I sensed trouble before I even entered the palaceโs
reception hall, where I heard Prince Nikolai talking in low murmurs. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and though I couldnโt make out what Bridgetโs brother was saying, the stressed pitch of his voice set alarms blaring in my head.
My boots squeaked against the reception hallโs overly polished marble floors, and Nikolai fell silent. He stood in the middle of the soaring two-story space next to Elin and Viggo, the Deputy Head of Royal Security. Iโd memorized every staff memberโs face and name so I would notice if anyone tried to sneak in by disguising themselves as a palace employee.
I gave the group a curt nod. โYour Highness.โ
โMr. Larsen.โ Nikolai responded with a regal nod of his own. โI trust youโre enjoying your day off?โ
Since the palace was so heavily guarded, I was off the clock when Bridget was at home, which was most days since her grandfatherโs hospitalization. It felt strange. I was so used to being by her side twenty-four-seven Iโฆ
You do not miss her.ย I dismissed the ridiculous idea before it became a fully formed thought.
โItโs been fine.โ Iโd tried drawing again, but I hadnโt gotten much further than a few lines on paper. I ran out of
creativity, inspirationโwhatever you call itโmonths ago, and today had been my first time picking up my sketchbook since.
Iโd needed something to occupy my hands and mind.
Something that wasnโt five-nine with the face of an angel and curves that would fit perfectly beneath my palms.
Oh, for fuckโs sake.
I hardened my jaw, determined not to fantasize about my fucking client in front of her brother. Or ever.
โWhereโs Princess Bridget?โ According to her schedule, she was supposed to be horseback riding with Nikolai. But the skies looked ready to pour, so I assumed theyโd called it a day early.
Nikolai exchanged glances with Elin and Viggo, and the needle on my trouble radar inched closer to the red zone.
โIโm sure Her Highness is somewhere in the palace,โ Viggo said. He was a short, heavyset man with a ruddy face and a passing resemblance to a Scandinavian Danny DeVito. โWeโre looking for her as we speak.โ
The needle pushed past the red zone into the white-hot emergency zone. โWhat do you mean, youโre looking for her?โ My voice remained calm, but alarm and anger bubbled in my stomach. โI thought she was with you, Your Highness.โ
Elin glared at Viggo. She didnโt have to speak for me to hear her scream,ย Viggo, you idiot.
Whatever was happening, I wasnโt supposed to know about it.
Nikolai shifted his weight, discomfort sliding across his face. โShe was, but we got into an argument and she, ah, took off while we were riding.โ
โHow long ago?โ I didnโt give a damn if I sounded disrespectful. It was a personal safety issue, and I was Bridgetโs bodyguard. I had a right to know what happened.
Nikolaiโs discomfort visibly increased. โAn hour ago.โ
The anger erupted, edging out the alarm by a hair. โAn
hourย ago? And no one thought to call me?โ
โWatch your tone, Mr. Larsen,โ Elin admonished. โYouโre speaking to the Crown Prince.โ
โIโm aware.โ Elin could take her glares and shove them up her ass along with the stick permanently residing there. โNo one has seen the princess since?โ
โA groundskeeper found her horse,โ Viggo said. โWe took it back toโโ
โFound her horse.โ A vein pulsed in my forehead. โMeaning she wasnโt riding it and she hadnโt returned it to the stables herself.โ No matter how angry she was, Bridget would never leave an animal behind. Something had happened to her. Panic grated against my insides as I bit out, โTell me. Have you searched the grounds, or just the palace?โ
โHer Highness wouldnโt be out there,โ Viggo blustered. โItโs storming! Sheโs insideโโ
โUnless she fell off her horse and is unconscious somewhere.โ Jesus, how the hell had he risen to the deputy security chief position? There were hamsters with more brains than him.
โBridget is an excellent equestrian, and we have a few people searching outside. She couldโve run off to one of her hiding places. She used to do that as a kid.โ Nikolai looked at Viggo. โBut Mr. Larsenโs right. It doesnโt hurt to be extra thorough. Shall we send extra men to check the grounds?โ
โIf you wish, Your Highness. Iโll draw up the quadrants…โ
Un-fucking-believable.
I was halfway out the door before Viggo finished his moronic sentence. Too bad the Head of Security, who was actually competent, was on vacation because his deputy was a goddamned idiot. By the time he finished drawing his quadrants, Bridget could be seriously hurt.
โWhere are you going?โ Elin called after me.
