Nowhere Left to Hide (The Royal Trilogy Book 3)

by Kat Mizera

  “Chains is outside.”

  “Chains? Who’s that? What happened to Loco?”

  It always made me smile when people called Sandor Loco.

  “He took a couple of personal days, so Chains and his boss, Joe, are filling in.”

  “I’m thinking a full security detail is going to become part of your life from now on.”

  “Well, we’re going to have to have some heart-to-heart conversations about everything, especially with regard to the kids.”

  “Maybe the king is over it. I mean, it’s been ten years and he has a firm hold on his country. He probably doesn’t even think about Erik anymore.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears,” I murmured.

  When I got back to the house, it was bustling with activity. Liz and Leni were there, all the kids were home, including Sasha and Anton, and Jayson was playing a video game with Joss on the couch. Marisol was cooking something that smelled wonderful and for the first time in my life, I felt like an outsider in my own home. Everyone was happy and engaged, in my house, and I hadn’t even been home. I didn’t blame the kids, of course, but I was beyond frustrated with Jay and Liz. I wasn’t jealous, but I was annoyed and I wasn’t quite sure how to reconcile the two.

  “Hey.” Jay looked up with a smile. “How was lunch?”

  “Great.” I walked past him toward the stairs.

  “Casey, you had a delivery,” Marisol called to me. “I put it in your room.”

  “Thanks.”

  I hurried up the stairs and into my bedroom. Our bedroom. Oh, the situation had begun to border on ridiculous and I made a face when I spotted the stunning bouquet on my dresser. Hoping they weren’t from Jay, I opened an envelope with my name written on the front and was surprised to pull out a beautiful, engraved formal invitation. It looked like one anyway, though the wording reflected something else entirely:

  You are cordially invited

  To the Plaza Hotel

  New York City

  Friday through Sunday

  For a weekend of romance

  Dress for a party Friday night

  Will pick you up at 8 p.m.

  Always,

  Your Prince

  A flushed crept up my neck and I read it a few more times. Was he crazy? How had he known I’d changed my mind? That was probably a dumb question even if it was rhetorical; he knew me better than I knew myself so it made sense. A giggle escaped me as I read it once more. I itched to call him but decided maybe the mystery and romance of a clandestine meeting in New York was more fun. God knows, I needed some fun in my life. Now I just needed to find a party dress.

  24

  Erik

  A lot could change in the course of a few days and I’d made a ton of changes in my life. I’d had a long, private talk with Liz and explained that while I wasn’t going to do anything stupid, I wasn’t going to live in the shadows anymore either. I didn’t know exactly what that entailed, but Casey was going to be part of my life again, no matter what. Even if I had to remain Scott Baxter, I wasn’t going to hide. Daniil already knew who I was, so either he was going to betray me or he wasn’t, but I couldn’t just put my life on hold. I’d already done that for more than a decade.

  We’d decided to divorce. She and Jayson wanted to be together and we couldn’t stay married that way, especially since we had a lot of friends in Monte Carlo. We didn’t have many close friends, but a good number of acquaintances, so we’d have to say something about divorcing. We hadn’t talked to Leni yet because we weren’t able to sort out living arrangements, but she was going to have to talk to Nick and Nicky about the hotel in Monte Carlo because neither of us could manage it full-time anymore.

  In the meantime, I’d just landed in New York and was on my way to Manhattan. I was still waiting to hear from Sandor but I hadn’t wanted to wait to see Casey. She was my first priority, now and forever. Then I was getting my life back. I didn’t know if it was going to be in the form of Scott Baxter, Erik al-Hassani, or Prince Tariq al-Hassani, but one of those men was coming back to life and going to marry the woman he loved. Luke couldn’t be my son publicly, but he would be my stepson and we’d figure out the rest as we went. If it meant remaining Scott Baxter and going on tour with Casey, I was fine with that.

