They were exceedingly polite and she had to give these men credit. Usually her princess bluster flustered the most controlled authority figure. Not them. They were well-trained, unflappable. It actually made Sofie feel safer.
The door to the suite burst open, and her personal secretary flew into the room only to be stopped by the two very large emissaries from the FBI.
“Get out of my way. I need to see the princess.”
One of them turned to her. “Ma’am?”
“That’s Your Highness, you oaf.” Louis wasn’t an Aubonnian by birth, but his family moved to the country from France when he was a child. He was high strung on his best day.
“It’s fine,” she responded. “They’ve been quite polite, Louis, if a bit obstinate.”
“These Americans have no respect.” Louis’ outrage was evident, and in Sofia’s opinion, misplaced.
“They’re doing their jobs and doing it quite well, Louis, and until we know more, we are going to cooperate. Understood?”
“Humph. Well, your schedule has been completely thrown off. You’re supposed to have dinner with several African ambassadors to discuss the potable water project. We can still get you there, but I would like to make it later so you have some time to rest. We can have a hairdresser brought in…”
The last thing Sofie wanted to do was have dinner with the ambassadors even if the water issue was something she was eager to learn more about.
Louis was still blathering on about her hair. Or maybe now he’d moved on to her dress.
“The black dress should work. I’ll push dinner back to eight-thirty?”
“She’s not going anywhere.”
The deep baritone filled the room. As always, it exuded steady confidence and authority.
There was nothing threatening, no need for a raised voice. Sofie turned and locked eyes on the man who’d meant everything to her. The one for whom she would have given up her whole life.
“Ian,” she whispered.
“Your Highness.” He dipped his head in greeting.
Appropriate, respectful. And certainly not the way she’d been greeted by him in the past.
Of course when they knew each other at university, he thought she was just another student, Sofie, the girl he’d fallen in love with. Looking at him she could see that he’d changed, but only for the better. He was bigger, broader. His face was the same, high, defined cheekbones, an angular jaw, and he still had the most beautiful dark hair with gold flecks. He was exceptionally handsome, but it was his eyes that drew her in. Round and so dark they were almost black, Ian’s eyes were like jewels. Magic.
“I had no idea you were—”
“I’m the head of the FBI task force. I’ve been operating in the background during your visit.”
“So you’re in charge?” Louis snapped. “What is the meaning of the way your people are treating the Princess? She needs information.”
“I understand. Please sit down, Your Highness.” He motioned to the sofa, stiff and formal, but when they made eye contact? A spark, a flash. And then a long, smoldering ember ignited, warming Sofie from the inside out. All these years and he evoked the same response as when they were students. “Your parents and sister were attacked while they were en route to the residence in the mountains. Everyone is going to be fine, but there were some injuries.”
“That doesn’t explain what happened today. Why has Her Highness been kept under lock and key?” Louis was getting downright nasty and Ian’s lack of response made her secretary even bolder. She should step in to stop it, but there was a shift in posture, a change in stance and it was obvious Special Agent Stuart was about to push back. Hard.
Ian raised his eyebrow and stood, towering over the much shorter Louis. “I don’t recall that we’ve ever met, Mister Relyea, and I understand your concern, but I don’t answer to you.”
One step towards Louis and Ian established his dominance—it was very subtle, but very male.
“Are we clear?” Ian asked. “I answer to my government, and when directed to, your government.
You are not the government.”
Sofie slumped down in her seat. “Louis, with the attack on my family, they assumed there would be an attack on me. Am I right, Special Agent Stuart?”
“That’s correct. We’ve been monitoring all threats on you and your family. There are reasons to be concerned and it’s why we’re going to move you to a safe location.” He was not giving her a choice which meant he was operating with authority.
Authority over her.
“Is there any information about my family?” Knowing that her parents and most