Axel (Royal Protectors Book 3)

by Kat Mizera

  “Jesus fucking Christ.” I leaned back against the wall of the hospital where I’d just dropped off a few more people.

  “I’ll talk to her in a few hours. For now, Erik doesn’t want to make any noise about kicking her parents out of the inn since there isn’t any proof yet, but there’s a lot of circumstantial evidence. We already know her brother was involved with the Brat. We know she was a desperate young woman living in a difficult situation, anxious to get out of Vinake, ostensibly willing to do anything to make that happen. She had access to not just the school computers, but the entire system. She changed all the passwords and created a protocol that no one knew, not even Jonas, so he could test it. And then the Brat showed up at a time when she was supposed to be there alone. Logan got back faster than anticipated since he didn’t pick up dinner for her, like they’d discussed. If he had, she could have easily given them any information they needed and they would have been gone before he got back.

  “She didn’t know Jonas would tell her to shut everything down instead of finishing the tests. Instead, Logan got back early and now he’s dead. In my lifetime, he’s the first Royal Protector to die, other than a few of Anwar’s thugs, and I’m the one that killed them, so this doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “But you and Joe both vetted her!” I was pissed.

  “I know and that’s why she hasn’t been arrested. But that’s the next step if we find any proof at all.”

  I didn’t know what the hell to say to that. I couldn’t wrap my head around any of this.

  “She’s been in our lives less than two months and we’ve seen her family’s café destroyed, the entire town of Braksa burned, and now Logan’s dead. Either someone is doing a great job of setting her up, or she’s not who we thought she was.”

  “How could we miss any trace of her being linked to the Brat?” I demanded.

  “She could have a burner phone and we’d have no way to trace it since we’d need to know where she was when she was using it. Vinake is a small town with no traffic cameras or surveillance, so if she was out and about at night meeting up with them, secret meeting places in town…it’s possible, Axel. If you take your heart out of the equation, you’ll see we’re doing the right thing, but I promise you, our search for the truth will exonerate her if she’s innocent. You have to cut all ties, though, until we do.”

  I blew out a breath and my free hand balled into a fist at my side. This wasn’t Sandor’s fault. Our loyalty was always to the king and royal family. Always. No questions asked. Even if it meant walking away from Solange.

  “You there?” Sandor asked quietly.

  “Yeah.”

  “I know this sucks, but Logan’s dead and—”

  “You don’t have to remind me of that,” I said with a grunt. “I’m well aware of my duty, both to the Protectors and to the king.”

  “I’m going to talk to her around eight, so I’d prefer if you didn’t call her before then.”

  “I won’t.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’ve got to make another run to Braksa, I need to go.” I disconnected and slowly headed back to the SUV. I loved Solange, but Sandor had planted the seeds of doubt and now I didn’t know what to do. Well, I knew what I was going to do—I had no choice in that—but I wasn’t sure what the hell I was going to say to her. Love wouldn’t be enough to get us through this if she was guilty.

  35

  Solange

  I was up early because my dreams had been filled with nightmares. I took a shower and got dressed, wondering what the day would bring. I was still shell-shocked over the events of the night before and had tossed my clothes in the trash the moment I’d gotten home. Two months ago, I would have done everything in my power to save them, getting the blood out and moving on, but that wasn’t the case now. I couldn’t stand to look at them, and my heart hurt remembering Logan as he’d leaned against me in that room.

  On the verge of tears again, I longed to reach out to Axel but he was busy too, handling yet another situation that included fatalities, and for the first time in my life, I felt truly out of control. Helplessness was part of it, but this went beyond that.

  A knock on the door brought me out of my reverie and I padded over in bare feet to answer it. To my surprise, Sandor was standing there, and the look on his face told me he didn’t have good news.

  “Good morning,” I said quietly.

  “Good morning.” He met my gaze. “May I come in?”

  “Of course.” I moved aside and he walked in.

  He turned to me with a serious look in his eyes. “Solange, I need to ask you some questions.”

  “Okay.” I met his gaze nervously. What was this about? It sounded like I was in some kind of trouble but I couldn’t imagine what I’d done.

  “Who is your contact within the Bojovnik Brat?”

  I gaped at him. “What? I don’t have a contact—what are you talking about?”

  “We have evidence that someone has been in contact with them. You’re the only one who was alone at the school. You changed the passwords, potentially allowing them access to the system. To be honest, we’ve had nothing but trouble since the night you called Xander, asking for help, and I have to wonder if you and your brother planned that whole thing to find a way to give the Brat an inside track with us.”

  My face was burning with humiliation. Though I hadn’t done any such thing, the mere fact that he thought that of me was more than I could bear. I was on the verge of tears but he was waiting for a response and I didn’t have one.

  “I would never…” I whispered, trying to find my voice. “How could you think this?”

  “How could I not?” he asked in a gentler tone. “We haven’t lost a Royal Protector in fifty years.”

  “There have been several attacks on the royal family since Erik took control!” I said, losing the battle against my tears. They streamed down my face as I stared at him. “Long before you met me. And how could I know Xander would come to the café and use my phone that night?”

