Christmas Conspiracy (11 page)

As if he could read her mind, Logan placed his untouched drink on the mantel.

“Is the door locked, Gretchen?”

“Dead bolted,” she said meaningfully. “All of them.”

“Great. Could you watch the kids for a few minutes?”

“Like a hawk,” she said, kneeling next to the coffee table. “I’m on to these two now.” She gathered a tote bag from nearby and pulled out crayons, coloring books and several animated movies. “Go on. I’ve got it covered.” She winked. “I’ll handcuff them to the cookie tray if I get desperate.”

Logan took Kat’s hand and led her into the hallway. He pulled her into his arms. She sank into the hard planes of his body and hugged him around the waist. She shivered. “That was too close.”

He kissed her hair. “How did you do it alone?” he asked.

“I didn’t have wells and bulls in the backyard,” she said quietly, “though they find ways to endanger themselves wherever they go. Usually, it’s just Hayden, though.”

“Baby-proofing takes on a whole new meaning after this morning,” Logan said, guilt obviously weighing heavily on him.

The slam of a door pulled them apart. Rafe crossed the foyer. “One of the sensors at the edge of the property went off,” he said. “Zane’s tracking the video feedback now, plus double-checking the rest of the perimeter.”

“What happened?”

“The camera just went dark.”

“Take a couple of men and find out what’s going on,” Logan said. “With all the people hunting us, we need to make sure we haven’t been compromised. Find out.”

Kat’s entire body froze in fear. She’d felt safe from the assassins here. What if they weren’t safe anywhere?

Logan took her hand. “Come on.” He turned to the living room. “Gretchen, we’re taking the kids downstairs. Now.”

Gretchen’s smile vanished and she grabbed the cookies, crayons and movies. “Come along, munchkins. We’re going to a special place. It will be fun.”

Logan led them all down the stairs into the lowest level of his home and through a heavy steel door. They crossed a large conference room, with a wall of computer monitors and television screens, phones and gadgets straight from a spy movie. Zane sat at a station, his fingers flying over a keyboard.

From his hulking size, Kat would have expected to see him lifting weights all day, not holding reign over a dozen computer screens with sets of data she couldn’t identify.

“Find anything?” Logan asked, his voice tense and serious.

“Other than that sensor, the rest are all clear,” Zane said. “I’m checking the property, but haven’t seen any sign of intruders.”

“I’m taking them in until we know,” Logan said. “Is Kat set up to access the room?”

Zane pounded a few more keys. “She can now. You’re good to go. Just do the final match at the scanner unit.”

“Scanner unit?” she asked.

“You’ll see.” Logan led her to the other side of the room.

The lights and sounds mesmerized the kids, but she and Gretchen shooed them toward the back wall where Logan stopped.

“Give me your hand.”

A wooden mantel encircled the room, and Logan guided her to search beneath the section in front of them. His warm hand cupped hers and he shifted their fingers until she felt a small button.

“Press it,” he said. “We’ve entered your index fingerprint into the system so you have access to the room behind here.”

A panic room? Was that what he was talking about? She shifted her finger and pressed the button. A whirr sounded as the paneling in front of them slid open, revealing a large room, half living quarters, half storage.

Hayden ran inside ahead of Gretchen and bounced on the bed in the corner. Kat followed him, peering around.

“There’s another communication center here,” Logan said, opening a second door. “A computer, phone and a screen showing the area in front of the ranch house. It’s reinforced concrete, and has its own back-up generator. Unless your fingerprint is in the system, you can’t get in or out.”

“Was this a bomb shelter?”

“Originally it was a food storage cellar and a tornado shelter,” Logan said. “I just upped the security a bit.” He turned Kat in his arms. “If you’re ever scared, come here. You can call me from there,” he said, indicating a phone surrounded by high-tech equipment. “You don’t have to worry about anyone being able to break in.”

She bit her lip, looked at the kids and Gretchen having a makeshift picnic on the bed, and sighed. “We’re safe here,” she said, softly.

Logan’s phone rang and he slid it from the case on his belt. Kat moved in to listen.

“What do you see, Rafe?”

