Chapter 11 Meredith
Meredith
In their stateroom, Meredith stared at the clothes in the closet and realized she didn’t have her bag.
Hell, she didn’t even have her purse. All of it was back on the island, along with her passport, wallet, keys, everything.
Perching on the edge of the bed, she drummed her fingers restlessly against her leg and then bounced up to walk again.
How could he just make unilateral decision?
Risk his life? Did he expect her to simply nod her head?
Pacing back and forth, she glared at the door and then dragged her fingers through her hair.
Her emotions waxed and waned between fury at his highhandedness and terror at the idea of him putting himself out there.
From one end of the room to the other she went. It made her so mad she wanted to scream or throw something. Spinning around, she stalked to the door and opened it. Gencome glanced at her, and she gave him a tight smile. “I’m going to the medical bay. Are you planning on stopping me?”
The Frenchman raised his eyebrows. “No, ma’am. My orders are only to keep you safe.”
“Excellent.” She closed the door behind her and headed down the passageway.
She found Terry half-asleep, face gray with fatigue, but looking better than he did the first day she’d visited him.
The nurse stepped out when Meredith took her place next to the bed and Gencome waited outside the door to give her a tacit amount of privacy.
The wounded man opened his eyes and focused on her. He started to try and sit up and she scowled. “Stay put.” What was wrong with men? Did they really think they were invincible? “I just wanted to come and check on you.”
“You’re upset.” He studied her with a small frown.
“I’ll get over it.” As much as it pained her to admit it, she probably would. What choice did she have? If she wanted Bastian, she would have accept him as he was.
“You don’t sound terribly happy about the fact.
” Terry shifted again. A thick swath of bandages coated his shoulder and stretched across his chest. The bullets, she’d been told, tore through his shoulder and broke his clavicle.
It could have been a lot worse, even though it looked less than pleasant at the moment.
Her gut churned. Just a few months before, Bastian was in this room with only his bodyguards and the doctor who treated him. She’d been thousands of miles away and then, like now, Bastian hadn’t wanted her there. A headache pulsed behind her eye.
Pushing aside the lingering fear, she leaned forward and put her hand on Terry’s. “Are we friends?”
“After a fashion. What’s wrong?”
“If I ask you something, can you promise me confidence? I mean, you told me once I could say anything to you and no matter what I said, you wouldn’t share.
That’s kind of like being a friend, right?
Because, right now, I could use a friend.
” She really hoped she knew what she was doing, but she was so confused. Is there a right decision?
“Meredith, yes, I’m your friend, but it’s secondary to being your bodyguard. In either capacity, I wouldn’t break your trust. What’s wrong?” Despite sounding weak, Terry gave her a firm look. “Tell me.”
She opened her mouth then closed it again.
The words she wanted to vent wouldn’t be easily said, and it felt like a betrayal to confide in Terry.
Though he’d calmed since he’d asked her if she was sleeping with him, her fondness for the bodyguard made Sebastian uncomfortable.
Rather than complaining, she summoned a smile.
“It’s nothing, really. I’m leaving tomorrow to go home.
I don’t think you’re well enough to travel with me. ”
Terry frowned. “Do you have someone going with you?”
“Yes. Sebastian brought in a new bodyguard for me.”
“Claude Gencome. He’s a good enough man and he came to see me a couple of days ago to ask about your schedule.”
A couple of days… Of course, he did. Meredith bit back another sigh.
Sebastian planned it all along. “Well, I want you to concentrate on getting better. I’m going to finish packing.
Call me when you’re able to come home? I’ll make you a cake or something.
” The last sounded lame, but he’d been hurt while looking after her.
He nodded slowly, but despite his weakened state, his gaze remained sharp. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“No.” But that was all she planned to share on the subject. “However, I’ll figure it out. I have to.” Pressing a kiss to his cheek, she straightened. “Rest. Get better. I’ll see you later.” And then she was on the move again, with Gencome following.
Detouring again, she headed straight for the kitchen.
She couldn’t leave the yacht in the middle of another disagreement with Sebastian.
No, she didn’t like what he was planning and, yes, she’d strenuously objected to being dictated to, but walking away mad wasn’t the solution either.
