London

I couldn’t say I was surprised by Crewe’s reaction.

I didn’t expect him to forgive me in a heartbeat and take me back in his arms. I knew it would take more time, greater effort. But I didn’t expect him to be so merciless and cold. I knew he still cared about me. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind. But Crewe was the proudest man I’d ever known.

Image was everything to him.

A week passed, and I didn’t hear from him. I was working in a clinic in Edinburgh that wasn’t too far from his new distillery. I didn’t pick the location on purpose. That just happened to be where they stationed me. The pay wasn’t amazing, but the cost of living was cheap enough that I managed. I had a small flat in the city, which allowed me to walk anywhere I wanted. There was a grocery store nearby, and of course, the view was incredible. I was living in one of the oldest towns in the world, but it didn’t feel as historic as the castle I shared with Crewe.

As more time passed, the more I realized I may never get him back.

Everything was working against us, mainly his bitterness. I think all men should be a little proud, but he took it to a new level. It was probably his royal heritage that made him that way. I wasn’t sure what else it could be caused by.

Joseph called me in the afternoon, the same time he called me every day. He knew I was in Edinburgh alone, and being the protective older brother that he was, he needed to check on me. “How’s it going?”

“It’s okay.” I couldn’t really enjoy my new surroundings when I was swallowed by misery.

“Hasn’t called, huh?”

“No…”

“I’m sorry, Lon. But I told you he wouldn’t.”

“I think he just needs some time. I haven’t lost all hope yet.”

“Well, you should. He’s not gonna change his mind.”

I was prepared to let him go if I had to, but I didn’t want to. I certainly didn’t want to return to New York and try to start over, to find a man who made my heart flutter the way Crewe did. I couldn’t fall for another man when I was already in love with someone across the world. “It’s only been a week.”

“It could be a year, and it wouldn’t change anything.” Joseph liked to make his opinion extremely well known, regardless of how it made me feel. He never beat around the bush, not even to protect my ego.

“Maybe I should try contacting him again.”

“And what will that do?”

“Hopefully something.” I had no way of contacting him. All I knew was where he lived, but I feared I wouldn’t be so welcome there a second time. “Or you could give me his number…”

“I could, but I’d rather not.”

Joseph would help me if I pushed him enough. “If I could meet him somewhere else, that would be fine. But he doesn’t leave the castle too often.”

“I’m sure he does. He has that scotch facility in Edinburgh.”

“Yeah, but he usually sends Ariel to do that stuff for him.” Crewe seemed to have recovered from his wound well, but he was probably limiting his outdoor adventures. “Unless you can tell me where he is…”

“You think I’m a spy or something?”

“I have no idea what you do, Joseph. And that’s because I’ve never asked.” I didn’t want to know what his criminal activities were. Since he was my brother, it was better if I didn’t know. I had to love him no matter what, and it would be difficult if I knew he was a murderer.

“Give me his number. Maybe I can get him to meet me somewhere.”

“You know, chasing a guy like this seems kinda desperate.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Just give me the number, Joseph.”

After he finally handed it over, I hung up and called Crewe. Every time it rang, my heart moved into my throat. I could hardly breathe because I was nervous, utterly terrified whether he answered or he didn’t.

“This is Crewe.” He spoke with a rich voice that was smooth just like scotch. I missed the way his voice sounded when his lips were pressed against my ear. Just his voice alone could bring me to my knees.

“It’s London.”

Crewe remained silent, the sound of a moving car acting as the background. It sounded like he was on the road, probably in the back seat while one of his men drove him around.

I didn’t expect him to say anything else, so I continued onward. “Where are you headed?”

“Does it matter?”

I didn’t appreciate Crewe’s coldness, but I would have to deal with it for the time being. “If you’re on your way to Edinburgh, maybe we can have dinner.”

“I am on my way to Edinburgh. But let’s skip the dinner.”

