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Alex recoiled. I took the phone and read aloud.
“A source at Ossington Palace reports that the royal family is deeply worried over wild child Princess Alexandra. Last seen several days ago, the princess has been rumoured to be in the company of an unnamed man previously in the employ of the palace.” I raised my head. “What the fuck?”
Valentine’s forehead creased in deep lines of concern. “Another appeared shortly after, presumably a gossip rag hustling to make up a story and steal the clicks. It’s on the next tab.”
I jumped to it then swore.
Sexy Lexi: Stalking Studs and Spiralling?
Alex gritted her teeth. “‘A palace source’ is code for the office of the private secretary. It means it’s real. This is what they resorted to? The lowdown, dirty-tactic-using bastards. I won’t talk to them and they decide to get every person in the country tracking me down?” She paced away then swung back. “That’s it, isn’t it? They can’t get me to make scandalous headlines so they invented one? I haven’t even thought about how to tackle that mess. I’ve barely caught my breath.”
I wanted to tell her it was all going to be okay, but something gnawed at me. I faced Valentine. “Why did ye call in the team?”
We could use their advice, sure, but for him to do that before talking to me was odd.
He worked his jaw. “The speculations started almost immediately.”
“Meaning what? How are they speculating?” Alex swung her gaze between us.
Another knock rattled the door. Valentine backed up to it, still watching us. “Next tab, Raph. The identity of her mystery man.”
I thumbed to the following page, the headline more of the same but the picture below startling and bold.
It was of me, body blocking Alex at the stadium event when we’d been surrounded by a crowd. A bold red circle showcased a feature on the photo. Our joined hands.
Something inside me crushed.
It was over. The secrecy and anonymity we’d shared here. Alex’s safety and place of calm.
Alex’s breath stuttered. “I’m so sorry.”
“Who is it?” Valentine challenged the person outside.
Ben called out a reply, “It’s me plus Jax.”
“Dori, also,” a second voice called.
Valentine let them in then succinctly caught them up, taking back his phone for show and tell.
Jackson palmed his jaw. “I don’t get the claim you’re missing when you’re supposed to be at your da’s place.”
Alex’s shoulders rose. “Dad’s people would never give up information on me, not like the Ossington Palace staff. Not a peep. Not even if Sir Reginald called himself.”
“So they’re having to smoke ye out by using your boyfriend,” Jackson concluded. “I don’t like this. It smacks of ‘by any means necessary’.”
I stared at my picture reveal, still open on Valentine’s phone. “Enough people know where I live to send them right to us. The press are probably already on their way.”
Ben nodded once, his powerful arms folded. “To Braithar. We’ll have longer until anyone looks for ye here. No one on the estate will talk.” He turned to Val. “Has Raphael been named yet?”
“No. I have an alert out for that, too.”
Alex made a sound of frustration. “This is such crap. What could they possibly need me for that’s so important? I missed the state dinner, sure, but did that make headlines? No. Did the fact someone spiked my drink garner the interest of the press? Nope. I bet it never even got reported because one of them is paying offthat photographer.” Her eyes flashed with anger. “Dori, tell them what you told me last night.”
Her friend’s gaze darkened. “Sir Reginald got my phone number from somewhere we don’t know and called me a few times. On the day Alex went to the botanical gardens, he hit me up for her outfit choice. I gave it.”
“Which then got leaked, proving he’s part of it.” Alex looked at me. “Undeniable evidence. I hate it.”
I felt the same. “We need to get to the bottom of why he’s doing it. Time’s up whether we like it or not.”