That he would prefer to ensure she had a future than hope she survived to have one with him.
What would she do then?
She’d told Kris she wouldn’t go. But if he ordered it as her prince, as her future king, she’d have no choice but to obey.
Except—
The oath. It became a contradiction. She’d pledged to obey him—to die protecting him. She couldn’t do both if his direct command for her safety went against her vow to uphold his safety. She’d have to decide how to best remain faithful to the crown.
Obey his command and break the most critical part of her oath as a royal guard?
Or uphold it at the risk of insubordination?
Well.
That made it easy.
Her chest still stung. That he’d suggested it at all—threatened to pull strings that only he could pull to reposition her—that wound wouldn’t heal easily.
Then it was her turn. She kept her gaze down as she stood opposite Zara, holding a lace cloth over Mark and Ava as they shared an apple and Gul sprinkled sugar over the cloth to sweeten their union. Standing there, she couldn’t even bring herself to scan for Kris peripherally. She’d struggle to stay upright if she saw his tension, his hurt over their impasse.
Light-headed, she returned to her spot and stared at the rest of the ceremony.
The instant it was over, Peter appeared beside her.
“Ma’am,” he said quietly. “The search warrant’s come through. The authorities are on route.”
Thank God. Something to do.
“I’ll meet them there,” she said, ignoring her unease at leaving the boys in the protection of others. She ran a capable team—the brothers would be safe. As she turned to farewell the heartbreakingly happy couple, Tommy stepped into her path.
His attention was fixed on her face. It didn’t waver as she bumped against him and he clasped a steadying hand around her arm. Then he spoke, and the panic and fear and dread that had been building in her all day finally broke free.
He said, “Where’s Kris?”
Kris unbuttoned the navy-blue guard’s shirt as he strode down the cobbled laneway and shrugged it off. He’d waited a few blocks before glancing over his shoulder, and finding no one on his tail, figured it was safe enough to shed the disguise. The warm night air gusted lightly against his bare arms, and if he’d been in any other mood, he would have smiled.
He honestly hadn’t expected that to work.
After his part in the ceremony, he’d put the rope back in his bag in the kitchen and simply hadn’t returned. He’d changed into the guard’s uniform he’d stashed with the rope, put his phone to the side of his face as if in heavy conversation, and walked right out the rear kitchen door into the alley. Frankie’s extra security tonight had pulled in guards from outside the usual team—and focused on any incoming threat, Kris had gambled they wouldn’t think to keep watch for a prince dressed in uniform slipping out into the night.
The guard wedged between the door and the dumpster hadn’t even shifted position.
Kris quickened his pace, shoving the shirt back in his bag. The royal tailor had sewn it for him when Kris had claimed he wanted to prank his brothers and needed a uniform of the royal guard. Almost a month ago now. He’d actually intended to use it to shake his personal security team once they clued in to his woman-around-the-waist tactic, but then Frankie had shown up and the uniform had gone unused.
Until tonight.
Until Frankie had told him about Adam, and he’d packed it without a second thought.
Until he’d bungled his attempt to get Frankie off Adam’s radar. Dismay had dismantled her trust in him right before his eyes, and he’d realized a loophole in her would you rather question—a shortcut that meant he didn’t have to choose at all—and he’d taken it at a flying leap.
He’d find Adam himself.
He didn’t have much of a plan. When did he ever? He’d knock at Zara and Adam’s apartment. If Adam answered, he’d put the rope to good use and call the authorities. If he didn’t, Kris would try the neighbors and ask if they’d seen anything. Good enough place to start.
Reaching Blueridge Crest, he headed toward Zara’s four-story apartment building half a block up the hill. This was the only solution he had. If he could find Adam, he wouldn’t have to get Frankie the hell away from here. This would all be over.