by Leanne Banks
“Yes, please,” Sasha said.
Ericka nodded toward the assistant. “Please get some tea and pastries.”
Sasha, the elder sister, wore her dark hair in a loose chignon at the base of her neck while Tabitha wore her wavy hair loose over her shoulders. “We’re grateful you’ve welcomed us to your family,” Sasha said. “You’ll forgive us if we’re not at our most congenial.”
“Because we’ve been tricked,” Tabitha continued. “We made an agreement with our brother, Alex. He told us he would meet us in Chantaine, but he has disappeared.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Do you have any idea where he could be?” Ericka asked.
Tabitha crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes nearly spitting sparks. “Who knows? He may be roaming the mountains on the border of our country. Or he may be partying in Italy.”
“Tabitha,” Sasha said in an admonishing voice. “I apologize.”
“I can understand some of your frustrations. I’ve dealt with my share of sibling skirmishes.”
The assistant returned with tea and snacks. Ericka made sure everyone had their own cup and a bite to eat before she began. “It’s my pleasure to welcome you to Chantaine, but as you know, we have several conditions during your visit here. These are for both your safety and the safety of our citizens. I’m sure you’ve been told you’ll need to assume different identities. You’re not to reveal your true identity to anyone. Sasha, I know you’re a talented concert pianist, but while you are here, we ask that you not play in public.”
Sasha nodded with a sad expression.
“You can, however, play in private. We’ll try to make sure you have access to a piano during your stay.”
“Thank you,” Sasha said. “It would be difficult for me if I couldn’t play at all.”
“Tabitha, we’re working on finding a position for you within the next few days. In the meantime, the two of you can stay here. However, this is hard for me to say. You must not appear in public together.”
Tabitha’s face fell. “Never?”
“This is not forever,” Ericka reminded her. “This is just during your stay while your country resolves its current turmoil. It’s for your safety. Think about it. If the two of you are seen together, it’s more likely that someone will figure out your true identities. Think of it as divide and conquer.”
Sasha slipped her hand through her sister’s. “We will do what we must, but what do we do about our brother, Alex?”
Ericka looked at Paul Hamburg expectantly.
“We’ll make inquiries, but we must tread carefully with the princesses visiting Chantaine. We don’t want to arouse suspicion,” he said.
“But we have contacts who have contacts,” Ericka said.
Paul sighed. “Yes, we do.”
“I know you don’t take orders from me, but I hope you will give this your best discreet effort.”
“I will,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said then turned back to the sisters. “Now let me tell you about Chantaine.”
An hour and a half later, Ericka got into the car and returned to the cottage. She hoped she’d soothed some of their nerves, but she suspected that would take time. It broke her heart to see the fear in their eyes. She wasn’t sure how she would arrange it, but she was determined to stay in touch with them. She was also going to make sure they had a Christmas celebration of some kind. After all they were going through, it was unacceptable for them to skip Christmas.
She exited the car and thanked her security man then opened the door to the cottage.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Treat called from the hall bathroom.
Alarmed, she raced down the hall to find Treat and Leo covered in red and blue. “What on earth?”
“I told you it’s not that bad. We just need to get cleaned up,” he said.
“How do you plan to do that?” she asked, wondering if her baby would be stained with red and blue paint for the rest of his life. “What are you doing?”
“You like art.” Treat lifted a sheet of paper with Leo’s footprints in red and his handprints in blue.
She reached for the precious image of Leo’s sweet baby feet and hands and burst into tears.
“That bad?” Treat asked in a gently joking tone.
“Oh, be quiet. You know better.” She swiped at her tears. “How can I help clean up?”
“Just go into the den and let us take care of it. This is a job for the men,” he said. Leo giggled and planted a blue finger on Treat’s cheek.
At that moment, Ericka felt herself fall hopelessly in love with Treat.
* * *
She forced herself to remain on the sofa despite the strong maternal urge to help. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she looked at the “painting” and cried again. She’d taken plenty of photos of Leo, but this was an image she knew she would always treasure. She visualized different frames for the art.
Finally after a few wails that caught at her throat, Treat returned with Leo scrubbed shiny clean, wearing only his diaper. Treat was still multi-colored. “The bathroom is as clean as a whistle,” he said. “I’m headed for a shower.”
“Are you coming back?”
He met her gaze for a long moment then nodded. “Yeah.”
Ericka dressed Leo and gave him a bottle. He nearly fell asleep, which led her to believe he’d had quite the active morning. She set him down in his crib and he nodded off right away.
She felt a rush of nerves as she waited for Treat to return. The events of the past few days had left her feeling more vulnerable than usual. She piddled in the kitchen and called to tell Simon she didn’t want a delivery that afternoon.
She heard a knock on the door then it opened and Treat walked in, his hair damp from his shower, his gaze immediately searching hers. “How was this morning?” he asked.
“Challenging. They’re afraid. I can’t say I blame them,” she said. “I’m hoping the peacefulness of Chantaine will be healing for them.”
