Page 23 of His Highness's Hidden Heir

He was definitely counting.

Magnus prompted him.

About?

Possible vulnerability. Important. Not yet urgent.

I’m due in New York tomorrow.

I can meet you there Wednesday.

See you then.

“Is that a meeting I can take, sir?” Ulmer asked when he received the request from Vijay’s assistant to firm things up. “I understood all training is up to date with the security team. Your schedule in New York is already very full. If he’s merely pitching—”

“Find room. Tack it on to the end if necessary.”

“We can’t put off the departure time. You’re due in Reykjavík Thursday.”

Outwardly, Reykjavík was a diplomatic engagement. In reality, it was a covert second date between Magnus and yet another woman who did nothing for him.

“Am I correct to assume your meeting with Mr. Sahir relates to Ms. Alexander?” Ulmer pried. He’d been deeply annoyed that her presence at the party in Monaco had slipped through his otherwise Big Brother–level surveillance.

“I’ll let you know once he tells me.”

“Her Majesty will not be pleased.”

“Then don’t tell her.”

Katla was tied up before he left so Magnus was able to skip any stern warnings against seeing Lexi. Ulmer was likely correct, though. Magnus had no doubt Lexi was the subject of their meeting.

Landing in New York, he pushed himself through the meetings he had scheduled, counting down the minutes until Vijay arrived at his hotel suite.

When he did, Magnus brought him onto the terrace where they could have a modicum of privacy.

“This is about Lexi?” Magnus voiced the concern that had been grating in him. “Are there new threats against her?”

“No. Her team remains vigilant, but things have settled down now that she has cut ties with her brother. He faces a defamation suit if her name passes his lips.”

After she had said “my new agent,” Magnus had quietly looked into her settlement from X-Calibur. It was an eyebrow-raising amount, making him think,Good for her.

“And her stalker?” he asked.

“She didn’t want to pursue charges for his presence at the Paris hotel, but he’s now on a no-fly list. He also knows we’re watching his every move. If he tries to sell Ms. Alexander’s likeness, it will trigger another lawsuit. It’s enough of a threat that he’s moved on.”

“Where is she? Europe?” God, he was weak, but he had the sense she’d done exactly as she’d suggested and dropped off-grid to write her book.

“She’s in Switzerland. I’m going to see her on my way back to India. She wants to settle up on the services that you’ve covered, then restructure her arrangement with me.”

“Meaning you’ll reimburse me and everything between you and Lexi becomes confidential.” His gut tightened as he realized his last tie to her was about to be severed. “You mentioned a vulnerability?”

“I did.” Vijay squeezed the back of his neck, betraying uncharacteristic hesitation. “I’ve struggled with how much to tell you. I discussed it with Killian, actually,” he said, referring to the owner of TecSec. “He said he had a similar situation once. In that case, his mandate was to protect the entire family so the ethics were clear-cut. In this case, Ms. Alexander gave me permission to share pertinent details with you, but my problem is that I can’t be one hundred percent certain this detail is pertinent toyou.”

“I am a busy man, Vijay,” Magnus reminded him with a roll of his wrist.

“She asked me to prepare a quote for additional security. For the baby, once it arrives.”

“The—” Magnus had only experienced this complete blankness once before in his life, when Ulmer had said to him,It’s our belief that your father is not your biological father.

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