Page 28 of Owned By Royal

My mother’s horrified gaze searches his face. “Tell me you’re lying.”

“I’m afraid not.” She stumbles backward. “I intended to give you a comfortable life, Yvonne.” He sounds genuinely disappointed. “Instead, your daughter has complicated everything.”

“You bastard.”

He sighs. “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.” The gun rises. “I’m going to make it look like a tragic murder-suicide.” He says with frightening calmness. “The grieving fiancé who loses the love of his life and her troubled daughter.” He smiles. “The public will adore me.”

I instinctively step in front of my mother.

“Sierra...” She grabs my arm desperately. “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened.”

Before I can answer, the glass explodes. The living room windows shatter inward as four dark figures burst through almost simultaneously. Everything happens too fast to process. One figure slams into Marco before he can fire. Another kicks the gun across the hardwood floor.

Someone pulls my mother and me backward. Voices overlap.

“Clear!”

“Weapon secured!”

“Move!”

Within seconds, Marco is pinned face-first against the floor, struggling violently beneath River and Roman while Raiden secures his wrists with heavy restraints. Only one man remains standing before me.

Royal.

His breathing is uneven, and his eyes search me frantically from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”

I can’t answer. He cups my face gently. “Sierra.”

“I’m okay.”

The relief that floods his expression is so overwhelming it almost brings me to tears.

Behind him, Marco laughs bitterly. “I should’ve known.”

Royal slowly turns toward his father. “You murdered Mr. Thorne. And now, you were going to kill them.”

“They knew too much.”

Royal’s jaw tightens. “And Mom?” The room grows impossibly still. Royal’s voice shakes when he says, “Tell me the truth.”

Marco studies his son and smiles. “Your mother was becoming a liability. She discovered financial records she wasn’t supposed to see. I warned her, but she insisted on going to the police.” Royal’s hands clench into fists. “So I arranged a brake failure.”

My heart shatters watching the realization destroy him in real time. Royal stares at him for several long seconds. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely audible.

“Get him out of my sight.”

Raiden nods once. Roman and River haul Marco to his feet despite his continued protests.

Marco glares at Royal. “Everything I built was supposed to be yours.”

Royal doesn’t even look at him. “Take him away.”

River and Roman escort Marco from the room. The front door closes.

Raiden gently approaches my mother. “Come with me.”

She doesn’t resist. She looks completely numb. As they disappear into the kitchen, Royal and I are finally left alone. Neither of us speaks.