Above All Else

Chapter Thirty-Five

"I will put my hands behind my back as a signal if I need back-up. Other than that, stand down. Do you hear? We do not know anything about Samuel but from our information, we've been lead to believe he's inside the house," I command, eyeing each man surrounding the vehicle.

"Henry, watch her carefully," Ivan says, his dark eyes focused and calculating. I nod, removing my jacket.

"I will drive in myself."

We are a block away. I have to make it seem like I've come alone. I climb into the driver's side of the bulletproof vehicle. Ivan is staring into the vehicle, upset.

"I will be fine, Ivan," I utter, with a nod to reassure him. He nods back to me, stiffly as I drive away. As soon as I turn onto the main road, I see the home I provided for her. The home I had the decency to give her so she could raise her son properly. I made sure she received money, land, a person to wait on her hand and foot.

She will not receive a thing from me tonight. I will say what I need to for her to hand the child over and then she will be arrested. I will make sure she cannot do this again, interfere with our lives again.

I park the car outside of the home, eyes on the steering wheel. I grip the leather tighter, take a breath and open the door, climbing out. I walk up the steps, observing the corners of the house, noting windows and doors.

My hand is steady as I ring the doorbell, hearing it's repetitive chimes. The chill of the wind is harsh, blowing violently against my face. The door opens and I resist looking back to see if Ivan is coming.

A woman in uniform answers, immediately flickering her eyes to my feet submissively. I raise a brow, surprised Ivan would pick such an innocent girl for Nicole. She's no match for her.

"Your Majesty," she whispers, moving back so I can walk in. I do, waiting as she closes the door. I can barely hear her when she speaks again, immediately hurrying to show me the way. "Right this way."

My eyes work double-time, scanning the rooms as we pass through the darkened hallways. I hear music coming from the end of the hall. It's a swing piece, a seemly ordinary song apart from the fact that it's Mia's voice on the record.

Oh, this is how she wants to play it?

"Ma'am, the King is here," the woman says into the parlor room. I move past her entering without a go-ahead. The sound of Mia's soft vibrato rings loud as my gaze sets onto Nicole, who's sitting on the loveseat, a magazine in her lap.

"Henry," she says, as if she's surprised. She seems to think she has the upper hand here. She smiles then, glancing at the clock. "It's late. Did you fly all the way from England at this time of night?"

"You kidnapped your son," I utter, coldly. "Your son that you signed over to the crown without a moments thought. You can imagine my surprise to find out you had a change of heart."

"You could say that's what it was," she murmurs, with a grin, lifting the needle from the record, ceasing all sound around us. "Come, have a seat."

"I'm fine here," I growl, scanning the room. Samuel isn't in here. She sighs, leaning back.

"Did you get my letter?"

"What do you want, Nicole?"

"Will you give me what I want?"

I purse my lips. "Depends on what you ask for."

"If I don't get what I want, Henry, we won't have a deal. You won't see Samuel again."

"What will you do with him?" I ask, trying to hide any trace of emotion in my speech. She shrugs.

"Whatever I'd like."