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“No. I paid off his debt without his knowledge so that I could use it to blackmail him into marrying you when we return to Cothena. Although it didn’t stop the casino’s men from showing him what it means to be late on a payment.”
We’re finally getting somewhere. “Earlier, you mentioned a debt that needs to be repaid. Does it have anything to do with the export of raw opium to Brachha?”
Before she can answer, the door to the panic room opens and Patrick, my father, Kiernan, and King Jordain enter the room. Their weapons are aimed at my mother, who still has hers pointed at me.
Jordain steps forward, “I can explain that.”
Chapter twenty-six
Patrick
Ariella must have pressed the speaker button on the console because when we enter my dad’s special place, Ariella’s voice can be heard loud and clear over the speaker. “Not until I finish getting answers. You can’t kill me or my son because then you can’t escape. Right now, I’m your only chance of getting out of here in one piece.”
The guard and Kiernan monitor the entrance while I head for the keypad to open the stairwell entrance. Ariella’s father looks pleased and slightly amused at the hidden setup.
When I start to descend the stairs, he grabs my arm to stop me. “Let us see what she reveals before we rush in there. We don’t know what kind of situation we are walking into.” When we don’t hear anything, I start to worry. Trevor sees this and assures me, “Gabriella and Ariella are in a silent standoff. It will be interesting to see who breaks first.”
For someone who was in such a hurry to help his daughter, the delay takes me by surprise. Using the time available, I try to get some intel from him. “How did you find out about your wife’s treachery?”
His shoulders slump as he whispers, “After the bomb went off and almost took my daughter and grandson away from me, my gut said that it had to be an inside job. Our security has only improved over the years, and it would have been nearly impossible for someone to penetrate the city walls long enough to plant a bomb. Although I may not be a king anymore, the royal guards are still loyal to me and my wife, Gabriella. I have spies who have been keeping me appraised of any secrets they manage to uncover or any conversations they overhear.”
I nod, glad to know that he has been keeping tabs.
He continues to explain, “It wasn’t until almost two million dollars went missing from the royal treasury—the exact amount of Kiernan’s debt to a casino in Monte Carlo—that I knew it had to be someone in a position of power and authority. When I questioned our purser about the transaction, he told me that Queen Julietta had authorized it. Of course, I confronted her about such a large sum of money being transferred to an offshore account; she had no idea what I was talking about. The purser disappeared before I could question him again.
“I decided to talk to Kiernan and took a helicopter to visit him once he had recovered enough to receive visitors. After he informed me of what Gabriella had done, we left immediately for the United States to come here and warn you. I was so focused on getting here that I failed to inform Ethan of the situation, but I did manage to call Jordain and ask for his help since Kiernan had told me that his men were already here.”
A heads-up would have been nice to have, but nothing can be done about it now. With all this new information, I’m left with so many questions and not enough answers. “Where does King Jordain fit into all of this? Why are his men here, and how did they know where to find us so quickly? How did your wife know where we were?”
“Cothena and Brachha may be allies, but that doesn’t mean we don’t spy on each other,” the man next to Kiernan says.
“And who are you?” I ask, slightly annoyed by the intrusion.
“I’m King Jordain Argos of Brachha, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Patrick Kent.” He doesn’t come over to shake my hand since he’s still guarding the doorway to the room that we’re in.
I’m shocked to learn that the King of Brachha is here and risking his life and his kingdom to help us. Ethan warned me that he was here on a “hunting trip,” but I had no idea he would be willing to join his men in the fight. “Oh, um. It’s nice to meet you. I guess I should be directing those questions to you instead.”
He chuckles. “Ariella and I were never close, but I am close to my brother. Since Ariella was his wife—or so I thought—it was in my best interest to protect her. I had a squad of my men follow Kiernan, Ariella, and Alex to the States. One team was directed to watch over Ariella and Alex, while the other protected my brother. Imagine my surprise when it was only Kiernan who returned home. After the thugs accosted my brother for not paying a debt on time, he explained Gabriella’s role and her threat to force him to marry Ariella. I’m not a fan of my family being blackmailed, and as such, the team who had been following my brother were deployed back to the States.”
I was stunned. The entire drive from New York to Montana, I kept my eyes peeled for anyone following us and saw no one. Considering I’m trained to identify a “tail,” it was quite an impressive feat.
Jordain and Kiernan raise their weapons high when they hear the sound of feet approaching. I watch as a hand waves a white Kleenex in a show of surrender before saying, “Is it safe to come in? Jerry said it was, but I’m a firm believer in ‘trust, but verify’ when it comes to the possibility of getting a tranquilizer dart to the arm. It would really ruin my day, and I don’t want to miss the showdown,” Savannah says.
I signal them to lower their weapons, and when Jordain and Kiernan comply, I give the “all-clear.” When Savannah enters the room with a smile, I breathe a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t be this happy unless everything is okay inside the house, but I still need to confirm that my mother hadn’t been hurt and that my dad would be okay.
“How are my parents?”
“Your dad was shot in the arm, but he said it was ‘just a flesh wound.’ Your mom is patching him up as we speak. All of the guards that infiltrated the house have been subdued. Jessie has them secured, and Jerry is monitoring the camera feeds that still work. It’s how he knew it was safe. Well, that and the fact we can hear the conversation. What else has been going on in here? Anything fun?” she asks cheerfully. Her eyes widen when Ariella speaks, startling us all.
“You said that love isn’t the most important part of a marriage, but I know it is. I love Patrick, and that’s why I will not be marrying Kiernan. Why is it so important to you that I do? Aaron’s marriage to Julietta already unites Brachha and Cothena.”
As we listen to the conversation that unfolds, I slowly creep down the stairs. Trevor at my back. Shortly thereafter, Jordain and Kiernan join us, leaving Savannah upstairs to keep the room secure. I believe that we’ve detained all those here who are acting under Gabriella’s orders, but I can’t be sure.
After listening in on their conversation, it’s clear it’s only the two of them talking, and I deem it safe enough to enter. I have just pressed the last few digits of the code that opens the door when Ariella asks her mother, “Earlier, you mentioned a debt that needs to be repaid. Does it have anything to do with the export of raw opium to Brachha?”
We step into the room with our guns drawn, all pointing them at Gabriella. I scan the area and assess the situation quickly, my heart sinking when I see that a gun is pointed at my wife. Alex is nowhere to be found, and I can only pray he’s sound asleep in one of the bedrooms.
Jordain steps forward and says, “I can explain that.”