  A lot of what we did going forward depended on what Sandor and Daniil talked about, but it didn’t matter. If Daniil was going to tell the world Prince Tariq was still alive, Casey and I would deal with it together. I’d spoken to Nick about added protection for Luke in the event that happened, and until then, I was going to win back the love of my life. I’d hurt her in ways I hadn’t considered and my only mission in life right now was to make it up to her. We’d have to be a little careful for a while, but no more hiding.

  I’d called the hotel and they’d told me she’d checked in a few hours ago so I was on my way to meet her. I was picking her up at eight o’clock and taking her to dinner. I had to drop off my bag and change into a suit since I didn’t travel wearing one, but I was going to romance her just like I’d done twelve years ago.

  My phone rang and Liz’s name flashed on the screen, but I declined the call and stuffed my phone back in my pocket. We’d talked ad nauseam yesterday so I couldn’t imagine what she had to say that couldn’t wait until tomorrow.

  I got off the elevator and walked to the suite I’d booked for us, pulling my room key out. I knocked lightly, so I wouldn’t startle her, and called out her name.

  “Casey? Sweetheart, it’s me.”

  The silence was almost eerie and I hesitated as the door shut behind me. I called her name again and turned on more lights. “What are you doing, babe?” I looked around and felt the first nagging doubts; something was wrong. I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach as I surveyed the room, my hand moving to the revolver I always kept somewhere on my person. I had a permit to carry and since I’d flown on my father’s private jet, I didn’t have to worry about getting it through security, but I’d never had to use it outside of the range. Now I gripped it almost nervously.

  The contents of Casey’s purse were dumped all over the bed, but everything appeared to be there: cell phone, makeup, wallet, keys, and even her favorite lipstick. There was a dress draped over the side of the bed—tiny and black and slinky—and a pair of ridiculously high heels on the floor beside it. The TV was on and there was an open bottle of nail polish on the nightstand. This made no sense at all.

  Frowning, I reached for her phone. It was on and charged. She’d missed three calls: one from home, one from someone with a Long Island exchange and one from a number marked only “unavailable.” I put it down and walked into the bathroom. Something smelled faintly singed and I realized her curling iron was on and piping hot. It had obviously been left on for a long time. I turned it off before returning to the bedroom. I was confused and worried. Where would she go without her keys or wallet? Impulsively, I opened her wallet and there was at least five hundred dollars cash, as well as her driver’s license and half a dozen credit cards. It didn’t appear that she’d taken anything with her, and I knew she hated to be without a credit card.

  I sat in a chair and tried to think rationally before I allowed myself to panic. Something felt wrong but I wasn’t sure what it was. It could be a thousand things; she might have gone for a walk and accidentally locked herself out. She might be at the gym and, again, forgotten her keys and I.D. She might have gotten sick, but someone at the hotel would have seen her leave, and the concierge swore she hadn’t been through the lobby since she’d checked in.

  I noticed the room service cart and got up to inspect it; as I’d suspected, it hadn’t been touched. Everything was there: a covered fruit salad, an unopened bottle of water, and several rolls with pats of butter. No, something was definitely off.

  I paced back and forth several times and finally looked at my watch. Our date had been for eight and it was now five after. She wouldn’t have blown me off, so something had to have happened. I didn’t know
what, but I was going to find out. I yanked out my phone just as it rang again. It was an unfamiliar number, which meant a burner phone. Sandor.

  “What’s going on?” I demanded.

  “Where are you?” He sounded out of breath. “Where’s the boy?”

  “He’s with his father.”

  “Casey?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Dammit. This is bad. Can you call her?”

  I briefly told him about our date and the strange condition of her room. “I mean, it’s like she was in the middle of getting ready and disappeared into thin air. There’s no sign of a struggle, no one in the lobby saw her after she checked in, and she even left her curling iron on. Her I.D. is here, her credit cards…” My voice trailed off.

  “I don’t like this.”

  “Did you talk to Daniil?”

