Royal Bear

by Candace Ayers

  I would find Grace’s brother and then mate Valentina. I didn’t see another way.

  13

  Grace

  Everyone avoided P.O.L.A.R. house like the plague. Everyone except Serge who was in charge and had nowhere else to go. Even Hannah slept with me in the van as Valentina took up residence in the P.OL.A.R. bungalow with her entourage.

  While Hannah was dispatching at the P.O.L.A.R. office, I worked on my jewelry making and finished the e-book covers I’d been working on. Then I went from new friend to new friend, doing anything I could to pass the time and avoid thinking about Gray and Kon and any danger they might be in. I helped Megan take pictures of a wedding. I helped Kerrigan rearrange the new furniture she and Dmitry had purchased. Heidi let me keep her company while she bartended, and Parker had me attending a birthing class with her while Maxim was on a job.

  It was strange how easily I fit into their friend group. A good thing, too because I needed to keep busy. I was riddled with stress about Gray and hoping Kon was safe. I’d gotten no new information about the search for my brother except that Kon had gone undercover for some reason.

  Just when I thought I was going to snap from the anxiety, Serge revealed that Kon had a line on Gray and they were attempting some sort of rescue. That’s all the information I could pry out of Serge, but at least it was something. They were bringing Gray home.

  Ignoring the warning Kon had given me about staying away from Gray’s place, I went and worked the entire afternoon bagging up trash and hauling out broken furniture pieces, getting his house in livable order. He was missing a few essential items of furniture, things that had been destroyed beyond repair, but Megan came through with some secondhand pieces her neighbor was getting rid of. By the time we finished, his house looked pretty good if I did say so myself.

  All the girls were with me at Gray’s. Since the guys were on an overnight job, they’d decided to hang out with me for the night. Secretly, I suspected they were trying to distract me and take my mind off Gray. And Kon. And Lady Royal-stick-up-her-butthole.

  Hannah had stopped into the P.O.L.A.R house to grab a bottle of wine and a few DVDs. “She’s driving me fucking crazy.”

  Heidi snorted. “Tell us how you really feel.”

  “I feel like I want to strangle her. I’ve never been violent before. I didn’t think I was the violent type, but I changed my mind. She never shuts up and it’s all complaints and judgments. And she keeps calling me human, as though I don’t have a name!”

  Parker sniffed. “If you ask me, any man who’d want to marry her is completely off his rocker.” She suddenly realized what she’d said and her eyes widened as she turned to me. “Sorry.”

  I shrugged. I was curled up in the corner of the couch Megan’s neighbor had donated. “She’s so beautiful, though. Her skin is flawless.”

  Kerrigan giggled. “Makeup. I saw her coming out of Kon’s room the other morning and believe me, most of her face is painted on. She’s got no eyebrows, no eyelashes. Nothing.”

  “She’s still perfect, though.”

  “She’s not perfect, Grace.” Hannah reached over and held my hand. “She’s ugly on the inside and that sort of thing shows through.”

  “No shit.” Megan was stroking Damocles behind the ears to his great delight. “Not a one of us can stand to be anywhere near her.”

  “Evidently, Kon can stand it just fine.” I pressed my lips together so hard it hurt, regretting saying the pitiful words as soon as they snuck out. “Ignore that.”

  Hannah came in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of popcorn. “If Kon is into her, he’s an idiot. What am I saying? Of course he’s not into her. I saw how he was with you, Grace. He’s totally into you. None of us have ever seen Kon act the way he acted with you.”

  “And, just so we’re clear, you’re pretty perfect, too, you know?” Heidi grinned at me.

  “Yeah, but I’m definitely not princess material. I suspect Lady Valentina wouldn’t be caught dead living in a converted cargo van. She probably grew up in a mansion. Maybe even a palace with servants and butlers.” At any rate, the woman was high-bred in every way and knew it. All I knew is the sooner Gray was found, the sooner I could leave Sunkissed Key and put this whole painful mess behind me.

  “Maybe she’s lying. You know, making the whole fiancé thing up.”

