Page 98 of Cooper

“Yes but going rogue isn’t how we do things here.”

“I have to protect Natalia because they might go after her to get to me. Or draw me out.”

“Which is why you don’t run—we face this head on.Together.”

I shake my head. “I have to protect my family in the States too. They don’t have a royal family or personal bodyguards. If these guys know who I am, and they can’t get to Natalia, my mom is probably next.”

“So you’re just going to leave?”

“I’m going back to the military. It started with them, so I have to finish it with them. One way or the other.”

“Will you be back?”

“I don’t know.”

None of us say anything, and I realize I’m letting them down.

They’ve come to count on me, to pick up the slack while they’re still so short-handed, to be one of them.

And I’m walking away.

I made no promises and didn’t sign any contracts, but I can tell they’re disappointed.

I feel like shit even though I’m doing the right thing.

“Wait for me,” Sandor calls out as I head for the door. “I have an idea.”

I don’t know what he can say that will make a difference but I’m willing to listen. He’s become my friend and he’s still my boss, at least for the next five minutes. More than that, I trust him.

I’ll do whatever I have to do to protect the people I care about but I’m open to suggestions on ways of handling it that don’t include dying. I’d kind of like to avoid that if I can.

THIRTY-TWO

Natalia

Cooper wasin a weird mood last night. We made love and then he immediately rolled over and fell asleep, which isn’t like him at all. When I woke up this morning, he was already gone. It’s odd because we like to start our day by working out together, but he’s not at the gym either. When I ask Sandor, he says he doesn’t know where he is, but I think he’s lying. In fact, everyone at the gym is behaving a little weird, and I wonder if they’re mad at me for moving my sister and nieces into the palace, so I mention it to Lennox.

“No.” She shakes her head. “You’re fine with that. There’s other stuff happening, though. Prepare yourself, Natalia.”

“What’s going on?” I demand.

“Please just wait. It’s only thirty more minutes. I shouldn’t have said anything at all, but us ladies need to stick together, so I’m giving you a head’s up. Steel yourself but remember who you are and what you’re made of. Not to mention, what it means to be a Royal Protector.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“I’m sorry.” She meets my gaze. “Remember, we all have your back. And his. That’s all I can say.”

She turns and leaves before I can ask anything else.

My gut instinct is to go to Sandor and demand answers, but if I do that, Lennox won’t trust me anymore, so I practically run back to my room to shower and get ready for the day. I stop by Lucianna’s room and grab Greta so I can walk her to her first day of preschool, and by the time I’m done with that, I’m three minutes late for the briefing.

We have a ten-minute grace period because everyone usually gets coffee and catches up, especially on a Monday. I’d also told Joe I needed to take Greta to school and wasn’t sure if she would cry or not. Luckily, she was excited about the prospect of playing with other kids, so it had been easier than expected.

When I walk into the room, I don’t see Cooper and I start to get a very bad feeling.

Have they sent him on some sort of mission?

Are they going to forbid us to be together?

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