Page 41 of Protecting his Secrets

When they parked in front of the house, Malachi took a breath. He had never before introduced someone to his family, and his knees were a little shaky. He brushed off some imaginary dust from his trousers.

“Do you want me to tell them you’re just my bodyguard?” he asked.

Fingers brushed against his cheek, turning his head towards Nick. “Not unless that’s what you would prefer.”

The sincerity shone in his eyes, so Malachi shook his head. “I’ve never done this before,” he whispered.

“What?”

“Introduced a boyfriend.”

Nick smiled. “We already have an audience,” he gripped Malachi’s chin to stop him from looking, “so why not break the news now to get it over with?”

Malachi swallowed hard, but then smiled and leaned forward, joining their lips in a chaste kiss. He’d been wanting to do it since he’d woken up but hadn’t had the courage to just reach for it. Despite Nick’s behaviour to the contrary, he had wondered if the man wouldn’t want to continue anything because of what they’d surmised about the incidents.

“What do I tell them?”

Nick sighed. “The truth.” Malachi’s eyes widened, and Nick chuckled. “I won’t have you keeping secrets when you don’t need to.”

Leaning forward, Malachi kissed him again as a thank you. He hated the idea of keeping things from them, but he would if he needed to. By giving him no restraints, he could weave a storyas close to the truth as he wanted but leave out some details to protect the royal family.

“Let’s go,” Nick said and climbed out of the car before Malachi could stop him.

Nick rounded the car and opened Malachi’s door, holding out his hand to help him out, which he was extremely glad for because he was still a little wobbly—from the incident and that talk. Nick let go of him, but Malachi threaded their fingers together, both to keep himself from running to hide and to help calm his nerves.

“Malachi! What happened?” his mother said, reaching for him and cradling his cheeks. Her eyes flitted over his bandage, and she turned his head this way and that to check for more. It was something she had always done whenever he’d been injured.

“I’m okay. I have a concussion, but I’m okay.”

“You have a lump the size of Ireland on your head! Of course, you’re not okay!”

“Mum, please, don’t shout.”

Emily’s nostrils flared, showing that she was keeping herself from crying. “Sorry, sweetheart.” She glanced at Nick, and Malachi identified his cue.

“Mum, this is Nick. Nick, my mum, Emily. Nick is…my boyfriend.” He peered at Nick, who smiled and held out his hand.

“Mrs Sanders, it’s lovely to finally meet you. Malachi speaks of you all the time.”

At first, Emily didn’t respond, but then she smiled and took his hand. “I don’t need to ask what you do. I’ve seen you on the TV.”

Nick nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I’m sure you have.”

Emily studied them both. “Before we go inside to Grandma… Is this,” she pointed at Malachi’s head, “related to the crown or simply Malachi being clumsy?”

He could see Nick’s approval, and why it mattered to Malachi that Nick see how intelligent and worldly his mother was, he didn’t know.

“In short, we’re not certain what the incidents were about, but we are investigating. I’m sorry to say we don’t have any answers right now.”

Emily raised her eyebrows at Malachi, and he winced. “Incidents? Plural?”

Nick snapped his gaze to him, eyes wide, and Malachi couldn’t help but laugh. But then he was wracked with a throbbing head and a wave of nausea. By the time it eased enough for him to think, he sat in his grandma’s living room. Nick handed him a cup of water and helped steady his hands to drink it.

“I really shouldn’t laugh at the minute. It really hurts,” he complained.

“I don’t see how this is a laughing matter, anyway,” his mother said.

“It wasn’t the incident I was laughing at. It was Nick’s expression when he thought he’d dropped me in it.” Even now, the reminder made him smile, but he refrained from laughing. Nick scowled at him. “It’s okay. They know everything…I think.” Even he was getting a little rattled by what seemed to be happening. They needed to figure out what was going on quickly because he couldn’t keep looking over his shoulder every day.

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