“A teenager ran his muscle car off the road,” Rafe said. “Crashed through the fence and slammed into the tree. He must have been going pretty fast. The whole thing came down and destroyed his car—and the camera.”

Kat sagged against Logan.
A false alarm.

“Is the kid okay?” Logan asked.

“He’ll live, but he’s hurt. Doc stabilized him, and we’re taking him to the hospital. It’ll be faster than calling an ambulance. The hospital knows and the E.R. is on standby. I’ll be back soon,” his right-hand man said.

“Okay. Make sure there are extra patrols out there.”

“Already done, and some men are fixing the fence and clearing the tree off the road. Blake’s on his way.”

“Copy that.” Logan ended the call and walked back to his security man. “You heard?”

Zane’s hands were flying over the keyboard. “Everyone’s been alerted. The sheriff should be just about there.”

“Is everything else still clear?”

“So far as I can tell.”

Logan hesitated. Should they stay in the panic room longer? The kids were fussing, and Kat looked exhausted. “Keep me posted,” he said to Zane before walking over to the group on the bed. “I guess we’re not playing down here, after all.”

The two kids protested.

“How about some lunch?” he asked. “Grilled cheese sandwiches?”

“And more cookies?” Lanie jumped off the bed and headed to the stairs.

“Maybe tonight,” Kat said with a frown. “You don’t need a sugar rush before a nap. You two have caused enough trouble for one morning.”

Gretchen carted the kids up the stairs. Logan shut the door to Zane’s command station, waited until the alarm system reset and started after them.

Kat clutched Logan’s arm, and they stopped on the stairway. She leaned into him, and let his hand caress her back, feeding off his strength.

“I can’t live in fear anymore, Logan,” Kat insisted. “Call the king. If this is what my life is going to be like as a princess—constant fear of assassins showing up or royal guards coming after me—I don’t want to be one.”

“You’re sure?” Logan tilted her chin up to meet his. “Most people would jump at the chance to be royalty, even with the inherent danger.”

Kat met his gaze sadly. “Not me. I never bought into the princess fantasy, even when I was a kid. I wanted a horse to ride, my mom healthy and at home to tuck me in at night. Other than that, I just prayed not to go to bed hungry,” Kat said. “I never expected much more.”

“And now?”

“I want to stay alive. I want the life I was building back. I want my kids safe, and I want them to grow up like normal children. I may not be able to provide for them like the king, but things will get better for us. Someday.”

Logan stepped away from her, his expression wary. “Do I have a place in your plans, Kat?”

Kat stared down at her feet and shifted back and forth. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I never dared include you in my dreams. You were everything I believed I couldn’t have.”

A flicker of desire sparked in his hazel eyes, the green deepening with his changing emotions. Kat tensed as he stepped closer, but her breath also caught at the way her body reacted to him, as if preparing for his nearness. How could he have this effect on her?

“And if you
could
have me?” he asked, his voice husky. “Would you want me?”

Kat swayed toward him, barely able to stop herself from going into his arms. “I’m still afraid.” She hesitated. “We’ve gone through hell together since yesterday. I’ve depended on you totally, but we really only had one week to learn about each other, and it’s been turmoil since you came back.”

“Does that matter? We have two children together.”

“We don’t know each other very well. What if I’m not what you think?” she whispered softly. “What if it turns out you don’t want me?”

“I know a lot about you, Kat.” Logan tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and Kat took in a shuddering breath. “You’re passionate, loyal and you love our children. That’s an incredibly attractive—and sexy—combination. I wanted you three years ago. Despite everything, I’ve never stopped.”

He lowered his mouth, skirting her lips, teasing her. Her eyelids fluttered closed.

“Tell me we have a chance,” he whispered.

He tugged her closer, and she let him press her body against his, reveling in his strength.

She licked her lips nervously and he groaned. “Do we? Because I will…”

“Logan—” she put a finger to his lips “—shut up and kiss me…”

His mouth took possession of hers. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her tight to him, her softness crushed against every hard plane of his body. His arousal pressed against her belly and her own body softened in response.