  Parker gasped and sat straight upright. “Wait a minute! If Kon’s this Hidden Prince, like the guys said, maybe he has to marry her. Like an arranged marriage. That kind of stuff goes on all the time with royalty.”

  Megan grinned teasingly and did a mock curtsy in front of Parker. “Oh, does it, Your Royal Highness?”

  Parker laughed and tossed one of the new throw pillows at her. “Girl, you better shut it before I stick my royal tiara up your commoner backside.”

  We talked late into the night, but I was exhausted and ended up passing out on my little corner of the couch. I woke up in the middle of the night to find them all stretched out around me. Heidi was on the couch with me, Kerrigan was curled up in Gray’s new-but-used recliner with Hannah. Megan and Parker were on a pallet on the floor, Megan spooning Parker. I almost got my camera for that one.

  I realized with a wave of emotion that I had friends and I was in the middle of my very first sleepover. I felt an incredible loss that I would never be able to explore the feelings between Kon and me. Silly, since we hardly knew each other. But, as I looked around the living room, I knew it would be hard to say goodbye to these guys.

  Heidi stretched in her sleep and shoved her feet into my lap. Someone in the room snored and Kerrigan mumbled something that sounded like the toadstools are singing. A weird little group of friends. I fit in like the last puzzle piece, I realized as I shoved Heidi’s feet off of me and got comfortable again.

  Still, Gray would soon be home, I would soon be on my way, and soon Kon would be committing himself to someone else.

  14

  Konstantin

  Gray Lowe was a pain in the ass. We found him alright. Turned out the rescue mission was a bust, though, since he hadn’t needed rescuing. He’d been voluntarily holed up on a fishing vessel in Cuban waters and he had no intention of leaving.

  Unfortunately, he was a big guy, almost my size, and it appeared as though we were evenly matched as far as combat skills. Just when I was getting ready to pound some sense into him, Maxim mentioned Grace. Learning that his little sister had come looking for him and that it was, in fact, Grace who sent us to find him let all the wind out of his sails and affected him in a way that made me grudgingly respect him.

  After that, he came with us willingly and we crammed into the speedboat that Dmitry had acquired. I knew better than to ask where or how he acquired it.

  On the ride back from Miami to Sunkissed Key, Gray relayed his story about how he’d gotten burned by the agency he worked for. With an especially nasty group of illegal arms dealers after him, and a near-fatal gunshot wound, he’d had no choice but to lay low for a while. He’d been hiding out, healing and trying to figure out a way to get back on dry land without costing several lives.

  After hearing Gray’s story, there was a lull in conversation inside the van as Serge drove us back to the office. I felt eyes on me, several side glances directed my way. And it was entirely too quiet. They guys were pissed at me, and rightfully so. I’d been lying to them.

  When I couldn’t stand Maxim’s gaze burning a hole in me anymore, I turned to meet his eyes and raised my brows questioningly. He spoke quietly. “Why did you never say anything?”

  Aw, fuck. Instant guilt. I rolled my head back, let out a slow breath, and spoke to the ceiling. “Would you?”

  Serge’s scowl was dark as he caught my gaze through the rearview mirror, straightened and shook his head. “Well someone sure as shit should have, Prince Konstantin.”

  “What do you want me to say, Serge? Sorry that I hid who I was because I wanted to be treated like everyone else? Sorry that I didn’t tell you that my fami
ly thinks they’re something fucking special and I have this title I carry around like a ball and chain?” I scrubbed my hands down my face. “It’s not anything I asked for. I am sorry that I kept it from you—all of you, but do you think I would even be here if you knew? Would I have even made it onto the team if you knew that I carried a title?”

  Serge grunted. “Fuck no. The last thing I need is some royal asshole under me.”

  “Exactly.” The van grew quiet again. I wasn’t sure if the guys were silently cursing me to eternal damnation or if they were considering how it might be to stand in my shoes.

  Suddenly, Alexei started snickering.

  I shot him a nasty glare. “Something funny?”

