Page 132 of Tall, Royal and Grumpy

“Stay exactly where you are, Miss Fletcher.”

She had half a brain to realise she was better off doing as he said, but she threw a vicious glower in my direction. It was cut out of my vision by Kai’s broad back as he stole in front of me. Shielding me.

“I could post those videos online and ruin you both in seconds,” Meg spat.

“You don’t have access to any videos,” Kai said blankly. “And you won’t ever after your trial.”

“Trial? For what?”

“For treason. And for everything else your father couldn’t bury entirely.”

Beau was slumped on the sofa, scrubbing a hand over his face. “You’re lying,” his daughter said.

“All the evidence has been documented and is ready for use in your trial in three weeks’ time. After which you will be transported to Zestan Prison off the coast of Raven where you will serve your sentence.”

I couldn’t see her face, but her voice portrayed her shock. “You can’t—you can’t do this to me.”

Kai shifted forward. “You had a member of staff bug my room. You filmed Esmeralda and me together.” His tone darkened with each statement. “You sent it to our families. And you tried to take something from Esmeralda that was never yours to take. So, I can and I have used everything in my power to pay you back in kind, because I am done.

“I put up with your bullying and hatred for years, letting you get away with everything you did and said to me. But after what you did to Adam, you should have known that I would never stand for someone I care about being hurt by you. But you decided to hurt the woman I love, and that was the biggest mistake you could have ever made.”

I was so mesmerised by Kai’s rough, threatening voice that I couldn’t take my eyes off his back. I didn’t bother moving out from behind him to fit myself back into the conversation.

“You did it for my attention and for your own entertainment, and now you will pay with the rest of your life. You will never have the power to hurt anyone you deem weaker than you ever again.”

In my head, I could hear a crowd of a million Esmeraldas screaming and cheering for Kai for finally getting the justice he deserved. In real life, Rocco walked into the room behind me not giving anyone the chance to say anything after Kai’s mini power speech.

“Your Highness, they’re here,” he announced.

“Bring them in,” Kai said.

“Who did you call?” Meg asked as Rocco left. “You can’t just bring anyone to my house.” Uh, it’s your father’s home, actually. “You can’t come in here and threaten me and throw accusations around that aren’t true. You might be a prince, but this is illegal. And you’re not above the law.”

“No. I am the law.”

Wow… I felt that in my stomach.

A quick succession of heavy footsteps into the room drowned out the irate sound Meg let out. Three tall women slipped around us towards her, one of them striding ahead of the other two. Wearing black cargo uniforms, they were most definitely not ordinary police officers.

“Miss Meg Fletcher,” the black woman with a cropped afro said, lifting her badge for Meg to see. “I am S.I.2. Sergeant Lamar of the Royal Defence Division, and you are under arrest for four accounts of treason against the royal households of Touma and Jahandar, as well as multiple accounts of assault, and several charges related to organised drug parties. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say or do can and will be used against you in court.”

* * *

“Bloody Neves, you took their TVs too?” Pierre said with a scoff of disbelief. He dropped his car keys on the marble countertop of Trevor’s kitchen island and shucked his jacket. “Why?”

After Meg’s arrest, which, other than a few hissed swear words, was rather civil, Kai wanted me to go back to the palace with Shehryar, while he went to see Trevor. I refused to go anywhere without him, so, while Rocco, Earl, and one other guard stayed behind to speak to Head Councillor Beau and follow up on Meg’s arrest, Gary drove Kai, Shehryar, and I to Trevor’s parents’ place. A massive two-storey house in a quiet, suburban area of Pavilion city where each multimillion-Sterling house was gated and sat on its own bit of land.

Trevor’s portion of the house was connected to the side of the estate. Candy and Zain had already been waiting for us with Trevor in his classically designed, open-plan living area.

It wasn’t what I would have expected for a tech and gaming genius, but it was really nice. A blue, country-style kitchen in one corner, a white, rustic wood dining table with matching chairs next to it, and a spacious sitting area with a wall-mounted TV and three brown leather sofas.

Shehryar and Trevor helped Gary and the other guard unload all the laptops, tablets, a single monitor, and computer, as well as four TV screens from the two cars. Pierre had arrived just in time from the palace to witness the mess.

“Because our prince is a petty bastard,” Candy said, throwing a blue-eyed wink to Kai. He made his way over from the kitchen with two big bowls of crisps and chocolate-covered pretzels. Zain trailed behind him, holding a tray of black mugs filled with tea and coffee.

We were sitting around the dining table, Trevor at the head of the table, frowning between Meg’s phone and laptop with a small black device plugged into it. He had Beau Fletcher’s two phones in front of him too. Kai sat in the seat next to him, I sat on Kai’s left, and Shehryar sat on the other side of me. Gary had opted to stay outside with the other guard.

“I’m not petty,” Kai grumbled as Zain came around to me first. “Trevor told me to take everything.”

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