Page 79 of Regally Binding

She shushed him and closed her eyes again. She placed her hand over her heart like he’d taught her, trying to fix the jumbled thoughts competing for attention. The memory was on the tip of her mind, like when a forgotten word rested on the tongue. Medicine, King, and lies.

“Something fucked up is happening with the King’s meds,” she exclaimed as the memory of Marianne telling the King to take his experimental medication and the separate one of Marianne telling Beatrice that nothing could be done for the King. A wide-eyed Bear was still too scared to speak. The combination of the stress of the party, the alcohol, trying to fit in, and then that bomb had thrown her. No wonder she hadn’t remembered until now.

Liss explained the foggy memories from the party before adding, “It might be nothing, but I don’t like it. I can’t do anything though. I’m not part of the family yet, and no one willlisten to me above Marianne and Alex. And with them close to him, they’re the most obvious ones to be poisoning him,” she said, putting all the pieces together. “But they wouldn’t try to hurt the King. He’s Alex’s dad! No one could do that to their dad.” She was rambling. “What can I do?”

Bear reached into his pocket and held out a piece of paper. “This is from Strike. He got Beatrice’s number from her brother. Maybe she can help.”

“It’s worth a shot.” Liss’s body shook. “You believe I could be right then?”

“Without a doubt. We all know something is off, and you’re more perceptive than you realise.” She was so relieved that he didn’t laugh at her or make her think she was losing it. “Call Beatrice on my mobile. Your burner should be fine, but mine is encrypted as hell. Luke’s hacker friends couldn’t track it, and they got into the Government Comms HQ.”

Liss cocked her eyebrow as Bear unlocked the phone and handed it over. Its wallpaper was of a lake at sunset. It wasn’t a generic screensaver, and she didn’t recognise it.

“My real safe space,” he murmured. “Maybe I’ll take you there one day.”

“In the parallel universe where I’m not a princess and you’re not a bodyguard,” she replied absentmindedly as she copied the number from the paper into the phone.

“Yeah, I guess.” She glanced up. He stared blankly into space, his mouth downturned before he quickly fixed his jaw. “I’ll leave you be while you call her.”

“You trust me not to check your texts?” she teased, hitting the green button to connect.

“There haven’t been any texts to check for a while, and anything from the past wouldn’t compare to what we did last night,” he replied, raising his eyebrows a couple of times as his eyes sparkled.

Heat flooded her body. A royal conspiracy and the possible murder of the King, yet all she wanted was his retreating body, naked and beneath her again.I’m the worst.Liss bit the inside of her mouth as Beatrice’s phone rang twice before going to voicemail.

Chapter Thirty-Six

A couple of hours later, Beatrice still hadn’t returned Liss’s call, and neither had the King. They’d promised to speak today, and she had questions she needed to ask him.

“You okay?” Bear asked from the doorway. When he leaned against it with his furrowed brows and arms folded, she wanted to jump him. How many tugs would it take to make those joggers go from hanging off his hips to pooling at his feet?

“Yeah, I guess,” she replied, her skin flushing as she moved the laptop aside. She’d sent all the invoices and accompanying reports. There was nothing left to do.

“I could hear you grumbling from the kitchen. You were louder than the music,” he teased.

She tapped her foot restlessly against the carpet. “I’m overthinking this stuff with Grandad. Over a few days, he’s deteriorated beyond reason. He has access to the greatest medics available, which means Marianne and Alex can’t do anything.”

“What do you know about these medics?”

“I don’t even know their names. He’s gone downhill, even since I met him. I’ve googled photos of him from the last couple of months, and he’s a bit tired, but nothing like the last couple of days. If how he was at the party is any sign, he might die before Friday. Something is going on, but it can’t be.” Bear crossed the room in three strides and enveloped her in a hug. “I don’t want to lose him.”

“You’re doing well, Liss,” he replied. “Your life has transformed quickly, and you’re keeping your head above water. You’re so fucking strong.”

“Life didn’t give me a choice. I was strong because I didn’t have other options.”

He smoothed kisses against her forehead. “I get that.”

“Talk me through the plan again.”

“Only over treats because you’ve been in this room too long, and everyone needs chocolate chip cookies.” Liss followed him and the smell of sugary goodness to the kitchen.

“Oven fresh and ready to make a princess smile,” he said as he popped on a pair of oven gloves and pulled out a couple of trays of white chocolate chip and raspberry cookies. The kettle boiled as he placed two cookies on a plate before her.

Drool lingered in her mouth as the scent of baked treats filled the space.

“I don’t want you to burn your mouth, so be sure to blow,” he said as he moved around the room like it was his sanctuary.

“Yes, baby,” she replied with a wink that made him chuckle as he continued to prepare the drinks. She broke the cookie into pieces and took a bite. The white chocolate coated her mouth, and she groaned in ecstasy. “You made these?”

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