Marco waited by the veranda for thirty minutes. Renee never appeared. He checked his watch, his instincts on high alert. She'd been excited about sailing, and leaving the crowded party, but now party goers were beginning to exit the ballroom.

He made his way toward her room. If Renee was changing still, he could wait for her.

But his gut told him something was up.

He knocked on her door, but no answer came. Footsteps sounded in the hall and he looked to his side. Renee's maid lowered her head as if trying to avoid his attention. He called out, "Is Renee still inside?"

"No, sir." She continued to study the floor. "She said she went to find you, and I wasn't to clean the room until you saw."

"Saw what?" Alarmed, he pushed open her bedroom door.

Her clothes were thrown everywhere, and the place looked broken into. "What happened here? Who did this?"

Anise shrugged. "I don't know, Prince Marco. She took the note and went to find you on the back stairwell."

"What note?"

"Whoever did this left it on the vanity." The maid’s shoulders trembled with fear.

He wouldn’t get any answers until he knew what had happened. He'd thought he'd secured her room. Once he was in the hallway again, he called Babik and went to his office. Security footage in the castle would reveal what happened to her.

He ignored the racing thoughts in his head that something awful had happened while he sat at his desk. Security sent him the footage he’d asked for.

He turned on the monitor and hit play. Then he saw Renee racing down the stairs with a paper in hand, but then she bumped into Greg, stopping to speak with him. Marco listened to the fragments of conversation the security footage picked up and heard the word flight.

Without one suitcase, Kristin walked, half jumpy and looking behind her, but she went with Greg toward the car and Marco’s stomach clenched but he understood everything. He needed to see her. He needed to tell her not to go. He needed her, here. His pulse ratcheted with the immediate urge to chase her.

He assumed Greg was about to fly on the family jet. He reached for the phone on his desk, thankful for once that he was a prince, and was patched through to air traffic control. His brother's jet was scheduled to leave for Miami within the hour. He told dispatch, "Hold their flight until I arrive."

"Yes, Your Highness," the controller responded. His heart stirred. He had time to get to her.

Without a word to anyone, he left his office and headed to the family garage. Cars for the royal wedding were parked everywhere, neatly trapping his Bentley. He eyed his motorcycle, which could weave through traffic.

He grabbed two helmets off the shelf and found the key near the valet stand.

The hum of the engine drowned out his doubts. Once he maneuvered out of the parking nightmare, he revved the engine at the front door of the castle and took off at full speed.

Renee needed to know he'd protect her. If she still wanted to leave after he’d had his say, he'd say goodbye and go home.

Right now, he pushed faster and drove onto the tarmac, waving at security. No one said a word to him as he rode up to his family plane.

Marco parked his motorcycle next to the front door of the jet. The door opened and metal steps descended. Renee followed cautiously. "Marco, what are you doing here?"

He took off his helmet to look her in the eye. "Why are you running home?"

"I'm... scared." She reached the last stair and the tarmac. "I told you I couldn't handle more threats."

"I didn't take you as someone who runs away, Renee." He hopped off his motorcycle. "You could have at least told me what had happened. Was I to just wonder what went wrong?"

"If I saw you, then I'd never leave." She hugged her waist though her eyes still seemed haunted as her hair came out from that slick style from the wedding. "I can't figure out what I really want if I'm scared."

He crossed his arms and stood his ground. "So you're running away."

She came closer, but the space between them seemed a huge gap. "You are right. I’m sorry. But Marco, I know I made a mistake and I want to go home with you. If you will have me."

Her words pierced through his armor. He'd assumed she'd want to leave. His respect grew. Right now, he didn't know anything else, but the moment she stood in front of him, truly sorry, his heart expanded. He couldn't explain so he reached behind him for the second helmet and offered it to her. "Come here and hop on."

She took the helmet and buckled it on her head. "I've never ridden on a motorcycle. My mom said-"

"It's time you start living your life on your own terms." He hopped on his bike, then offered his arm for balance as she climbed behind him.

Her hands slid around his waist, and her head rested against his back. Marco suddenly understood what he wanted, on his own terms. Renee.

She made him feel in a way no other woman ever had. It wasn't just that he had to possess her. She was his and somehow in all this mess she’d taken part of his soul. Without her he'd been lost. He revved the motorcycle. "Don't leave me again."

She hugged him tighter as he rode off the tarmac toward the airport exit. The sooner they were alone, the better, but first he needed to take her to the South Castle. If he could convince her to marry him, they'd spend their lives there.