Read Online Her Secret Prince by Madeline Ash - Free Book Online

andhe met her stare, determined. “Yes. I’ve spent my whole life wondering who my father is.”
    Slowly, Dee nodded as Ardalan returned with her latte.
    “Thanks, honey,” she said, distracted, and he moved on. She drained most of it and put it down with a clink. “When are you going to meet him, then?”
    Jed looked uncomfortable and realization crumbled her heart. “Oh. That’s why you haven’t known whenyou’re leaving me. Depends on when you arrange to see him, right?”
    “Yes. But I was thinking I’d come—”
    “Doesn’t matter,” she interrupted sharply. She’d make it easy for him. For her. “I’m going with you anyway.”
    His features stiffened.
    “I’ll book the tickets now.” She pulled out her phone and opened the browser. “When shall we leave? I could do tomorrow. Let’s try tomorrow.”
    “Dee,” he said,sounding startled. “That place is in Europe.”
    “Exciting, right?” She entered Paris in the destination bar and searched for available flights. “Ooh, there’s an overnight flight to Paris tonight. Perfect.”
    “You’re not serious.”
    “Yeah.” She turned the phone towards him. “See, right here?”
    His answering look was flat. “You can’t pick up and leave on a whim. You must have things planned.”
    “Sure,but I’ll make some calls.”
    “The ticket prices will be outrageous.”
    “Highway robbery.” But she selected two tickets anyway and pressed continue. Return flights could be organized later. “Loading, please wait.”
    “You’re booking right now?”
    “Sure am.” She shot a glance across the table and encountered his unreadable face. Not to be discouraged, she started typing her details onto the webpage.“I’m sensing the need for an explanation.” Jed’s name went into the form, guest number two. “I’m going with you because if Oscar is a threat, I’m sure as hell not going to let you meet him alone.” She hesitated over the form and extended the phone towards him. “Personal details, please.”
    Reluctantly, he took the phone and filled in the blanks. With payment to go, she tugged out her wallet andsearched for her credit card. Swiftly, Jed plucked the lot from her fingers and replaced it with his own card.
    “It doesn’t mat—”
    “Don’t argue.” His deepest words yet.
    Giving in, Dee entered his details and hit confirm. Then she placed the phone on the table and leaned back with a sigh.
    He sat, rigid, clearly struggling with such spontaneity.
    She grinned and kicked him lightly under the table.“We’re going to Paris.”
    “Leguarday.”
    “Wherever the hell that is,” she said. “Oh my, I’ll get to see châteaux and eat cheese and listen to everyone speaking a beautiful language I learned at school but have since completely forgotten.”
    After a moment, a grin overtook him. “I can’t believe you.”
    Sometimes, she couldn’t either. Travelling with a man she adored, who no longer adored her back.Masochism at its finest.
    “What are friends for,” she said, “if not travelling across the globe at a moment’s notice?”
    She’d done exactly that with Alexia the year before. The result had been her best friend moving to Byron Bay. Possibility wafted coolly down her spine. In the unlikely event that Oscar turned out to be decent, Jed might decide to stay close, making up for a missed childhood.That’d make two international trips in two years, and two lost companions.
    That’d be right.
    “Friends.” Jed regarded her, solemn. “So, we’re good?”
    Dee hid her angst beneath a bright smile. She even sent him a light little wink.
    “We’re good.”
    *
    From: Jed Brown
    02-04-2015 (1 minute ago)
    To: Oscar M
    Subject: Re: Gambit
    Hello Oscar,
    I’m unconvinced, but let’s meet. I’ll be in Leguarday in two days. You choose where we meet, and when. I’ll choose whether I sit down and listen.
    Jed
    Across the world, in a stone castle surrounded by