“It’s not a bad place if you need to hide out for a while,” he said, then took her hands in his. “You made it happen for them.”
“I hope it will all work out,” she said.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked, dipping his head to study her face. “Looks like it’s going a hundred miles an hour.”
Her heart hammering in her chest, she wondered why she was suddenly so shy. “I’m trying to think of a clever way of telling you that Leo is asleep and we have the house to ourselves.”
Treat pulled her against him and kissed her. “That’s the cleverest thing I’ve heard all day,” he said, and scooped her off her feet and down the hall to her bedroom. “I’ll try to take my time, but I swear I feel like it’s been a decade.”
“It hasn’t?” she asked, unfastening his shirt while her fingers still worked.
He kissed her slow and deep, lighting the fire inside her. He ran his lips down her cheek and throat. “You skin is so soft,” he murmured and unbuttoned her blouse.
He dipped his tongue in the hollow of her throat, taking her off guard. Another moment of caresses and her bra was gone. She loved the sensation of his naked chest against her breasts.
She rubbed her open mouth against his and he sucked in a quick breath, taking her mouth in another deep, hungrier kiss. His hunger made her hyper-aware of all the achy, needy places in her body.
He slid her skirt and panties down over her hips then followed her down on the bed. “I’m naked and you’re not.”
“I will be soon enough,” he said, then kissed his way down her body.
Ericka fell into a delicious cocoon where only she and Treat existed. He pleasured and seduced her until she couldn’t bear being separate from him for one more second. Then he finally slid inside her and they were as close as
could be. Afterward, he held her tightly against him, as if he never wanted to let her go.
The rest of the day passed in a sweet haze of togetherness. They both played with Leo and ate leftovers. Treat turned on his laptop and attempted to teach her the finer points of football, but she was too busy soaking up every second. She knew this time together would soon pass. Nanny had already called, insisting she was ready to return to work the following afternoon.
The next day, Ericka found herself sighing in contentment. She couldn’t remember feeling this happy in her life. Midmorning, she received a call from Treat. Unusual, she thought. He usually just walked over if he wanted to talk to her.
“Hello to you,” she said, still feeling a buzz of happiness.
“There’s a man at the gate,” Treat said. “His name is Jean Claude and he says he wants to see his son.”
Shock coursed through Ericka. She was so stunned she nearly dropped her cup of tea. “Is it really Jean Claude?”
“His identification checks out. But I can send him away.”
Ericka closed her eyes and shook her head in disbelief. She’d been so sure her ex would never show any interest in Leo. Why now? Why now?
Remembering what Stefan had said, she felt a surge of raw bitterness and narrowed her eyes. “Let him in.”
Chapter Twelve
“I’m here to demand shared custody of my son,” Jean Claude announced as soon as he entered the cottage.
Ericka couldn’t believe his audacity. At this moment, she couldn’t believe she’d ever been in love with this man. “Hello, Jean Claude, I hope you’re doing well,” she said politely, because someone needed to provide some leadership in civility in this situation. Just beyond Jean Claude, Ericka could see Treat glowering with anger.
“I think you may be confused about the divorce agreement you signed concerning Leo. You waived all rights and responsibilities to your son,” she said.
“That showed a lack of forethought,” he said. “I was impulsive because I feared you were trying to trap me in our marriage when I needed to be free.”
The way he used the word trap made her stomach twist. Ericka had made every effort to save her marriage. “And you are now free.”
Jean Claude shifted from one foot to the other. “I want to renegotiate.”
“I see no reason to renegotiate. You haven’t exhibited one drop of interest in your son since he was conceived let alone since he was born.”
Jean Claude stretched his chin. “Must we discuss this in front of the staff?”
Ericka blinked. “Yes, we must. He’s my security detail.”
“Ericka, I know the Devereaux family has some hidden cash. Look how the royal yachts and the grand palace are always being redecorated. You have yourself a nice place here. You don’t appear to be hurting for cash,” he said.
“And your point is?” she asked.
“I want shared custody and support for when the baby visits me.”
“Support,” she echoed, her fury growing. “You don’t know what the word means.”
“We can make this easy, or I can make it very dirty in the press for you and your family,” he said.
Ericka watched Treat move toward her ex and she held up a hand. “You do realize that if you have joint custody, you will also need to contribute to Leo’s medical bills. Are you prepared to do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he asked, a hint uncertainty flickering in his. “Is something wrong with him?”
“No, he’s perfect. He’s also profoundly deaf,” she said.
Jean Claude stared at her in shock. “Oh, my—” He shook his head. “Now, I understand why you’ve kept him hidden from the press. How to explain a defective child. I can’t say I blame you. I hope you’ll keep him hidden. It wouldn’t do anything for your image or mine.”
Treat lifted Jean Claude from his feet and tossed him out the door. “Get away from her. You don’t deserve either of them.”
