Page 17 of Hiding out with a Royal Billionaire

“Why don’t you tell us what we’re messing with?” Skye stepped closer to Brooks and he was surprised at how comforting it was to have her at his side.

“Meet me in the library on the East side at around midnight.”

Brooks nodded and then Lucan slipped away. He made his way through the crowd and stood at his wife’s side, Queen Anna, of Spain.

“I trust Lucan.”

“I do too. I’m not sure he’s on our side yet, but even still, I trust him.” Brooks laughed.

Then the music started and Brooks smiled. “Excellent timing. I was just hoping for such a thing.”

“Oh me too.”

Brooks let her out to the center of the floor, hoping they would soon be surrounded. He pulled her into his arms. “Wow, it’s like you were made to be right here.”

“I do fit well, don’t I?” She moved closer. “You were right about everything being the same, but meaning more. I must have danced with you a hundred times. But it’s never been like this.”

His arms craved to pull her closer, to cradle her, hold her and then…his eyes flit to her mouth. “What changed?” He shook his head. “I can’t figure it out, but I’m not complaining. Best friend status has just gotten so much better.”

She laughed. “That’s a great way to put it. Cause you know—”

The earpiece filled with the sharp quick sounds of gunshot, then shouts. He wrapped an around around Skye and turned and ran from the ballroom.

“What is it? Brooks!”

A voice shouted into his comm. “I’ve got Blue. Secure the rest.”

“What is going on? Are you wearing an ear piece?” She slowed down and looked ready to put up a fight.

“Skye, hurry.” He tried to run her from the room but she pulled back.

“No, what about my parents? The other people in the ballroom? Is anyone in danger? What kind? Look, Brooks, you are in my house, my people. I have a responsibility…”

“Okay, yes, yes, I’m sorry. Can we please talk and run at the same time.”

She looked like she would turn and head back so he said, “They are safe. Someone is assigned to your parents. The people are going on lockdown in that room. And I’m not sure where the danger is located yet, but they are working on it being contained.” He nudged her. “Can we please keep going?”

Skye ran beside him.And he led her to their safe room, behind the wall in the library. Once inside, she turned to him. “Ok spill, cause this hiding thing isn’t gonna fly for very long unless we have a really good reason.”

“We don’t think anyone else is in danger, but there is a significant risk that intruders might be after you, or more specifically the cross or the gold.”

“I know you’re hiding things. I know there’s so much more to this than you are letting on. And I let it slide because honestly I didn’t need to know, but now my people are at risk, my home, my family. What is going on Brooks, and so help me if you try to placate me with surface level stuff, I’ll know it and it’s not going to fly.”

“I can’t tell you everything.”

‘Can’t, or won’t.”

“I can’t tell you here. We need a safe room.” He held a finger to his ear. “We’re safe.” His face lost some color. “Got it.”

“See, what was that?”

They moved to the folding chairs that had been set up in the room. “I can tell you that the people who are after the cross are surprisingly persistent and brazen. We thought there might be some interruption, possibly a need for more security at the perimeter, but they were able to get on property.”

She gasped. “What? How could they ever?”

“I don’t know. But your security, my security will find out for sure. Lucan also has a team here. And it will be tightened. You can be sure that after today, your palace will be an impenetrable fortress.”

Skye felt more pacified at that thought. At least concern for her parents lessened. “But in all the years since I’ve been born, we’ve never had a security breach of this kind. Are you sure it’s the cross?”

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