Page 16 of Royal Salvation

Marching into her suite, she shut the door with more care than she was feeling and faced Justice as he walked through her rooms checking every nook and cranny. “What are you doing?”

He looked at her like she was the one with two heads. “My job.”

“You don’t need to. The household security will take care of things from here on in, so you can relax.”

Justice stalked toward her, and she stepped back, the powerful predator in him barely concealed by the sharp, expensive suit. He stopped barely a breath away from her and she felt her pulse hammering in her neck like a beacon to the nerves and desire she was feeling at his proximity. “Like hell I will. You’re my job twenty-four-seven until I’m fired or dead. That means inside the Palace and out.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m safe here.”

Justice gaped and she would’ve laughed had he not looked so angry. “Are you that blind, Princess?”

Lucía’s hands flew to her hips as her own temper flared now. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means, Princess, that only a very few people know your other identity and they all live here. Felix has already made it more than clear he holds nothing but disdain for you and your title. It wouldn’t be that much of stretch to think he’d sell you out for a decent paycheque.”

“I hadn’t considered that the leak was inside the Palace.” Her fingernail went to her mouth as she began to pace, the ramifications of such a betrayal were huge and it meant she couldn’t trust anyone.

Justice stopped her, his hand on her arm as he gently tugged the pinkie on her left hand from her mouth. “No need for self-mutilation, Princess, just breathe.”

He led her toward the couch that faced the gardens and she sat heavily, her aching feet sighing in relief. Justice sat beside her, not touching her but close enough she could smell the cologne he wore, which was fresh and manly just like the man himself.

“I didn’t tell you to scare you. I told you so you’d be cautious and understand why I’ll be on duty even here. I plan to speak with your father about what happened yesterday and give him all the information we have so far.”

“Which is?”

“Not a lot, but we’ve identified the man who was killed as Morgan Litchfield. He was a twenty-two-year-old grad student studying at Durham University. He was also selling drugs and had two assault charges that had been buried by his family, so hardly a stand-up guy.”

“Even so, he didn’t deserve to die.”

“Agreed, but we’re closer. We can chase down the men on the video through him and find out who they are and arrest them.”

Lucía nodded wringing her hands in her lap. “My father still won’t be happy about you being in here. He hand-picked the head of security himself and this will be personal. Plus, the fact you’re here will give the wrong impression to everyone about us.”

Justice’s jaw hardened a tick making him seem angry and she wanted to take her words back.

“I didn’t mean….”

He held his hand up. “I know what you meant and you’re right, which is why Bás is sending Valentina over to stand in for me when I can’t be close enough. She’ll check your rooms here and be a second set of eyes for me at the ball.”

“Valentina?”

“Yes, she’s lovely. You’ll like her.”

Lucía felt the ugly kernel of jealousy pop inside her chest at his words regarding the woman she’d never met. “I’m sure she’s perfect.”

Justice looked at her with an unasked question in his eyes, but she refused to embarrass herself further by explaining her catty comment.

“Well, your room is clear and I have an appointment to speak with your father in ten minutes. Do you need to leave your room again before dinner?”

Lucía shook her head. “No, thank you. I think I’ll take a bath and get this travel grime off me.”

“Then I’ll be back at six forty-five to introduce you to Val and escort you to dinner.”

Lucía walked him to the door and he turned, his face so close she could see the light silver swirls that moved through the blue of his irises. It would take nothing for her to lean in and kiss him, to take what she wanted instead of holding back but she knew it was pointless to taste something she could never have.

“Lock the door and don’t let anyone but me inside until I figure out who we can trust.”

“I hate this.”