“The way you and Janessa were talking, it seemed like your duties extend far beyond personal protection duty.”

“They do,” Levi said. “My specialty is designing security plans to make sure people like you remain safe. That’s why I offered to come to Sereno.”

He ran his hands up her arms from wrists to elbows before taking her hands again. “I’d never forgive myself if you were hurt or worse and I could have done something to prevent it.”

Whatever suspicions had been blooming during dinner withered away, a new flurry of emotions coming to the surface: attraction, simple and pure, dominated.

Cassie took a step toward him, cutting the distance between them in half. Pushing onto her toes, she kissed him, butterflies immediately taking flight in her stomach.

Levi’s hands tightened on hers briefly before he pulled back and once again focused intently on her.

“You’re trying to distract me,” he said. “Tell me what upset you at dinner.”

“Nothing.” She leaned back on her heels. “Everything. I don’t know.”

“That’s not much of an answer.”

“Your announcement of coming to Sereno caught me off guard, and then I noticed the way you and Janessa work together. You act more like friends or coworkers than employer and employee.”

“We are friends,” Levi said. “And in a way, we are coworkers. Janessa is a talented linguist and has a keen sense of observation. On occasion, I have enlisted her help when I’ve needed someone to look at something with a fresh perspective.”

“A royal helping with her own security. That’s not common.”

“Aren’t you doing exactly that?” Levi asked.

“I suppose so.” She angled her chin up. “Does that make us coworkers?”

“I’m not sure what we are.” He released her hands and pulled her closer. “We’ll have to work on defining that.”

“You think so?”

He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. “I do.”

* * *

Alejandro fought against his impatience as the nurse disconnected the tubing from the medical port that facilitated his biweekly infusions. The decision to begin a new treatment regimen hadn’t been an easy one, but traditional chemotherapy wasn’t going to prolong his life long enough to justify the side effects that would impede his ability to rule. Dr. Lewis’s alternative therapy impacted his weekly schedule, but except for the inconvenience of spending two hours in bed every other day, he had thus far been able to function fully.

His outer door opened and closed. “Your Majesty?” Elliott called out.

“In here.”

The nurse completed her task, and Alejandro buttoned his shirt.

“I need a moment.” Elliott held up the file in his hand. He waited for the nurse to gather her things and leave the room before continuing. “I have the list of safe-deposit boxes that were affected by the robbery.”

Alejandro studied his brother-in-law. “And?”

“You and Cassie were right. It was our succession agreement that was targeted.”

“How many?”

“Twenty-two,” Elliott said.

“All of them except my family’s piece and the one the Escobar family holds.”