himself than to his brother.
Relief flooded him that she was going to do the right thing. Because she had chosen to seek him out here at the resort, she had not sent a shooter after him, either. Apparently she had not realized that he’d been up on that ridge. So someone else had been following him….
He shook his head, clearing those concerns from his mind. He would deal with that later. Now, with her here, he would finally learn what had happened to Amir.
But before he could turn into the resort behind her, another vehicle cut him off—careening into the drive ahead of him. A white van, like so many of the others filling the front parking lot of the resort—except for the crumpled driver’s side.
It was definitely the one he had forced off the road. Whoever they were—and he was really starting to doubt it was reporters—they had found her again. And perhaps they had never lost him…
H ER PULSE RACED as Jessica drove past the media vans parked at the grand entrance of the stone-and-cedar lodge. While security and sheriff’s deputies kept the reporters, camera crews and picketing protestors out of the resort, they hovered around the entrance like vultures waiting for an injured animal to die.
For too long, Jessica had felt like that injured animal. But she was not going to helplessly wait for death.
She had to run…no matter how much leaving the ranch hurt her. Ducking her head low as she passed the vans and people, Jessica steered around the expansive building. With its impressive length and odd peaks and glittering windows, the lodge resembled a crown, so it was no mystery why the royals had chosen the luxurious resort for their summit meeting in the United States.
She maneuvered down the driveway that dropped off steeply at the side of the lodge to the back lot where the employees parked. There were no empty spots near the walkout basement side of the resort. There were barely any empty spots at all. The lot was full.
All the staff had been called in to work extra hours due to the royals extended stay. Despite the calluses and cracked skin on her hands, she could have used the extra hours because she could have definitely used the extra money.
But she hadn’t wanted to be anywhere near this media frenzy—and those cameras that broadcast nationally. She didn’t want to be here now. Nerves danced in her stomach and sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades, making her blouse stick to the vinyl seat. Even her palms grew damp, so much so that they slipped on the steering wheel as she pulled into a spot she made on the grass near the rear of the lot.
“I don’t want to do this,” she murmured, dread filling her at the thought of getting out of the SUV. It looked as though all the reporters waited at the front, but who was to say that one or two hadn’t decided to stake out the back and interview the employees?
They had done that before, but Jessica had been careful to duck her head low so that they couldn’t film her face. And she’d refused to answer any of their questions.
Maybe she should have asked Helen to retrieve her check instead of having her sit with Samantha. But what would it matter now if someone got a shot of her? By the time the footage aired, she and Samantha would be out of Wind River County. And they would never be able to return for fear that he might be here, waiting for them.
Urgency compelled her to throw open the door. The rusted hinges creaked in protest of the sudden movement, though. Or maybe in warning.
But she needed the money for gas and a place to stay until she could find another job. She doubted she would be lucky enough to find a friend as good as Helen again.
She blinked against the sting of tears at the thought of all she had to leave behind. Then she hurried toward the building, nearly jogging across the lot.
Tires squealed against asphalt, startling her into almost tripping and falling against the bumper of the white van that stopped in front of
Relief flooded him that she was going to do the right thing. Because she had chosen to seek him out here at the resort, she had not sent a shooter after him, either. Apparently she had not realized that he’d been up on that ridge. So someone else had been following him….
He shook his head, clearing those concerns from his mind. He would deal with that later. Now, with her here, he would finally learn what had happened to Amir.
But before he could turn into the resort behind her, another vehicle cut him off—careening into the drive ahead of him. A white van, like so many of the others filling the front parking lot of the resort—except for the crumpled driver’s side.
It was definitely the one he had forced off the road. Whoever they were—and he was really starting to doubt it was reporters—they had found her again. And perhaps they had never lost him…
H ER PULSE RACED as Jessica drove past the media vans parked at the grand entrance of the stone-and-cedar lodge. While security and sheriff’s deputies kept the reporters, camera crews and picketing protestors out of the resort, they hovered around the entrance like vultures waiting for an injured animal to die.
For too long, Jessica had felt like that injured animal. But she was not going to helplessly wait for death.
She had to run…no matter how much leaving the ranch hurt her. Ducking her head low as she passed the vans and people, Jessica steered around the expansive building. With its impressive length and odd peaks and glittering windows, the lodge resembled a crown, so it was no mystery why the royals had chosen the luxurious resort for their summit meeting in the United States.
She maneuvered down the driveway that dropped off steeply at the side of the lodge to the back lot where the employees parked. There were no empty spots near the walkout basement side of the resort. There were barely any empty spots at all. The lot was full.
All the staff had been called in to work extra hours due to the royals extended stay. Despite the calluses and cracked skin on her hands, she could have used the extra hours because she could have definitely used the extra money.
But she hadn’t wanted to be anywhere near this media frenzy—and those cameras that broadcast nationally. She didn’t want to be here now. Nerves danced in her stomach and sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades, making her blouse stick to the vinyl seat. Even her palms grew damp, so much so that they slipped on the steering wheel as she pulled into a spot she made on the grass near the rear of the lot.
“I don’t want to do this,” she murmured, dread filling her at the thought of getting out of the SUV. It looked as though all the reporters waited at the front, but who was to say that one or two hadn’t decided to stake out the back and interview the employees?
They had done that before, but Jessica had been careful to duck her head low so that they couldn’t film her face. And she’d refused to answer any of their questions.
Maybe she should have asked Helen to retrieve her check instead of having her sit with Samantha. But what would it matter now if someone got a shot of her? By the time the footage aired, she and Samantha would be out of Wind River County. And they would never be able to return for fear that he might be here, waiting for them.
Urgency compelled her to throw open the door. The rusted hinges creaked in protest of the sudden movement, though. Or maybe in warning.
But she needed the money for gas and a place to stay until she could find another job. She doubted she would be lucky enough to find a friend as good as Helen again.
She blinked against the sting of tears at the thought of all she had to leave behind. Then she hurried toward the building, nearly jogging across the lot.
Tires squealed against asphalt, startling her into almost tripping and falling against the bumper of the white van that stopped in front of
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