Page 9 of Protecting his Secrets

“Date of birth?” Nick asked.

“29 November 1989.”

Nick shoved him away. “Do not let him out of your sight,” he told the police officers. “This isn’t the first time he’s done this.”

“Yes, sir.”

They took him away, and Nick refocused on Malachi, ignoring the ache in his calf. He was fully dressed again, and the medic tended to him. Nick swallowed repeatedly, glad he’d been able to stop something so heinous from happening but wishing he’d not had to. Despite Malachi’s need to drag the Sutcliffes through the mud, he wouldn’t wish what had happened on anyone. He exhaled and rested his hands on his hips, watching what the medic was doing.

“Is he okay?” Brett asked—from beside him instead of in his ear.

The medic glanced at him. “His blood pressure is fine, and I can’t see any signs of issues, but I think a trip to the hospital would be a good idea. If he was going to react to whatever he was given, he would’ve had it by now. It just needs to work its way through his system now.”

Brett nodded and nudged Nick. “He’s in excellent hands, Nick. I need you back in the main room.”

Nick growled and turned away, stalking from the room and into the hallway. Brett caught up with him, tugging him to a stop.

“Nick, calm down.”

He glared at his boss. “Calm down? After what almost happened? Jesus, Brett.” He stalked off, Brett’s parting words following him.

“The king needs you.”

Nick swallowed hard and entered the ballroom. “Understood, Brett. Understood,” he replied through his radio.

Pushing what happened to Malachi aside for the moment, which was more difficult than it should have been, he focused on the king and on making sure he survived the night. He wouldn’t want his inattention to be the cause of more casualties, so every time Malachi’s face floated into his head, he wiped it clear and recentred himself. It happened more than he wanted, and by the time they were in the car and on their way back to Windsor Castle, he could barely keep his eyes open.

“Nick, what happened tonight?” Andrew asked.

On that journey, he was sitting in the back with the king with Emmy, and Colt sat in the front. He inhaled. “A reporter was drugged, but he’s at the hospital and being looked after now.”

Andrew sat forward, piercing Nick with his gaze. “Tell me what happened from start to finish.”

Nick replayed the events that led up to finding Malachi, and when he finished, Andrew fisted his hands.

“I want regular updates on the attacker and Malachi Sanders. In fact, as soon as Malachi is feeling better, I want a personal meeting with him at Windsor. I will get Randall to arrange that. It’s the least I can do after what happened.”

“Is that the best idea, Your Majesty? After all, he is the one writing nasty things about you in the media.”

“Everyone has the right to say what they want, Nick. You know that. It’s how we react to it that makes the difference. If it was someone else, I would’ve offered the same thing, so I refuse to not offer it to Malachi just because of what he writes.”

Suitably chastised, Nick nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And anyway, think of it as a chance to change his stance on us.”

Nick didn’t think that was possible with how much hatred Malachi seemed to hold for them, but he allowed Andrew to think he could change his mind. And knowing the king as he did, Andrew might be the only person in the world whocouldchange Malachi’s mind.

Dominic and Colt took Andrew to his suite when they arrived back, and Nick headed for Sec HQ, bracing himself for a telling-off from Brett. He didn’t get one, though.

“Are you okay?” Brett asked instead, pulling him aside.

Nick exhaled. “Yeah. Thanks for pulling me back.”

Brett chuckled. “I would’ve happily let you go at him, but I needed you there. I’m happy to arrange a ‘meeting’ with the guy if you like?” He smirked.

Nick huffed and shook his head. “Better not. You might end up having to bail me out.”

“It’d be worth the money.” Brett sighed. “I checked up with the hospital. Malachi is sleeping it off. The doctors can’t see any reason he would have an adverse reaction to the drug—which they found out was Rohypnol—but they’re keeping him in until he’s fully coherent and drug-free, to be sure.”

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