Jean Claude protested. “Don’t you insult me. Don’t—”
Treat punched him in the face, sending her ex reeling. Seeing Jean Claude for the opportunistic monster he’d become, she tugged at Treat’s arm. “Stop. Please stop,” she said, fighting back tears. She turned to Jean Claude. “Just leave.”
“My attorney will be in touch,” Jean Claude said, rubbing his jaw. “You can’t hit just anyone with no repercussions,” he said as he walked to the gate.
“I have to let him out of the gate,” Treat said, his nostrils still flaring in anger. He did the deed then returned. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I will be,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest protectively. “I still can’t believe he just showed up with no notice.”
“The palace keeps a watch over him and it appears he and his new companion have been spending more than he makes,” he said as he escorted her back to the cottage.
Treat pulled her into his arms and she savored the protective sensation. “I don’t think he’ll be back,” he murmured, rubbing his mouth over her forehead.
She sighed then pulled back slightly. “You were so angry. I could see it in your eyes.”
He looked away. “I lost control. I’m going to have to deal with that,” he said.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I’ll figure it out,” he said. “I need to file a report. Don’t worry about it. You have enough on your mind,” he said, then gave her a quick kiss. “We’ll talk later. Put this in your rear view mirror. Your day is gonna get better, okay?”
She nodded, but something about his manner made her feel uncertain.
* * *
Treat rehashed the incident with Ericka’s ex both verbally and in writing. Nobody was happy that he’d used physical force with Jean Claude, but nobody really blamed him, either. Still, the palace preferred to deal with all matters in a low-profile manner if at all possible. Treat supposed he could have restrained himself if he didn’t have such strong feelings of protectiveness for Ericka and Leo.
Pacing the suite, he berated himself for his actions. He had acted out of his emotions instead of with the professionalism Ericka deserved. His partner deserved better. The palace deserved better. Ericka deserved better.
Treat knew what he had to do and it made him feel as if his heart were being ripped from his chest. He sent an official email to the palace, his partner and Stefan. Now for the hard part. He had to tell Ericka.
Treat tried to time his visit with Ericka for when Leo would be napping. He knocked on the cottage door and opened it, realizing this would be the last time he performed this little routine. He found her in the den. She glanced up from her computer tablet and smiled. “Hey, there. I’ve missed you,” she said, rising from the sofa.
She put her arms around him and he inhaled the sweet fragrance of her hair. He wanted to remember that. He wanted to remember everything. Treat held her an extra few seconds then pulled back and took a deep breath.
“I need to talk to you,” he said.
“Oh, sounds serious,” she said.
“You could say that,” he said, then looked away for a moment, searching for the right words. “What I did this morning was wrong. It was unprofessional and I broke my code of ethics by punching your ex. I reacted emotionally. To tell the truth, I wanted to throw him out the door every time he opened his mouth. I was over the edge when he insulted you. It took everything I had to rein myself in when you held up your hand. When he said those things about Leo—” Treat broke off.
“I understand your feelings,” she said. “The whole thing was so bizarre. I was just trying to stay sane.”
“Well, you did a better job than I did.” He nodded, feeling grim. “I’ve resigned from my position.”
Ericka gasped, staring at him in shock. “What?” She shook her head
. “No. No. You can’t. Anyone could have responded to Jean Claude that way. He was so degrading.”
“I can’t be anyone. I’ve been given the responsibility of protecting you. My emotions were out of control. I lost control. I can’t be your security anymore. I thought I could separate my feelings about you from the job I have to do. You don’t need to be worrying about what your security guy is going to do. You’ve got enough going on with the rest of your life. I’m not good for you right now,” he said. “I’m going back to the States.”
“No,” Ericka said. “Please don’t do this.”
He shook his head. “Ericka, you’re not ready to have me in your life and I refuse to add to your troubles right now. I—” He broke off again. “You and Leo mean too much to me.”
“But I don’t want you to go,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “I want you to stay. Reconsider.”
“I can’t,” he said. “It’s done. Your temporary security guy is on his way now. I’m packed.”
* * *
Ericka stared after Treat in disbelief. She felt as if she’d been spent her entire day in shock. No, no, no. She started to run after him, but Leo’s cry broke the silence. Feeling as if her world had just been turned upside after everything had felt so right, she automatically went to the nursery.
“Hi, big boy,” she said to Leo through her tears. “Need a diaper change?” She chatted with him until her throat closed tight from a wrenching feeling of loss. Then she picked him up and held his sweet warmth again her. Nothing could stop the love she felt for Leo. Nothing. But she’d finally let down her guard and she felt broken to pieces. Even though she’d instinctively known her relationship with Treat might not end with them together, she’d been unprepared for it to end so swiftly.
She’d just grown accustomed to his sense of humor, to feeling his arms around her and just basking in his presence. Her chest felt as if a heavy weight had descended on it. She could hardly breathe. She closed her eyes and his image stomped through her brain.
It was all she could do to keep from sobbing outright, but she had to hold herself together. Leo was counting on her. Within moments, Nanny appeared at the door with a small adhesive bandage on her forehead and a bruise on her cheek.
