Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
My rational brain didn’t think Kasper was capable of physically harming Zane, but my heart didn’t give a fuck what my rational brain thought.
Foster approached the jet stairs first. “We got him, Ryan. He’s in custody, and we’ve confirmed he’s your guy.”
It was too good to be true. “For real? Just like that?”
He nodded. “It’s not hard to find an outsider in Majestic, even when it’s full up for the Bells. Your man registered at a hotel under his real name and was eating a sandwich in his room when we arrived. Easy peasy.”
“That sounds too good to be true,” I admitted.
“Well, fine. If you must know, your man took a little wind out of his sails first. So the perp was feeding his feelings.”
I didn’t understand what he meant, but that wasn’t my priority at the moment.
Foster saw me staring at Zane as he approached the line of officers at the entrance to the tarmac. “Let him through,” Foster called before turning to me. “I’ll take over with the royals. You go reassure your principal.”
Part of me felt like I needed to hold back on a big public display of affection at a Ventdestinian appearance, but then I remembered several things. This wasn’t a Ventdestinian appearance, we were in the States, where I could publicly display just about anything I wanted to, and I loved Zane Hendley too much to hide my true feelings for him.
I didn’t owe the Ventdestinian royal family anything. Not anymore.
Zane approached cautiously, but I threw caution to the wind and began running. Zane’s face lit up, and he picked up the pace, too, throwing himself into my arms and hugging me tightly.
“They got him,” Zane said. “He’s in custody.”
“Foster told me, honey. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
He pulled back so he could meet my eyes. “I did something, Bear. And I’m afraid you might be mad.”
“Never,” I insisted. I was too happy to see him, too relieved he was okay, to be upset at anything he might have done.
Then I remembered the one thing I wouldn’t have forgiven him for. “Tell me you didn’t put yourself in danger, Z.”
He shook his head wildly. “No, not that. I promise.”
“Then what?”
My phone buzzed with news alerts, one after the other. Zane’s eyes flicked around, suddenly looking everywhere but at me. “Um, that’s… that’s probably part of it.”
“What do you mean?”
I pulled out my phone to look, keeping one arm locked around him. A flood of headlines ran up my screen.
Rocker Reportedly Pledges $10M to Youth Winter Sports
Zee Barlo Admits to Being in Relationship with Bodyguard! “I’m In Love,” He Says.
Rock star/Bodyguard Love Stories On the Rise… IRL and On Your Shelves!
Zee Barlo, Jude Marian, Gentry Kane, and others release single to raise money for LGBTQ youth
Rocker Zee Barlo Announces New Record Label: Fairytale Recording Studio
Zee Barlo Buys Sprawling Ranch in Wyoming
I waited for the string of headlines to end, but they simply… didn’t.
I finally met his eyes. “Someone’s been busy?”
“Don’t be mad.” Zane was suddenly white as a sheet. “Please. I felt more confident about your reaction when I did it, but now…”
I slid the phone back into my pocket and pulled him close again, leaning in to press a drugging kiss to his lips. “I love you. I’m on board with whatever our plan is. I just want to know what the hell the plan is because that… was a lot.”
“I know, but when I found out Kasper was doing this because he wanted you back in Ventdestine, I realized… there was a way to make sure he wouldn’t want you back there.”
The realization came to me. “Tell the world I’m gay.”
He nodded and swallowed. “And then I remembered your story about Secret Sauce and how the king took the teeth out of the scandal by flooding the media with lots of scandals at once.”
I reached up to cup his beautiful face. “So you made up some stuff to distract them from the bodyguard affair?” I teased.
“None of it’s made up.”
I blinked at him. The headlines scrolled through my memory. “The winter sports pledge.”
“I’m funding a winter sports program here in Majestic. And I hope my boyfriend will figure out how to run it.”
My heart rate notched up. “On your Wyoming ranch?”
He rolled his eyes. “Now, that part they got wrong. It’s not a ranch. Right now, it’s a giant parcel of land without a house on it. But soon, it’ll have a home on it, as well as a recording studio.”
“Ahh,” I said, starting to see his vision. “And that brings us to the record label.”
My sweet Zane looked defiant. “It’s time for me to do things my way, Bear.”
“Because you believe in fairy tales again?” I wrapped my arms around his waist.
He nodded. “And I really hope…” He blinked, belatedly processing the giant grin on my face. “Wait. You’re on board with it?”