When I pulled away, I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. Our soft mouths pressed together, both tasting like wine and scotch. I stepped back, knowing I shouldn’t give him too much affection in a public place like this.
He stared at me blankly, like he could hardly believe what I just did.
“What happened?” I finally asked.
He stared at me for a few more minutes, his brown eyes soft like melted chocolate. He set his glass down on an empty tray a waiter carried as he passed, and then Crewe inserted his other hand into his pocket. “My father was a duke as well as a diplomat, so they traveled to Russia to discuss an international children’s program. During transfer from the airport to the palace, a lone gunman fired into their car and shot both of my parents. Alec survived and was rescued by Russian police. But he mysteriously fell ill during transport and died before he returned home. At the time, I was very young, so I stayed in Glasgow with Finley. I was just six at the time.”
I didn’t know what to say. The story was appalling and devastating. One day, his family left and never returned home. “Did they ever figure out who the gunman was?”
Crewe shook his head. “No. I think the Secretary-General of Russia was behind it.”
“That’s quite an accusation…”
“I have my reasons,” he said quietly. “I found out he used to be in love with my mother. He pursued her, but she denied his advances. Then she married my father, someone with more money and power. I suspect he never got over the rejection. So he murdered all of them, including her oldest son.” He said everything without an ounce of emotion, like this wasn’t his own family he was discussing.
“The queen never moved against them?”
“Russia is a terrifying country. Without any evidence, there was nothing we could do. The public was angry for the first year, but eventually, people moved on with their lives. Obviously, I never have. So I encourage Russian enemies to do the dirty work for me.”
I wasn’t expecting such an extravagant tale. It was mind-boggling and heartbreaking at the same time. “I’m sorry. I know I said that already, but I mean it…”
“I know.” He moved his hand to my chest and brushed his fingers against my soft skin. He watched my lips for a moment like he might kiss me, but then he thought better of it. He lowered his hand. “He’ll get what’s coming to him eventually.”
“So, Finley raised you?” Now it made sense why they were so close.
“For the most part. He’s been part of the family for a very long time.”
“Do you have any other family?”
Crewe shook his head. “I’m the last of the bloodline.”
“That means you need to have children.”
He nodded. “I do.”
That meant he would let me go eventually. Obviously, I couldn’t be his wife and give him children. He would have to marry a duchess or a princess or something, not some American woman.
We stared at each other in silence, the sadness hanging in the air between us. I lost my family far too early in life, but he lost his even earlier. My parents weren’t murdered, but we still had a lot in common. “I’m going to use the restroom. Do you know which way it is?” I wanted a moment to compose myself, to really think about what he just said.
His hand moved to my waist, and he nodded to the hallway. “Down and to the left.”
“Thank you.”
He placed a kiss on my temple before he released me, my body feeling warm at the unexpected touch. The second his hand released me, I felt the sting of the cold. He gave me a final look before he walked away, his shoulders broad and powerful. He commanded the room with just his silence, his kingly grace.
My eyes were transfixed before I finally turned away and followed his directions. I entered the hallway and turned to the left. A man stood there in a waiter’s uniform, but he didn’t contain a tray. His eyes honed in on me like he recognized me, but I didn’t have a clue who he was so there was no way I was familiar to him.
He stepped in my way, his hand behind his back. “London Ingram?”
How did he know my name? “Yes?”
“Please come with me.”
“Where?” I demanded. “Why?”
“Just follow me.” He walked down the hallway and turned right, away from the bathroom.
My body told me this wasn’t a good idea, that I could be walking into some kind of trap. But my gut told me to follow because he would lead me somewhere I was meant to be. We were under the queen’s protection, and Crewe was just a room away. If anyone could help me, it would be him.