Chapter 4

It has been a such a long day. I nearly broke down when I saw my father on the hospital bed inside the royal family's private hospital. Only a select few know about the hospital and are able to get in.

I bite my lip to keep my mind from focusing on my father and all the machines around him. Yes, my father is stable, but that doesn't mean that he looks good. He does have a gunshot wound to his stomach and the doctor has been able to stop all the bleeding, but he isn't out of trouble yet.

As soon as my eyes meet Princess Katherine's glare, I know that I can't break down. I have to keep my professional face on and look like another employee.

However, I have to bite my tongue and hold myself back from giving her a good tongue lashing. The longer that she is with the royal family, the more she forgets that we are all people too. The arrogance and mightier than thou attitude is too much from me to handle.

I'm fortunate that my other brother, Robert, has selected someone who is down to earth and very humble. His wife, Irene, is very soft spoken and I can't remember her raising her voice at anyone. She definitely has the qualities to be a queen.

Her flowing long wavy red hair is also the envy of many people in the country, including many of the nobles.

I have to chuckle to myself when Robert introduces her to the nobles and then to the country. Suddenly, people are dying their hair red, including some of the nobles. The whole thing seems to embarrass Irene, but I get a good laugh out of it.

Why can't Brandon find someone like Irene? She is almost perfect.

Oh, who am I to talk? I'm 22 and have never actually dated anyone and still a virgin. How can I date if I don't trust anyone? I'm not even going to ask about the sex part. I can't open myself up to someone like that.

Luckily, I've been too busy to worry about that. Plus, my first priority is always keeping my family safe.

For the first time in my life, I'm glad to finally be home. However, I'm not happy that I still don't have any information about how the attackers could have known about the King's revised schedule and plans for today. My team keeps coming up empty handed regardless of where we look.

The little voice in my head keeps whispering that we have missed something or have overlooked something that doesn't seem important. Unfortunately, I have no idea what that little piece of info is or where to find it.

I have even had the team do another sweep of the king's electronics and his office, but nothing has come up. There are still no bugs or any spyware to account for the leak.

What I do know is that a nice warm bath is calling my name. Just the idea of relaxing in a nice bubble bath brings a faint smile to my face.

I guess I will worry about what to tell my uncle Charles tomorrow.

I drag my feet through my apartment towards the bathroom. Along the way, I take off my suit jacket and lay it on the bed, while I slip off my shoes, before I turn and head towards the bathroom.

It isn't long before I'm slowly sinking into the warm water and being surrounded by bubbles while soft soothing music plays in the background. I close my eyes and lay my head back on a towel, while the bubble bath's vanilla scent washes over me.

I can relax like this every night. The only problem is that my mind doesn't want me to relax.

Even though I'm trying to clear my mind, my mind keeps running over everything little piece of information, picture, and file relating to the attack today. The whole time that little annoying voice in the back of my head keeps murmuring that I'm overlooking something.

Why can't I just push a button or something, like in one of those games that people play on their phones. I would love for a hint button to be available right now, so I can stop my mind from running over all the possible outcomes.

I take a deep breath and slowly exhale.

I need to let my mind rest for a bit, or I won't be able to do anything tomorrow.

Ring...ring...ring...

I open my eyes and look at my phone on the edge of the tub. My heart quickens as guilt washes over me while my father's name flashes at me. However, my fear quickly consumes out my guilt.

Did something happen to my father or to the family?

I accept the call and put it on speaker phone. "Did you wake up? Do you feel all right? I…"

My mother's ragged voice fills the bathroom while she cuts me off. "Honey, stop. My phone is dead, and the staff hasn't brought me a charger yet, so I'm using your father's phone."

I wish that I could be there, but it is too risky, especially with Katherine giving me that evil eye all the time.

My mother sighs. "I just want to call and let you know that everything is the same as before. There is no change, but the doctors are hopeful that he will wake up soon. They are saying maybe tomorrow.

Before you ask, I've told everyone to leave. I want to spend the night alone with your father."

