More Than a Mission by Caridad Piñeiro

trust me,” she said, smiling as the sun shone down on them and the wind blew into the cab of the car as she picked up speed.
    Aidan’s gaze met hers, and for a moment it seemed as if he was wondering if he could trust her. As quickly as that emotion came it fled, and he was grinning at her, his blue eyes even more startling in color in the bright sun and clear, cloudless day. He settled back into the leather seat of the Gaston, and she turned inland, deciding to save the coast road for the afternoon trip home.
    Besides, they were going to have to do their shopping if she was to have fresh things for the restaurant and something they could eat for lunch. Maybe even dinner together if the day turned out right. She wouldn’t consider that breakfast was a possibility. She had not met a man special enough to stay overnight in quite some time.
    She drove along the woodland country roads for a quarter of an hour or so until they neared the prince’s retreat. As they passed the tall wrought-iron gates that marked off part of the grounds, Aidan asked, “Is that private property?”
    Peering toward the gates, she said, “It belonged to the prince, God rest his soul.”
    â€œFunny thing for you to say,” Aidan quickly replied.
    â€œWhy do you think that?” she wondered, but kept her attention to the road. Deer were quite common in these woods as no hunting was permitted on the royal estate.
    â€œAccording to Kate, you believe he’s responsible for what happened to your mother and father,” Aidan said, his tone almost…condemning.
    She finally shot him a glance out of the corner of her eye, trying to understand where he was coming from. Wanting him to know just where she stood on the topic of the late prince. “People like him…don’t care that their fun might hurt others. So that makes him responsible in a way.”
    With a shake of his head, he stressed, “But the royals don’t get treated like you and me. If he did drugs, he and his friends were never going to pay for what harm they caused with that.”
    He was almost baiting her, wanting her to admit she had wanted the prince dead. When her parents had first died and the investigation had apparently been shut down by the royal family’s minions, she had wanted to understand why and she wanted retribution. Had been prepared to seek it out herself. But then reason had replaced her anger and she had realized that eventually whoever was responsible would get what he deserved. If Reginald’s drug habit had started that early, his life had probably been hell anyway.
    â€œWhether on this plane or another, Reginald was eventually going to face the consequences of his actions,” she finally answered, but her response did little to appease Aidan, she realized as she shot another quick glance at him. If anything, his face grew harder and a muscle clenched along his jaw.
    When he spoke, his words were curt and filled with pain. “If it was someone I cared about, I’d want him punished. Now, and not in some afterlife.”
    The emotion was so intense, it compelled her to stop the car. After she did so, she faced him and laid her hand over his clenched fist where it rested on his thigh. “You lost someone like I lost my parents?”
    Aidan knew he was close to blowing it, but her calm acceptance that the prince would get his punishment flew in the face of what he suspected she had done. And not just to the prince. But as she placed her smooth palm over his hand and her gaze met his, it was hard to believe she could commit those acts.
    Her touch was gentle. The empathy in her gaze nearly undid him. Nearly being the operative word. He reined in his desire to test her reaction to Mitch’s name and instead, decided to use her own ploy against her.
    â€œMy best friend.”
    â€œI’m sorry,” she said and rubbed her hand over his in a gesture meant to soothe.
    Aidan pressed.