Chapter 14

Nick

Nick couldn't believe he'd put his foot in his mouth within the first few minutes of meeting Malachi's mother. He was so stupid. And then, when Malachi almost fainted in pain, he felt worse. It didn't make any difference that Malachi reassured him he was going to tell them, he'd still messed up.

"Sorry," he said.

Malachi waved him away.

"I think a cup of tea is in order. Nick?"

He hated tea. "Yes, thank you."

Malachi smacked his arm. "You don't drink tea, you idiot. He'll have coffee, please, Mum."

Nick's face bloomed, and he glanced at Emily and ducked his head. "Coffee, please, ma'am. If it's not too much trouble."

He didn't look up until he heard her leave, and then he met Malachi's humour-filled gaze.

"She won't bite, you know."

"She's your mother. She should."

"Oh, she could. But she won't." Malachi grinned, making Nick feel a little better, though he didn't know why. Was it because he knew someone else had Malachi's back? He'd have to somehow let his family know that Malachi now had him, his family and the royal family behind him, too.

When Emily returned with their drinks, he settled properly next to his reporter and braced himself for the third degree.

He didn't get it.

"Malachi Sanders, what the heck have you been getting yourself into now?" a voice called from the doorway.

An older version of Malachi's mother entered, leaning heavily on a cane but in no way, shape or form did it diminish her personality. Malachi went to rise, and Nick jumped up to help him. He smiled at him before facing his grandmother.

"Hello, Grandma." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "As usual, I'm a clumsy so-and-so."

Before Nick could wonder why they were keeping things quiet from her, Malachi's grandmother said, "You can't lie worth shit, boy."

Malachi laughed again, and Nick caught him as he stumbled. They needed to stop making him laugh. He helped him back onto the sofa and settled beside him. Sally settled into an armchair next to Malachi and patted his knee. While they waited for Malachi's pain to ease, Sally pierced him with her gaze.

"So, Nicholas Tennant. What are your plans for Malachi?"

Malachi groaned. "Seriously, Grandma?"

Sally didn't break their staring match, and the need to move intensified, but he had never shied away from anything, and he wasn't going to start now.

"I've always been attracted to him, and he's giving us the opportunity to see if this could go somewhere."

Sally narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, continuing to stare at him. But then she cracked a grin, and Nick's heart resumed beating when it made her look ten years younger. He doubted he was out of the woods yet, by the expression on Emily's face, but at least one person didn't seem to hate him on sight.

"You are so mean, Grandma," Malachi said, though he still had his eyes closed. "Nick, stop worrying. No one is going to eat you alive. I promise." He rolled his head towards him and smiled, cracking his eyelids open. "I won't let them."

Nick smiled back. "Do you want some more paracetamol? You've been laughing a lot since we got here."

"It's because you're all hilarious," he deadpanned. "No, I think I'm okay, as long as I don't move too much." He rolled his head back towards his family. "I doubt anyone else is joining us, are they?"

Emily sighed, her expression softening but saddening. "No. I told them you were coming over, but they're busy." She smiled tightly. "So, Kai, what happened?"

Malachi went through the story, and Nick finished off the bits where Malachi was unconscious, surprised to find that Malachi couched nothing; he told them everything. He did have a moment of worry when it came to talking about the Sutcliffes, but they seemed to understand that he couldn't tell them certain things, and when he said so, they didn't pry. Maybe it was because he was there, but he didn't think so. It seemed to be a familiar experience for them.

"Thank you for being there, Nick," Emily said. "I don't know what might've happened if you hadn't been."

Nick didn't want the thanks because he hadn't done enough. Malachi should've never been hurt in the first place. Giving a tight smile, he nodded, but that was all he could do.

"Let's get some dinner inside you, and then we can get you into bed," Sally said. "You'll need constant supervision for the next few days, at least."

"No, I'm going home, Gran—"

"Not a chance," Sally stated. "You don't have anyone else to look after you, and it's easier for us to do it here. Nick has to work. He can't be at your beck and call when he's protecting the king, now, can he?"

She wasn't wrong, but if Malachi wanted him to, he'd take some time off to care for him. What the hell was happening to him? Within one day, his entire outlook on his life had changed. Well, his outlook on Malachi had changed. He could see them having a future, which was why he was so happy to go ahead with whatever was building between them. It didn't stop him wondering if they were going too fast.

Malachi didn't look at him, but he heard the sigh. "You're right. Okay, but I need to collect some things from home."

"You can give me a list, and I'll fetch them," Emily said before Nick could offer, but then, Malachi probably wouldn't want him in his space alone anyway.

"Thanks, Mum."

She smiled and clapped her hands on her thighs. "The food should be ready. It's been cooking all day."

"Are you sure I'm not imposing?" he asked.

"Not at all. Come on, you can help set the table," Emily said, and Nick's stomach churned. Here was where the third degree came in.

"Of course." Nick stood.

"Be kind, Mum," Malachi warned.

Following her into the kitchen, he braced himself. She didn't start talking until after she'd shown him where the cutlery was.

"I don't have any problems with you dating my son, Nick, if that's what's worrying you. It's Malachi's choice who he dates. I will accept anyone he chooses. If anything, you might be good for him." She shook her head. "He spends far too much energy on that paper, and I wish he wouldn't, but I can't persuade him otherwise."

Knowing what Nick did about Malachi's reasons, he could answer that, but he didn't. Despite Malachi seemingly sharing a lot of things with his family, that was one thing he didn't. He could tell that from their earlier conversation.

"He's got a level head from what I've seen and heard. He knows what he's doing."

