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Juliana sighed eventually and rose, paid her bill and added a generous tip, then headed in the direction of the royal ce to herself that Zakhar was blessed not having the kind of traffic that htmare, when she stepped off the curb into the cobblestone cross street to the sound of a revving engine and squealing tires

“Watch out!” A hard,the breath fro her to safety on the far side of the street just as a dark blue sedan whipped by her so close Juliana could have reached out and touched it

The stranger io as soon as he confirmed she was steady on her feet, and they both stared after the car that had almost struck her as it rapidly disappeared into the distance She’d been so startled and shaken by her close call she hadn’t thought to get the license plate number, and noas too late

“You are okay, Miss Richardson?” the stranger asked in faintly accented English

“Oh yes,” she replied quickly, but in Zakharan “Thank you so much—you saved my life!” She didn’t question how this nizable face, especially since all the world knew she was in Zakhar filuess I wasn’t paying attention the way I should have when I crossed the street I should have looked both ways” Shein the aftermath “Accidents can happen anywhere, even here I should have been more careful”

He gave her an eniglance from his rather stern eyes and switched to Zakharan himself “You think it was an accident, then?”

Juliana laughed shakily “What else?”

“Yes,” the man said softly “What else could it have been?” But he looked as if he could have told her more He smiled, a movement of his lips that didn’t reach his eyes “Please be rieve should soers to his forehead in an old-fashioned gesture thata hat he would have tipped it to her Then he walked back across the street, apparently in the same direction from which he’d come

She watched the stranger for a few seconds, wondering why he seemed somehow familiar Hollywood? On the plane here? She racked her brain, but try though she ht, she couldn’t place hinized, but the way he held hiht Alht abstractedly He wasn’t in uniform, but maybe he was in the Zakharian National Forces and was off duty He was the right age for it All Zakharian hteen and serve for at least four years—it was the badge of citizenship, and most Zakharian men were proud to serve Some even went on to make it a career choice

Only the royal family was exe Niko had accepted as his due when he turned eighteen But Niko’s older brother, Zax, hadn’t, Juliana re the Zakharian National Forces and training with them just as hard as any basic recruit, despite his father’s vehement opposition

Andre had actually been in the h his military service had had to be modified to accommodate his royal duties, of course, such as his presence at official functions Lieutenant Marianescu—he’d steadfastly refused promotion to any rank he hadn’t earned—had been a member of the Zakharian National Forces the entire four years she’d known him and had still been on active duty when she’d left Zakhar Why remember that now?

It wasn’t until Juliana turned and continued on her way to the royal cemetery that she realized she’d never asked the man who’d rescued her what his na? He kneho she was, but unless he came forward later or spoke with the press—neither scenario very likely, since he was Zakharian—she had no way to thank himent she put the entire incident out of her mind

The phone rang suddenly, and even though thestartled him He snatched at the phone “Yes?”

“No,” said the cold flat voice at the other end, a voice he recognized

He cursed, softly and fluently “How?”

Bothwords over the phone, so the only ansas, “Interference”