  “You couldn’t, but it could have been an opportunity that fell into your lap. Or perhaps your brother coerced you.”

  “I…” They didn’t believe me. They thought I’d somehow betrayed them and had gotten Logan killed.

  Shit, did Axel know?

  “Until we can complete a full investigation, I’m going to have to ask you to move in with your parents at the inn.”

  I couldn’t move.

  “I have Natalia coming to help you pack your things and Kostya’s as well. Then someone will take you to the inn. Once we’ve completed our investigation, I’ll be in touch.”

  “Do you…” I swiped at my face, trying desperately to make sense of this. “Do you believe I did this?”

  “I don’t know what to believe,” he said after a moment. “All I can do is follow the trail of evidence, and right now it’s all leading back to you. You know the computer system, you created the password protocol, and only you and Logan knew you would be alone last night at that specific time.”

  “But…” I blinked away more tears, hanging on to what was left of my pride by refusing to completely break down in front of him.

  “Yeah, she’s ready,” he said, and I realized he was speaking into his earpiece. “What? No… I’ll find out.” He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. “Where is Kostya?”

  “I don’t know. We haven’t spoken since yesterday morning.”

  “His room is empty and his wallet, phone and backpack are gone.”

  Oh, Kostya, what have you done? I thought miserably.

  “I don’t know,” I whispered sadly. “I swear to you on everything holy, I don’t know.”

  “Well, rest assured, I’m going to find him and I’m going to find out exactly what you did or didn’t do.” He turned to go and I whispered his name, making him pause.

  “Please, I don’t know what’s happening, but don’t take this out on my parents. They have nowhere to go…” />
  “Your parents are welcome to remain at the inn—and continue working there—until we’ve completed our investigation. At that point, we’ll reassess.” He opened the door and walked out just as Natalia came in.

  She looked sad, as if she’d been crying, and didn’t look at me as she said, “I’m here to watch you pack. Can you get started, please?”

  “Natalia? Are you okay?”

  She turned to me with such a look of icy-cold fury, I almost took a step back. “Am I okay? No. I’ll never be okay. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Logan and I were—” She cut off and abruptly turned away. “Get your suitcase, please. I have other things to do, including choosing the suit he’s going to be buried in.”

  “You and Logan?” I said softly, my heart breaking for her. “Natalia, you have to believe me, I had nothing to do with—”

  “If that turns out to be true, I’ll be the first to apologize, but right now, I can’t even look at you.”

  I didn’t know what to do other than grab my suitcase and start throwing my things in it. All my wonderful new clothes and shoes, the jewelry I’d bought in Greece, even my new computer. I paused after putting it in my bag. Then I took it out again and laid it on the bed. “I don’t have anything to hide,” I said to her. “The Protectors are welcome to go through my computer.” I threw my toiletries and the handful of things I’d collected over the last few weeks into the suitcase or my purse and slid my feet into sandals. “I’m ready.”

  “Xander is driving you to the inn. You’re to stay there until we contact you.” She walked out ahead of me and Xander was there waiting. Unlike Sandor and Natalia, he looked more upset than angry, and he took my suitcase from me as I came out.

  “Morning,” he said softly.

  “Morning.” I was still in tears and finding it harder to hold them in.

  He didn’t say anything as we took the elevator down to the lower level where the garage was. Luckily, we didn’t pass anyone I knew because I didn’t think I could take anymore animosity, and I got into the SUV without saying a word.

  “You okay?” he asked as we pulled out.

  “I’m not even a little okay,” I whispered, swiping at my eyes.

  He handed me a tissue. “If it makes any difference, I believe you.”

  “You do?” I turned to him in surprise. “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Just a gut feeling, I guess. You and I, well, we kind of bonded that night you helped me after I’d been beaten. I feel like I know you on a different level than everyone else, you know? Elena is Elen’s and my goddaughter, and you’ve saved her twice. I don’t know what’s going on, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to figure out what really happened. Can you tell me anything at all?”

  I shook my head. “I swear to you, Xander, on my life, I don’t know what they’re talking about. I haven’t been involved with the Brat, I don’t know what Kostya is up to, and I’m terrified for my parents… If the king puts them out, we’ll be on the streets!”

  “I know, sweetie.” He reached over to squeeze my arm. “Between Axel and me, I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

  “I haven’t spoken to him yet,” I sighed. “I’m hoping he has an idea.”

  He hesitated. “I think you should prepare yourself, Solange.”

  “For what?” I asked in confusion.

  He stared straight ahead, not looking at me at all. “Axel is in a terrible position.”

  “Because…?”

  “Because he’s a Royal Protector and his first, second and infinite priorities are the members of the royal family and his fellow Protectors. One of us died, so he has no choice but to side against you until this is sorted out.”

  “Side against me?” I stared at him. “But I haven’t done anything! You’ll find that out when you investigate. And if Axel thinks I’ve done this, that I’m capable of something so horrible, then there won’t be anything for us to sort out from a personal perspective.”