  “No. I couldn’t find him and when Jesper tried to reach him, he didn’t respond. Jesper said they separated after you visited last month. He accused him of using him to get info on the anti-rebellion, which apparently Jesper is still financing behind the scenes, and Daniil didn’t deny it. Joe says he has a contact at Interpol that might be able to determine if Daniil left the country, but it might take a while.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that Daniil has left the life he’d settled into and is up to something. He knows me well, so he had to know I would be coming for him at some point.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ. Do you think they’ll go after Luke?”

  Sandor hesitated. “Maybe, but I think they’ve already gone after Casey.”

  “Call Nick and warn him,” I said automatically. “I have to call Liz.” I disconnected and called her.

  “It’s about time,” she gasped as she answered. “Something’s happened.”

  “What?”

  “Anwar just announced the return of Prince Daniil and his appointment as the President of the General Assembly of Parliament.”

  “Fuck fuck fuck. I think they have Casey.”

  “Oh, god.”

  “Where’s Leni?”

  “Here with me at the Charleston. All the kids are here. Luke, the twins, Leni and of course Nick and Skye’s girls. The only one missing is Sasha. Her boyfriend’s father said they took off for a few days. He’s trying to reach Anton now.”

  “Jayson could be in danger too, so make sure he has security.”

  “I will.”

  “I’m going to Limaj.”

  “Erik, no.”

  “If Anwar has Casey, he’ll hurt her just to hurt me and that’ll happen over my dead body. Can you find Ace for me? I’m taking my father’s plane to Istanbul. He can join me or meet me there.”

  “I’ll call him right now.”

  “Be safe—take care of the kids. Anyone with a connection to me could be in danger.”

  “I’ve got things under control on this end, but you be careful. Is Sandor going with you?”

  “No. He’s going to protect Luke.”

  “I don’t think he’ll be on board with that plan.”

  “I have to go. I’ll check in when we’re in the air.” I disconnected and called Sandor back. “You need to be on your way back to Vegas,” I said when he answered.

  “While you go get yourself killed in Limaj?”

  “He took her. I know it as sure as I’m breathing, and yeah, I’m fucking getting her back.”

  “Jesus Christ.”

  “My son, Sandor. Daniil knows he’s my son.”

  “I have Joe and Chains with him.”

  “But they’re not you.”

  “The boy is safe. You’re not. I’ll meet you in Turkey.” He disconnected and I growled in frustration. I didn’t know what I would do if they hurt Casey or Luke, but my behavior would undoubtedly resemble the Sandor that would have gotten himself killed eleven years ago.

  25

  Casey

  The first time I woke up, I was on a plane. Instinct told me I was in trouble and I didn’t move, listening for any clues as to who my kidnappers were. I heard men’s voices, speaking in Limaji, and my heart sank a little. I’d had Sandor teaching me the language for a decade now, and though I didn’t speak very well, I understood quite a bit. I was still foggy from the drugs they’d given me, but I was lucid enough to realize something terrible was happening. Unfortunately, my bladder was screaming for attention and the idea of wetting my pants was almost unbearable, so I had no choice but to open my eyes and try to sit up. One of the men realized I was awake and took me to a bathroom but refused to let me shut the door. The need to relieve myself was greater than my embarrassment, though, and I did what I had to do as quickly as possible.

  They brought me a steaming cup of tea, which I realized too late was drugged, and the next time I opened my eyes we were on solid ground. Everything was quiet and there was no longer the rumble of a jet engine. I cautiously moved my legs and was gratified to see they weren’t tied. My hands were free as well and I slowly opened my eyes. The room was bathed in darkness and the large window showed tall city buildings of some kind, though it appeared to be in the predawn hours where the first hints of light were coming through but everything else was still.

  I turned my head, trying to ascertain whether or not I was alone, and once I decided I was, I sat up and took a good look around. I was in a conference room of some sort, and had been sleeping on a small leather sofa. There was a large conference table with eight leather chairs around it. One wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with large volume books, and the wall with the window had a small round table with two smaller chairs. There was a watercooler by the large double doors, and two telephones, one on each table. I hurried to the first and picked it up, hoping against hope I’d get a dial tone. As I’d suspected, nothing happened. I tried the other and then sighed heavily. Wherever I was, there was no help coming by making a call, and of course, they’d taken my cell phone.

