Page 72 of Dalla's Royal Guards

He didn’t like elevators in situations like this—one way in, one way out, and too many ways to get trapped.

He took the stairs two at a time, his shoes soundless against the concrete. When he reached the garage door, he paused, listening.

The heavy door creaked slightly as he pushed it open. A family of six spilled out of the nearby elevator, the children chattering in amixture of Spanish and English, oblivious to the tension thick in the air.

He waited until they turned the corner, then moved.

The SUV sat in the same space they had left it, bathed in shadows cast by the overhead lights. He approached from the passenger side, scanning windows, checking for signs of tampering.

Then he dropped to a crouch and checked beneath the vehicle—fingers grazing the undercarriage, eyes sharp for wires, strange boxes, any unnatural marks.

Clear.

He stood, moving to the driver’s side. As he rounded the rear bumper, he pulled the key fob from his pocket and unlocked the doors with a quiet click.

He did one more quick check under the seat to make sure everything was as it should be before he slipped into the driver’s seat. Satisfied the vehicle was safe, he shut the door with controlled precision and pressed the start button. The lights of the dashboard lit up in a colorful array as he started the engine and shifted into drive, preparing for a fast extraction if needed?—

Before he could pull all the way out of the parking spot, three black SUVs rolled into the garage from the far ramp, engines purring like predators on the hunt.

He tensed until he saw Raja Hadi sitting in the front passenger seat of the center vehicle. The driver pulled to a stop in front of the Land Cruiser. Raja slipped out of the vehicle before it stopped all the way.

Wearing a fitted navy shirt and dark slacks, Simdan’s young king walked toward him, his movements purposeful, confident.

Musad exhaled sharply and unlocked the doors.

Raja slid into the passenger seat and closed the door, flashing him a relaxed smile.

“Your Highness,” Musad said with a grin. “I wasn’t expecting royal company.”

“Only the best for visiting dignitaries,” Raja replied, his tone dry. “Besides, I want to hear firsthand what the hell happened in Kashir. I’ve heard interesting stories about your mysterious savior.”

Musad muttered an inaudible curse under his breath before he sighed and replied, “You’ll get the full report en route.”

He waited as the first SUV rolled forward. Shifting gears, he eased out of the spot, slotting in behind the lead vehicle. The other two vehicles pulled out behind them. Musad focused on a black BMW M2 sports car parked as they passed.

There was no movement. No glare of a phone. There were no signs of life.

Still, his gut whispered a warning.

His gaze flickered from the vehicle in front of him to the side mirror. His lips tightened into a firm line.

A flicker—a shadow shifting just out of sight.

He curled his fingers around the steering wheel when he noticed the movement.

“Eyes on the black coupe,” he murmured.

Raja didn’t miss a beat. “I saw it.”

Musad didn’t speak again, but every nerve in his body was on high alert as they followed the convoy toward the garage ramp.

They were almost clear.

Almost safe.

But almost wasn’t good enough. Not when Dalla’s life was at stake.

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