CARLY
“What took them so long to find him?” I yelled at Seth. He came over to the cabin the moment I called him that Rome was in trouble. “I already sent them where he is stranded.”
Time was running out for Rome, it had been forty-five minutes, and I had not heard the good news.
“Calm down, Princess. They’re doing their best to get there in time. The storm is getting stronger, and it’s difficult for them to go by air, and the road was blocked by snowfall.”
“So you’re telling me my fiancé is gonna die out there?” I picked up my phone and put on my coat. “I’ll go find him myself.”
“That’s the worse idea.” He blocked my way. “Do you think he’s gonna let you go out there and risk your life?”
“Well, good thing he’s not here.” I glared at him. He was tall and bulky, like a Viking warrior, and he could just throw me over his shoulder and stuff me in the closet if he wanted to.
“Just give them a few more minutes.”
“And then what? Rome is already frozen the moment they get there.”
“I’ll go and find him myself. A loader can pass through the snow. Just wait for a few more minutes for their update.”
I eyed him for a while. “You would do that?”
“Rather than my family seeing my head stuck in a pole, yes, Princess.”
“My father would not do that.” I crossed my arms over my chest, frowning.
“If you risk your life, he will. Trust me.”
I sighed shakily again, my tears rolling down my cheeks. “It’s taking too long.”
“You’re watching the ticking of the clock. Why don’t you sit down and let me make a hot choco for you?”
“I’m not in the mood for a hot choco when Rome is freezing to death out there.” I shook to cry again.
“What was he thinking coming over during a storm?”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
“He underestimated the storm in Guardion. Way worse than in the U. S.”
“You are not helping.” I slumped my ass back onto the couch. “He was cold when I last spoke to him.” I checked the time. “It was twenty-five minutes ago. He could be freezing right now, having frostbite.”
“Don’t think of the worse scenario. He’s a soldier. I am sure he can survive it. He had dodged bullets, saved countless lives-”
“It’s a snowstorm, Seth. It’s nature he’s fighting with. You don’t have to make me feel better because I don’t think I ever will until I hear some good news.” I blow my nose into the tissue. “He’s always calculated. Why does he suddenly become reckless?”
“Love does that all the time.”
My phone rang. I picked up the call right away. “Langston?”
“It’s Thayer, Carlott. I heard what happened. Any updates?”
“No.” I kept sobbing.
“What was he thinking-”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?”
“Calm down and stay put. The rescuers are doing their best to take Rome out of the storm.”
“Well, they’re not doing their best.”
“Carlott, I don’t want to be insensitive. I care about Rome, too but think about the family and the rescuers risking their lives to save your fiancé. And don’t tell me it’s their job. He should have known about the storm coming.”
“He just landed, and he probably has no idea the storm here is worse than anywhere. And I am sure someone has warned him, but he did not listen.”
“I talked to Cade, and he said Rome let him go to the flat. And he thought he would not leave without him.”
“I’m gonna punch him as soon as he gets out of the freaking snow. What was he thinking?” There I was, saying the same thing. “Playing Kristoff?”
“I’ll give you an update if I hear from the rescuers, okay?”
“Thank you.” I sniffled.
“Hey. He’s gonna be okay. He’s a tough guy. He has the training, remember? He will get through this. And when he’s out of the freaking snow, you two should talk about your relationship.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think I don’t know about the contract?”
“What contract?”
“The two-year contract you two played together?”
I stopped dead in my seat. “How? I purposely did not tell you that part.”
“He wanted to teach you a lesson. And I know what he’s been up to. He told me everything-”
“And you did not tell me about this. Why?”
“Why would I? I shouldn’t have told you about this, but this situation he has right now changes everything. He loves you, Carlott. He’s crazy over you despite what you did. He’s always asking advice from his mother and the Queen for the wedding and the house. I mean, who does that? He’s running his billion-dollar company, and yet, he still wanna get involved with the wedding plans.”
“He’s more hands-on than me. I don’t even know about that. I was just waiting for updates.”
“You were busy. He understands you have duties and engagements. He called me before he flew back. He said the contract is overrated and he’s gonna make things right. I’m done playing cat and mouse with Storm. I can’t let my stupidity control our relationship. I’m done, Thay. Those words coming from a man who is madly in love with my sister.”
“It’s all my fault he’s out there, Thay. He traveled all the way here for me.”
“Don’t blame yourself. You can’t stop him if he wants to do something for you- maybe you can. He only listens to you.”
“God, I’m so terrible.” I sobbed, wishing he was okay out there alone.
“It’s okay. He’s gonna be okay. Let me update Daddy. I’ll call you back.”
I curled into a ball after I talked with Thayer. I felt exhausted, and there was still no news.
“Are you sure? Positive, it’s him? Great. Thank you.”
