Page 31 of Cruel Dynasty

“Now?” I fumbled for my watch on the nightstand and discovered it was four in the morning. “It can’t wait until later?”

“Unfortunately not.” He shook his head, placing a warm, strong hand on my bare shoulder. “It’s just a few things. I hope to be back by nightfall.”

I clutched the sheet to my chest. “Do you want me to come with you?”

It wasn’t as though I relished the idea of hanging out at Hensley without him. I knew nothing about Yorkshire. My only friend here wasn’t really my friend, at all. And this was supposed to be a romantic trip away.

“It will only take the day. You’ll have much more fun here than waiting for me to take meetings and talk to doctors. You can go into the village or visit with Beatrice.”

I fought the urge to grimace at the thought of spending time with her. Plus, there was another thing to consider. “I don’t have a car. You’re leaving me at the mercy of Holden.”

Holden.

There it was: my reason to stay. I’d been avoiding Holden for weeks, but after what Beatrice told me last night, I finally had a clue as to why he was sure I was an imposter. But while that answered one question, it raised a dozen more.

“I would never do such a thing,” Spencer reassured me. “I’m leaving the McLaren. The keys are on the desk.”

“But how are you getting back to London?”

“Helicopter. It’s arriving in a few minutes.” He finished fastening a cufflink. “You’re welcome to come along but I should be back by supper.”

I frowned, not liking either choice very much. On one hand, I’d come here to spend time with Spencer but he was going to be somewhere else. The logical move to make was to go with him. But staying gave me access to Holden alone, making it easier to confront him. Of course, Holden was another good reason I should go. And there was the most important reason: it was four in the morning and I could barely keep my eyes open. I yawned, attempting to get some oxygen into my brain to help make a decision.

“You’re staying,” Spencer said. “Sleep all day if you like.”

“But then I’ll be up all night.”

“You’re going to be up all night anyway,” Spencer promised. His hand moved to my chin and he leaned in to kiss me. “It’s so hard to leave you.”

“Then don’t,” I said, turning my lips down and pouting.

“I wish I could, but the helicopter will be out back soon.”

“Wait,” I said, something finally occuring to me through the fog, “do you have a helicopter pad?”

Spencer laughed and kissed me again. He stood and slowly released my hand. “Go back to sleep and dream of me.”

“I will,” I promised, settling back into bed and watching him disappear into the corridor. Spencer would be back soon, and for now, I would sleep. But when I drifted off, I dreamt of Holden.

If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Holden knew I’d been dreaming about him. He greeted me on the veranda with a smirk, looking relaxed in a pair of worn jeans and a cable knit sweater.

“She lives,” he said, pointing to a cup of coffee. I took the seat farthest from him and reached for the silver coffee pot. As I poured, I was relieved to see steam rising. It was still hot. I brought the cup to my lips, breathing in the rich aroma.

“It’s only ten,” I pointed out.

“Still, I was beginning to wonder if I should come up to kiss you,” Holden said.

I snapped out of my trance, my heart beginning to pound. “Why would you do that?”

“Isn’t that how the story goes? The prince goes to the sleeping beauty and wakes her with a kiss?”

“I’m not sleeping beauty,” I muttered and turned my attention to my coffee, hoping he didn’t see the cup trembling. There was absolutely no way that Holden knew I’d been dreaming of him doing just that—and more—before I’d finally woken up this morning.

“You’re grouchy in the mornings,” he commented. “Are you warm enough? It’s a bit chilly this morning.”

“I’m fine.” I did my best to sound indifferent. The truth was that it wasn’t the cooler, autumnal air pinkening my cheeks, it was the flush of embarrassment. Less than a half hour ago, I’d been dreaming that Holden had me up against a window, his lips on mine, as we gave in to each other. I’d said his name over and over in the dream, thoroughly erasing any hope that I’d been dreaming of Spencer.

Neither of them needed to know that.