Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
“I need to see you immediately.”
“I’m on my way.”
Exactly two minutes later, Kozlov walked into his office and shut the door. He was a giant of a man, well over six feet tall and looked like he could lift the solid mahogany desk over his head without effort. A particularly brutal scar wrapped around his neck, and in the years that Phillip had known him, Kozlov had never once even attempted to hide it. It was distasteful.
Kozlov sat across from him. “What can I do for you, my lord?”
“I have just received information that Theodore is in danger. I need him extracted and brought back to Thalania.”
Kozlov didn’t blink his eerie gray eyes. “I haven’t seen this information. What is your source?”
Damn it, why couldn’t the man just obey instead of asking questions? Phillip fought down his ire. “My source is none of your concern. Someone targeted Theodore two weeks ago, and I have every reason to think the attacks will only escalate. We can protect him better than he can protect himself at this point. He doesn’t have the resources.”
Still no expression on Kozlov’s face. “Theo has Galen. That’s resource enough.” He straightened in his seat. “It’s against the law for an exile to return. If he sets food on Thalanian land, he would be incarcerated. That doesn’t sound particularly safe, my lord.”
“I know the law,” Phillip gritted out. “I’m prepared to temporarily lift the exile ruling, at least until we can get to the source of these attacks.” When Kozlov didn’t blink, he forced a worried expression onto his face. “For god’s sake, Kozlov, he’s my nephew. I can’t let him die.”
“Huh.” Kozlov finally nodded. “I’ll get a team on it.” He pushed slowly to his feet. “And forgive me, my lord, but I’m not ordering him brought across the border until that exile is rescinded.”
“Don’t forget who you answer to.”
“I’m well aware of who’s in charge, my lord.” Kozlov shook his head. “But I can’t guarantee my men would follow my orders if I gave that one. They were Galen Mikos’s men before they were mine, and on top of that, they like Theo. There’s only so much I can ask of them where those two men are concerned.”
Phillip glared. “I’ll take care of it. Go.”
“My lord. I’ll see to this personally.” Kozlov dipped his head in a move that was barely a bow and walked out of the room.
His head of security couldn’t be trusted. Oh, Kozlov never quite stepped out of line, but Phillip couldn’t guarantee his loyalty, and that made him a potential problem down the line. Goddamn Theodore and Galen. Between the two of them, they inspired love and loyalty in a way Phillip couldn’t compete with. People who didn’t like Theodore’s posh manners adored Galen’s grittier attitude, and vice-versa.
If he removed Theodore, he’d have to remove Galen as well. The man wouldn’t stop until he found and punished the responsible parties, which would lead him right to Phillip’s door. While he was at it, they might as well take care of the girl in the process. Have the whole thing tied up in a neat little bow.
First, Phillip had to get them all back on Thalanian soil.
The sooner, the better.
15
Meg convinced Galen to watch a movie to kill some time, but it ended and Theo still hadn’t come back inside. She twisted on the couch and watched him through the glass. “Does he do this often?”
“No.” Galen cursed. “He just needs time.”
It was such a man thing to say. Not that there weren’t instances when distance was exactly what a person needed. But Theo wasn’t nursing some restless irritation or letting anger cool or recharging. He was hurting and frustrated and letting him stew would only make it worse. “I think you’re wrong.”
“That so?”
“That’s exactly so. He doesn’t need time to get even more wrapped up in his head. He needs a distraction.”
Galen snorted. “I bet you have a specific kind of distraction in mind, don’t you?”
“In fact, I do.” She started to stand, but stopped when he caught her wrist. Meg looked down at Galen, read the pain in his dark eyes—pain she had no doubt he intentionally revealed to her. “You have something to say.”
“It’s not going to fix anything. Your distraction. It’s going to put a Band-Aid on a gushing wound. Our time is winding down.”
Strange how what originally felt like a gift of limitations had begun to strangle all three of them. Meg had no answers. They weren’t normal people, and they just happened to be sharing the road for the time being. Their destinations stood on opposite ends of the world.
Knowing all that didn’t mean she’d leave Theo to stew in his misery any longer than strictly necessary.
She forced herself to smile, forced herself to let go of the future that was never meant to be hers. “Come on, baby. Let’s go make Theo feel better.”