Brandishing a Crown

by Rita Herron

  “Sources have revealed that the Prince is due to marry once he returns to his country of Kyros.”

  Jane choked on the coffee, burned her tongue and splashed it on her hand. The hot sting was nothing, though, compared to the sharp pain in her chest.

  “According to King Maximes, Stefan’s father, the prince will wed King Nazim’s daughter, Princess Daria, in a traditional ceremony uniting both their lives and their countries…”

  “No, this cannot be…” Stefan murmured behind her.

  “That…was not supposed to air.”

  Jane swung around and saw Stefan staring at the screen in stunned disbelief.

  Hurt raised her defenses. “What?” Jane asked in a thick voice. “You didn’t want the American women to know you were engaged to a princess back home?”

  STEFAN SWALLOWED, bile rising to his throat. How had this American news reporter heard of Daria and his father’s plans?

  He swung his gaze back to Jane and saw the hurt in her eyes, and his stomach rose to his throat. “Jane, I do not know how this information made it to your press.”

  Her lips compressed into a thin line. “Because you wanted your engagement kept private?”

  “No, that is not it.” He reached for her to explain, but she spun away and grabbed her clothes then dashed into the bathroom.

  He raced after her and knocked on the door. “Please, Jane, I must explain. The engagement—”

  “No need to explain!” Jane shouted through the closed door.

  A second later, the door flew open, and Jane elbowed past him.

  “Jane, please listen,” Stefan said, panic rising in his chest. “I can explain. This marriage…my father, he wants it, but—”

  Jane threw her shoulder bag over her arm. “Stop, Stefan. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

  “But I do. We…us—”

  “There is no us, Stefan,” Jane said matter-of-factly.

  “You had your American fling, I got to sleep with a prince.” She strode toward the door, then pivoted and lifted her chin in that defiant way that intrigued and infuriated him at the same time. “We both know that anything more than a romp in the hay wasn’t in our future. Now, I need to search Osgood’s computer. Maybe there’s information on it that will lead us to Hector’s family.”

  Jane’s declaration reminded him that Hector’s family was still missing. Last night he’d let Jane’s sultry body sidetrack him. What kind of leader was he going to be if bedding a woman took priority over a crisis?

  Stefan scanned the room for his shirt then remembered that Jane had been wearing it and had discarded it in the bathroom. And the gods, she had looked so sexy in it… “Let me finish dressing. I will go with you.”

  “No,” Jane snapped. “Stay here with your security team. This is my job. You’ll only be in the way.”

  Hurt stabbed at him, and he swallowed hard, struggling over a response. But Jane didn’t give him time to reply. She darted out the door and disappeared down the hallway before he could stop her.

  He dug through his clothes for a shirt, but his cell phone buzzed. He checked the number. Efraim.

  His friends needed to be updated on the events of the night before, and he owed them the truth, not Danny Harold’s version, so he connected the call. “Stefan speaking.”

  “Stefan, what is going on? Antoine and Sebastian and I heard a news report about an attack last night against you and Ms. Cameron.”

  “Meet me in the conference room in fifteen minutes and I will explain.” He disconnected, then hurried to shower.

  Jane was doing her job now. Osgood was dead, so hopefully she would be safe. And he needed the answers she could provide with her expertise.

  It was time for him to act like a prince and do his job as well.

  Perhaps he should even consider marrying Daria as his father had insisted. A marriage with her would be loveless, but it would solve his country’s immediate problems and stop this vicious cycle of violence that this trip had caused.

  After all, anyone he married might be in danger in the future.

  But could he relinquish his dreams, his plans, his goals and…his love? Would that not be allowing these terrorists to win?

  Anger thrummed through him as he punched in his brother’s number. He intended to find out exactly who was responsible for leaking the story about Daria. The servant answered, but he asked to be put through immediately.

  “Thaddeus, did you tell the press that I was going to marry Daria?”