There are so many things that I want to say, but I don't want to go into my work mode. I know that if I open my mouth that it is only a matter of time before I start drilling my mother about the attack. She doesn't need to deal with me and those questions right now.

Right now, she needs her daughter.

I bite my lip trying to keep myself quiet.

My mother sighs again and the line goes silent. However, faint rustling noises spill from my phone.

I assume that mother is tucking the sheets around my father, but I'm not sure. Someone could be entering the room too. The sound is too faint to really know what it is.

I stay silent, but my tension builds with each passing second.

I nearly jump when Katherine's concerned voice suddenly cuts through the air. "Mom, you should go rest. I can stay up and watch over dad. You need to rest too."

I'm sure that Katherine isn't doing it for anyone but herself. Wait. Why am I even thinking like this? Besides the nasty glares and the sharp dagger looks, Katherine hasn't done anything to me. Unfortunately, I'm not the only one that she flashes those evil stares at.

My professional mind knows that a few glares aren't enough to warrant putting Katherine on the possible suspect list, but I also know that sometimes, the only evidence that I have to suspect someone is the way that the person glares at others. Plus, she rubs me the wrong way.

I need to remember tomorrow to have the team look into Katherine again and make sure that she has nothing to do with this.

My mother's tired and ragged voice brings me out of my thoughts. "Katherine, you know that I have no intention of leaving my husband. As his wife, it is my responsibility to take care of him and sit by his side.

Don't even try to change my mind. You should have known that by now.

You have been a part of this family long enough to know that is how I am, and you can't change my mind. There are only two people who can change my mind. One is lying in the bed unconscious fighting for his life, while the other one isn't here.

Before you ask, it isn't either of my two sons or their wives. I'm not going to tell you who either."

I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. My mother knows how to hold her position on things. Well, I guess she wouldn't be the queen if she doesn't know how to do it.

I continue to listen to the conversation a while as I try not to make any noise. I don't know where my mom has put the phone, but I don't want Katherine to see that I'm talking to mom. I'm sure that Katherine would raise some kind of stink about it.

As the water slowly cools, I can't wait any longer. I mute my phone and finish my bath.

I admit that Katherine doesn't give up easily. As I wrap the towel around myself and get out of the tub, I chuckle to myself as Katherine tries once more to get my mother to go home and rest.

I pick up my phone and take a few steps, but then stop. My feet are frozen in place while my heartbeat slowly speeds up.

Katherine again quizzes my mother. "Do you know how this whole thing has even happened? From what I hear, dad's whole schedule was changed at the last minute by the security company and that righteous woman, Dee. Do you think that she has had a hand in the attack?"

Am I hearing it correctly? Is Katherine actually asking whether I'm the mastermind behind my dad's attack?

Now, I really don't like her. I'm going to make sure that she is on the top of the list of possible suspects when I get into the office tomorrow morning.

My mother's bitter laugh breaks my thoughts and pulls me back. "Katherine. I don't want to hear such talk coming out of your mouth about Dee. She is the president and owner of the security company that we use. She has given her all to make sure that we are protected all the time and that includes you.

I'm not going to talk about watching her grow up. If you want to stay on my good side, you will forget that you have ever accused her of such horrific things." My mother's cold and stern tone reinforces her harsh words.

I wish that I could be there right now and see the look on Katherine's face. I don't know if she has ever seen this side of my mother before, but I'm glad that I can at least listen to it.

A smile pops onto my face as I once again move my feet and step out of the bathroom. I head towards the closet and dresser.

By the time Katherine has finally given up all hope of trying to convince my mother to leave, I've gotten my pajamas on and am lying on my bed waiting for Katherine to actually leave the room.

Katherine's whine pulls my attention back to my phone. "Mom. I beg you to consider getting another security company. I don't like Dee. There is something about her that I don't trust."

Anger instantly pulses through my veins as my blood boils.

She doesn't like me. Well, that makes two of us because I don't like her either.

She is now the number one suspect for today's attack.