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The men hooted and cheered at that. Ray knew she could fight, but what was she doing? He gave her a questioning look, even as fire raced through him at the idea of touching her and how insanely appealing she was. There was no way he’d hit a woman, no matter how well-trained she was, and especially not Macey, but he could and would gently restrain her if she kept pushing him.
She shrugged her trim shoulders and eased closer. “T bribed me to show off my skills,” she whispered.
He glanced at his brother. T grinned happily as if his fiancée and his brother fighting was the best entertainment he could imagine. What was T playing at? What had he bribed her with? Ray didn’t want everybody to know that Macey was a well-trained weapon, and he didn’t want anybody to know that he was falling for her. Both would be revealed if they sparred.
“Not a good idea,” he whispered back.
Macey gave him a challenging look. Then she threw a right hook at his cheek. He barely dodged it. She smiled sweetly and brought her knee up quick, delivering a nice blow to his ribs. He flinched and grunted. That made her grin bigger, and the men let out sounds of surprise and more hoots and hollers.
Ray was going to cuss out his brother. What did he think they’d gain from this display? Every man at this compound was already going insane over Macey. This would have most of Ray’s army issuing death threats to the crown prince to try to have a chance with her.
She tried to jab at his jaw, but he deflected it and grabbed her wrist. He then grasped her other wrist, crossed her arms at her chest, and pulled her against him. The feel of her arms brushing his bare chest made every cell in his body tingle.
Calls of, “Ooh,” and “You got her, General” came from the men. Ray gritted his teeth. He had no idea how to stay in control. He was on fire for Macey. Her trying to fight him and looking so tough and alluring secured her as his dream woman.
T knew exactly what he was doing to him. Why would he try to force Ray to reveal how deeply gone he was over her in front of Ray’s men? What an idiot. There was much more at stake here than Ray’s crush on Macey. He couldn’t let it show. T might be trying to make this into a joke or a ploy to force Ray’s hand, but Ray had to keep him safe and find their mum’s murderer. He wasn’t losing another family member. No matter how ticked he was at T right now.
“What is T playing at?” he whispered against Macey’s cheek.
“He’s not the one playing,” she said, smiling beautifully.
Using her secured hands as an anchor, she jumped and hooked both of her legs behind his and buckled his knees. Ray flew forward with their combined weight. He barely had time to release her wrists, wrap her up in his arms, and roll slightly so he took the hit on his shoulder and side instead of taking her out. His weight on top of her could’ve done some serious damage.
Macey used their momentum to keep them rolling to his back. She lay on top of him and said in a breathy, husky, enticing voice, “Pinned. I think I won this round.”
Ray could’ve physically moved, but emotionally he was flattened to the dust. The pressure of her on top of him, her gorgeous smile, her dark eyes flashing enticingly. If she’d planned her takedown, it was effective. This woman could win any battle with him.
“That’s my girl,” T crowed.
His brother lifted Macey off of Ray and up into the air as the men cheered.
Ray sprung to his feet, but only because he had to keep his pride and his leadership with his men intact. He was out of breath, angry at his brother, enthralled with Macey, and needing to play it cool so word didn’t spread from his men and throughout the country that General Raymond August was a pouty loser enthralled with his brother’s fiancée.
He smiled and laughed with everyone about Macey taking him down as he took off his gloves, tugged his shirt back on, and caught her sneaking a look at him. T helped Macey remove her gloves and slip into her shirt. Ray’s neck muscles and fists clenched.
The crowd dispersed at Chad’s command to get back to their duties. Macey and T walked arm in arm to the helicopter as Ray tried not to stare at them and be jealous, his eyes darting around at his army instead. That gave him a great view to see many of his men unable to keep their eyes off of her.
If T wanted to put a bigger target on his own back, he’d done it. These men were honorable, but most of them were single and knew perfection when they saw it. Placing a woman like Macey in front of them was not smart. If any of them were the ones threatening their crown prince, this would push them to the next level. Maybe that was T’s plan. Draw the ‘Enforcer’ out? Ray had no idea and was chafing to get his brother alone.
They went on a long helicopter ride with Chad at the controls. He was an experienced pilot and despite T’s teasing about his friend’s piloting skills it was a smooth ride. T pointed out half the country from the aerial view, leaning over Macey as she was next to the window. Ray tried not to flinch every time his brother brushed against her.
T bragged to Macey about their natural protection from the Alps framing their country on every side except the northern border with Germany that was patrolled heavily by Ray’s border control division. They showed her the castle and their beautiful valley, the lake, and the mountains from above. T even pointed out Curtis’s cabin high in the mountains. Macey was surprised how big and nice it was. Chad flew back south and showed her the iron mines that had made Augustine wealthy. With wise management and a variety of investments that had been initially funded by mine money they could easily provide for the royal family, the military, governmental jobs, and cover most of the expenses other countries taxed their people for.
Macey oohed and ahhed and was delightful as always. Ray wasn’t upset at her. He was livid with his brother.
They finally got back to the military base and then into the car. Macey let T drive home. Ray wanted to demand answers as soon as the three of them were alone, but Macey preempted him with, “Thank you for letting me pin you, Ray. T promised me cookie dough ice cream with homemade hot fudge and the entire spa to myself tonight.”
That explained why she’d gone for the fight. Maybe she needed some alone time and some ice cream?
“You let her win?” T raised his eyebrows at him in the rearview mirror. His look wasn’t surprised; it was smug, as if he was winning. Ray would take his brother by surprise and show him smug and what winning meant. When they were alone.
“No, I didn’t,” Ray admitted. “She took me by surprise.” He could’ve easily gotten out of her ‘pin,’ but he’d had no desire to.
“You’re an amazing fighter and incredibly strong,” Macey said, not looking at him but studying the winding road.
“Thank you,” Ray managed, suddenly breathless and not caring about anything except Macey thinking he was amazing and incredible. He was soaring, on top of the world. He caught another smirk from T and the feeling settled.
The rest of the drive home was quiet. They parked and walked Macey to her room.
