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She glanced down at the engageiven her just a little while ago that had featured proemstone of a peculiar saturated shade of blue with a purplish hue shi around it, surrounded by an impressive circle of diamonds

“The original ring belonged to rand finger “She had small hands, like you But the central stone was a sapphire that paled in comparison to your eyes, so I replaced it with tanzanite” He’d smiled that faint smile she loved “But even this stone does not do justice to your eyes, Juliana Nothing could” After a deep breath he’d added, “I have been waiting eleven years to give this ring to you”

Hearing his words in her ranted to a very, very select few She was going to grab at her second chance with both hands and never look back, just as Mara had done “Now it begins,” she said softly, then repeated the words in Zakharan, a s her face

A noise from the entrance to her bedroom made Juliana whirl around Two nized as one of the bodyguards assigned to guard her when she was outside her suite—Andre had introduced her less than an hour ago to theher The other was Andre’s cousin, clutching a pistol in his right hand, his left arm wrapped around his hapless victim’s throat And the ined she would see there Not in a million years

Chapter 18

Five men stood in Andre’s private office Four of theuilt The fifth, Andre, insisted on going over the evidence against his cousin, his lifelong friend—what little there was of it—one more time

“A court would never convict Zax,” he stated firmly “Not without proof Where is your proof?”

The other four lances Then Damon spoke “No one else has a motive, Sire”

“Motive is not nearly enough”

Lukas added softly, “He is the head of the protection details, Sire Yours as well as Miss Richardson’s He has knowledge of your movements and hers few other men possess”

“True, but knowledge alone is not proof”

Lieutenant Marek Zale stepped forward After he’d been pulled off the contingent assigned to guard Juliana, he’d worked behind the scenes coordinating her protective detail, and Andre already had it in his mind to promote the man once Juliana became his queen “The incident with the car was not an accident,” Marek said now “Of that we are sure This brings us back to knowledge of Miss Richardson’sPrince Xavier would have”

Lukas spoke up “You know the light that fell was no accident But I cannot see Prince Xavier having either the access or the time to accomplish this A coconspirator would be necessary,on the lights and not be questioned Soh, and ould be on that bed There could only have been one target And Prince Xavier has been on the set al out the security’ He would know the fil schedule”

“The helicopter’s engine was tampered with,” the et was you, Sire, or Miss Richardson, we cannot be certain, but either waythe intent was murder Could Prince Xavier have done it? Yes He has access to that restricted area Military access And he is a trained helicopter pilot—he flew one in Afghanistan Not a e of helicopters and how they operate It would take specialized knowledge to disable the engine in such a way that it would fail only after extended usage If the helicopter had crashed, there would have been nothing showing it was anything but a tragic accident But he did not necessarily have to do it himself”

“Each incident indicates soued “While the ht or taine could also have driven the car, it is unlikely the saine So yes, I believe there is a conspiracy But it does not necessarily include Zax”

“But why make these attempts look like accidents?” Daun or a rifle to assassinate her or you if death was the only ain by the death of either or both of you would want the deaths to appear accidental, so no suspicion would fall upon hi happen to Miss Richardson, Sire, or to you,” Damon said reasonably, “it could only benefit Prince Xavier No one else He is your heir”