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Malik whirled at that ugly voice. The monster was farther into the forest. It was impossible to see him, but they could shoot him, right?
“Put down your weapons or I’ll blow it right now,” William warned.
Cold sweat formed on Malik’s neck and forehead. William would kill Sophie. He knew it.
“What do you want, William?” T asked.
“Only what’s rightfully mine—the crown.” He paused. “Prince Tristan?” He let out a string of curses. “You should be dead.”
“Alive and ready to remove your ugly carcass from this world,” T threw back at him.
William cursed again, and then he laughed. It was an insane, unsettling laugh that reverberated through the quiet forest. His plan had failed, and he was laughing? He seemed to grow more unhinged with each failed attempt to undermine Malik’s family. His instability made him more terrifying than ever. Especially if he had a remote to a bomb in his hand.
Was he alone? Could he really blow the house? Everything Malik had seen from this unstable, vain man said he would do it without hesitation.
“The bomb isn’t set to go off until three-forty. There’s still a chance you can save your love and be the hero, Prince Malik.” His voice dripped with condescension. “If you don’t want them all dead right now, I suggest you put down your weapons and bargain with me.”
“We have all the manpower here,” T said. “I suggest you set down the detonator before I change your life sentence to death by firing squad.”
“Nah,” Derek said. “You must promise you’ll torture him first. A firing squad is too good for him.”
Malik would’ve appreciated that they could joke, but it was the love of his life, her daughter, her parents, and two very loyal guards who would die if they pushed William too hard and he pressed that button.
“You won’t be laughing when I blow up everyone in the house,” William roared. “Set down your weapons.”
“We are,” Malik called to him. He set his gun on the ground and looked to his brothers. “Please.”
This was Sophie. He couldn’t live in a world where William killed Sophie when he could do something to stop it. Ned and Jacob weren’t in view and Chad was holding on to the guard, his gun not visible.
Derek and T both nodded and set down their guns.
“Set down the detonator and let’s talk about your demands,” T said evenly.
“You don’t tell me what to do, you welp.” William let out a chuckle that was interrupted by the sound of something cracking. His laughter quickly turned into a scream of agony, followed by some screeching and cursing.
Malik grabbed his gun off the ground and rushed toward the sound.
“A little payback from your men beating me,” Lieutenant Mason’s voice came from the dark. “I’ve got the detonator,” he called. “And I may have broken his arm.”
Malik would’ve laughed, but he was too weak with relief.
“Prince Malik!” Sophie’s dad rushed up to his side.
“Sophie?”
Hans shook his head, despair etched into his face.
“Where’s Sophie?” Malik demanded.
“Still inside. She and Captain Levi were in a different room. We couldn’t get the lock on the doorknob to break. We found a window that wasn’t wired with explosives and managed to get Leanna and Sunny out. Lieutenant Mason and I barely made it through the opening,” her dad rushed to explain. “The whole house is wired; each exit is a tripwire set to explode when someone opens the door. We have until three-forty.”
Malik glanced at his watch. Three-twenty-eight. Why was it always some countdown to a bomb?
If Mason and Hans barely made it through the window, no way was Malik squeezing in it. The doors were all wired to explode, and they hadn’t been able to break into Sophie’s room. They either had to force William to stop the bomb, disable the timer themselves, or …
“Is there a patio to the room Sophie is in?” he demanded.
“Yes.”