I sat straight. My hopes rose. “Is that Rome?”
“Yes, Princess. They found him.”
“Is he okay?” My tears streamed down my cheeks.
“He is. They are taking him to the hospital.” That was all. Something was wrong. Seth was withholding information from me.
“What are you not telling me?” I went to Seth. “Seth, is he alive?”
“He was conscious but hypothermic-”
My head spun. “Oh, my God.”
“Princess.” Seth caught me before I fell to the floor. “He’s alive. His vitals are stable.”
“He’s hypothermic. His vitals are not stable, Seth.”
“They’re gonna take care of him. Once the storm is over, we are going to see him, okay? Calm down.”
I sobbed in his arms.
When I was in the U. S, Seth became my protector, my brother, my savior, my helper, and my anchor. He did that not only because it was his job. He left his family at home for me. And I never thanked him for that.
He scooped and carried me upstairs.
“I wanna see him.”
“We will see him. He’s very lucky. They found him quickly and still conscious.”
“He’s gonna be okay, right?”
“Yes. Let me put you in bed, warm you up. Then I will tell them to send a video or photos. Just promise me you will calm down.”
I nodded as he put me in bed, covered me with blankets, and turned the heater on.
He received another call, and my heart nearly stopped. “Yes? Okay. Send me a video clip. The Princess wants an update and some photos once you get Mr. Langston to the hospital.”
“Aren’t they there yet?”
“In a few minutes.” His phone kept chiming.
“May I see?”
He paused, maybe thinking of showing me or not. Maybe Rome was in worse condition.
“I can take it. Please?” I offered my hand.
“Okay.” He gave me his phone.
I was shaking as I scrolled through the photos of Rome on his phone. He was wrapped up in something like foil in the bag. I could barely recognize him with the mask, and he looked so pale. I cried in Seth’s arms.
“He didn’t get frostbite. That’s good news. He was just cold. His car stopped thirty minutes before the rescuers arrived. The inside temp just dropped drastically. But he was covered with his clothes in the bag that kept him from freezing.”
I wiped my tears after giving him his phone back. “Thank you. I never thank you for what you did to me for years.”
“It’s my job, princess.”
“What you did to me is more than just your job. You left your family here.”
“They got to visit New York, though.”
“You are the most loyal employee I have ever had. You never give up on me, even in my worse and lows. I owe you big time, Seth.”
“You don’t owe me anything. My family is in a better home, and my children are in one of the best schools because of you.”
I leaned close to him. “You are a part of my family, Seth. You are a family.”
“I’m glad Ms. Florian took my advice.”
I lifted my gaze at him. “What do you mean?”
“Rest, Princess. Rest.”
***
The storm was gone. I heard there was one fatality. I sent my condolences to the family. But it had been almost two days, and Rome had not awakened. The doctor said his body was recuperating well.
My family had paid him a visit to the hospital. Funny how social media impacted people’s lives these days and dubbed him the most romantic billionaire, despite him almost losing his life.
I stayed by his side all the time, hoping he woke up sooner. Yesterday, the doctors cleared him that he was safe to be medevac home. He’s back to Winterbourn in our manor, and his mother and his adopted brother had arrived, and he still had no idea.
His skin was warm. His vitals were stable. He only got a crack on his lips, but he was healing well.
I kissed him on his forehead and his hand before I sat back in the chair.
“The sleeping beauty hasn’t wake up?”
“Not yet.” I smiled at Rune.
“Dude, get up. The stock market is crashing. You’re losing billions.” Rune was shaking as he pinched his brother’s toe from the blanket.
“Sit beside him. Tell me about him that I didn’t know.”
He sat on the bed. “Aside from being a protective brother? He once collared my classmate for calling me a black Langston.”
“You are bullied?” I was surprised. Rune was a good-looking young man, and he was also smart.
“Yeah, some white dude couldn’t accept that I was a Langston. When I was a kid, I looked at myself and at my parents. I wondered why I have a different skin color, but they never made me feel less of a Langston.”
“I heard you got a penthouse, huh? Congratulations.”
“Thanks. He didn’t have to give me that. I have everything. A family is all I want. I can work my way to buy my own apartment.”
“He loves you. He has money and wants you to start saving for something else, maybe an investment?”
“Yeah. I love this guy.” He looked at sleeping Rome. “Please take care of him.”
“With all I have.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
“You’re welcome. You are my future brother-in-law. You can call me Carly.”
“Or Storm?” He grinned.
“He won’t agree with you.”
“I bet.” He smiled. “It’s a thing between you two, right? Storm and Langston.”
“Kind of.” I smiled and watched Rune leave the room. I turned to Rome again, and his eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling, and he seemed confused.
“Babe?”
He heard me. He froze for a while before his gaze then locked with mine. “Storm?”