“Don't.”
It took Alannah a moment to realize he wasn't talking to her. She knew by the sudden way he stopped wrestling with her, and the outward way he directed his voice.
“I'm being held against my will, please--” Alannah's plea for help ended with the abrupt clap of the assailant's hand over her mouth.
“I'm not kidding, don't come one step closer,” her captor said to someone else in the room. One hand clamped around her body, palm muffling her protests, he used the other to trap her arms against her sides. “It'll take me less than a second to snap her neck.”
“And I guarantee that you won't finish flinching before I put a bullet right between your eyes.”
Alannah wilted with relief. Mattias. He was alive and, judging by the steely edge to his voice, unhappy to find her in this predicament. Trapped against her captor's body, Alannah ceased struggling. If Mattias could get a clear shot, she didn't want to make it harder on him and possibly be hit by accident.
“Wrong,” the man said, adjusting his position a fraction to put her more directly in front of him. Using her as a shield.
Before Alannah knew what happened, the hand disappeared from over her mouth and something sharp pressed against her throat. Sharp, like the tip of a blade. She could feel the way the man hovered at her back, making himself a much smaller target. Not only that, he used his other arm to shift and move her body, clearly attempting to force Mattias to second guess using the gun. In motion, his odds of hitting her increased.
“Put the gun down,” the man said.
“Where was your boss having you take her?” Mattias asked.
“He's not my boss any longer. She was, is, worth more to me than what that bastard pays. Now put the gun down.” The stranger tightened his hold on Alannah.
“Gone rogue, hm? Your greed will cost you dearly. I'll give you three seconds to release her,” Mattias replied. He started counting backwards. Three. Two. One.
Tensing with fear, Alannah squeezed her eyes closed behind the blindfold. She dismissed the idea of moving quickly to one side or the other to help Mattias get a better shot, worrying that she might inadvertently make him miss his mark. The tip of the blade pricked her skin, bringing a dot of blood to the surface.
Then the man flew backward as the pop of a gunshot rang out. Thrown sideways, she landed hard against a chair, catching herself at the last second. Sounds of a struggle began and ended as she straightened, reaching for the blindfold. She ripped it up and off, tossing it to the side.
Mattias loomed over the prone body on the floor, the butt of his gun recoiling from a strike. Deadly and sleek, he divested the perpetrator of his blade and stepped away, meeting her eyes.
“Are you hurt?” he inquired.
Alannah wanted to ask him the same when she got a good look at the bruises and cuts on his face. What she did instead was throw her arms around his neck and hug him tight. “I'm fine, I'm all right. You got here in time.”
“Good. We can't linger,” he said, squeezing her with one arm.
That was exactly what she wanted to do. Linger there with the feel of his strong body pressing against her, breathing the masculine scent unique to Mattias. If they had been anywhere else, she would have. Leaning back, she made eye contact, staring at him while he stared at her. She thought she recognized relief in his gaze, a sentiment, she knew, mirrored in her own.
“No, you can't. We need to be gone from here in the next five minutes,” a voice said from the doorway.
Mattias reacted the instant the words hit the air. He pushed her behind him while swinging the gun toward the silhouette framed by hallway lights. A moment later, he relaxed.
“You almost got yourself shot,” Mattias said, lowering the gun.
“I might have liked it,” Ahsan retorted.
Alannah, tense with fresh anxiety, stepped up to Mattias's side. Knowing the Prince had back up on the scene helped ease the stiffness in her shoulders. Ahsan was right, though. They needed to leave before anyone else unexpectedly showed up.
“Let's go,” Mattias said with a gesture to the door, glancing down at her face one last time.
“I owe you both. Thank you,” Alannah said, glancing from one man to the other. On the way out of the room, falling into step between Ahsan and Mattias, Alannah began untwisting the strips of satin material around her wrists.
“We're only doing what anyone else would do,” Ahsan stated, leading the way down the stairs. A few bodies littered the floor in the foyer and elsewhere.
Alannah couldn't tell if they were dead or alive. She was struck by how silent Ahsan's advance into the homestead had been, how dangerous an adversary he must be. Like Mattias.
At the front door stood Chayton, long hair caught back at the nape in a ponytail. He had a weapon in hand and a no nonsense set to his features. It couldn't be coincidence, she knew, that both Ahsan and this man were here now. The same ones who had come to her and Mattias's rescue at the manor.
“Leander's finishing a ground sweep, taking care of any more guards,” Ahsan said on the way to a black SUV. “Soon as he gets here, we can go.”
“I'm sure there's an interesting story about how you found us,” Mattias said, holding the back passenger door for Alannah.
“Chayton paid another visit to Alannah's kidnapper, under the radar you understand, and came away with a name and address,” Ahsan replied with a fast grin.
Seating herself next to Mattias in the back of the vehicle, Alannah considered the implications while she regarded the byplay between Mattias and Ahsan. They acted like a well oiled machine, working together in seamless unity. Now a fourth name, one she didn't recognize, had been added to the mix. A man, Leander, who was apparently as well versed in weaponry and protection as the rest of them.
