Page 55 of Palace of Betrayal

Alwyn looked to the King, sweat dripping down his brow, as his eyes went wide. “Alfred, please.”

The King stepped forward and for a horrible second, Leo worried he’d try and stop him. His father wasn’t a violent man, he was known as a peacemaker, not a war-hungry animal.

Positioning himself beside Leo, he lifted his chin, as Alwyn swallowed. “I stand beside my son, Alwyn. What you’re involved in is abhorrent to me. If you have any knowledge of where Bebe is I suggest you tell us because I’ll have no hesitation in having you arrested for treason after my son has finished extracting information from you by force.”

“You’d do that to your own brother?”

“My brother died the day he took my wife to his bed.”

Alwyn must have seen the truth in his brother’s eyes because he seemed to sag in León’s hold. He closed his eyes and Leo waited for him to decide, even though he wanted to shake him and demand he hurry up.

Bebe was out there, God knew where, and she could be in trouble. The only thing keeping him from going full-on Hulk was the belief that she could handle herself, probably better than him.

“I don’t know where she is.”

Leo tightened his hold until his uncle’s shirt was choking him, his fingers grabbing at Leo’s hold.

Red-faced and fearful, he seemed to come to terms with the fact this was over. “I’m telling the truth.”

Leo felt his father’s hand on his shoulder and obeyed the silent command to release his uncle. Alwyn fell back onto the sofa; his hand moving along his collar to try and ease the tightness.

Leo stepped back once and folded his arms over his chest as his uncle looked up at them.

“I admit I did bring Wojcik here to help me get the throne. He wanted Alain to steal the Tanzanite for him, but it quickly got out of hand. He demanded Alain fake his death, and then I was to identify the body. Alain would then sneak back in and steal the gem.”

“Why would you agree to that?”

Alwyn looked up at him and he didn’t see the arrogant man from his childhood, but a jealous and bitter man who’d spent his life coveting what his brother had. “I’d have made a better King. Alfred is weak. He couldn’t even keep his wife happy.”

Leo put his arm out as Alfred stepped forward, ready to defend his honour and his wife. “Never speak her name again. You preyed on an emotionally fragile woman and betrayed your family. And for what? Power? Greed? You’d never be half the man or King my father is. You’re pathetic.”

Alwyn huffed his shoulders, sagging under the weight of the dawning realisation that he’d failed in his plan to overthrow the King, because it wasn’t regret Leo saw on his face, of that he was certain. “Perhaps that’s so, and now Alain is missing and Wojcik is threatening my life too.”

Leo almost rolled his eyes as his uncle tried to gain sympathy for his predicament. “Alain is safe.”

Alwyn looked up fast his blotchy face full of surprise, as his eyes widened in relief. “He is?”

“Yes, and he’ll remain that way if you help me. Where is Wojcik now?”

“He had to go and help the American with something. I don’t know what.”

“What do you know of the American?”

“Not a lot. He’s the one pulling the strings. He made sure Alain and I were perfectly placed to take the fall and keep himself in the clear. I thought I was in charge but evidently, I was wrong.”

Leo angled his body toward his father. “Chelsea Vos demanded to see me and then drugged me. When I came to, Bebe was gone. Chelsea says Atticus is the American. That he set this whole thing up.”

“No!”

Leo glanced at Alwyn who’d stood, regaining some of his bluster now the immediate threat was gone.

“Yes, he set Alain and you up and brought in Wojcik. We just don’t know why yet.”

“The auction?”

Leo pinned his uncle with a steely-eyed stare. “What do you know of an auction?”

“I heard Wojcik mention it a few times. It seems the gem is some sort of payment.”