Page 26 of Royal Salvation

“The ambulance is here and we’re going to get you fixed up, angel. Just hold on, okay?”

“Okay.”

Justice went to move away but she gripped his hand harder. “Don’t leave me.”

He crouched so she could see his face. She winced at the state of him as blood oozed slowly from his head and yet he looked calm, in control, and she was falling apart.

Tears pricked her eyes and she fought them back. “I’m sorry, I’m being silly.”

His hand on her knee tightened, getting her attention and she looked back to see his stern face, soften. “I’m not leaving you, but I need to go around the other side and give the crew room to work. They need to check you over before they can move you.”

Lucía nodded, the movement making her wince as the sound of onlookers and first responders dimmed. For the next thirty minutes, Justice held her hand while they checked her over, refusing care for himself until she was safely in the ambulance with Valentina by her side. As they did the final checks on her, he stepped into the ambulance, swapping places with Val. They exchanged a few words, which seemed intense but the drugs they’d given her for the pain were kicking in and everything was becoming a blur until finally she couldn’t feel or hear anything.

Chapter 11

Reaper was pacing outside the room where they’d rushed Lucía to for tests after her arrival at the hospital. They weren’t going to let him ride with her in the ambulance until the King had confirmed he was her bodyguard. The entire scene had been swarming with the royal security by the time they left but his only concern had been Lucía.

When he’d seen her bleeding and in pain, it had done something to him. His heart had cracked, and a thirst for vengeance for the person who’d done it had swelled up in him like a tsunami.

“What the hell happened?”

Reaper looked as Bás and Valentina approached, stopping mid-stride. “Is Felix dead?”

After the initial impact, he’d known they hadn’t been the target. Felix’s Audi had been hit by an RPG, the force from the explosion sending their car flying and injuring Lucía.

“Yes. It was just confirmed he died at the scene.”

Reaper thrust his fingers through his hair in frustration something bigger was going on here and he didn’t fucking like it one bit.

Val stepped closer putting a hand on his arm to still his movements. “How is Princess Lucía?”

He shook her off, he needed to keep moving to stop the image of her mangled dead body from going through his brain on a loop. “The doctors are with her now, but they think she’ll be fine.” He glanced up as two men walked down the corridor. They were tall and built, and the way they scanned the hallway for danger suggested they had military training. He didn’t know them, but he guessed they were royal security.

Reaching them they stopped, and the larger man, with dark hair and a square jaw looked him up and down. “I’m Franco Santini, Head of Security at the Palace. You may go. I’m here to watch Princess Lucía myself.”

Reaper clenched his jaw, his teeth almost ground to dust as he tried not to respond emotionally. The fist at his side flexed with an itch to punch this smug fucker in the face though. “Well, I don’t take orders from you. Princess Lucía is mine to protect, so you can just turn around and run back to wherever it is you’ve been hiding all week.”

Reaper could see the way the other man’s eye twitched in anger at his authority being challenged and didn’t give a fuck. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other man move as Bás flanked him, having his back, as did Val as she moved in closer.

Perhaps stepping up to this man now was a bad move but he wouldn’t leave Lucía with anyone but him or one of his team, and the vibe he was getting off this guy was nothing but bad news.

“I’ve been busy.”

“Yeah, while you’ve been busy people have been murdered, and the entire security of the Spanish Royal family has been compromised. I suggest you get your house in order and leave the Princess to me.”

“You have no authority here.”

Reaper stepped up so he was right in Santini’s face, the green flecks in his eyes visible. “I couldn’t give a flying fuck what you think. I was told by the King himself to protect his daughter and that’s what I’ll do until he either tells me to leave or they drag my dead body from her side.”

Santini looked him up and down with disgust, his lip curling, sweat dripping down his temple, and Reaper knew he’d just made another enemy to add to the growing list.

“That can be arranged.”

“Bring it on but stay the hell away from Lucía or I’ll make it my life’s work to make you regret ever meeting me.”

Santini’s smug grin returned. “Hm, it seems our mutual friend is correct about you being hot-headed.”

Reaper had a feeling he wasn’t going to like whatever Santini said next, but he took the bait anyway. “Mutual friend?”