  “King Kon. Kinda has a ring to it. Reminds me of…hmm.. let’s see… a thousand pound gorilla on top of the Empire State Building, perhaps?” At that a few more chuckles before the others joined in.

  “He’s got a face like King Kong,” Roman ribbed.

  “More like King Dong,” Dmitry chimed in.

  I grinned at Dmitry. “King Big Dong, thank you.”

  Maxim snorted. “King Ding Dong.”

  And it didn’t stop there. The guys continued to razz me the whole way back from the port of Miami as Gray watched snickering. I took it, honored to the core of my being to know them. Loyal, brave, friends to the end, these guys were the best group of guys I’d ever known.

  We no sooner pulled the van up in front of the P.O.L.A.R. office when any further talk was interrupted by squealing tires and a wild screech of joy. This elicited a laugh from Gray who was standing beside me on the sidewalk. Grace had pulled her sprinter van up behind us and was up and out of the vehicle rounding it at breakneck speed, the engine still running. She threw herself at Gray, crashing into him with a painful sounding thud that had him groaning.

  She hugged him hard, her arms stretched to wrap around him fully, then kissed his cheeks, her eyes brimming with tears. Gray seemed taken aback by the display, but his shoulders straightened and his chest puffed out, pride evident in his haggard expression. It was clear that he adored his sister.

  She pulled away from him and threw herself at me next. If Gray had been shocked, I was completely blown away. Her arms looped around my neck pulling me close and planting a kiss on my jaw. “Thank you for bringing him home, Kon.”

  Before I could react and keep her right there like I wanted to—with her breasts smashed against my chest and her soft curves pressed against me like they belonged there—she’d pulled away. That quickly. Standing in front of Gray again, she reached up and slapped him. “Do you have any idea how much you scared me? You have some nerve, Gray Lowe. I should kick your ass for this. I thought something had happened to you. I thought you’d gotten caught in someone’s trap again, or shot. I thought you were…”

  Gray winced and wrapped her in a hug as her voice started to crack. “I’m sorry, Gracey. I’m sorry I scared you, but I’m here and I’m okay.”

  “Are you going to tell her you did get shot?” Alexei chuckled.

  Grace pulled back with horror written all over her face. “You were shot?!”

  I rested my hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “Why don’t we go inside and talk there?”

  She shrugged my hand off, and the attitude of gratitude she’d shown me earlier evaporated in thin air. “Your fiancée is inside and she doesn’t really like me, not that I blame her. I think I’ll take my brother home. Thank you for finding him. I’ll get the bill from Serge and settle it.”

  I’d told her several times that I’d take care of the bill. It was a clear dismissal and not at all something I was willing to accept. Not yet. First, I had some explaining to do to her—apologizing, actually. “I’ll drive you both home.”

  “Prince Konstantin?” A high-pitched, whiny voice pierced my eardrums, and then I caught waft of perfume that smelled like a cross between cabbage and cat piss. My dick shriveled. “It’s about time!” Valentina. The woman clicked her stilettos over to me, flashed a sickly sweet fake smile and ran her hand up my bicep.

  Grace’s eyes flashed pain—only for a split second, but I saw it—before her gaze moved back to Gray. She cupped her brother’s face and sighed. “Let’s get you home, big brother. You can get cleaned up and then tell me what exactly happened to you.”

  Serge cleared his throat. “Things aren’t completely wrapped up, Grace. Your brother is still in danger.”

  “What?” With wild eyes, she suddenly shoved Gray towards the office. “Get inside, then. What are you doing, standing out here, in the open? Jesus. Do you want to get shot again?”

  Gray laughed and hugged her to his chest again. “Relax, Gracey. Your new pals here are going to help me clean up my mess. For now, I’m fine. We can go back to the house and talk.”

  “That’s right. I’ll have someone outside guarding the house at all times at least until your brother’s 100%. You’ll be safe there. We’ll be keeping watch.” Serge smiled at her and then shot me a look of annoyance. “Kon, why don’t you take care of your business?” He nodded at Valentina.