Maybe Crewe wasn’t lying. Maybe he truly did stop caring about me. “You’ve gotta eat sometime, right?” I kept the conversation playful, knowing that would get to him better. I’d already cried my eyes out, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

“In this instance, I’d rather go hungry.”

He was ice-cold, and my heat couldn’t force him to melt. “I’m working at a family practice clinic here in town. After working all day, it would be nice to relax over a bottle of wine. But you know I can’t drink an entire bottle on my own.”

“You’re a beautiful woman. I’m sure you can find someone to share it with you.”

I rubbed my temple at the brush-off. “Have dinner with me.” Joseph was right, I did feel desperate chasing him like this. This man kept me as his prisoner for months, and now I was doing everything I could to get him back. He was the only man I’d ever fought for like this. Times like this made me wonder if it was worth it.

“I have a date tonight.”

I didn’t want to believe that was true because it killed me, but I didn’t know why else he was going to Edinburgh later in the day. But there was a chance he was lying, trying to hurt me enough so I would hang up. “Make a rain check.”

He chuckled. “I think I’ll stick with what I’ve got.”

“Or you could blow her off and come straight to my flat.” Jumping his bones was how I got him to fall in love with me in the first place. Sex was always a way into Crewe’s brain. It worked before, and maybe it would work again.

“And do what?”

He took the bait. “I don’t want to give anything away…but I would probably be on my hands and knees most of the time.”

Crewe was quiet, probably considering my offer.

I hoped he would take it. If I could get him in the same room, it would make it much easier for us to talk. A face-to-face interaction was always preferable to hearing his voice over the phone. I could read him much better when I could watch the expressions change in his eyes.

“I told you, I have a date.”

“Well, I don’t believe you.” There was no way for me to know if he was lying or not. I just had to hope for the best. “And I haven’t been with anyone else since I left you, not that it matters.” Actually, it did matter. I knew that would mean something to him.

Crewe was quiet.

I knew he was thinking, considering.

“I don’t care what you believe, London. I have to go.”

I hated it when he called me by my first name. So impersonal. “Crewe—”

“Good night.” He hung up.

After hearing the rejection of the dial tone, I tossed my phone on the table. I wasn’t going to call him again when I knew it wasn’t going to get me any closer to him. The only real chance I had was to get in the same room with him.

But how would I manage that?

I called Joseph back.

He answered immediately. “What did I tell you?” He didn’t even bother hiding his gloating. “You need to let it go and move on.”

I had another plan in mind. “I need to get in the same room as him.”

“Unless you walk up to his door without getting shot, I don’t see how that’s gonna happen.”

“You’re going to help me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He kidnapped me and made me his prisoner. Now it’s his turn to get kidnapped.”

Joseph’s voice rose a few levels. “Are you really suggesting that I capture the guy?”

“Yes. You’re going to bring him to me so he and I can talk—face-to-face.”

“Wow. You aren’t kidding.”

“No. And you owe me, Joseph.”

“Don’t go there,” he snapped. “I did everything I could to get you back.”

“You don’t owe me for that. You owe me for shooting Crewe when I told you not to.”

He sighed into the phone.

“When his driver takes him somewhere, I need you to intercept the car and drive him to me.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Are you saying you can’t do it?” Playing to his ego should work.

“Yes, I can do it. But I’m not going to do it.”

“Yes, you are. And you aren’t gonna hurt anyone.”

“Now, that’s impossible.”

“It’s not. No guns.”

“You expect me to hijack his car without a gun and actually turn my back to Crewe, who’s definitely packing?”

“He won’t hurt you.”

He laughed into the phone. “I shot the guy. Of course, he’ll take his chance.”

“No, he won’t.” I knew Crewe would never hurt someone I loved unless it was a matter of life and death. “Tell him why you’ve taken over the car, and he’ll cooperate peacefully.”

“You have no idea what he might do.”

“Yes, I do.” Despite being apart for the past month, I knew him better than anyone. “Trust me, Joey.”

“Goddammit…how did my life get to this?”

“Because you fucked with Crewe Donoghue.”