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They both laughed as if that were a funny brother tease. Malik quietly hurried out the door first and put a finger to his lips to the tall guard waiting for them.
“No worries,” T said. “I get enough female attention, even with this ugly face.”
Malik chuckled and shoved T and his dad out into the hallway. He put his hand out to Henry.
“It’s great to see you, Henry,” he said.
“You as well.” Henry’s face was pale and drawn. He pulled off his clip-on tie and handed it over.
Malik prayed this really was the recording device.
Twenty-five seconds.
Please help me say the right words to convince William, he prayed.
“Henry, I hope this isn’t an awkward question, but I’d love to know why you’re trying to frame me for my mum’s death,” Malik said smoothly, pushing him out the door and gesturing for them all to get away from the office.
“Pardon me?” Henry sounded properly affronted.
Eight seconds. Malik threw the tie at the bomb and prayed his ‘awkward question’ would explain why nobody spoke for a few beats.
“I won’t be framed for my mum’s death,” he yelled. He stomped his feet and then slammed the door.
Pivoting, he wrapped his arms around his dad and shoved him across the hall, covering him with his body as the world exploded.
The castle rocked with the concussion, and ceiling plaster showered down on them. Thankfully, the office wall held up. Most of the bomb should have exploded outward, taking out the balcony and maybe T’s office next door and convincing William’s men that his bomb had found its target.
Malik had no time to waste. He jumped to his feet and helped his dad up. “You’re all right?”
“Yes. You?” His dad looked him over. At Malik’s nod, the king yanked him close in a fierce embrace. The last time he had felt his dad tremble had been at his mum’s funeral.
They both turned to see T standing up and grabbing Henry’s arm. The guard had his gun drawn but didn’t seem to know where to point it. The other guard and Derek were running down the hall.
“You swear that tie was the recording device?” Malik demanded, advancing on the prime minister and grabbing him by his suit coat lapels.
“It was.” Henry nodded, his face drawn, weary. He looked twenty years older.
“You swear it on Jennifer’s life?” T asked.
Henry glanced at T and then nodded. “I swear.”
“Henry, what is going on?” the king demanded. “You keep promising you aren’t William’s man, but all the evidence proves you are.”
Henry looked at each of them in turn and then admitted, “He’s blackmailing me with Leslie. You notice how she’s rarely around? Naomi has her most of the time. They’ll kill her if I don’t comply.”
Malik felt compassion surge through him, where moments earlier he’d wanted to throttle Henry. It was just like Sophie. Of course William was holding the one thing over the prime minister’s head that he loved more than any other.
“William wanted you to die with my dad and T,” Malik told him.
Henry’s face blanched, but he nodded as if he’d suspected as much. “I’ve used up my usefulness, and he’s worried I’ll talk and mess up his plans.”
“What is happening?” Derek asked, gesturing to the bombed-out office.
“William has Sophie, her daughter, her parents, and two of our guards in Wengen. He tried to make me kill Dad, T, and Henry to keep her safe. I’ve got to go.” Malik turned to the prime minister. “Henry, hand your phone to my dad.”
Henry complied.
“At the moment, I can’t risk you contacting William. Jensen is on his way. Trust him. He can help you.”
