Page 30 of Palace of Betrayal

A memory of his mother apologising for something lingered just out of reach, and a conversation he couldn’t seem to access.

A knock on the door had him snapping out of the past and concentrating on the present. A gentle grip on his arm had him looking toward the woman who was throwing his world into turmoil in more ways than one. Upending everything he thought he knew and letting the world he knew settle into a new and more beautiful landscape.

“I’m very sorry, Your Majesty, but Chelsea Vos is here and insists on speaking with Prince León.”

León’s gaze cut to Bebe who schooled her features much more quickly than he did.

The chair scraped back as the King stood his eyes on Leo. “Son?”

Leo shrugged as he threw his napkin on the table and stood. “You know as much as I do, Father.” How was Chelsea there when she was meant to be dead?

“Please show Ms Vos to the Library and I’ll be with her shortly.”

Turning to his father, he saw the shock and confusion on the older man’s face and wished he could explain at least some of this to him. After today the thought of lying to him and keeping him in the dark left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Stay here, Father, and I’ll be back shortly.”

The King sat and took a sip of his brandy before waving his hand at Leo. “Take Bebe with you. Chelsea might need the support of another woman.”

“Good idea.”

He’d been going to take her anyway but now he didn’t have to think of an excuse to do so. His gaze cut to Bebe as they walked across the hallway toward the library, a silent communication moving between them. He hated that he couldn’t speak about this, but they had no idea if the rest of the palace was bugged and had to err on the side of caution.

Pushing on the double doors, his eyes swept the room and found Chelsea sitting by the window that overlooked the gardens. She startled and then stood, flying towards him so he had to let go of Bebe and catch her as she fell into his arms.

“Oh, León, thank God.”

Her voice was full of tears, and he felt a second of sympathy before he gently pulled her away and led her toward the couch. Chelsea eyed Bebe who sat beside him as he took the couch opposite her. He offered her a tissue, and she gave a wan smile as she took one, dabbing at her eyes. She was a beautiful woman in many ways and could get almost any man she set her hat to but not him, not now.

“I have to say I’m surprised to see you. I take it you’re aware of what happened on Saturday night?”

Chelsea cast a worried look toward Bebe. Some of her fear seemed to recede at what she saw as another woman on her turf. He’d been very clear with Chelsea that he was her friend and no more, yet she’d taken it upon herself to run off any woman who spent time with him. He’d selfishly let that happen because it suited him to have someone else do his dirty work, but he recognised now how reprehensible that was.

Reaching for Bebe, he made it clear who he was with. “You can speak in front of Bebe. We don’t have any secrets.”

Her liquid eyes moved over their hands before coming back to his face. “I woke up in my bed this morning with no clue where I was or what had happened. I put on the television and saw what happened and panicked.”

“Didn’t you go with Atticus to the boat?”

Chelsea shook her head. “Neither of us went. He and Alain had an argument, so we went home and got drunk at my place.”

Leo knew that most likely had involved a hell of a lot of coke and champagne. “Where is Atticus now?”

Chelsea sniffed and reached for his hand, gripping it tight. “I don’t know. I woke up and he was gone, and I can’t reach him. What’s happening, León? They’re saying this is murder on the news. I’m scared. I could’ve been on that yacht and died.”

Her crying began again, and Bebe rose and went to the bar to pour her a drink. She handed the brandy to Chelsea who took it with a shaking hand.

“I don’t know, but I promise we’ll find out.”

Big eyes came to him, and she swallowed. “Can I stay with you?”

In normal times he might have said yes, but now things were different. He had Bebe and he didn’t want Chelsea there. But he owed her safety if she’d been pulled into this because of someone in his inner circle.

“No, but I’ll have guards assigned to you at home. The palace isn’t the place for you right now.”

Chelsea pouted, her puffy lips doing nothing for him but turning him off. “But she’s here, and you hardly know her.”

He took Bebe’s hand in his but kept his eyes on Chelsea. “Bebe is my girlfriend and the woman I wish to share my life with.”

“But you only just met.”