Just watch her walk into the theatre. Although the work was easier than other missions, Jacob was reminded why he normally avoided being directly responsible for the safety of a member of the royal family. Lots of waiting without any excitement.
Regardless, the idea of getting out of a suit in this weather was heavenly. His hands twitched as he imagined loosening his tie and changing out of his suit, but he squared his shoulders and nodded, even though he knew his handler wouldn't be able to see him. Just a few more minutes and he would be home free.
Jacob started down the street in the opposite direction, carefully crossing roads and taking advantage of Rome's many narrow side streets to avoid earning attention from anyone who may have seen him sitting at the cafe.
Approaching the red carpet meant that more streets were roped off and the police presence increased dramatically. Thinking quickly to avoid appearing too interested in movie stars, he ducked into a jewelry store with a large glass storefront that overlooked the entrance to the red carpet. Inside was brightly lit by lights strategically placed above and inside of the glass cases displaying their wares. Jacob spent a few minutes slowly circling the display case that offered the best view of where Princess Daphne would exit the car.
"Nice choice," Marcus said, and Jacob tried not to feel prouder than was strictly necessary.
Now to sell his role to the rest of the shop's patrons. If he had been the angry businessman at the cafe, he would be the contrite husband looking for the perfect gift to assuage a guilty conscience here.
"Excusa," he said when an employee approached him. "How much for this watch?" He gestured to what he had to admit was a very attractive silver and gold women's watch carefully perched on top of a blue velvet tree in the case.
While the man carefully pulled the watch from the case, Jacob gave a nonchalant look over his shoulder. "I didn't realize it would be so busy here."
The shopkeeper's face clouded for a moment. "The European Film Awards. Nothing but a nuisance. All these stars wanting to borrow jewlery and begging me to sponsor them on the carpet. And what do I get in exchange? Jewelry that's poorly cleaned and worn. My clientele deserve better." Then, as though remembering the ripe opportunity in front of him, the man's face returned to its open and sunny smile. "Your lady must be very special to deserve a watch like this."
Jacob tried not to let fact that his stomach flipped when he saw the price on the band show on his face. Who would possibly pay that much for a watch? Instead, he painted on his best impression of a slightly guilty smile. "Let's just say I'm hoping that beautiful jewelry may smooth my arrival home." The words felt gross as he said them, and even more as he watched the owner's overly-enthusiastic laughter in response, as though dalliances on business trips were the funniest punchline either of them had ever heard.
Thank goodness Jacob would never have to worry about making amends after he travelled.
He opened his mouth to ask the man another question when he suddenly became aware of the voice screaming in his ear. "Get down! Get down!"
Without stopping to think, Jacob catapulted over the display counter and dragged the salesman to the floor. They landed hard on the ground just as glass exploded all around them, an unmistakable explosion erupting across the street.
Jacob lay still for a split second after the initial blast was over, willing his ears to stop ringing from the intensity of the blast. Most of the shop's other patrons seemed scared instead of hurt, but he was sure that there were injuries. He hopped to his feet before he had time to consider his next move too closely, sending a new cascade of shattered glass to the floor. This was the part of his job he hated the most: leaving one bad situation to dive headfirst into another.
Turning the volume up on his radio so he could hear it despite the ringing in his ears, he darted across the street. Any pretense of being a normal pedestrian paled in comparison to the importance of getting the princess safely back to her home country.
"Tell me where she is."
YOU ARE READING
The Elite (Romantic Suspense)
Romance"Keep your head down," he said. "I don't like what's going on in there." Daphne leaned forward until she was almost bent in half, cheek pressed against the satin skirt of her gown. "What is happening in there?" she managed after a moment. And who ar...
