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And no one gave a fuck when I challenged them on it. I’d demanded an ID check, and Will had told me to stop worrying, though that activity was part of our job.
All of this was so different to how we looked after Leo, and he was arguably less vulnerable than a princess.
I was equally certain my feedback would not be well received, but I’d give it to Ben and he could talk to the owner of the business. To ignore it would be enabling a potential attack, and I couldn’t allow that.
Princess Alexandra continued her steady circulation, mingling with a group of artists and smiling, though without the same energy from earlier. When we’d got here, she’d been bubbly and excited, but that had changed. Probably from the handsy attendee.
I didn’t take my eyes off her. Not as she concluded her talks and signalled to Riss that it was time to leave, nor as she congratulated the gallery owners and stepped out into the hall, and certainly not as we readied to emerge into the street.
She shone. Even if her mood was blue, she radiated something compelling that commanded my attention and had my body on high alert. Aside from being gorgeous, with that luxurious brunette hair and brown eyes, high cheekbones, and expertly applied make-up emphasising her lips, she was magnetic. Every time she lowered her eyelashes, I got lost in the sweep back up. Every graceful move caught up in a spell.
She shimmered in a sparkly dress and tasteful jewellery, every inch the nation’s treasure. The one they loved to see up to no good.
Through the art gallery’s glass frontage, a selection of photographers were still visibly present, but the gallery staff who had been at the barrier and checking invitations were no longer there. The gap between the fences was wide open, and members of the public milled either side.
It meant the princess would need to walk straight through them to reach the vehicles at the road.
My pulse sped up, and I pulled up short and put a finger to my earpiece. “Insecure exit. Crowd control required.”
“Negative. Just get in the fucking cars,” Jared reported back.
I swore and hustled to keep my position in our formation. This time, I was on Alexandra’s right, and she slid me a curious look.
It was strange being close to someone I knew but couldn’t acknowledge. Maybe at the other end of the journey, she’d stop and say hi or ask me what the hell I was doing here.
There wasn’t time to think about that. We emerged into the warm night, and cameras lifted.
My heart thumped faster.
I’d hoped to find Jared out here managing the crowd, but he was striding on ahead and ignoring the very obvious danger in his hurry to leave. Across the other side of Alexandra, Riss, a formidable and solid woman with black hair in a tight bun, held herself with lethal poise, muscles bunched like she was ready to throw down.
We descended the steps. At the front of our diamond, Johnnie called out for the people around to make way. Some did. Others ignored him, maybe wilfully, or maybe because they had no idea who was amongst them.
I scanned every face. Searched every hand.
We reached the barrier, tightening our formation to move through as one.
Suddenly, on the far side, a man lurched forward.
“Riss, hard left,” I snapped.
The bodyguard spun to face the danger. I recognised the man. It was the guy from inside the gallery.
“Princess Lexi, how did you enjoy the naked portraits?” He stuck a phone in front of her face, but Riss instantly blocked his reach. “Tell us why you were so fascinated by the sexy pictures.” He struggled to get past Riss.
I wanted to fucking deck him but kept going, and we adjusted our positions to cover the bodyguard left behind.
A few metres further and we reached the safety of the cars. The chauffeur had the doors open, and the princess climbed inside. He closed her in but hesitated.
“Is one of you accompanying her?” he asked.
Riss had travelled down in Alexandra’s car but was still occupied in keeping the threat at bay. We needed to leave, immediately. Yet neither of the other men were moving, and Jared was already in the first vehicle.
It wasn’t my place, but I took charge. “I can.”
Johnnie shrugged. “Go for it.”
Without further delay, I rounded the car and climbed in the other side. My action seemed to speed everyone else up. Riss gave up being a human blockade and joined the two others in the final car, and we set out.