Princess in the Iron Mask

‘Who would look at what?’

For the first time in thirty minutes he turned to look at her. The intensity in his sapphire blues acted like a laser beam and, as if locked on target, she couldn’t tear her gaze away.

Choosing her words carefully, she said, ‘Who would look twice at a normal person? The problems start when people appear moneyed and pampered. I bring no attention to myself. No one would give me a second glance.’

Jaw dropping open, Lucas slowly shook his head incredulously. ‘And what if your cover was blown?’

‘I would move. Can I go now?’

‘No. You cannot go now,’ he said fiercely, and her hackles prickled. ‘Why are you not living in the security-enhanced apartment on the Thames?’

Claudia stiffened and finally managed to wrench her gaze away. ‘How do you know about—?’ She held up her hand in a stop sign. ‘Forget I said that. I needed to be closer to work.’ A half-truth, but that was all he was getting. It was seriously unnerving to know someone had files detailing her life events. She imagined it read like a chronological disaster essay.

‘You gave it up?’ he asked, his brows almost hitting his hairline. ‘To live here?’

For some reason she actually followed his finger, which unsurprisingly pointed to her flat. ‘Yes,’ she said simply.

‘Dios, Claudia!’ His hands lifted as if pleading for patience from the heavens. ‘How can an intelligent woman be so unthinking?’

A ball of fury began to swirl in her stomach, and no matter how hard she sucked in air the motion picked up pace like a cyclone. ‘Now, just wait a minute—’

‘You have no regard for your safety. None,’ he said with a slash of his hands. ‘I have seen safer streets in the slums. Well, I will tell you this right now. We are not staying here. Comprende?’

Her mouth shaping for a scathing retort along the lines of It’s none of your damn business, she felt his words loop round her skull like a broken record. Her hand crept up to her throat, where her pulse jumped erratically. ‘What do you mean, we?’

‘From the time you agreed to the terms to the time we arrive at the Arunthian palace you are under my protection,’ he grated, seemingly not entirely happy with the prospect.

Well, neither was she!

‘Next time you barter with me, Claudia, you’d better think twice about the consequences. For the next twenty-four hours we are stuck together. Whether you like it or not.’

Oh, God. As Shakespeare might say, she’d been hoist with her own petard.

‘Clearly you don’t,’ she said. She felt sick. She felt dizzy. Was it physically possible to strangle yourself?

‘I have better things to do than babysit a self-centred, senseless, se … Arrrrggh.’ With a frustrated roar, he pushed open the car door and launched himself from the bucket seat. Before he’d even slammed it shut she yanked on the handle to follow him. And finally the rotten thing worked!

‘Whoa—wait a minute,’ she said, veering round the front bonnet, sloshing in puddles. Freezing water seeped into her shoes, while the rain lashed down to drench her hair and pummel her skin. Vision blurring, she pushed her glasses on top of her head, visor-like. ‘Where I live has nothing to do with you.’ By the time she’d caught up to him he was pacing back and forth on the walkway in his usual caged predator manner. ‘You barge into my life and proceed to conduct some sort of military operation. And now you’re going on like an interfering, dictatorial knave!’

Suddenly he stopped and turned on his heels to face her. ‘Do you have an aversion to authority, Claudia? Is that what this is? You don’t like being told what to do?’

The grey silken weave of his sartorial suit darkened to almost black as huge rain droplets seeped through his clothing. His over-long hair was already dripping, plastered to his smooth forehead and the high slash of his cheekbones. And—oh, my—the sight of him, wet and dishevelled, flooded her core with heat. Like this he was far more powerful and dangerous to her equilibrium. He looked roguish, gloriously untamed.

Her heart thumping so hard she could hear her pulse echo in her ears, she had to scroll back to remember what he’d said. Oh, yeah. The brute.

‘No, actually, I don’t. Do you think it’s right to force someone against their every wish? To blackmail in order to do your job?’ Something dark flashed in his eyes but she was too far gone to care. ‘And because I dare to put up some sort of fight you deem me selfish and irresponsible. Do you have any feelings?’

‘I am not paid to feel,’ he ground out, taking a step closer towards her.

‘It’s a good job, ’cos you’d be broke,’ she replied, taking a step back.

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. ‘You are the most provoking woman I have ever met.’

A mere two feet away, Claudia could feel the heat radiating from his broad torso. Oh, God, she had to get away from him before she did something seriously stupid. Like smooth her hands up his soaked shirt. ‘You know what, Lucas? You can sleep in your posh car for all I care. Frankly, I’ve been more comfortable on the 271 bus from Highgate. I’m staying here.’

Before he could say another word she bolted sideways. Only to be blocked by a one-arm barricade.

‘Over my dead body,’ he growled, corralling her back towards the car.

‘That could be arranged,’ she said, suddenly breathless.

Rain poured down her face, her throat, to trickle down the inside of her collar. That was why she shuddered so hard. It had nothing to do with the fact that Lucas was inching towards her with lethal intent.

‘You are coming with me. From now on I am in charge.’

‘Well, you can just rid yourself of that illusion. You’ll never be in charge of me!’

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