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“Ha sido un placer, Señor,” Gabriel said. “My pleasure.”
He returned to his seat beside Quinn, curling his arm around her so their bodies touched from knee to shoulder. She fought the urge to melt into his strength and warmth. Instead, she whispered into his ear, “You’re making this very hard.”
He lowered his head to return her whisper. “I’m trying to make it impossible.”
The ferocious roil of emotions that surged through her was too complicated to sort out.
“What a charming family scene!” Odette’s voice cut through Quinn’s confusion.
The Frenchwoman stood in front of the fireplace, surveying the room. “So much pride and affection fogging the air. Just like Hélène’s birthday party two years ago. Everyone was fawning over Raul and Gabriel in their militia uniforms, when they’d done nothing but play a few war games. It was nauseating.”
“Odette, I believe you’ve had more to drink than you should,” the king said. “You should retire before you say something you’ll regret.” He started to rise from his chair.
“Sit down!” Odette snapped as she drew her green suede clutch from under her arm and opened it. When she pulled out a pistol, the king slowly sank back into his chair.
“Put the gun down, Odette,” Luis said with an edge of command. “We’ll forget this ever happened.”
“Don’t lie to me, Luis,” she said. “You won’t forget or forgive a threat to your family.”
Quinn listened while racking her brain about how to alert the guards Mikel had stationed around the outside of the house. This wasn’t a scenario she and Mikel had prepared for. They had discussed only her role as an observer.
Things had changed, so she would have to adapt.
She glanced around quickly. The staff had closed the heavy velvet drapes when it got dark, so the guards couldn’t see what was happening inside. The serving staff were across the entrance hall in the dining room and kitchen. She could scream, but that might cause Odette to shoot someone before the guards could arrive.
Then she remembered her Glock tucked in her purse. Unfortunately, her bag sat on the cushion on her left side. She would have to use her nondominant hand to grab it.
But could she actually shoot Odette Fontaine?
“A warning,” Odette said. “If anyone moves or shouts, I will shoot Raul. To kill.”
Quinn froze, even though she didn’t think Odette could see the hand she’d been slowly sliding under the flap of her bag. The Frenchwoman seemed entirely focused on the king. Unfortunately, Raul sat only a couple of feet away from his father, so Odette could easily shoot either one of them. Or both.
“Why?” Luis’s tone was neutral, but Quinn heard the fear threading the one word.
“Because this was supposed to be mine,” Odette said, her grip on the pistol rock-steady. Quinn kept hoping the woman would lose focus. “All of it. I was supposed to be the gracious hostess with handsome, accomplished sons who adored me. I was meant to be queen!”
Spit flew from her mouth, and a vein pulsed in her forehead, but her hand never wavered.
“You stole my life from me, Luis.” Her voice was calmer. “You need to be punished for that.”
“Then why do you not punish me?” Luis asked in anguish. “Instead, you attack my nephew and threaten my son.”
“Oh, yes, the heroic Gabriel, who took the prince’s place. That fucking imbécile Dupont!” she snarled. “I am forced to take matters into my own hands to get them done right.”
Proof! Triumph flickered for a split second in Quinn’s brain.
“I should have had Gabriel killed back then, but I thought the ear would be enough to destroy him,” she said. “Instead, he’s consorting with Kyran Redda, running a music festival, and cuddling with his little American girlfriend. Not even a sniper could derail him.”
Quinn was sure she could shoot Odette right now.
“If you want to kill someone, let it be me,” Luis said. “I’m the one who used you and tossed you away. You weren’t good enough, and I knew it.”
Shit! Why was Luis provoking her?
“Oh, no,” Odette said, her voice shaking with anger. “That would be too easy. It will be far, far worse to know that you are responsible for your son’s death.”
That was why the king was poking at her. He wanted to save his son by turning her fury away from Raul and on himself.