โTo do my job.โ
I picked up my pace, cursing the size of the palace as I sprinted toward the closest door leading outdoors. By the time I hit the grounds, my panic had escalated into full- blown terror. Thunder boomed so loud it rattled the door as I shut it behind me, and it was raining so hard the gardens and fountains blurred in front of me.
The estate was too large for me to search it all by myself, so I had to be strategic. My best bet would be to start at the official horseback riding trail in the southeast corner and go from there, though the rain wouldโve washed away any hoofprints by now.
Luckily, the palace had a fleet of motorized carts to ferry guests around the grounds, and I made it to the riding trail in ten minutes instead of the half hour it wouldโve taken me on foot.
โCome on, princess, where are you?โ I muttered, my eyes straining to see past the thick sheet of water slanting through the air.
Images of Bridget lying on the ground, her body twisted and broken, flashed through my mind. My skin turned ice cold, and the wheel slipped against my sweaty palms.
If anything happened to her, I would murder Viggo.
Slowly.
I scoured the trails, but twenty minutes later, I still hadnโt found her, and I was getting desperate. Sheย couldย be indoors, but my gut told me she wasnโt, and my gut was never wrong.
Maybe she was in an area the cart couldnโt reach. It wouldnโt hurt to check.
I killed the engine and jumped out, ignoring the harsh sting of raindrops on my skin.
โBridget!โ The rain swallowed her name, and I let out a low curse. โBridget!โ I tried again, my boots sinking into the muddy ground as I searched the area near the trail. The rain plastered my shirt and pants to my skin, making it
hard to move, but Iโd weathered worse than a puny thunderstorm as a SEAL.
I wasnโt giving up until I found her.
I was about to move on to a different section of the grounds when I spotted a flash of blonde out of the corner of my eye. My heart tripped, and I froze for half a beat before I sprinted toward her.
Please let it be her.
It was.
I sank onto my knees by her side, my chest hollowing at the paleness of Bridgetโs face and the large, purplish bruise on her forehead. A small trickle of blood dripped down the side of her face, turning pink when it mingled with the rain. She was unconscious and completely soaked through.
A snarling, protective beast rose in my chest with such ferocity it stunned me.
Viggo was as good as dead. If he hadnโt dragged his feet, if someone had fuckingย calledย me and told me Bridget was missingโฆ
I forced myself to push the anger aside for now. I had more important things to focus on.
I checked her pulse, which was weak but steady.ย Thank God.ย I quickly scanned the rest of her for signs of injury. Normal breathing, no broken limbs, and no blood except for the cut on her forehead. Her helmet was askew, and dirt smeared her cheeks and clothes.
The beast in my chest snarled again, ready to rip not only Viggo but Nikolai to shreds for not protecting her, or at least being there for her.
He probably couldnโt have done anything to prevent Bridget from falling off her horseโjudging by her helmet and position on the ground, that mustโve been what happenedโbut the beast didnโt care. All it knew was she was hurt, and for that, someone had to pay.
Later.
I needed to get her to the doctor first.
I cursed again when I realized I had no cell service. The storm mustโve knocked it out.
Standard medical advice said I shouldnโt move an injured person without professionals present, but I had no choice.
I scooped Bridget up in my arms and carried her to the cart, supporting her neck with one hand. We made it halfway when I heard a low groan.
My heart tripped again. โPrincess, you awake?โ I kept my voice even, not wanting to panic and scare her.
Bridget let out another groan, her eyes fluttering open. โMr. Larsen? What are you doing? What happened?โ She tried to twist her head to look around, but I stopped her with a firm squeeze on her thigh.
โYouโre injured. Donโt move unless you absolutely have to.โ We reached the cart, and I set her carefully in the passenger seat before I took the driverโs seat and turned on the engine. Relief flooded my veins, so thick it almost choked me.
She was okay. She might have a concussion, judging by the bruise, but she was conscious and talking andย alive.
โDo you remember what happened?โ I wanted to speed back to the palace, which had an in-house doctor, but I forced myself to drive slowly to minimize any bumps and jerky movements.
Bridget touched her forehead with a wince. โI was riding andโฆthere was a branch. I didnโt see it until it was too late.โ She squeezed her eyes shut. โMy head hurts, and everythingโs blurry.โ
Dammit.ย Concussion for sure.
My hands strangled the wheel, which I pictured as Viggoโs neck. โWeโll be at the palace soon. For now, just relax and donโt force yourself to talk.โ
Of course, she didnโt listen.
