Moments later, his feet landed on solid ground. The first thing that hit him was the fresh, mountain breeze tinged with the scent of pines. Glancing around the porch of Ransom’s cabin, he realized that it was still early morning in Kentucky, being a few hours behind Zhobghadi. He took a step forward and then knocked on the door.
Heavy footsteps thudded closer and the door swung open. “Who the hell—Cross?” Ransom looked up at him, the ever-present scowl on his face deepening. “What’re you doing here?”
He didn’t quite know how to put it. Gunnar was insistent that he needed Ransom’s help, but for what, he couldn’t explain. “I don’t have much time,” he said. “But I was wondering … if I could ask a favor.”
A brow shot up as he crossed his arms over his chest. “A favor, huh?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a situation back home. Could use some helping hands.”
“Me and my guys aren’t goons for hire,” he groused. “Go find someone else to help you with your war. We don’t want any part of it.”
The door was about to close in his face, but he braced himself against it. “Please. I need your help.”
“And why should I help you?”
“I’ll owe you.” He hoped he wouldn’t regret this. “Anything that’s within my power, I’ll give you. You know what I can do. Please. Everyone in my clan … they could die.”
There was a flash of emotion on his face, but he must have imagined it. Because it almost looked like Ransom was worried when he said everyone back in New York was in danger.
“Well?” Cross asked.
The other man growled softly. “Fine. But I’m only taking Snake and Hawk.”
“That’s fine,” he said. “How soon can we leave?”
Ransom was already fishing for his phone in his pocket. “Within the hour.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Cross, no!” Sabrina cried when she found herself embracing only air. “Please … you said everything would be okay …”
The woman Cross had introduced as his best friend—Deedee—sat on the mattress next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It will be all right, Sabrina. Everything will be all right. You have to trust Cross.”
“Trust him?” she said incredulously. “How can I trust him again after what he did? After everything he did?”
“I’m sorry, you must be so distressed.” She shook her head, a sympathetic look on her face. “Why don’t you come with me, and we can have some tea? Then maybe we can talk and you can tell me everything that’s happened.”
“I …” Glancing around, she didn’t recognize anything in this bedroom. The bed was humungous, much bigger than the one in Sofia and Lucas’s guest room. The pillows were square and made of fine silk, the covers a riot of jewel colors. The walls were decorated in mosaic tiles and swathes of colorful fabric hung from intricately carved wooden lattice arches overhead.
“Where am I?” Her eyes narrowed at Deedee as she studied her pretty features—delicate and feminine, but there was an inner strength that shone through, especially in her unusually colored eyes—light green, almost yellow. There was something else familiar about her, but Sabrina couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“Oh, you poor dear.” Deedee cleared her throat. “Um, like I said, my name is Deedee and that,” she nodded to the tall, imposing man behind her holding a baby. “That’s … my husband and son.” Her eyes darted around nervously. “Darling, maybe you can take Caspar back to the nursery, and I can talk to Sabrina alone?”
Why did Deedee look so familiar? That face … she’d seen it before, but where? “Wait.” Her hand gripped Deedee’s arm as it came to her. “It’s you.” The name was there on the tip of her tongue. “Am I in …” Oh dear, she was tripping up over the name of that foreign country … Z something? “I mean, I know you!”
Deedee’s cheeks reddened. “From where?”
“It was a trial, wasn’t it?” she said. “I watched it on the news. You testified and put that guy away, and you had these escorts while you came out of the courthouse and the reporters said you were …” Her jaw dropped. “You’re the American who became a queen, right?” Her eyes darted to the man she introduced as her husband. “Desiree. Queen Desiree. And he’s … he’s …”
“Yes.” Deedee took her hand reassuringly. “I’m Queen Desiree of Zhobghadi, and that’s my husband, King Karim and our son, Prince Caspar. No, don’t get up,” she said with a laugh.
“Zhobghadi.” Yes, that was the name of the country. She’d researched it and recalled the picture of the handsome prince that came up on her screen. That was definitely him. Her nerves and anxiety made her fidget. “Um, aren’t I supposed to-to curtsey or something?”
“It’s fine, don’t worry. Darling,” she called to the man—the king! “Would you mind taking Caspar back to the nursery?”
“Not at all, habibti.” With a quick nod to Sabrina, the king pivoted and left the room.
“He can be intimidating,” Deedee said. “But I promise you, he’s a good man. That’s why he’s agreed to keep you safe.”
“Keep me safe? I don’t understand.” Her hand came down to her stomach. “He said … did Cross lie to me? He said I was supposed to be pregnant and then I’d be invulnerable.”
“It’s all true,” Deedee said. “Trust me, I know. But he must have a good reason to bring you here. Look, I know you’re confused, Sabrina. Do you want to rest? Or maybe have some food? You must be starving.”
“I’m not.” However, her stomach chose that time to growl loudly. “Uh, sorry.”
Deedee smiled. “I totally understand. The hunger is something you’ll have to get used to, being pregnant with your True Mate’s baby. Now, why don’t you come with me, and I can have someone bring us up some food? Do you want a change of clothes and