  His brother hesitated. “Yes. Father is growing more ill, Stefan, and he needs to know Kyros is secure before he passes. You need to step up and do your duty.”

  “I am doing my duty,” Stefan bit out. “But if I lead Kyros, I will lead it in my own way. And that means bringing it into the twenty-first century, not agreeing to an arranged marriage for business purposes.”

  “There are far worse things,” Thaddeus said.

  He could think of nothing worse than marrying drab Daria when his heart belonged with beautiful Jane Cameron. “As I said, I have my own plans for Kyros.”

  His brother scoffed. “Plans? Look what a mess you have made in America. You, a prince, chasing down pedestrian police officers and engaging in fistfights.”

  Stefan frowned. “How do you know of my actions?”

  “Your security team does coordinate with our men here, Stefan. Now give up this ridiculous summit and come home and make Father happy. Kyros needs to be maintained as the lovely resort it is, not become another oil drilling catastrophe that will invite more distress and crime in the Middle East.”

  Stefan had to count to ten to maintain his patience. He glanced at his clock and realized his friends would be waiting, and he did not want to waste another moment arguing with his idiotic brother.

  “Just tell Julius to find Hector’s family, and to alert me as soon as he does. I must know that they are unharmed.”

  Without giving his brother time to argue again, he disconnected the call.

  Body tense with frustration, he made quick work of dressing, then exited the room. Edilio was standing guard outside his door and escorted him down the hall.

  “My men say Jarryd has been vocal in opposing the summit. They have detained him for questioning but so far have found no link to him, and he denies knowledge of the Perro kidnapping.”

  “Good, maybe we’ll make some headway,” Stefan said. He entered the conference room where Efraim, Antoine and Sebastian all stood anxiously waiting. Fahad had also joined them, both as head of security and coordinator for the individual teams.

  “Stefan, are you all right?” Efraim asked, his face etched with worry.

  “Yes.” Stefan motioned for them to take a seat, and he explained about Osgood’s betrayal and the coercion techniques he’d used against Hector. “Osgood was working with a sniper from the Russian mob, and apparently helped orchestrate the threat to Hector’s family. But someone else masterminded the plot.”

  “Who?” Antoine asked.

  “I do not know yet.” Stefan’s throat went dry. “My people in Kyros are searching for the Perro family now. When they are found, perhaps they can tell us more.”

  “What can we do?” Sebastian drummed his hands on the table. “I am most disgusted sitting here doing nothing while Amir is in need of our help.”

  “I agree,” Antoine said. “We must form a plan of action.”

  Stefan ran a hand over the back of his neck. “We definitely cannot trust the local police.”

  “Even this Sheriff Wolf?” Efraim asked.

  Stefan considered the question. “I believe he is above board.” He paused. “However, we must rely on our own security teams. Have your agents uncovered any suspects from your list of enemies?” Stefan asked.

  “We have not determined anyone specific as of yet,” Fahad said. “But trust me, we are diligently pursuing every possible lead.”

  “Good. Tell them to keep searching,” Stefan said.

  “Is it true tha
t you have agreed to marry Daria?” Efraim asked.

  So they had seen that news segment as well. Damn Thaddeus.

  Stefan frowned. If he went through with the marriage, it meant relinquishing his own plans for Kyros. And he was not ready to accept defeat.

  “No, I have already spoken with my brother, and I will speak to Father shortly.” He only prayed the news did not upset his father to the point that his condition worsened.

  Stefan’s phone buzzed again, and he glanced down at the display screen. Jane.

  Hoping she’d called to apologize for leaving and that she wished to talk, he connected the call.

  “Stefan, it’s Jane.”

  “Yes?”

  “Computer crimes reviewed Osgood’s phone records again, and there’s another number here that we’re questioning. The number is for someone in Kyros.”

  Stefan stepped aside for a moment. Jarryd? “Yes, what is this number?”

  Jane recited the number and Stefan’s blood began to boil.

  “If you don’t recognize it,” Jane said, “perhaps Edilio or Fahad can look into it.”

