ROYAL
EXECUTION, THE FINE DETAILS
Watchingher cry tore me to pieces. My wolf is the only thing holding me up at this point. I don’t bother going back in to say goodbye to Valor and Antonella. They have their own life to live, and I’ve got work to do.
I don’t remember driving home. I only remember walking down the stairs into my lair.
Leticia didn’t want me to marry her, but she’s not thinking clearly. It’s a shock to the system. I heard who they’re going to marry her to. I know what he’s like. I won’t let that happen. Steffano killed his last two wives. Everyone knows it, but no one has been willing to prove it. For fear of repercussions or something else, I don’t know.
I won’t let the beautiful, full-of-life Leticia be pulled into that sort of darkness. I won’t let her fall into a wakeless slumber, locked in a tomb in Italy. She’s too bright and too beautiful.
We’ll fight to protect our mate.My wolf hunkers down for what is going to be a long night.
I get to work, starting with marrying us on paper. Leticia may have said no, but I’m pretty sure there’s a rule that says you’re not allowed to make big decisions under duress.
Having your whole life uprooted and being married to a murderer counts as duress.
The first order of business is turning on herphone’s GPS tracking and enabling backdoor access to get locational tracking every six minutes. It’s a few clicks of the mouse.
Gregorio and Berto might not be shipping her off to Italy tonight, but they will soon enough, and I want to know the second she moves.
Suitcases.My wolf points out that her two suitcases packed with clothes are still sitting in the seating area.
I pick up my phone and take a picture of them before sending it to Leticia.
Royal:
Missing these?
The dancing dotspop up on the screen as she types a message.
Leticia:
The driver doesn’t want to come get them tonight. We’ll send a car to pick them up. Do you mind packing up for me?
Don’t mindif I do.I walk over to my tech closet first and dig into the back before pulling out two identical token trackers. Then I grab a few pin-sized ones for good measure.
Royal:
I’ll have them packed and ready for the driver to pick them up at the house. But I would much rather haveyou here with them.
Isit emotionally manipulative to say shit like that?I dislike that message the more I read it, but it’s sent and seen, based on the viewed icon next to it, so there’s no taking that one back.
Leticia:
It’s just not meant to be. There’s already a Cavanagh and D’Medici truce in place. They don’t need us to be together too.
I’m sorry, Royal.
My wolf is howlingwith heartbreak at that last text. But I push through it. I place the first two trackers, one in each suitcase, past the lining and tight against the frame. These will make it through airport security without a problem. She’ll never be any wiser.
With the pin trackers, I’m a little bolder. One I shove into her toiletries bag, and the other into the insole of one of her penny loafers. Do I think she’ll take the shoes to Italy? No. But she should for sure take the toiletries.
None of this is as good as being with her, but they’re just a precaution if I lose sight of her.
I walk into my bedroom and pull up the tracking information and the video feeds of Casa D’Medici.
Then I sit down and stretch, settling into my chair. It’s only three in the afternoon, but this could take a while.
