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In the evenings, they had dinner, usually with just the family. Almost every night, they were able to spend time with Kiera. His little sister was such a light and a delight. They swam often, messed around in the solarium and the spa, and went on walks through the gardens or short hikes around the lake or to the nearby waterfall.
Sometimes Kiera’s nanny, Lisa, would join them. Ray didn’t like the way the young lady looked at T as if his brother was a pastry she wanted to consume, but he knew a lot of women went nuts over the handsome crown prince. Lisa was great with Kiera, and she gradually warmed up to Macey. How anyone could resist Macey was beyond him.
Ray was falling so hard for her. No. He’d already fallen. He was just falling deeper and deeper. He prayed diligently and felt like he displayed superhuman self-control by keeping his hands off her. Not looking at her was impossible, but he tried. She and T acted their part in public, but at home they treated each other like friends, which helped Ray not slit his innocent brother’s throat while he slept.
Sadly, they were making no progress in finding the murderer or the ‘Enforcer.’ More notes were found daily, and now they threatened both T and Macey. Nobody ever saw who left them. There were never fingerprints. They were printed on an HP OfficeJet Pro 6978, not that knowing that helped anything. The castle had none of that model. They searched purchases of the printer, but with online purchases it was impossible to find them all. Ray couldn’t storm into everybody’s homes and see who was using their printer far too often.
Late one night, Jobe made it up the hill and to the castle walls before Jacob caught him. Philippe put him in jail for a night. Lisa promised she’d broken up with him over a month ago, seeming embarrassed about the whole thing. Stupid twenty-year-old heartbroken and hormonal kid anyway.
On a Wednesday night, almost three weeks since Macey had arrived, they’d just prayed over dinner when Malik strutted into the dining room.
“Malik!” Kiera screamed out first, jumping out of her chair and running to him.
“Hey, wild child.” Malik picked her up and hugged her, then tossed her in the air as if she were a four-year-old. Kiera screamed in delight.
Ray, T, Macey, and their dad all stood. Malik and their dad shook hands and did a manly embrace. Ray greeted his brother with a hug.
“You’re looking thick and fine,” Malik told him.
“You’re looking thicker and finer,” Ray said back.
They both grinned. Ray was happy his brother was here. The rest of them were too somber. Except for Kiera. Malik would make the evening light and fun.
He moved on to backslapping hugs and teases with T about how in the world he had gotten this ‘gorgeous creature’ to agree to marry him.
Ray didn’t like the way Malik was eyeing Macey. He didn’t appreciate how tight and for how long Malik hugged his new ‘exquisitely beautiful future sis.’ He let it go, only because it was T’s place to say something, not his.
Dinner was fun with lots of teasing from Malik and for Malik. Kiera was happy and more rambunctious than ever. After dinner, she talked the king into swimming with them. Everyone was in good spirits, and Ray hadn’t even stared with an open mouth at Macey in her swimming suit.
Kiera decided after an hour of swimming and her showing them some incredible flips and tricks off the diving board that they had to do chicken wars. “I’m on Pop’s shoulders ‘cause you’ll all be nice to me and the old man.”
They all laughed at that.
“Malik is on T and Macey on Ray.”
Ray’s body flushed with warmth. Nobody could claim he’d acted out of line if Kiera was setting it up.
“Why doesn’t Macey go on T’s shoulders?” Malik asked.
Ray clenched his fist at that stupid question.
“Well, duh. Ray’s is the toughest, but you and T are a close second. It would be totally unfair to have you on Ray’s shoulders.”
Ray flexed slightly. Kiera winked at him. Macey looked him over, and everyone else disappeared. He found himself easing closer to her in the warm water.
“Ray’s tougher than me?” Malik growled. He grabbed Kiera and tossed her into the deep end.
Kiera shrieked but quickly swam back and commanded, “Chicken war time! Go under water, Pops.”
The king smiled and complied.
Ray was glad they had this time to relax and play around as a family. If only Steffan, Derek, and Curt could come home. If only Mum wasn’t gone.
Macey pushed through the water to him, and his pulse sped up. “I guess we’re partners.” She gave him her sweet, almost shy smile. He spent every day with her, was impressed with her hard work, smart brain, and computer skills, but no matter how he tried, he could never be immune to that smile. If only he could make her laugh. Her laugh could soothe all the angst building up and forming scar tissue inside his heart.
“We’ll destroy them,” he promised, winking at her.
She licked her lips and his own mouth went dry. “No pressure for me,” she teased.