  “I hope you don’t mean that,” he said. “I consider you a friend and I’m going to try to help, Solange, but you can help yourself by telling me anything you can think of.”

  “There’s nothing to tell!” I cried in frustration. “I don’t know anything, I was never involved in the Brat, and I’m in love with Axel, so why would I do something that would tear us apart?”

  “What about Kostya?” he asked.

  I was quiet for a moment. If someone had truly orchestrated the attack and it wasn’t just bad luck that Logan and I were there when the Brat had shown up, it was probably Kostya. I couldn’t say that out loud, though. He was still my baby brother and I would protect him until I knew something one way or the other.

  “I don’t know,” I said finally.

  He pulled up in front of the inn and got out, taking my suitcase from the back. “I’ll be in touch, okay? Try to hang in there until we figure this out.”

  I managed a nod and then he was gone.

  I stared at the SUV as it disappeared down the street, pulling out my phone and hitting the speed dial button for Axel. It rang four times and I thought it was going to go to voicemail when his deep, quiet voice came on the line.

  “Hey.”

  “Do you believe them?” I asked without preamble.

  “Do I believe them about what?” he asked in the most monotone voice I’d ever heard him use.

  “All of it. Any of it! That I’m part of the Brat, that I had something to do with Logan’s death…”

  He didn’t respond. “Solange, I don’t know what to believe. I don’t want to, but there’s a lot of circumstantial evidence.”

  “You believe it?” I whispered. “That I’m capable of something so terrible? Is that who I am to you?”

  “I’m not sure I know who you are anymore.”

  If my soul had been a tangible object, it would have just been shattered into a million pieces. The pain was so intense I had to squeeze my eyes shut to breathe. It was as though he’d physically struck me, and I sank to my knees on the grass, hanging my head, unable to formulate a response.

  “Solange?”

  “I have to go,” I whispered on a ragged breath. “I’m sorry. For everything.” I disconnected and the tears poured out of me. Nothing had ever hurt like this did. I’d thought for sure Axel would believe me, and even if he had to side against me publicly, he would support me in private until we got to the truth. Instead, he’d cut me to the core, and I buried my face in my hands, sobs wracking my body.

  “Solange! What are you doing?” Kostya came running outside. “Get inside before someone sees you!”

  36

  Axel

  I’d never spoken to a woman I cared about the way I’d spoken to Solange, with so little regard for her feelings, and I’d regretted it the moment the words came out of my mouth. But I couldn’t call her back because there was no point. I could apologize for the way I’d said what I said, but I couldn’t take it back. I couldn’t change what had happened or prove her innocence, so it was better that I kept my distance. I just hadn’t expected it to feel like this. Like someone had stabbed me right in the heart.

  When had she gotten so deep under my skin?

  When had I fallen head over heels in love with her? It had only been about seven weeks, after all. How had all of this gone to shit in the blink of an eye? I wanted to go down to the dungeon and pound on Frederick’s face until he told me everything he knew, but shit like that wasn’t allowed. We made exceptions for extreme threats, like when Xander had killed Elen’s kidnapper, but this was different. She was different.

  And I’d turned my back on her without knowing all the facts.

  I’d just gotten back to the palace after two hellacious days in Braksa and Vinake, and now I had to deal with reality. Logan’s death. Breaking things off with Solange. The investigation. And fucking Frederick. We had the leader of the fucking Brat in our goddamn private prison and no one had been able to get anything out of him.

  That ended now.


  I went straight to Sandor’s office, rapping lightly on the door.

  “Hey.” He looked like he hadn’t slept for days but was alert and focused. “What’s up?”

  “Where are we with everything?” I asked.

  “We’re in the process of having Logan’s body sent home to his family.”

  “Jesus.” Some of my anger dissipated. “Are we, uh, doing anything here? You know, like a viewing?”

  “Yes. Tomorrow. Then Erik is personally flying him home and going to spend a little time with his sister. Apparently, he asked Solange to tell Erik to take care of her.”

  “You going with him?”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m sending Joe, and Chains will meet them in Philadelphia, which is where she lives.” Darryl “Chains” Carruthers had bought Joe’s security firm when Joe had officially become a Royal Protector, and though he wasn’t one of us, he was as close as any outsider could be. We always used him as backup when anyone in the family was in the U.S.

  “Fuck.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say and absently scratched my beard.

  “Did you talk to her?”

  “Yeah.” I knew who he meant.

  “And?”

  “We didn’t talk long. She was upset when…”

  “When what?”

  “When I basically told her I didn’t believe her.”

  He grimaced. “Is that true? You think she did this?”

  “I’m too close to it,” I said after a slight hesitation. “But no, I don’t think she did it. She’s kind and sweet and has a huge heart. When she mentioned the possibility of becoming a Royal Protector, it took all of my self-control not to laugh at her because the idea of her actually pulling a gun on someone is beyond the realm of reality. None of this makes sense, Sandor. None of it.”

  “So if you don’t believe it, why didn’t you tell her that?”

  I looked him right in the eye. “Because I took an oath to the Protectors and doing anything else would have been a betrayal to that.”