Page 111 of Royally Benevolent

He kicked the neatly manicured grass beneath his feet. “I love you, Odette. So does Theo.”

“Would you rather me stay or protect Theo?”

I could tell he didn’t want me to leave. We had no good option.

“Protect Theo.” Voice pained, Wyatt did the responsible thing.

“I will wait until he is finished with presents and then tell him.”

Theo was on his final gift—a remote control robot. It was Wyatt’s gift.

“I will set it up so you can play with it,” Wyatt offered, sounding deflated.

Feeling guilty, I knelt next to Theo. I whispered to him in my mother tongue, knowing he expected that from me by now.

“Sweetheart, I need to go,” I said. “I have an emergency, and my family needs to leave.”

In a sad, baby voice, Theo pleaded, “I don’t want you to go, Odie.”

“I know, my darling. I cannot avoid it, though. It’s the orders I have.”

He looked near tears, which killed me. I gave him a big hug and kiss. “I promise you beyond the shadow of a doubt that I will do something special with you the next day I see you, alright?”

“Okay.”

I kissed him on the cheek and left. I didn’t know that I’d not get to make good on that promise despite fully intending to do so. I’d regret those words for the longest time in the most painful way.

64

BAD TO WORSE

WYATT

The walk to Theo’s first day of his new term at school did not go as planned. I received a phone call from the nanny. She’d fled with Theo because the press were parkedat his school. No longer could they walk there. I sent the driver to pick them up and take them. Theo was a mess since he got to school late. Paranoid, I told Stephen to hire security so that she’d be safe when she picked him up.

Odette and I hadn’t even confirmed we were together, and Theo was already at risk. She’d left early—something that killed me—to spare us this, but it hadn’t mattered. They were out for blood. Photos of the two of us together sold like hotcakes. Worse, pictures of us cosily watching Theo enjoy his party while Rick and his kids played in the background—were worth even more. It insinuated that not only was I with Odette, but we were serious.

Then, by midday, my life got even worse.

Stephen buzzed. “Sir, there is a phone call I believe you will want to take.”

“Stephen, I have no time for phone calls,” I said, not wanting to speak to anyone.

“Sir, it is a police officer from Saint Louis. They say it is urgent.”

My blood ran cold. I couldn’t speak. Everything was fuzzy andswirling. I realised this might be a break in the case. This might be the call I’d waited four years for. This could be it.

“Sir?”

“Patch him through,” I murmured as if in a daze.

“Hello?” I asked as the click signalled the person was on the line.

“Yes, Mr. Worthington?” A woman’s voice asked.

“Yes.”

“This is Natasha Powers, a St Louis Metro PD detective. I wanted to let you know that new information has emerged about your wife’s case.”

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