Not for a second did she believe that there wasn't more to this story. More to these men of royal or elite blood than met the eye.
Maybe later, when they were somewhere safe, Mattias, realizing it was pointless to keep her in the dark any longer, would produce a satisfactory explanation.
The hours it took to drive back to Ruben Morano's stronghold tested Mattias's patience in ways he didn't expect. It wasn't just coming down off the adrenaline rush that kept him restless, but the proximity of Alannah. Her scent, the shape of her body outlined by moonlight coming in the SUV windows. The way she secreted glances his way didn't go unnoticed, either, and once or twice, he looked over to find her watching him. As on the garden chessboard, there existed something unspoken between them. He could almost feel her desire to reach over and touch him, to lean in and make contact. Only Ahsan, Chayton and Leander's presence prevented Mattias from following through. He also recognized the questions in her eyes, the same damn questions that had already caused so much friction between them. It was a volatile combination and he forced himself to switch his attention to the window while the miles rolled away under the tires.
He discovered on the way from Leander that there was a situation requiring his attention back in Latvala. Although Leander spoke in the Latvala tongue, the caution with which he spoke and how he phrased his words let Mattias know that whatever was going on, it was serious. Leander would not be swayed, even in another language, to explain in depth. Mattias didn't push; if Leander was adamant about holding back until they were alone, he had good reason.
To assuage Ahsan's query, Mattias informed the men of Cleary and Dean Astbury's tension, and that Franklin Carr had likely blackmailed Cleary to be a distraction at Morano's. The man they suspected to be a hit man—who had promptly disappeared from the manor—probably worked for Carr as well. Another person to be activated should one of the other plans fail. Alannah added little to the conversation, piping up once to confirm there had been discord between her father and Cleary.
Later, once he was alone with Ahsan, Chayton and Leander, Mattias could divulge Franklin's confessions. The topic of using Alannah to lure the Royal Elite into the open wasn't one he wanted to discuss in her comp
any.
It was still dark when the gates opened at House Morano, allowing entrance. Ahsan pulled up to the front near the steps instead of toward the garage, and shut the vehicle down after switching off the headlights.
Mattias exited along with everyone else, coming around behind the SUV to Alannah's door.
“You three go on, we'll catch up,” Mattias said to his brethren.
“Make it quick,” Ahsan said, glancing back. “Her father's here.”
Mattias cursed under his breath at the same time Alannah gasped with surprise.
“He's here?” she asked.
“Thanks for the forewarning,” Mattias said, shooting Ahsan a look that promised retribution. He could have said something during the long drive.
“Yes, he arrived via private jet, and he's anxious to see you,” Ahsan said to Alannah. To Mattias, he merely winked before following Chayton and Leander inside.
Dragging a hand through his hair, Mattias turned his attention to Alannah. He'd hoped for more than a few minutes to talk.
“Maybe we can meet up in the morning, after breakfast,” he said, holding her gaze.
“I don't know what his plans are, but that sounds like a good idea to me.” She paused, then said, “I think you owe me an explanation.”
Mattias knew what she meant. Knew it was coming. “You're here, I'm here, and everyone is safe. That's what matters.”
“It's not all that matters, though. I need answers.” As if she was cold, she folded her arms around her body.
“Answers I cannot give.” Just like the last time.
“How can you say that when your friends there have shown up at the most critical times? Don't you think I can put two and two together?”
Mattias said nothing.
“Well?” she asked, a demanding note entering her voice.
“As I said, perhaps we can meet up in the morning.” This wasn't how he wanted their conversation to go. If he was honest with himself, a conversation about his friends wasn't high on his list of priorities in the first place. Yes, he wanted and needed to question her about what happened at Franklin Carr's estate, but in this moment, he simply wanted to retreat to his suite or hers and spend the next few hours discovering her with his hands and his mouth. To finally give in to the desire he knew they were both feeling.
“So, I don't get anything.”
“I'm sorry, Alannah. I've said before—this isn't something I will discuss in depth.” Mattias was genuinely sorry he couldn't confide in her. At the same time, he knew if he did, that he was just putting himself, the other members, and most of all Alannah in greater danger. Especially now, after Franklin's attempt to discover all the members of the group. It meant that other people in the shadows were probably talking about them, too, and who knew whether a scheming member of society would take offense again at the actions of Mattias and his brethren. All it would take was for someone to suspect she knew anything for this situation to repeat itself.
“I don't know why you're so stubborn about it. Not after I've seen what I've seen, and I know what I know. All you have to--” Alannah's reply trailed to an unfinished end when the front doors opened and several men strode out.
“Alannah! Thank God you're all right. Prince Afshar said you were here.” Dean Astbury, a tall man with a linebacker's build and hair the same color as his daughter, trotted down the steps in her direction.
Mattias took note of the vague resemblance as Alannah, who reluctantly turned away from him, faced her father for a quick embrace.
“Everything's fine, really. I didn't expect you to be here,” she said when she released him.
“Where else would I be after getting a phone call that you'd been abducted?” Dean said. Then, he extended a hand to Mattias. “I hear you had everything to do with her rescue, so for that, I thank you.”