  I looked down at myself and saw that I was still wearing the shorts and tank top I’d been wearing after my shower. I felt grubby and tired, no doubt from whatever drugs they’d given me, but I was pissed too. I had no idea where I was or what had happened, but they’d ruined my date with Erik.

  I went to the window and looked out. From what I could tell, most of the buildings were dark and silent, the streets abandoned. However, there were a handful of streetlights and billboards, and I recognized a few Limaji words. No surprise that I was in Limaj, but it made me sick to my stomach. Anwar or Daniil or someone had done exactly what they’d threatened to do and were most likely going to use me to somehow manipulate Erik.

  I sat back down on the couch again, this time with a leather pillow behind me, and began to think. It was still early in the morning, so I was willing to bet no one was coming just yet. The smart thing to do would be to get some rest, but my heart was racing and I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep. There were so many things running through my head, I had to force myself to calm down. I had a few things in my favor, but I didn’t know what good they would do me. I was a black belt in karate and could probably take on three or four men, unless they had guns. On the other hand, guns would kill me and my gut told me whatever they wanted would only be good if I was alive. I also knew damn well that Uncle Ben and Erik would move heaven and earth to find me once they realized I’d been taken.

  I dozed off until sounds coming from outside the door woke me again. I sat up and saw that the sun was shining outside and sounds from the street meant the city was awake as well. I heard the lock turning and immediately closed my eyes again. I could fake sleep until I figured out what was going on. I heard footsteps and the sound of something being put on the table. Then, to my surprise, I felt a hand touch my hair and I immediately jumped to my feet, poised for a fight.

  “Don’t you fucking touch me!” I hissed, glaring at Omar.

  “Easy, feisty one, I was but checking on your health.” He stepped back and poured a cup of coffee.

  “Yo
u could have tried talking to me,” I snapped.

  “You’re quite lovely.” He shrugged. “I was indulging myself.”

  I made a face. “What the hell do you want?”

  He smiled then, but it was a look so sinister it creeped me out. He had a snarl, something nefarious I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but inwardly it made me shudder. “Coffee?” he asked, proffering a cup.

  “So you can drug me some more? No thanks.” I folded my arms.

  He shrugged again. “At some point you’ll need nourishment. You’ve been without food for two days.”

  I scowled. “I’m not eating or drinking anything until you tell me what this is all about!”

  “That’s your choice.” He took his cup and strode out of the room, locking the door behind him.

  I sat down with a huff and looked at the coffee longingly. It smelled wonderful, and there was a creamer containing what looked like milk or cream, as well as a sugar bowl. I could almost taste the coffee and decided that even if it was drugged, I needed some. He’d poured a cup for himself, and although he’d only had a sip before leaving, I figured at least it wasn’t poisoned. If I slept a little longer, until they were ready to talk to me, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

  I poured a cup, mixed in the cream, and then drank the whole thing. I didn’t feel anything and after a little while started to get bored, so I perused the books on the shelves. It was an eclectic collection, including English, Spanish, what looked like Russian, Limaji, and even some Arabic. They appeared to be about international finance, history and even some law books. I grabbed one entitled Financing the Modern World and lay back on the couch again. Coffee in one hand, book on my lap with the other, I read until my eyes crossed and I dozed once again.

  A sound woke me and I opened my eyes warily. Someone was coming and this time I sat up, the book beside me, my entire body on alert. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen. I didn’t have time to be afraid. No matter what they did to me, I would die before I told them about Luke. I didn’t know how I’d hold up to torture, but I would take it, no matter how bad, to protect my children. That was all there was to it; being afraid would serve no purpose and I was determined to keep my wits about me. It occurred to me a guy like Omar wouldn’t hesitate to rape me, but I couldn’t think about that now.