Was he a target? Was his mother? His father? Alistair? He paused on Alistair, recalling their conversation. It had been an accusation, and Alistair had known it. His brother’s reaction had not been what Asher would’ve expected from a murderer; Asher’s words had singed him.
“Ash, I’m here,” Jesse said.
Asher shook his head.
Why him?
Who had something to gain by hurting Noah?
He had considered that someone may have mistaken Noah for Asher and pushed the wrong person down the stairs. Either Noah had been the target all along, or the murderer had needed to tie up a loose end and had killed Noah, worried he’d eventually remember who had pushed him and talk.
Asher’s head began to throb, and he rubbed his temples in a hopeless attempt to ease his pain. He wanted something to take away the pain, and without thinking, he went to the living room and found a bottle of vodka. He removed the seal and drank straight from the bottle, letting it burn his throat. It felt good, but it wasn’t enough to help. He wanted to forget, even if just for a few minutes, so he poured more vodka down his throat—almost bringing it straight back up. He put the bottle away.
He needed something stronger, something better.
Abi.
Asher grabbed his phone and dialed her number.
“Hey,” she answered.
“Are you home?” he asked, his voice raw.
“Asher, what’s wrong?” she asked without pause.
“Are you home?” he repeated.
“No, I’m at a meeting,” Abi said.
Asher wanted to leave. The palace felt suffocating, and he didn’t want to be there without Noah. He could barely remember life before Noah came to live in the palace. He wanted to be away from it all. He wanted to forget.
“Asher, what’s wrong?” Abi asked.
The words caught in his throat, and he felt like it was closing. He realized his hands were shaking. He poured more vodka down his throat.
“I’m sorry, I . . .” He was about to hang up when he heard her speak again.
“Wait. Wait! What’s wrong, Asher?” Abi asked.
“Noah . . . Noah’s . . .” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. He wiped the tears from his eyes.
“What’s wrong with Noah?” she asked gently.
“He’s . . . He’s dead, Abi,” Asher finally said.
He heard her suck in a breath. “How?” she asked, her voice a rasp.
“The fall. We’re assuming it’s a complication from the fall,” Asher lied. Even in the state he was in, he knew better than to tell her official palace secrets, especially when they potentially involved murder. Asher wondered if there was a chance Noah had died of natural causes. He hoped that was true, but his gut told him something very different.
He shouldn’t have called Abi. He shouldn’t be talking to her about this, not until an official statement had been released—but she’d been the first person he thought to contact.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have called,” Asher said. He took a step backward and a chair crashed to the ground.
“Where are you?” Abi asked.
“Home,” Asher said.
“Okay,” she said softly. “Slow down, breathe for a minute.”
He did, because he didn’t know what else to do. He couldn’t think straight. His emotions were wild, alternating between fear, anger and sadness, like someone was flicking a light switch.
“He was a good person. This shouldn’t have happened . . .” His voice trailed off, he didn’t know what he was saying. He poured a full glass of vodka and tipped it down his throat.
“I know,” Abi said. “I’m so sorry, Asher. I know how close you were.”
Asher nodded, unable to respond, but Abi gave him time. She stayed on the line, as if waiting for him until he was ready to speak. It felt like hours, but it was surely only minutes.
Asher felt numb. Empty. He didn’t want to see Noah’s limp body flash in his mind, so he drank more vodka, pushing the bottle away only when it was empty.
“Can I help in any way?” Abi asked.
“Thank you, but no,” Asher said. She could bring him another bottle, but other than that, Noah was gone and there was nothing anyone could do to bring him back.
He wanted to see her, but even if she’d been home he knew he wasn’t in a state to drive. He looked at the empty bottle on the table and could barely read the label. It was all hitting him at once.
And he couldn’t bring her to the palace, not tonight. Asher knew Jesse wouldn’t be letting anyone in or out—not unless they were coming to pick up Noah.
Asher squeezed the bridge of his nose as hot tears stung his eyes. His vision blurred, and he felt like the walls were shifting.
“Abi, I have to go. I’ll call you later,” Asher said brokenly.
“Okay, call me anytime. I’m sorry, Asher. I’m so sorry.”
“Goodbye,” he said before ending the call. He stood, swayed, and knocked over the dining chair before he stumbled to the couch.
The last thing he remembered seeing was the living room door opening.
Abi
Abi brought her knees to her chest. Her heart ached for Asher. His pain was threaded through every word he’d spoken, even those he’d slurred. She wondered if she should do something, but who would she call? He’d said he was home, at the palace, so there would be someone around to check on him. She assumed he’d been drinking, but maybe it was just grief and exhaustion. Abi knew what that felt like.
She debated whether she should call him again, but she didn’t. She was removing herself from this relationship, not digging in deeper. She’d lied to him tonight. She hadn’t been at a meeting; she was at her apartment, in her bed. She felt horrible that the night he’d needed her—needed someone to comfort him—she couldn’t be that person.
She thought of Noah again, picturing his face. She hadn’t known him that well, but he’d seemed like a good guy. Rachel would take the news hard. Noah had ended their relationship months ago, but Abi knew that had hit Rachel harder than she’d admitted. She loved him, but that love hadn’t been reciprocated.