  “Yes, Konstantin. We have lots of plans to make.” Shiny pink fingernails landed on my shoulder and tugged. “We have lots of things to do. Including getting to know each other a little better.”

  Grace stiffened but kept her gaze on her brother. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Serge followed them. “I’ll come for first watch. According to Hannah you ladies spent some time at Gray’s house.” Serge growled lightly. “I believe you were told to stay away from the place without one of us there.”

  Gray just watched his sister with a proud smile on his face. “I wouldn’t get on her bad side, man. She has the face of an angel, but she’s got mad combat skills. She could take any of us down if she had to.”

  Valentina scoffed. “A weak little human? That would be the day.”

  I turned to her and frowned. “Lady Valentina, please wait inside.”

  Grace was already leaving, though. When I glanced back, she was fussing over Gray, getting him into the van and buckling him up as though he wasn’t capable of doing it himself. He was allowing her to fuss, watching with an amused grin.

  Serge gave me a pointed look. “We’ll talk later.”

  “I’ll come by the cottage.”

  Serge’s eyes shifted from Grace to Valentina and back. “I don’t think that’s the best idea.”

  Valentina grabbed my arm again. “He’s right. You’re a prince, Konstantin. You’re going to be king soon. You’re better than this running around, tracking people down, playing some god-awful military bad boy.”

  The guys gave me a disgusted look as though Valentina was my fault, and filed inside the office. I was stuck there, Valentina was still grasping my arm. She was wrong. I wasn’t better than any of these men. I’d spent several years with them, knew who they were, and was honored to be among them and accepted by them.

  I stood there a few more seconds watching as Graces’ van, Freebird, backed up and pulled out onto the road.

  15

  Grace

  All the anger I was feeling toward Kon vanished the moment I witnessed his reaction to Valentina. While she clutched him and stroked his bicep, the man looked as though he was seriously thinking of chewing his own arm off. That was definitely not the reaction of a man whose betrothed showed up for a surprised visit. Not if he was in love—or even like. I had no doubt Kon was either.

  The whole thing made me hurt for him. I wasn’t sure what was worse. Granted, watching him sweep her into his big arms and welcome her with a passionate kiss would have sucked donkey balls, but watching him cringe and recoil at her touch? Damn. Poor guy. Parker was right. The engagement couldn’t have been his choice. Not that I forgave him completely, I mean he could have said something, but I was beginning to better understand his actions.

  “I figure we can get some rest tonight and I’ll start packing up in the morning.” Gray stared at me over the cold beer he’d been chugging, pulling me
out of my thoughts. I glanced at the door. Serge was outside somewhere standing guard.

  “It’s still not safe here and I’m in no condition to be battling anyone. I like Sunkissed Key, but it’s time to move on.” He flashed his boyishly charming grin.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned. “Who’s after you that you think you and the polar bears can’t handle?”

  He sighed as though he knew the question was only a matter of time and he was surprised it took this long for me to ask. “I was undercover with a small time weapons dealing operation when my cover was blown. They supply a big time drug cartel. I have enough on them that they’re probably not just gonna throw their hands in the air and say, ‘Oh well.’ They’re not done with me. And, it’s not that I don’t think P.O.LA.R. can handle ‘em. It’s that I don’t think it’s worth it, Gracey. Not when I can just disappear. It’s one thing you and I know well, right? It’s what we do.” He gave me that crooked half-grin that Gray used to charm the heck out of women of all ages. I’s seen it work on everyone from schoolgirls to 80-year-old great-grandmas.

  “Yeah, but we don’t hide out from each other.”

  Gray winced. “Sorry. I would’ve emailed you as soon as I healed a little more. I was only in hiding to give myself time to get over the wound.”

  “They’d still be after you, though.”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time, baby sis.”

  I scowled at him, the shiny newness of having him home safe was beginning to wear off. “Who are you?”

  “Come on, Gracey. That’s not fair.”

  “Isn’t it? I feel like I don’t know my own brother. You work for the government? You’re some spy?” I shook my head. “I thought you were doing illegal stuff this entire time. I thought you were…like Dad.”