I nod, grasping what that might mean for him. We walk a bit before I finally get to the elephant in the room.
“What will he do if you don’t?”
Enrique is silent for a long moment, and I sense what’s coming.
“They found me because of something I hid in the lagoon. As it turns out, there was a tracker on it. They followed me to Ibiza.” He turns to look at me. “Which is how they knew about you.”
I stop and turn to face him. “What does that mean?”
“It means that they are watching both of us and if I don’t do what he asks, he’s made it quite clear what will happen to me…and to you.”
“Me?” I manage to breathe out along with any remaining air in my lungs.
“Let’s sit down,” he says, guiding me to a bench facing the beach.
I try to get my breath back as I stare out at the sunbathers enjoying themselves, seemingly without a care in the world. I envy them. Hell, I’d even return back to the beaches of Ibiza when Enrique himself was still my only threat.
“I want you to go home.”
I snap my head around at Enrique's request. “What?”
“It’s the safest place for you, Leira. If I’m going to do this, I don’t want to have to worry about you. You and I both know your father will keep you protected better than anyone. Certainly more than I can.”
He’s right of course, but my mind still roars with protest at the idea. It isn’t even my father’s wrath and draconian measures he’ll now go to in order to keep me out of danger, it’s leaving Enrique.
“But…” I start, unable to finish.
Something deepens in his gaze and he reaches out one hand to brush my hair away from my face. “I know, Leira. But when this is all over, I’m coming for you.”
A soft smile touches my lips as I imagine that. The handsome prince coming to claim the princess now that he’s slain the dragon.
“Call him. I’m sure he’ll be on an immediate flight out to come and get you. I need to get started on this in the meantime, first of which is getting back to Ibiza to get my boat,” he says with a cynical laugh, as though realizing he’s left it anchored near some abandoned beach this whole week.
I think about how long it took to get here from Ibiza. That’s almost a day wasted, then getting the boat, going to the island to get whatever he needs from there, then somehow convincing his friends to give up their money. He certainly doesn’t need me fretting and pining over him while he concentrates.
I suck it up and find my strength, focusing on how to make this as easy as possible for him.
“I guess we have to get another burner phone. We definitely can’t use yours,” I say with a cynical smirk. “I’ll call him and, like you said, he’ll send someone for me or just direct me what to do. I’ll no doubt have to go through the embassy or police, considering I have no passport or anything by way of identification with me.”
“I will come back for you, Leira,” he insists.
I smile and reach out a hand to cup his cheek. “I know. Now, let’s get going, I want to pull this band-aid off as soon as possible.”
He smiles and shifts his face to kiss the palm of my hand. Then, he takes it and rises up from the bench, bringing me with him.
We get another throwaway phone and I stare at it, not at all enjoying the prospect of making this call.
“A week ago, I basically told him to fuck off. Now, I’m calling to come crawling back home.”
“Leira,” Enrique says, taking my face in both his hands. His eyes pierce me with such emotion, I forget all about my dread over making this call. “I need you safe. I—I won’t be able to function if I know something has happened to you. You have no idea…” His breath catches and he seems to snap out of whatever feelings threatened to overtake him. “You didn’t tell him to fuck off. You exerted your independence, rightfully so. And now you’re not crawling back home, you’re turning to the best resource of safety you have available to you. You know your father can protect you in ways that even I can’t. Go to him…so you can return to me.”
I nod in his hands, feeling suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. “Okay, Enrique.”
He leans in to quickly kiss me on the forehead, then let's go so I can make the call.
I punch in the number and close my eyes. It’s answered after the second ring.
“Hi, Dad.”
There’s a pause before he speaks, which means he’s pissed.
I decide to make the most of the brief silence. “Before you say anything, I should tell you that I don’t have much time. I’m in trouble here in Barcelona, and I need to come home. I don’t have my passport or anything really, so I’ll probably need to go to the police and then the embassy.”
“What kind of trouble?” he asks in alarm.
“It’s…it has to do with Richard Coleman.” I give Enrique an apologetic wince. He just shakes his head as though I don’t have to worry about it.
“What?” Dad asks, and I can just imagine him shooting out of his seat. “What is his involvement? Has he taken you? Are you calling from—”
“No, Dad, it’s one of the people he works with. I can’t say much, especially over the phone, but any moment now—”
“I’ll have you on a plane by the end of the day. What is the closest police station to you right now?”
“Um, let me ask someone,” I say, pulling the phone away to ask Enrique. When he tells me, I repeat the location to my father.
“Go there and wait. I will have someone come and get you. He will take