And now he was gone.
Abi sent a text: Hey, are you home?
Rachel: Sure. What’s up?
Abi: I’m on my way. I’ll see you soon.
She wanted to break the news to Rachel herself.
Abi took the elevator down to the ground floor. Her car was parked in the basement, but Rachel lived only two blocks away.
Abi was one block from Rachel’s when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She looked over her shoulder, quickening her pace—but there was no one behind her.
She saw a black sedan at the end of the street, but it was too dark to see if someone was inside.
She walked faster. She could see Rachel’s building ahead.
Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the faint echo of footsteps. She darted across the road, causing an approaching car to slam on its brakes, making a screeching noise ring through the night.
She held her hand up, apologizing. Abi looked over her shoulder again, but she appeared alone. She shook her head, wondering if she was imagining it. Regardless, she ran the short distance to Rachel’s apartment.
The doorman opened the door for her, but he wasn’t the usual doorman.
“Hello,” he said. Abi was sure she’d seen him before, but she couldn’t place him.
“Evening,” Abi said without stopping to make idle chitchat.
She dug through the memories in the back of her mind. She had definitely seen this man before.
“Excuse me! We have a new log system,” he called after her. “You need to sign in and out.”
Abi stopped, turning to face him. “Really? I’m here all the time,” she said.
He shrugged. “Management’s orders.”
“I haven’t seen you before. Are you replacing Jason?” she asked. Abi loved Jason and hoped he wasn’t retiring.
“No, just cove
ring a shift,” he said as he passed her an iPad.
She signed as Kate Jones and flashed one of her many forged licenses.
“Thank you, Kate,” he said with the hint of a smirk.
“May I enter now?” Abi asked, hastily. The new guard, the change of protocol, his smirk . . . It all made her uneasy.
“Of course,” he said. ”Have a good evening.”
A man walked into the lobby, and as Abi waited for the elevator, she watched the new doorman repeat the process with this man, who looked about as impressed as Abi imagined she’d looked at having to sign in.
Abi exhaled a shaky breath. She’d been extra cautious since the attack near the border.
Who are you?
She remembered his face—and she’d never forget his voice.
The elevator doors opened, startling her. She jumped before recovering quickly and stepping inside. As the doors closed, she didn’t miss that the doorman was watching her.
She willed the elevator to hurry to the safety of Rachel’s apartment.
When she stepped out of the elevator, Abi could hear the sounds of Lenny Kravitz echoing through the hallway. She banged her fist on Rachel’s door.
“I don’t know how your neighbors don’t hate you,” Abi said when Rachel opened the door.
“The music?” Rachel asked lightly. “They all love Lenny, especially the lady at the end of the hallway. She asked me to play the music louder.”
Abi scoffed. “That’s so you get evicted. She’s fooling you,” she said, but her mind was still on the new doorman.
Rachel laughed, closing the door behind Abi. “You lie, she loves me. She brought me cookies this morning.”
“Maybe they’re laced,” Abi suggested.
Rachel smacked her shoulder. “She’s the sweetest old lady you’ll ever meet.”
“Yeah, they’re the ones you have to watch. The ones you least suspect are the most dangerous.”
Rachel shook her head. “So, what prompts this visit?”
Abi’s smile fell and Rachel didn’t miss it.
“Let’s sit,” Abi said, walking toward the couch. “I received a phone call from Asher earlier. I could tell he was distressed before he’d said more than a few words.”
Rachel’s eyebrows threaded together, confused, but she waited for Abi to continue without interrupting.
“I don’t know how to tell you this,” Abi said, taking her friend’s hand. “Noah had . . . a fall a few days ago. There must’ve been complications—Asher was vague on details—but Noah passed away tonight.”
Rachel’s face crumpled and turned ashen. “No,” she said, barely a whisper.
“I’m sorry,” Abi said quietly as she squeezed Rachel’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“He’s young, he’s healthy. What kind of complications?” she demanded, her voice shaky.
“I don’t know,” Abi said. “I don’t think Asher knew. Maybe they’re waiting on confirmation from one of the royal doctors. He really didn’t give me any details at all. And I didn’t push him for any. He wasn’t in a good state.”
Rachel bent over like Abi had just kicked her in the stomach. “I just . . . How can he be gone?”
Abi pulled her in, hugging her friend and providing comfort in the only way she knew how.
Rachel succumbed, and within minutes Abi’s sweater was wet with tears of grief. Abi knew they were the hardest tears to bear.
“I never stopped loving him,” Rachel whispered, and Abi knew that was true.
“I’m here for you,” Abi said.
She held her friend until Rachel pulled back, using her sleeve to wipe her eyes.
Abi grabbed a box of tissues from the kitchen.
“Is my mascara running?” Rachel asked.
“You’re not looking great,” Abi joked, trying to make her friend smile.
Rachel gave her a half smile, and that was good enough. Rachel sighed heavily. “How is Asher? They were so close.”
Abi filled her in on the telephone conversation.
“He’s going to take it hard,” Rachel said.
“It’s going to be hard for all of the royal family,” Abi said.