  Stefan hissed through clenched teeth. “I recognize it.”

  A heartbeat of silence followed. “Who does it belong to?”

  Stefan lowered his head into his hands, sickened at the thought that another person close to him, someone else he trusted, might be involved in this conspiracy, that he might actually want him dead. That he could have killed innocents.

  “Stefan?” Jane asked. “You know who it is?”

  “Yes.” Stefan’s throat felt thick. But it was not Jarryd.

  “It belongs to my brother, Thaddeus.”

  JANE’S HEART BLED at the anguish in Stefan’s reply. His brother had contacted Osgood. And not just once, more than once.

  Which suggested that his brother might have been behind Hector’s family’s disappearance and the attacks on Stefan and Jane.

  “I must go, Jane,” Stefan said curtly. “I will handle this matter immediately.”

  “Stefan, please let me—”

  “Thank you,” he said. “You were right. You are good at your job.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but the phone went dead.

  Jane squeezed the handset, her emotions in turmoil. First, Hector had set him up, then he’d learned that he had been coerced.

  Now to discover that his own brother might have orchestrated the attacks.

  Memories bombarded her. Stefan risking his life to save her. Stefan kissing her for the first time. The passionate way he’d held her in the night. The hungry way he’d made love to her as if she was the only woman in the world. The sultry way he’d murmured her name as if she was beautiful, as if their lovemaking meant something special to him as it had to her.

  When she’d left his room this morning, she’d raced home and tried to shower his scent off of her, but nothing could erase those memories from her mind. Or the memory of hearing that he was marrying another woman.

  She retrieved her shoulder bag and headed for the door.

  She was the biggest kind of fool. She had sworn she wouldn’t fawn all over the royals like the teenage girls, yet the moment Stefan had looked at her, she’d been lost.

  Even if he had wanted her for more than a night of fun, she could never be with him. She would lose herself if she did.

  Tomas poked his head in the door. “Jane?”

  Reality dragged her from her tumultuous thoughts. “What is it, Tomas?”

  “I found something else on Osgood’s phone.”

  Jane dropped her purse and crossed the distance to review the printout in his hand.

  Tomas pointed to an exchange between Osgood and an anonymous source. “Look at this one.”

  Her breath caught in her chest as she read the message.

  Bomb failed. Intended for all the coalition. Move to Plan B.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “What’s wrong, Stefan?” Efraim asked.

  Stefan swallowed back bile. “I have a possible lead.”

  “About Amir?”

  “I am not sure.” Although perhaps his brother had something to do with that as well. Perhaps the bomb had been meant for him, not Amir, all along. Or his brother had decided killing all of them was worth it as long as Stefan died.

  “It is about Osgood,” he said, “perhaps a connection to whoever is holding Hector’s family hostage.”

  “What can we do?” Efraim asked.

  “Let me make a call,” Stefan said. “Then I will update you.”

  Efraim returned to the group, and Stefan stepped aside and informed Edilio of the news.

  “Please phone Julius and ask him to send a team to interrogate my brother,” Stefan said.

  Edilio’s brow shot up. “Prince, you want Thaddeus interrogated?”

  Stefan realized Edilio was waiting to see if Stefan would authorize severe interrogation tactics if needed.

  “Yes.” Stefan forced a calmness to his voice and tried to obliterate images of him and his brother playing together as children from his mind. Of the two of them running through the backyard and swimming in the Mediterranean. Of playful swordfights and fishing expeditions and brawls over girls in school.

  If Thaddeus had Benito killed and orchestrated these attacks, he was no longer the brother Stefan had known.

  “We must find out if he was complicit in the kidnapping of Hector’s family and where they are.” Stefan lowered his voice. “Set up a satellite feed. I wish to watch my brother’s reaction when your men question him.”

  Edilio stared at him now with a worried look. “Are you certain, Prince?

  “Yes,” Stefan said in his most commanding voice. “I will be able to discern if my brother is lying. Now, set it up.”

