talk me into doing what he wants and—I can’t. You didn’t see what I saw when I was there!”
“Okay, okay. I’m not trying to upset you.” He nudges me. “Come on, I’ve had your back since the day our dad told me I had a baby sister. That will never change. But short of spending the rest of your life on the run, you’re going to have to come to terms with him eventually finding out the truth.”
“I know.” Tears sting my eyelids, and it pisses me off.
It would be so easy to fall under Daniil’s spell.
It’s happened twice before.
He’s handsome, charming, sexy—so damn sexy—but he’s also a high-ranking politician and a member of the royal family. With the kind of power that scares me because I know how it can change people. And in a foreign country? There’s no doubt in my mind he would win a custody battle.
Limaj has come a long way under King Erik’s rule but not far enough to make me feel safe. It’s still a developing country. Still dangerous. And still not a place I would ever want to raise my child due to the constant threats against the royal family.
Not even for the sexiest, most dangerous and intriguing man I’ve ever met.