Page 70 of King

“Are we ever going to get answers instead of more riddles?” I ask in frustration. “When will things get better?”

He pulls me into his arms. “Things are better. I have you at my side. And soon, Zina, all of this will be in the past. I have my men looking into it. We’ll find out what’s going on. It might be my enemies spreading lies, trying to cause conflict inside my kingdom in order to weaken it - or there might really be someone close to me, plotting against me.”

“I don’t like either of those options.” I sigh, resting my cheek against him.

“Whatever it is, we will face it together.” He whispers against my hair.

That night after a hot shower I climb into bed and wait for Giovanni to finish up the meeting he’s having downstairs with his security team.

Nervously, I open the program on my phone that lets me watch the cameras.

Another warning - another ominous threat.

And I still don’t know who is watching us from the outside.

I flick through the cameras, accidentally opening one that has never interested me. It’s near the servants quarters, outside, by the washing line. One the screen, standing near the back door - Santino is talking to Fabio.

“Why aren’t you at the meeting?” I whisper, turning the volume on my phone up so I can hear what they’re saying.

“So, you confirmed it.” Santino sounds worried.

“Yes, there is someone outside the estate accessing our security cameras. They log in almost every day and they’ve been doing it for almost two months.”

“Fuck.” Santino mutters.

“I haven’t told your father yet. He’s the one who asked me to look into it. I was meant to email him the data, but he forgot about it.”

“Don’t tell him yet.” Santino says.

Why wouldn’t they tell him - they have the evidence.

Footsteps coming up the stairs have me closing the program in a panic and dropping my phone onto my lap.

But it’s not Giovanni.

It’s one of the housekeepers.

She walks past the open door carrying fresh bedding for another room.

My heart is racing so much I have to get out of bed. Walking around I do my best to try to disperse the nerves energy.

I open the door reading from the bedroom to the balcony. Outside the air is cool and instantly calms me down.

Standing in the same corner Giovanni stood when he watched me in the pool down below, I smile, remembering how sexy it felt. I love how he looks at me. The intensity in his eyes never fails to set my heart on fire.

I have to tell Giovanni.

I’ll have to tell him I overheard them talking - somehow. But no matter what happens he needs to know the truth. I don’t understand why they would hide it from him. The breeze catches at the edge of my nightie and dances the laces over my skin. I pull it down, brushing my hands over it to smooth it in place.

Tonight.

It has to be tonight.

I won’t wait. I don’t want to keep this secret from him.

As soon he comes back - and I think it’s time to confess that I have the program on my phone too. He will understand why I did it. He has to understand when he finds out I was right all along.

I turn at the sound of his footsteps.

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