Chapter Eight
Kari stood with her back against the double door staring at the man who would determine her fate. All this because she didn’t buy a ticket to get in? Time to beg. “I’m so sorry.” She unzipped her fanny pack. “Here, I’ll pay the admission price. Even more for a donation. I just had to use the bathroom very badly.” She stood in front of the desk, holding out money.
His brow raised, head tilted. “Are you American?”
Oh shit. If she said yes, would he kill her or throw her in jail? If she said no, could she fake an English accent? Her initial thought was to lie. But she knew her luck too well.
“Yes, I’m American.”
The man broke into a big smile, his arms spread wide. “Well then, welcome to my home.”
Her jaw dropped. Home? The only person in this town who could afford the kind of stuff on display would be the—oh, double shit. She was in so much trouble.
“I am Prince Goddard and this is my palace. What brings an American female to my doorstep?” The way he said “American female” sent a shudder through her. She smiled anyway.
“My boyfriend and I are touring.” The words sounded robotic even to her. She was so dead. On her first mission and gone missing, never to be seen or heard from again.
“Are you sure you’re not with the CIA?” he asked. Was he joking? A spot of red flashed in his eyes.
“No. We’re with ITA.”
The prince’s face took on a questioning expression.
“International Touring Agency. That’s the name of our group, I swear.” So much for being a strong spy. She wasn’t even being interrogated and she gave out information.
“That’s wonderful, Miss . . .”
“Oh, I’m Kari Tomlin.” She leaned forward and put her hand out to shake. He took her fingers in his soft ones and brought it to his mouth. Ever so lightly, he brushed his lips across her skin. Oh my god. She was in complete shock. Was this normal in this country for greeting females?
“We have so few American women come here. You are truly a treasure worth a fortune.” His smile seemed predatory. He looked at her like she was an object, not a person.
Someone knocked on the door. The prince said a word and the door opened. It was a guard. When he saw her, his eyes widened. The man spoke and quickly left, closing the door.
“Miss Tomlin, you’re just in time,” the prince said.
She narrowed her eyes. “In time for what, may I ask?”
“For dinner.” He smiled and opened his arms wide again. “You will be my guest this evening. We have a fantastic show I’m sure you’ll like. Yes, I think you will like it very much.” His eyes flashed red again. It unnerved her even though she wasn’t sure what it was.
Her head shook side to side. “Oh, thank you. That is so kind of you, but I should be going. My boyfriend will be worried.” Her phone buzzed in her waist pack. She stared at it, not sure if she should pick it up. The prince gestured for her to go ahead. She dug it out and pushed the icon for text messaging.
“Who is it?” the prince asked, standing over her shoulder, deliberately reading her message.
“It’s my boyfriend wondering where I am.” She stepped away. “I really should—”
“Miss Tomlin,” he backed her against the desk and put a hand on the wooden top on each side of her, “you don’t want problems with our police. Any crime against the royal family is punishable by death. And you are trespassing on my property.”
Fuck. He was a bipolar psycho. Charming one second, threatening her life the next. That red glowed brighter and larger, then died back. She put on a smile to save her life. “On second thought, it would be nice to sample some of the best food your country offers. Let me text my boyfriend and he’ll be here shortly.”
“I haven’t invited him, Miss Tomlin,” Goddard said.
Oh, shit. This couldn’t be good. But what could she do? She swallowed hard. “Of course, you haven’t. How presumptuous of me.”
He stepped back. “Wonderful. Now send your friend a message telling him you’ll be fine. I will deliver you to your hotel safely.”
She picked up the phone from the desk where she’d dropped it and brought up the on-screen keyboard. There had to be some way to let Sheldon know she’d be okay or he would barge in and get himself shot. Or worse yet, get them both put in jail and cause an international incident. Just what she needed on her first trip into the field.
She typed, “Guess who I just met. Prince Goddard! He’s invited me for dinner and a show. Enjoy the tour. Don’t wait up.” Why, now that she needed to be clever with words, could she not think of one secret code or clue phrase? The spy business wasn’t for her. She needed to stick with her movies and fantasies.
“Very good,” he said after reading what she’d typed. “Send it and we’ll go.” She tapped the envelope icon, then the prince snatched the phone from her hands.
“Hey!” She tried to grab it back. “That’s mine. Give it back.”
Goddard tsked. “You Americans and your toys. Dinner is not the place for such distractions. After we finish, I’ll return your phone.” She had no choice. And she was hungry.
“Lead the way,” she said. He took her hand and opened the door for her. Every other step, another amazing piece of art dazzled her. His stash had to be worth billions. “Your collection of art is astounding. You must’ve spent a long time searching for everything here.”
He smiled. “It is quite impressive, isn’t it? Many items are from the castle and very old. But a majority I’ve found here and there in my life.” He flipped a hand in the air like it was nothing. Just a watercolor he found at a starving artist sidewalk sale. Whatever.
After a maze of hallways, they came to a set of doors that looked solid gold. Wasteful, but beautiful. He pulled them open with grand flourish and strutted into the room. This was not what she expected for a dining room.
The lighting was low, very low. How would they be able to see their food? As they walked, she realized the room was bigger than she’d thought. Others were in the room already. They sat on giant pillows leaning against the walls. In front of each person was a tray of fruit. And she noted they were all men who held an air of importance. Some had a scantily clad female draped over them. One had her hand down the pants of a guy in a military type uniform.
Her eyes snapped forward. She suddenly wasn’t hungry. What had she gotten herself into?