Page 51 of The King's Boy

Malloy nodded. "As of right now, that is all I know."

It wasn't much.

"Are you sure Spencer made it to the safe room?"

Malloy nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I want the entire estate on lockdown and then take some men, start at the top and work your way down. I want every inch of the house searched, every single inch. Once it's clear, the men can move out to the grounds, but I want the house secure first."

"Yes, sir."

I almost groaned when I heard a chair scrape across the hardwood floors behind me. I had totally forgotten that I was in a meeting with Borelli.

I turned to face the man. "I'm afraid I need to postpone our meeting for now and I need to escort you and your men to your vehicle."

Borelli's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"There has been a report of an intruder on the grounds and two of my men have already been killed. I think it's safer if you leave."

"You are not worried that I am behind this?"

Well, I wasn't...

"Are you?" I asked.

"No, but I wonder why I wasn't your first thought. It would have made sense from a strategic standpoint. Get you and your men distracted by an important treaty meeting while I have men moving in to take you out."

He was right. That would be a good strategic move. I just didn't think Borelli was behind it.

"The other side of that is another family trying to take us both out while blaming it on one of us. Kill two birds with one stone and blame it on the other guy."

Borelli snickered. "I should have thought of that."

"Does that mean you want to take me out?"

"No, but I would have loved to use that move on O'Donnell."

I stiffened when the man pulled out his gun and checked the magazine. I didn't relax—and then only a little—until he slid it back in the holster under his suit jacket.

"How about we help you clear the grounds while your men clear the house." Borelli grinned. "Kill two birds with one stone."

"I can't guarantee the safety of you or your men."

"Can anyone?"

Not really.

Chapter Sixteen

~ Spencer ~

I was being ushered to a safe room, but my world came to a screeching halt when my bodyguard, the man that had been tasked with keeping me alive, collapsed to the floor in front of me.

For a moment, all I could do was stand there and stare at the man's crumbled form. I couldn't fully understand what had happened. Boden had simply fallen to the floor as if someone had cut the string holding him upright.

There had been no noise, no indication that something was wrong. Nothing. One second, he had been walking quickly down the hallway. The next second he was on the floor.

This wasn't good.