Page 19 of Hiding out with a Royal Billionaire

“They’re not totally wrong.” Skye grunted.

Lucan’s eyes narrowed and looked to Brooks.

“They’re secured.”

“But…”

Brooks’ expression silenced her. She might be irritated. She might have new trust issues, but she knew when to pay attention and close her mouth.

“I can’t really leave right now.” She could, anything she had to do could be done with an internet connection. They had very few public appearances or events that she was required to support this time of year.

Books nodded. “I certainly can’t just go off the grid. You know that.”

Lucan eyed him. “We could send her with a guy from the team.”

Skye shook her head. “Wait, what? No, I’m not going off into hiding alone.”

“Not alone— with a guy.”

“What, like a bodyguard?” She shook her head. “Nope. And that’s crazy. Why would I need to get away and not Brooks. It’s the both of us who are of interest, right? You two are driving me a little crazy that I don’t know what the real danger even is.”

“She deserves to know.” Lucan and Brooks shared some kind of silent man speak conversation and then Brooks nodded. “I was gonna tell her, from a safe house location.”

“Perfect.”

Lucan looked from one to the other. “And now there is the item of the cross.”

“What about it?” Brooks frowned.

“My wife would very much like to have it back in Spanish control. It belongs in one of our big cathedrals, and not strapped to your thigh.”

Brooks eyes widened in surprise but to his credit, he did not touch the area nor confirm or deny the comment.

Things were getting more and more intriguing and more frustrating. She didn’t know why they couldn’t donate the cross back to Spain, or give it up on loan or whatever.

“It would put your people at risk.”

“And it has put her people at risk already. At least we have a place where it belongs and a security system already in place for just such an item.”

“Did it once reside in a Spanish cathedral?”

Lucan stared at her for many minutes and then shook his head. “No. But it did spend time in Spain, a piece of knowledge that the Spanish people guard as sacred. They are very proud of the relics in the cathedral in Mallorca from Pedro.”

“I understand that. When this is all over, I’ll suggest to Skye here that we donate our find to Spain.”

“And until then? Am I to follow you around, guessing accurately as to your next move? Or can we cooperate and coordinate a little bit?”

“I’m happy to cooperate, but I don’t want to see you stepping in heisting things that don’t belong to you.”

“But they do belong to me. To Spain.” Lucan’s voice remained calm, but Skye could tell that the hint of challenge between the two men had definitely amped up considerably.

Brooks nodded. And then the two moved to the door without speaking. And suddenly, Skye felt like she’d had enough of the both of them. “Where can I find my parents?”

“They should be back in the ballroom, sitting in front, I would imagine.” Lucan held the door open.

She nodded to Brooks, to Lucan, and then she hurried out of the library and made her way to the ballroom without them. She knew they must have followed, knew they were keeping close track of her, but didn’t care to be near them, didn’t want to have to talk to them any longer. This whole mess had come as a huge shock, ruined her childhood dream of finding the chest, and might have come between her and Brooks. She’d just as soon give the whole thing over to Lucan. Why was Brooks so bent on keeping it? In the past, a question like that never burned for long in her curiosity, she’d simply asked him. But now, since she’d had no clear answers from him, she didn’t even bother.

She was relieved to see that most of her guests were dancing once again, enjoying themselves and seemed to be mostly unaffected by the break in the party. Her parents noticed her the minute she stepped into the room. As she looked to them, both pairs of eyes waited for her to approach.

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