Logic abandoned her. She couldn’t think about danger or protecting her heart. She could only feel and remember how incredible they were together. He stole every sense and she didn’t care. She’d been so lonely. For him, she realized. A partner to raise her kids, but also…for this. His tongue explored her mouth and she dueled with him, needed to taste him.

Instinct took over. She pressed against him and he groaned, backing her toward the wall. He moaned and arched his hips against her. Her hands explored the hard lines of his chest. Suddenly his foot slipped on the step. He laughed. “We’re going to kill ourselves on these stairs. And let’s hope there are no secret cameras in this hallway.”

Kat buried her head in his chest. “I am so embarrassed. What if Zane caught us?”

“I’m sure he’s kissed a few women in his time.”

“I was all over you, not even thinking about where we were.” She brushed the hair back from her face. “I’m not princess material, that’s for sure. I’m not refined or sophisticated, and I doubt public displays of affection on the palace stairways would be allowed.”

“You’re everything I want. You’re mine,” Logan said, his voice low and determined. “I’m not letting you go again, Kat. We’re in this together, unless you send me away.”

“I’ll never do that,” she said. “If only my father would leave me alone.”

Logan kissed her forehead. “We’ll put an end to this right now.” He took his phone and dialed a number, hesitating over the last digit. “Do you want me to tell him?”

She stared into his eyes. “I’m not a coward. I’ll do it.” She had to. She wanted to go back to how her life had been before this nightmare ever began. Well, everything except not having Logan in it.

Logan pressed the last button and lifted the phone to his ear. “Sergei, it’s Carmichael. Kat wants to speak to King Leopold.”

With a shaking hand she took the phone from Logan, looked at him and pressed speaker. His eyes warmed at the show of trust. She took a deep breath.

“Have you come to your senses, Katherine? I’m on a tight deadline. The plane taking me back to Bellevaux leaves soon.”

Kat cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I don’t think me being your heir is a good idea. Have a safe trip.”

“You can’t be serious,” the king sputtered. “This is no time for selfishness. You are a princess. You have responsibilities. Are you a fool?”

“My first responsibility is to my children—and keeping them safe. I don’t want the crown. Find someone else.”

“There is no one else, you foolish woman.”

“Watch yourself, Your
Majesty
.” Logan’s tone brooked no argument. “You have no right to speak to her that way.”

“I am the king and her father. I have every right, and this conversation is private, Mr. Carmichael.” The king’s frustration peaked. “Katherine, your brothers are dead. You are my last remaining child. If it’s not you, then be named Regent and put your son on the throne.”

“Hayden isn’t even three!” Kat shouted. “Find a more distant relative and adopt him. Change whatever law you need to, but leave me alone. My son is not a pawn.”

“This is not over,” the king threatened.

“Oh, yes,
Father
. It is.”

“Goodbye, Your
Majesty
,” Logan said. “And, by the way, if it isn’t clear already, I quit.”

* * *

T
HE STENCH OF THE
underground prison made him smile.

The Duke of Sarbonne held the whip in his hand and stared at the unconscious man on the floor.

“Wake him.”

The guard swallowed deeply. “Yes, Your Grace.”

A huge wave of satisfaction flowed through the duke. He was so close to having everything he wanted.

The prison guard threw a bucket of water on the prisoner’s body. He didn’t move.

A loud clang of metal slammed down the stone-lined hallways.

“I want him awake. He has information I need.” The duke lifted his shined boot to kick. If water didn’t work, pain would.

A small gasp sounded from the doorway behind him. The duke whipped around.

“Y…Your G…Grace,” Niko stuttered, his face pale. “A word, if I may?”

The duke stared down his aide, watching him tremble. “What is it?”

“The princess has refused the king’s command. She’s staying in Texas.”

“What?” His roar of fury echoed down the hall.

The man on the floor groaned, as if coming to, but the duke ignored him, grabbing his aide by the throat. “Tell me everything,” he hissed.

Niko tried to shrink back, but the duke held him inches away.

“S…someone is trying to kill her. There have been several attempts on her life.”

The duke stilled. “Her? Not the children?”

“All of them.”

He shoved Niko away in a rage, slashed the man on the floor with his whip, then whirled on the older guard. “Get me the information I want from this prisoner, or you’ll take his place.”