Mattias shook Astbury's hand. “With help, yes. You're both welcome.”
“I can't fathom the reason you're the one standing here and not some random guard,” Astbury said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “But the details will have to wait. Our plane leaves in forty minutes.”
Mattias, using the time crunch to avoid answering the question of why he aided Alannah instead of someone else, said, “A quick turn around, hm? You're not inclined to remain a day or two?”
“I'm not ready to leave yet,” Alannah said at the same time.
Mattias traded a knowing look with her. There was unfinished business between them.
“I'm sorry, Alannah, but I have to get back now that you're safe,” Dean said.
“So send the plane for me in a few days.”
“I'll be flying off and on for the next week, which requires constant use of the aircraft. I'm surprised you would want to linger here anyway after what happened and, I'll tell you now, I prefer you to be closer to home until we find out what this was all about. Until I can be sure this won't happen again. It's harder for me to protect you half way around the world.” Dean glanced toward headlights that flashed on the drive. A sleek, black limousine cruised to a stop near the SUV.
“All right, yes, I understand. Give me a few minutes to say goodbye to Prince Mattias,” Alannah said.
After Dean and his entourage retreated inside, Mattias returned his attention to Alannah. “I don't suspect you'll have any trouble from here on out. Cleary will retreat now that the heat is on, and I'm sure your father will apply pressure in his own way.”
Alannah crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin, all signs Mattias had become familiar with over the last several days.
“Perhaps if I contact you next week, when things have calmed down and father has his assurances, you and I can revisit this discussion,” she said.
“I'm happy to talk about many things with you. But not this.” Mattias ignored the dismay and disappointment on Alannah's features. He could lie, yes, and lead her to believe that he might spill all his truths. The reality of it was that he wouldn't, which would only lead to hard feelings and resentment. Better to be straight right from the start.
“Even to smooth things over with us? Are you so bent on keeping your secrets that you'll just walk away from it all?” she asked, pressing the issue.
Mattias hesitated. For a moment he considered leaving the Royal Elite. Giving up his position within the group so that he might go on to live a more normal life. He envisioned the next year with Alannah, attending balls and galas and going on dates like other men did.
His sense of propriety and loyalty won out. The Royal Elite was in his blood, had been in his blood for longer than he cared to remember. Giving it up meant giving up on helping people who sometimes could not help themselves, though, in his soul, he admitted that he wasn't ready to give up the rush and the thrill, either. He thrived on the mystery, the puzzles, the adrenaline.
Love was not guaranteed with Alannah. They might date for a few months, a few years, and wind up apart. This was still the beginning between them, too new to put a name on.
“I think your silence is answer enough,” Alannah said after searching his eyes. “I do appreciate your help, Prince Mattias.”
Mattias watched Alannah walk away. As strong as the urge was to go after her, the urge to remain in the Elite was stronger. If only she would relent and choose to accept him and leave his secrets alone. Alannah could have it all, he reminded himself.
She simply chose not to.
Mattias pulled a long drink of scotch from his glass. Staring out the window over the grounds at House Morano, he surveyed the sun dappled landscape still damp from the recent downpours. How fresh and green it all looked, from the hedges to the grass to the ferns in pots lining a low wall.
“I said, do you think Franklin will be a problem?” Ahsan asked again.
Brought back to the present, Mattias twisted his shoulders to see Ahsan, Chayton and Leander. The men sat in chairs around a table in various stages of repose. Mattias's suite had been turned into a temporary conference room. After the Astbury's departure,
they had all confronted Cleary about Franklin and learned the truth from Cleary's own mouth. Blackmail was the culprit, as Mattias suspected, although that didn't get Cleary off the hook. The men spent considerable time questioning Cleary to make sure they weren't missing a link somewhere. That someone else hadn't been blackmailed to be a distraction—or worse—as well. Cleary insisted he knew nothing more, and that the men were reading too much into things about the supposed 'hit man' Mattias had followed back to his room. He was just a guest, Cleary repeated, not someone he'd hired to take a shot at Alannah. There was no way to tell if Cleary was lying, considering the hit man had vanished and was unavailable for questioning.
Answering Ahsan, Mattias said, “I don't know, honestly. I laid on Franklin pretty hard, but there's no way to tell if he'll come at us again once he's recovered.”
“Or have someone else come at us,” Leander said.
“Yes.” Mattias agreed that Franklin might resort to hiring someone more discreet, spend more time and money to find out the list of members of the Royal Elite. The threats Mattias expended should be enough to keep Franklin quiet for a while. Should be.
“I don't like having to look over my shoulder, but there's not much else we can do. We'll have to be extra careful with the next few situations that come up,” Ahsan said.
“We look over our shoulder to a certain extent anyway,” Chayton added. “But I agree. A fourth degree of caution won't hurt.”
“Hey, at least we know we're causing a ripple out there. If we weren't effective, no one would notice a thing.” Ahsan picked up his glass for a drink.
“So effective someone wanted a list of our names. It begs the question—just what, exactly, would Franklin have done if he'd rounded us all up?” Leander asked. He popped a piece of ice in his mouth and chewed.
The Royal Elite: Mattias Page 16