  His heart hardened. If Thaddeus was guilty, he would order whatever means necessary to unearth the truth.

  JANE SPED TOWARD the resort, debating whether to call first, but Stefan had asked her not to trust anyone, and now she understood his reasoning. Besides, she wanted to relay the disturbing text in person so he could warn the other royals.

  Plan B. What the hell was Plan B?

  Fear made her press the gas pedal to the floor, and she zipped past the ranches and wilderness toward the resort and spa, her heart in her throat as she remembered making love with Stefan.

  And then she’d seen that picture of Princess Daria.

  An exotic creature who would not only look beautiful on Stefan’s arm, but one who would be his wife. She would bear his children. Share his thoughts, his plans for his country, his bed, his life…

  Princess Daria would be the perfect wife and would fit into Stefan’s world.

  Jane would not.

  She belonged here with the cows and wilderness and her crime scenes.

  Tears trickled down her cheeks, a sob escaping her throat. She swiped at them, angry at herself for relenting to his charms.

  And for falling in love with the man.

  Yes, plain Jane had fallen hopelessly in love with a prince.

  A man engaged to another woman, one who would leave her behind with heavenly memories of lying in his bed, sated and aching for more.

  A man who had ruined her for being with someone else because no other man in the world could ever complete her the way Stefan had.

  Stop it, Jane. You’re survived alone all these years. You’ll survive when he leaves and marries the princess.

  Because a princess was the one thing a plain Jane could never be.

  The resort slid into view, a magnificent spectacle in the midst of the wild, and Jane veered into the drive, drying her tears with the back of her hand.

  This visit concerned work and work only. The royals needed to know they were still in danger, that someone else was plotting to kill them and stop the COIN compact.

  She patted her shoulder bag, one hand slipping over her gun. Stefan had been betrayed by Hector, and she had been betrayed by her own boss.

  She’d do anything she had to do to
protect Stefan, even though he would leave her in the end.

  She swung the SUV into a parking place, jumped out and hurried toward Stefan’s cottage. When she arrived, a security guard was staked outside.

  She flashed her ID. “I need to see Prince Stefan,” Jane said.

  “He’s in the conference room with the COIN members, ma’am.”

  She pivoted and raced along the garden walkway to the main resort building, then hurried inside. Security guards for the royals seemed to be everywhere, but she showed them her ID, and they let her pass.

  When she arrived at the conference room, she spoke to Fahad. “I need to see Stefan and the COIN members. It’s urgent.”

  “Prince Stefan is in the adjoining office. The others are inside waiting for him.”

  She hesitated. She could just talk to the others, let them pass the word to Stefan. But that was cowardly, and Jane Cameron was no coward. “I’ll see Prince Stefan first.”

  Fahad gave her an intimidating look, and for a moment, a frisson of fear traipsed up her spine. But another guard walked by, and he led her to the office.

  She spotted Edilio beside Stefan acting as a buffer/guard and strode over to them. Stefan was standing, his posture rigid, his face a stern mask as he watched some kind of live video feed.

  “Thaddeus, you did this,” Stefan said. You tried to kill me and you had Hector’s family kidnapped.”

  Jane froze, her eyes glued to the screen where a man was strapped to a chair in a small dingy room. Two soldiers flanked him, their faces earnest, weapons in their hands. The man’s face was bloody, his clothes torn and soaked in blood as well as if he’d been beaten to within an inch of his life.

  It was Stefan’s brother. She’d seen his photograph in the exposé about Stefan that had aired before the royals had arrived.

  “You should have just agreed to marry Daria,” Thaddeus bellowed. “Then I would not have been forced to take the measures that I did.”

  Stefan clenched the desk edge with a white-knuckled grip, his face raw with pain and rage. “And you should have never told the press that that marriage was on,” Stefan said.

  Thaddeus spit blood onto the scarred floor. “But Daria would be best for you, Stefan, and for our country. You will ruin Kyros with your plans.”