โHow did you find me?โ Bridget spoke slower than usual, and the faint note of pain in her voice made my
stomach lurch.
โI looked.โ I parked the cart near the back entrance. โYou should fire your deputy security chief. Heโs a moron. If I hadnโt found you, heโd still have his people searching theย insideย of the palace likeโwhat?โ
โHow long did you look for me?โ Bridget gave me a strange look, one that made my heart twist in the oddest way.
โDonโt remember,โ I grunted. โLetโs get you inside.
Youโre soaked.โ
โSo are you.โ She stayed in the cart. โDid youโฆyou looked for me in the rain by yourself?โ
โLike I said, Viggo is a moron. Inside, princess. You need that cut and bruise looked at. You probably have a concussion.โ
โIโm okay.โ But Bridget didnโt argue when I slipped my arm around her waist and her arm around my neck, letting her use me as a crutch as we walked inside.
Luckily, the doctorโs office wasnโt too far from the back entrance, and when she saw the state Bridget was in, she sprang into action.
While she patched Bridgetโs forehead up and gave her a more thorough check for injuries, I dried off in the bathroom and waited in the hall. I didnโt trust myself not to look at Bridgetโs bruise and cut and not lose my shit.
The sound of rapid footsteps filled the hall, and my lip peeled back in a snarl when I saw Nikolai running toward me, followed by Viggo and Elin. One of the staff mustโve alerted them when they saw me and Bridget.
Perfect.ย I needed to let off some steam.
โIs Bridget okay?โ the prince asked, his face worried.
โFor the most part. The doctorโs checking her out now.โ I waited until Nikolai was inside the doctorโs office before I turned my attention to Viggo.
โYou.โ I grabbed the collar of Viggoโs shirt and lifted him until his feet dangled in the air. โIย toldย you she was outside.
Any damn person with common sense would know she was outside, yet you wasted an hour searchingย indoorsย while Bridget was unconscious in the rain.โ
โMr. Larsen!โ Elin sounded scandalized. โThis is the royal palace,ย notย a dive bar where you brawl with other patrons. Put Viggo down.โ
I ignored her and lowered my voice until only Viggo could hear me. โYou betterย prayย the princess isnโt seriously hurt.โ
โAre you threatening me?โ he sputtered. โYes.โ
โI could fire you.โ
I bared my teeth in a semblance of a smile. โTry.โ
The Head of Royal Security oversaw my contract, but Viggo couldnโt find a way out of his ass if someone planted neon lights marking the way, much less fire me without his bossโs approval.
I released Viggoโs collar and set him on the ground when the doctorโs door opened.
โMr. Larsen, Viggo, Elin.โ If she suspected thereโd been a scu๏ฌe outside her office, she didnโt show it. โIโve finished the checkup. Come in.โ
My anger at Viggo took a backseat to my concern over Bridget as we crowded into the mini clinic, where Bridget sat on the hospital bed. She didnโt look happy to see Nikolai, who stood next to her with a tight expression.
The doctor informed us Bridget did, indeed, have a concussion, but she should recover in ten to fourteen days. She also had a mild wrist sprain and the beginnings of a nasty cold. Nothing life-threatening, but she would be uncomfortable for the next few weeks.
I glared at Viggo, who shrank behind Nikolai like a coward.
I stayed after everyone else left, and the doctor took one look at my face before murmuring an excuse and slipping out the door, leaving me and Bridget alone.
โIโm fine,โ Bridget said before I could open my mouth. โA few weeks of rest and Iโll be good as new.โ
I crossed my arms over my chest, unconvinced. โWhat the hell happened? Nikolai said you ran off after you two got in an argument.โ
Her face shut down. โSibling squabble. It was nothing.โ โBullshit. You donโt run off in anger.โ
Not to mention, Bridget hadnโt spoken to him once while he was in the room, which was telling. She would never ignore her brother unless heโdย reallyย pissed her off.
โThereโs a first time for everything,โ she said.
A frustrated growl rose in my throat. โDammit, princess, you need to be more careful. If something happened to you, Iโโ I broke off abruptly, swallowing the rest of my words.ย I donโt know what Iโd do.
Bridgetโs face softened. โIโm fine,โ she repeated. โDonโt worry about me.โ
โToo fuckinโ late.โ
She hesitated, seeming to debate something before she said, โBecause itโs your job.โ
The question hung in the air, loaded with a deeper meaning.
My jaw flexed. โYes,โ I finally said, my heart doing an odd little twist again. โBecause itโs my job.โ
