Damn it, why couldn’t the man just obey instead of asking questions? Phillip fought down his ire. “My source is none of your concern. Someone targeted Theodore two weeks ago, and I have every reason to think the attacks will only escalate. We can protect him better than he can protect himself at this point. He doesn’t have the resources.”
Still no expression on Kozlov’s face. “Theo has Galen. That’s resource enough.” He straightened in his seat. “It’s against the law for an exile to return. If he sets food on Thalanian land, he would be incarcerated. That doesn’t sound particularly safe, my lord.”
“I know the law,” Phillip gritted out. “I’m prepared to temporarily lift the exile ruling, at least until we can get to the source of these attacks.” When Kozlov didn’t blink, he forced a worried expression onto his face. “For god’s sake, Kozlov, he’s my nephew. I can’t let him die.”
“Huh.” Kozlov finally nodded. “I’ll get a team on it.” He pushed slowly to his feet. “And forgive me, my lord, but I’m not ordering him brought across the border until that exile is rescinded.”
“Don’t forget who you answer to.”
“I’m well aware of who’s in charge, my lord.” Kozlov shook his head. “But I can’t guarantee my men would follow my orders if I gave that one. They were Galen Mikos’s men before they were mine, and on top of that, they like Theo. There’s only so much I can ask of them where those two men are concerned.”
Phillip glared. “I’ll take care of it. Go.”
“My lord. I’ll see to this personally.” Kozlov dipped his head in a move that was barely a bow and walked out of the room.
His head of security couldn’t be trusted. Oh, Kozlov never quite stepped out of line, but Phillip couldn’t guarantee hisloyalty, and that made him a potential problem down the line. Goddamn Theodore and Galen. Between the two of them, they inspired love and loyalty in a way Phillip couldn’t compete with. People who didn’t like Theodore’s posh manners adored Galen’s grittier attitude, and vice-versa.
If he removed Theodore, he’d have to remove Galen as well. The man wouldn’t stop until he found and punished the responsible parties, which would lead him right to Phillip’s door. While he was at it, they might as well take care of the girl in the process. Have the whole thing tied up in a neat little bow.
First, Phillip had to get them all back on Thalanian soil.
The sooner, the better.
15
Meg convinced Galen to watch a movie to kill some time, but it ended and Theo still hadn’t come back inside. She twisted on the couch and watched him through the glass. “Does he do this often?”
“No.” Galen cursed. “He just needs time.”
It was such a man thing to say. Not that there weren’t instances when distance was exactly what a person needed. But Theo wasn’t nursing some restless irritation or letting anger cool or recharging. He was hurting and frustrated and letting him stew would only make it worse. “I think you’re wrong.”
“That so?”
“That’s exactly so. He doesn’t need time to get even more wrapped up in his head. He needs a distraction.”
Galen snorted. “I bet you have a specific kind of distraction in mind, don’t you?”
“In fact, I do.” She started to stand, but stopped when he caught her wrist. Meg looked down at Galen, read the pain in his dark eyes—pain she had no doubt he intentionally revealed to her. “You have something to say.”
“It’s not going to fix anything. Your distraction. It’s going to put a Band-Aid on a gushing wound. Our time is winding down.”
Strange how what originally felt like a gift of limitations had begun to strangle all three of them. Meg had no answers. They weren’t normal people, and they just happened to be sharing the road for the time being. Their destinations stood on opposite ends of the world.
Knowing all that didn’t mean she’d leave Theo to stew in his misery any longer than strictly necessary.
She forced herself to smile, forced herself to let go of the future that was never meant to be hers. “Come on, baby. Let’s go make Theo feel better.”
“I still think it’s a mistake.”
She huffed out a breath. “Your complaint has been heard and registered. Trust me when I say he needs this.” Maybe they all did. The magical night two weeks ago seemed a small lifetime away, and she wanted to reclaim it for herself and Galen as much as she wanted to for Theo. “Come on, Galen. What’s going to happen is going to happen, and sitting here in misery in anticipation for it isn’t doing us any favors.”
He finally allowed her to pull him to his feet. “Did you read that in a book? Because if ever there was someone who obsesses about all the things they can’t control, I’m looking at her.”
“Ha ha. You’re hilarious.” She rolled her eyes. “Yes, I had my life planned down to the barest detail. Didn’t make a damn bit of difference, did it? I still ended up along for one hell of a ride.” Life was messy. She knew it better than most.
But then, so did both of these men.
Meg released his hand and walked to the sliding glass door that opened to the back patio. The sun had lost its battle with the moon, though it took its time sinking low in the sky, begrudging missing out on even a second of its evening. It painted the sky inpinks and oranges and indigo, transforming a beautiful view into something otherworldly.
