Royal Mess - Winter Travers Page 0,3

of.”

“If it was so easy to get rid of, we wouldn’t be sitting here right now,” Gambler grumbled.

I stood and adjusted my tie. “This isn’t your problem. I’ll handle it. Royal is coming with me, and you guys can go back to doing whatever it is you do.” I was at the end of my rope with being made to feel like an idiot. I did the exact thing Leo would have. If Leo were sitting here right now, these guys wouldn’t be talking to him like they were to me.

“Marco.” King put his hand on my arm but I shrugged him off.

I turned and nodded to Apollo. “Bring the car to the back. Royal and I will meet you there.”

Apollo nodded and swiftly exited the room.

“You don’t have to leave,” Slider called. There was concern in his voice. That was about five minutes too late.

“I’m sorry things happened the way they did, King. I’ll let you know when everything is taken care of.” I gave a stiff nod in the direction of the table and walked out.

I may not be Leo Banachi, but years of watching Leo work had taught me one thing—never let yourself be disrespected. Even when that disrespect is masked with humor.

“Marco!” King called.

I didn’t turn around.

I had nothing left to say.

This was my mistake, and I was going to be the one to fix it.

*

Chapter Two

Royal

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I rubbed the sleep from my eye and felt the start of a migraine beating in my head.

“I didn’t ask.” Marco grabbed a suitcase from the corner of my room and tossed it on the foot of the bed. “I told you.” He moved to the dresser and pulled open the top drawer.

“Stop,” I called. Did Marco really think I was dumb enough to go with him when he had just gotten my brother murdered? “Don’t touch my things.”

Marco grabbed a ratty old tank top and curled his lip in disgust. “You’re right. I’ll get you new things.” He dropped the shirt in the drawer and slammed it shut.

“You’re not buying me anything, and I’m not going anywhere with you.” I had fallen asleep and had been woken to Marco standing over my bed and shaking my shoulder. “Get out of here. I’ll call for Indiana and Frost.”

My threat didn’t faze Marco at all.

“Get up and put some shoes on.”

I didn’t move from the bed. I wasn’t going anywhere with Marco. “Indiana!” I yelled.

Marco turned and folded his arms over his chest. “They’re not going to help you.”

“Says you,” I snapped. “You probably don’t understand what it means to have friends since you’re just a grumpy old man.”

Marco laughed flatly. “Old, huh?” He shook his head and grabbed the suitcase from the bed. He tossed it on the floor and sat where it had been. “You’re going to listen very carefully to me, Royal, and then you’re going to get in the car Apollo is bringing around.”

“Apollo is here?” I asked. Apollo had been with Marco when he had come to Destin to free me from the Meeks. While Marco had been somewhat cool and distant, Apollo had been more than nice. Hell, on the flight back to Rockton, he had told me about his wife and his two kids. Marco had sat in the seat opposite me and barely spoke a word.

He had a mysterious air about him that had appealed to me in an odd way. At the time, I had wanted him to open up and talk to me like Apollo had. I had wanted to know what made Marco tick and what kind of man he was.

I now knew the answer to both of those questions.

Marco Banachi was a cold, ruthless man who didn’t care about anyone but himself.

“Yes, Apollo is here working for me,” he growled.

“I’m not going with you,” I repeated.

“If you don’t come with me, you and your baby will be dead within the week.” He leaned toward me. “And that would be the best case scenario. Unless, of course, you want to take a trip to Mexico with your boyfriend.”

My skin crawled at the mention of Rider even being my boyfriend. “What do you mean?”

“Do you really think the death of Grit is going to be enough for Biff and Rider? They are coming for what they think belongs to them, and that is you.”

“I don’t belong to anyone,” I hissed. Least of all Rider Meeks. That man was a mistake I wished I could go