Page 54 of Royal Salvation

Guilt filled him that his thoughts had been so consumed by Lucía that he’d hardly given his old man a thought.

A call came through and Bás answered, putting it on speaker. “Go ahead, Jack.”

“We have a huge fucking problem.”

Reaper sat up, his senses screaming at him when he heard the tension in Jack’s voice. “What happened?”

“We just got word Princess Lucía’s entire royal protection team were found dead two hours ago by the Met.”

Cold, hard dread filled his belly like lead. A ball of concrete seemed to press on his chest, stopping him from drawing air into his lungs. “We let them drive off with Lucía. Playboy has her.”

“We think so too. Eidolon can handle things here. Do you need back up for your father while you find Lucía?”

A battle raged inside him, torn between going after the man who’d given him life or the woman who’d breathed life back into him. He wanted to go after Lucía, his instincts were screaming at him to do it, but his guilt was saying his dad.

“Go with your heart, Reaper.”

He looked at Bás, wasting precious seconds deciding. “Yes, you get my dad. We’re going after Lucía.”

“On it. Keep me informed and don’t fuck this up.”

Jack hung up and Bás was already on a call with Duchess and the team in the second vehicle. Bishop and Hurricane, who were upfront and had been silent thus far, just nodded. The mood in the car was suddenly very different from two minutes ago as each man felt the hit of losing Lucía. He realised she hadn’t just won his heart, but everyone’s around her too.

“We’ll get her back for you, Reaper.”

Bishop’s words didn’t ease the pain in his chest, but they did make him sit up, determination fuelling him now. Playboy and Chess wouldn’t win. He just hoped like hell he got there before they hurt her. Their sick perversions were something he couldn’t think about right now or he’d puke.

Taking out his own phone he called Watchdog.

“I just heard. I’m checking the CCTV all around the airport. We’re going to find them.”

Knowing he didn’t have to say the words or make the request, that his team was already doing everything they could and had his back, gave him renewed hope. He wished Snow was there. She was his little sister in every way but blood, but she was stuck in New York after a storm had grounded flights.

She’d found love not so long back with the Judge. He’d thought she was crazy to commit so fast but now he knew he’d leave everything he’d ever known for a chance with Lucía.

His mobile rang and he answered, hitting the speaker button. “You’re on speaker, Watchdog.”

“I found their car leaving the M25 at junction 25 and heading out onto the A10.”

Everything began to click into place as he realised Playboy was still playing games. “He’s taken her to Whitmore.”

“You think he’d head there? That seems stupid to play on her turf.”

Reaper nodded at Hurricane, agreeing one hundred percent. “It is but this is game to him. First, he wanted me to hand her over but then he changed his mind and snatched her. So he’s going to kill her in a place she feels safe, where she has protection, to prove he can get to her anywhere and show me he’s the better man.”

“You sure about this?” Bás was watching him carefully.

Reaper knew this call could either save Lucía or secure her death. “Yes. It makes sense, too. He sent us toward Oxford for my father knowing that by the time I figured it out, I’d be too late. I imagine he has some elaborate call or set up to let me know it too.”

“Then let’s head that way.”

“We should warn Jack. They might be walking into a trap.”

As Bás made the call, Reaper tried to remember every detail he could about the two men behind this, every weakness, every action, every reaction that would give him the upper hand in some way. Playboy was an open book but Chess, he was more controlled, quieter and something flashed up, a memory from a different life. Of Playboy and Chess in a bar. He’d been pretty wasted himself, but it was as clear now as if a movie was playing in his head. Playboy getting in some guy’s face over a woman and Chess stepping in and calming things. A few words and Playboy was under control. As if a light went on, he knew they’d been coming at this from the wrong angle. Playboy was never the lead on this, Chess was the man in charge and Playboy was just his front man. “I can’t believe I missed it.”

Bás, who was checking his weapons and strapping a vest into place, glanced across at him. “What do you mean?”

“Playboy isn’t the one in charge, Chess is. He always has been. I just never saw it until now.”