Rachel sighed. “Asher will need some support now. I don’t know if he had many friends beside Noah. And Alistair will hardly help him through this.” She paused. “I think being a royal is probably a very lonely life. You know what it’s like to come from a powerful family.”
Rachel opened her mouth to speak, but Abi’s phone rang. Her pulse raced as she looked at the number.
“Abi speaking,” she said quickly.
“Abigail, this is Matthew from Lawson Security. Your home alarm has been triggered. Can you please confirm if you’re on site and this is an accident, or—”
“I’m not home. Send a car to investigate,” Abi said.
“We’ll call you with an update,” Matthew said before ending the call.
Abi loaded the security cameras on her phone app. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw two masked men inside her apartment—Abigail Bennett’s apartment. She felt sick as she helplessly watched them ransack her belongings. The longer she watched them, though, she became convinced they weren’t there to rob her. They were looking for something.
Their faces were covered and they were wearing all black. Abi couldn’t see anything identifying on either of the men.
“What are they looking for?” Rachel asked, watching the screen with narrowed eyes.
“I don’t know,” Abi said.
“You’re staying here tonight,” Rachel said resolutely.
Abi’s thoughts strayed to the man downstairs.
“No, something is off about your new doorman. Pack a bag, we’re both leaving town for a few days,” Abi said, returning her attention to the video surveillance playing on her phone.
The men stepped outside and went over the balcony. At first Abi thought they’d jumped, but as she zoomed in on the footage she saw a rope. Security ran in moments later, but it was a few moments too late.
Their departure told her one thing: the men were professionals.
Asher
Asher looked up when the door opened.
“Can I come in?” Jesse asked.
“Sure,” Asher said, but truthfully he didn’t want to speak to anyone. They’d taken Noah’s body in the early morning hours, and Asher had been sitting at Noah’s desk ever since. The pain was unbearable—not to mention his head was pounding. Asher had no doubt that was a combination of grief, exhaustion, and a hangover.
Jesse put a bottle of water on the desk and a packet of ibuprofen.
“Thanks,” Asher said.
Jesse sat opposite him. “I have again reviewed the footage we have of Noah’s room. No one entered, and no one did anything to Noah,” he said. “I was starting to believe he might have died of natural causes, so I went back over the footage and started watching Noah more closely. He seemed uncomfortable a few hours before he passed. I don’t know why he didn’t say something; maybe because he was sedated, or maybe because he was Noah and he never complained about anything. But I can see it on the tapes, and then he seemed to relax again.”
Asher frowned. “So if no one touched him, it had to be natural causes, right?”
Jesse sighed. “I saw something many years ago, and I’ve never forgotten it. I used to work in the prisons on death row.”
Asher couldn’t hide his surprise. He thought Jesse had always worked in security.
“One day,” Jesse continued, “the doctor began the process. At first, everything looked fine. But then the prisoner started reacting strangely, and his vitals were erratic. His death was slow and painful, and did not go according to plan. It took us a while to work out what had happened. Eventually we discovered that the medication bags we’d been given had been tampered with.”
“What are you saying?” Asher asked.
“There are very few silent killers, Ash, but if they take a toll on the victim, they normally get everyone ar
ound the victim too—this is true of carbon monoxide and other poisons. I was in and out of Noah’s room all day or right outside his door. If no one went in there, something else had to be at play. I tested his saline bags and the results came back. I’ve informed the King, and now I’m here.”
He took a deep breath. “The remnants of the bag indicated it was morphine. Noah was administered a lethal dose via his intravenous line. Once I knew this, I went back to the company we order the supplies from. I spent the morning reviewing their security footage, only to realize it had been tampered with. A section had been deleted—someone didn’t want to be seen on the footage. But I’m going to find out who that person is. I owe Noah this,” Jesse said.
It was easy to forget that a staff member like Jesse had loved Noah too. Everyone had.
“Would he have suffered at all?” Asher asked as he held back tears.
Jesse smiled sadly. “No, he would’ve gone from an extreme high to unconsciousness. And that death tells me something: whoever wanted Noah dead, didn’t care to make him suffer—there was no passion or hate in this crime, just a means to an end.”
The relief that Asher felt at that news was microscopic. Noah was still dead, and nothing could bring him back.
“Had Noah said anything to you over the past few months? Had he received any difficult or strange phone calls? Anything unusual?” Jesse asked.
“No, nothing. Even after he was pushed down the stairs, I asked him if he had any idea who it was. He said no, he couldn’t imagine anyone would do this. I asked him if he thought it was Alistair,” Asher admitted with a heavy sigh. “He said he thought Alistair was an asshole, not a murderer. He joked Alistair didn’t have it in him to murder someone, but of course Alistair might have it in him to order a hit—just not to do it himself.”
Jesse seemed to be searching Asher’s eyes, but Asher wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Asher noted that he didn’t give his opinion on Alistair either, nor did he even remark about Noah’s comment.
“Your father is rightfully concerned, and we’re increasing security. I am to be your bodyguard for every waking hour, and you are not to be out of my sight until we find out who is responsible for this,” Jesse said sternly.
BLOOD, LOVE AND LIES (THE ROYALS Book 1) Page 12