Philippe proved amenable to her request and promised to have the dinner set up exactly to her specifications.
Back in the stateroom, she took a shower and after, she dried her hair and returned to the closet to pilfer one of Sebastian’s shirts.
Maybe she could pack a few to take with her.
She’d just finished buttoning it when a knock sounded.
Snagging a robe, she pulled it on and answered the door.
It wasn’t the porter with the meal she’d ordered, but Gencome.
“This came for you, ma’am.” He handed her a note and the sound of rotors echoed from overhead. Nodding to him, she withdrew into the room and unfolded the slip of paper.
Meredith,
I don’t want to fight with you. I know you’re upset, and I wish I could say the magical words to ease your concern.
Unfortunately, I simply don’t have them.
We’ve been forced to escalate the timetable again and, in this, I have no flexibility.
I’m leaving for Belaria tonight. Gencome will escort you from the ship tomorrow in Italy.
Kate will have your things, including your passport. I will call you as soon as I can.
All my love,
Sebastian
She stared at the note and, even as the content sank in, she realized the sound of the rotors retreated. He’d left.
Just like that, he was gone. Pacing slowly across the room, she sat down on the edge of the bed.
She’d crumpled the note in her hand and she unfolded it carefully and reread it.
He didn’t want to fight with her, so he’d simply left.
He promised to call her, but she didn’t have her cell phone anymore.
How could he simply leave?
Because I would have objected…and I walked out angry again. Maybe he’d done the right thing. She wanted the man so much it hurt, but God help her, she didn’t know if she wanted his life.
By the time she boarded the plane in Ravello, Meredith was a bundle of nerves.
As expected, Kate Braddock waited for her onboard with all of her papers.
Gencome proved to be a capable companion, but the Frenchman said very little and his watchfulness only increased her tension.
She’d received no phone call from Sebastian, but maybe he was still en route in Belaria.
It wasn’t as though he’d told her how he planned to travel or mentioned his expected arrival time.
It made her sick to her stomach with worry, and she was quiet when she settled into the seat across from Kate. After buckling in, she stared out the window. Had it been merely a week since she’d sat in the same seat? Her entire world shifted in the space of seven days.
All around her, staff prepared the private plane for takeoff and she sighed.
“You look tired,” Kate said into the quiet, reminding Meredith of her presence. Where on the first flight Terry sat next to her, Gencome chose another set of seats closer to the main door which allowed her a modicum of privacy.
“Then I look how I feel.” She tried for a smile, but gave up when even her poor attempt seemed more trouble than it was worth. “Thank you for bringing my things.”
“No problem.” The other woman settled back and crossed one leg over the other. “It gets easier.”
“What does?”
“The lifestyle of being royal and under siege.” A faint smile curved the other woman’s lips, but Meredith couldn’t tell if she was serious or not based on her dry tone.
“I thought you were engaged to an attorney.” Meredith wasn’t sure if the same rules applied.
“I am and he spends a lot of time with the family.” When she didn’t offer further details, Meredith assumed she was done. The jets outside began to power up and the plane began to taxi forward. “But the key to surviving all the nonsense is to focus on what’s important.”
Digging her fingers into the armrests, Meredith tried to ignore the churning in her gut as the plane began to hurtle down the runway. “You’re being subtle on purpose and I appreciate the effort, but my heart isn’t in this particular game at the moment.”
“I’m not playing a game. Being royal kind of sucks. Don’t get me wrong, it has perks, too. It’s definitely a trade-off.” Kate shrugged. “Of course, I don’t understand you and Sebastian.”
“What do you mean?” She blew out a breath and studied her companion, but Kate’s expression bordered on neutral.
“It means exactly what I said. I don’t understand you.
The two of you were in a relationship for five years.
One day, you decided it was over and pretty much gave up.
When you told him it’s over, he moved heaven and earth to get you both in the same place.
I get it didn’t go as well as you might have hoped and bullets are not a romantic enhancement, but I was under the impression you two worked things out.
Instead, when I talked to him, he sounded dead inside.
Now, you look like someone kicked your dog. ”