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We move as one—aswe were meant to. We exit the car with James behind us, his height towering, Phoenix on my left with a hand on my shoulder, Alice on my right with her fingers nestled against the crook of my elbow. Ari flanks us in front on the right, my ever-vigilant little psychopath with his eyes that never stop searching for threats.
The crowd milling around the yacht is large enough to make me uneasy, but Alice is walking with confidence, and even Phoenix only tightens his grip for a second when he hears the murmurs growing louder. I see Rhys off in the distance, looking relaxed as ever, and I know it’s because he has no idea everything is about to change.
We’ll have him in custody soon enough, but I can’t deny the exhaustion I feel from holding back these last few days. I want to split his guts and dig my fingers into them until he begs for death.
He’s all but carved a path for the Romanos, straight to my future queen, and for that, he’ll regret every breath he’s ever taken.
But I need to be patient.
It takes little effort to nod and smile as we board, and it’s a relief to accept a glass of champagne and set eyes on a few of my uncles, who are staring at Alice with a look of unease. I didn’t expect her to be such a huge shock. They all knew we had her, and some likely knew exactly what I planned to do with her.
No one misses the ring on her finger either. Especially not my mother’s oldest brother, who zeroes in on my almost-queen. Michael and I have never been close. Like Aldis, Michael was a man who endeared himself to my father, and there was bitterness when the keys to the kingdom were passed to me. It was expected, of course. The Walsh kingdom will be run by the blood that flows through my veins, but Michael was one of the few people who knew I was different from the men who came before me.
I think he was hoping love might change me. Or that the world might change me. Or my passions might twist me into a shape that would make me unfit to rule. It wouldn’t surprise me if he was behind Rhys’ actions, though so far, Phoenix wasn’t able to dig up anything on Michael.
He approaches with some caution, Rhys following quickly, and I lean back toward James. “Now might be a good time.”
James gives me a nod, and when my family’s gaze is fixed on Alice, they melt into the crowd.
I scan Rhys for any sign that he has a clue about what’s about to happen, but he looks at me serenely as he offers his hand to Alice. She takes it, and the lingering kiss he places on her knuckles makes me clench my cane so hard my palm aches.
“I believe introductions are in order,” Michael says smoothly.
I nod, taking Alice’s hand back as I step to the side, and Phoenix follows the motion without missing a beat. “I’m sure you recognize Alice Romano.”
“I believe I do,” Michael says, scanning her before turning to Rhys. “Were you aware of this?”
“I had some idea,” Rhys admits. “My father’s his second hand, after all. But you know how I feel about gossip.”
Michael looks my future bride up and down, not bothering to hide his disdain. “And you,” he says to her, and I want to bloody his mouth for his disrespect, “just so happened to find your way into Kane’s bed? Because oflove?”
Alice glances at me nervously, so I tug her a little closer, wrapping my free arm around her waist. I lean in toward her ear, kissing her jaw before whispering, “You owe them no explanation.Theyowe you deference.”
She squares her shoulders and nods, then glances back at them, ice in her gaze. It shoots right to my dick, my gorgeous goddess claiming her place. I lift her fingers to my lips and press a kiss to her knuckles.
“I’m sure you have plenty of questions,” I finally say.
Michael raises a brow. “Would you actually answer any of them?”
Alice laughs and steps a little closer to me, and I smile back at them both, giving him my wordless answer. “I suppose we should get sailing.” Just as the words leave my lips, my phone buzzes in my pocket—two short bursts.
‘Targets secured,’ Phoenix taps against my neck.
Rhys is officially starting to look a little nervous, so I turn and release Alice, handing her arm to Phoenix. “Why don’t you two mingle, darling, while I tend to some business.”
Her gaze meets mine, and then she nods and shifts closer to our lover. He’s got his cane out now, and he doesn’t bother saying anything to me as they start toward the bow, and I turn my attention back to my uncle and my cousin.
“I’m assuming we’re on schedule,” I say, gesturing toward the second set of stairs that leads to the bridge. I look around for signs of Aldis, and eventually, I find him mingling in the crowd with his wife. Neither of them looks like they have a care in the world, and while Aldis is very well skilled at hiding his intentions, something in my gut tells me he’s not part of this.
It allows me to breathe a little easier as I gesture again toward the bridge stairs.
Rhys looks over his shoulder nervously, but he knows he can’t do anything without being obvious.
I like it that way—I want him scared.
The bridge is quiet, and the captain, Christopher Parker, is a man I’ve known since I could walk. He looks a bit old for this job now, but he doesn’t do more than tip his hat at me before going back to his task, and I walk over to my father’s old liquor cabinet and pour three glasses.
In the mirror in front of me, I see Rhys reach for his phone, so I spin around and hold one scotch out to prevent him from attempting to send any messages. Not that he could. Phoenix took care of that already.
