“But…” I blinked away more tears, hanging on to what was left of my pride by refusing to completely break down in front of him.
“Yeah, she’s ready,” he said, and I realized he was speaking into his earpiece. “What? No… I’ll find out.” He turned to me, his eyes narrowing. “Where is Kostya?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t spoken since yesterday morning.”
“His room is empty and his wallet, phone and backpack are gone.”
Oh, Kostya, what have you done? I thought miserably.
“I don’t know,” I whispered sadly. “I swear to you on everything holy, I don’t know.”
“Well, rest assured, I’m going to find him and I’m going to find out exactly what you did or didn’t do.” He turned to go and I whispered his name, making him pause.
“Please, I don’t know what’s happening, but don’t take this out on my parents. They have nowhere to go…”
“Your parents are welcome to remain at the inn—and continue working there—until we’ve completed our investigation. At that point, we’ll reassess.” He opened the door and walked out just as Natalia came in.
She looked sad, as if she’d been crying, and didn’t look at me as she said, “I’m here to watch you pack. Can you get started, please?”
“Natalia? Are you okay?”
She turned to me with such a look of icy-cold fury, I almost took a step back. “Am I okay? No. I’ll never be okay. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Logan and I were—” She cut off and abruptly turned away. “Get your suitcase, please. I have other things to do, including choosing the suit he’s going to be buried in.”
“You and Logan?” I said softly, my heart breaking for her. “Natalia, you have to believe me, I had nothing to do with—”
“If that turns out to be true, I’ll be the first to apologize, but right now, I can’t even look at you.”
I didn’t know what to do other than grab my suitcase and start throwing my things in it. All my wonderful new clothes and shoes, the jewelry I’d bought in Greece, even my new computer. I paused after putting it in my bag. Then I took it out again and laid it on the bed. “I don’t have anything to hide,” I said to her. “The Protectors are welcome to go through my computer.” I threw my toiletries and the handful of things I’d collected over the last few weeks into the suitcase or my purse and slid my feet into sandals. “I’m ready.”
“Xander is driving you to the inn. You’re to stay there until we contact you.” She walked out ahead of me and Xander was there waiting. Unlike Sandor and Natalia, he looked more upset than angry, and he took my suitcase from me as I came out.
“Morning,” he said softly.
“Morning.” I was still in tears and finding it harder to hold them in.
He didn’t say anything as we took the elevator down to the lower level where the garage was. Luckily, we didn’t pass anyone I knew because I didn’t think I could take anymore animosity, and I got into the SUV without saying a word.
“You okay?” he asked as we pulled out.
“I’m not even a little okay,” I whispered, swiping at my eyes.
He handed me a tissue. “If it makes any difference, I believe you.”
“You do?” I turned to him in surprise. “Why?”
“I don’t know. Just a gut feeling, I guess. You and I, well, we kind of bonded that night you helped me after I’d been beaten. I feel like I know you on a different level than everyone else, you know? Elena is Elen’s and my goddaughter, and you’ve saved her twice. I don’t know what’s going on, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to figure out what really happened. Can you tell me anything at all?”
I shook my head. “I swear to you, Xander, on my life, I don’t know what they’re talking about. I haven’t been involved with the Brat, I don’t know what Kostya is up to, and I’m terrified for my parents… If the king puts them out, we’ll be on the streets!”
“I know, sweetie.” He reached over to squeeze my arm. “Between Axel and me, I’m sure we’ll think of something.”
“I haven’t spoken to him yet,” I sighed. “I’m hoping he has an idea.”
He hesitated. “I think you should prepare yourself, Solange.”
“For what?” I asked in confusion.
He stared straight ahead, not looking at me at all. “Axel is in a terrible position.”
“Because…?”
“Because he’s a Royal Protector and his first, second and infinite priorities are the members of the royal family and his fellow Protectors. One of us died, so he has no choice but to side against you until this is sorted out.”
“Side against me?” I stared at him. “But I haven’t done anything! You’ll find that out when you investigate. And if Axel thinks I’ve done this, that I’m capable of something so horrible, then there won’t be anything for us to sort out from a personal perspective.”
“I hope you don’t mean that,” he said. “I consider you a friend and I’m going to try to help, Solange, but you can help yourself by telling me anything you can think of.”
“There’s nothing to tell!” I cried in frustration. “I don’t know anything, I was never involved in the Brat, and I’m in love with Axel, so why would I do something that would tear us apart?”
“What about Kostya?” he asked.
I was quiet for a moment. If someone had truly orchestrated the attack and it wasn’t just bad luck that Logan and I were there when the Brat had shown up, it was probably Kostya. I couldn’t say that out loud, though. He was still my baby brother and I would protect him until I knew something one way or the other.
“I don’t know,” I said finally.
He pulled up in front of the inn and got out, taking my suitcase from the back. “I’ll be in touch, okay? Try to hang in there until we figure this out.”
I managed a nod and then he was gone.
I stared at the SUV as it disappeared down the street, pulling out my phone and hitting the speed dial button for Axel. It rang four times and I thought it was going to go to voicemail when his deep, quiet voice came on the line.
“Hey.”
“Do you believe them?” I asked without preamble.
“Do I believe them about what?” he asked in the most monotone voice I’d ever heard him use.
“All of it. Any of it! That I’m part of the Brat, that I had something to do with Logan’s death…”
He didn’t respond. “Solange, I don’t know what to believe. I don’t want to, but there’s a lot of circumstantial evidence.”
“You believe it?” I whispered. “That I’m capable of something so terrible? Is that who I am to you?”
“I’m not sure I know who you are anymore.”
If my soul had been a tangible object, it would have just been shattered into a million pieces. The pain was so intense I had to squeeze my eyes shut to breathe. It was as though he’d physically struck me, and I sank to my knees on the grass, hanging my head, unable to formulate a response.