She glanced at him, and Nick got the impression she knew exactly why he was still working the shit job. Nick said nothing else.

Emily snorted as she put plates on the side, something he'd noticed Malachi did, too. "He's been obsessed with the royal family ever since he saw them on TV when he was…what, five years old. Maybe even earlier. I don't know what he found so fascinating with them, but every time he saw them…" She smiled, pulling the lid from the slow cooker. "I thought he'd grow out of it. Instead, he grew into it." Shaking her head, she divided the dinner onto the four plates, and Nick watched, just like he did whenever his parents were cooking. "Do you cook?"

Nick blinked. "Um, I do, well, I don't…um…" He took a breath. "I know how to cook, yes, and I enjoy cooking, but I have little time to do it."

"That's a shame. Maybe you can make time?"

He smiled because it was such a mum statement. "Are Mums given a handbook?" he asked.

A crease appeared between her eyebrows. "A handbook?"

"My mum has said something similar. She was worried my job would stop me from finding someone. Obviously, it hasn't, but I get the underlying question beneath it." He inhaled and laid it out. "Now Malachi is in my life, I want to try to balance things better. I can't make promises for the near future because certain things are set in stone months in advance, but I can start to make the changes. I don't want to leave Malachi alone more than I have to." He held up his hands. "Not that I'll be a stalker, either. I don't mean it that way."

Emily chuckled and faced him, wiping her hands on a cloth. "As for your original question, no. Parents are not given a handbook. Not really. We muddle our way through bringing children up the same way we would've muddled through our lives if we didn't have kids. No one has a clue what they're doing, Nick. And if they say they do, they're lying."

"That makes me feel so much better."

"What does?" Malachi asked, wandering slowly into the kitchen with Sally at his back. "I came to see if she'd killed you."

Nick grinned and pulled him closer, pressing his lips to Malachi's uninjured temple. "Sorry, I'm still here."

Malachi's smile lit a fire in Nick's stomach, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss it off his face, but he remembered where they were.

"I might've had something to say about it if she'd scared you off."

"Not a chance."

"Right, settle in, everyone," Emily said, and they all took seats.

The dining table was well worn and seated eight people, which he assumed was needed with how many siblings Malachi had. Thinking that, Nick counted how many there would be if they were all together—fourteen if he didn't include his cousins who regularly came to visit.

He expected a lot more questions during dinner, but the conversation remained easy and non-confrontational. It was a lot like his own family—and he felt the sme peace during the meal that he felt at his parents' house. He offered to clean away, but Emily waved him away. He settled onto the sofa beside Malachi, but when he gave an immediate yawn, Nick decided he'd bothered them enough for one night. He sent a message to Brett, asking for someone to guard the house while he was gone.

"I'm going to head off. Are you sure there is nothing I can do to help before I leave?" he asked Malachi.

Malachi squeezed his hand. "No, I'm good. I've got stuff here I can use until Mum goes to my house tomorrow."

"I'd be happy to do that if it helps, but I'm sure you won't want me in your space alone."

Smiling, Malachi said, "I have no problem with you being in my space alone, but you've done enough already. Get some rest."

No chance of that. He was going straight to Windsor to figure out what the hell was going on. "I will. You make sure you do, too. Though I know you're in good hands." He smiled at Sally, and then at Emily when she entered the room. "Thank you so much for having me and for dinner. It was delicious."

"You're welcome." Emily sat and crossed her legs.

"There is going to be a guard outside the house overnight and potentially for a few days until we figure out what's going on. They will go wherever Malachi goes. You don't need to worry about them, though." He slid to the front of the sofa and faced Malachi. "I'll check in tomorrow, okay?"

Malachi nodded slowly. "I look forward to it."

Nick licked his lips but glanced at Malachi's family. Then he decided, to hell with it. He leaned forward and softly brushed his lips over Malachi's.

"Goodnight, Kai."

"Goodnight."

He bid goodbye to Sally and Emily, noticing the small smiles they both wore and hoping it meant they were okay with him. Only time would tell. But no one would be happy unless they figured out what—or rather, who—was plaguing Malachi.

The drive to the castle was quick, and he headed straight for Sec HQ. Even though it was getting late, guards were still milling around, finishing shifts, starting shifts, working on whatever tasks they had, and as expected, Brett sat at the front, immersed in whatever paperwork had a frown on his face.

"Bad news?" he asked when he approached.

Brett glanced up briefly. "It's not bad as such, but it's not great either. What are you doing here?"

"I've just left Malachi, as you know, but I wanted to start gathering information. Has anything new turned up?"

Brett glared at him. "Do you think you wouldn't know if something had?"

Nick held up his hands and backed up a step. "Sorry. I'll leave you to do your thing." He turned away, Brett sighing heavily behind him.

"No, sorry. Fuck it all." Brett sighed again and leaned back in his chair, the ever-present squeak a comforting sound amongst the stresses they were dealing with. "We've found nothing about who it could've been. Everything seems to check out. Felix is still working his magic, so he might find something, but so far, everything is horse shit, worthy of the stables at Sandringham."

Nick rested his ass against a table and crossed his arms. "I still don't know how he could've escaped so cleanly. There are far too many cameras covering every possible area."

"And that's why I'm so pissed off." He sighed, and Nick started worrying about his lungs. Surely sighing so much wasn't good for someone. "We're missing something. What did you find out about his family?"

Nick had been a little peeved—to put it politely—when Brett insisted he check out Malachi's family while he was there. The last thing he wanted to do was spy on his boyfriend's family on his first visit, but he didn't do much. "I didn't do any snooping." He held up his hand. "No chance," he said, stopping Brett's words. "His mother and grandmother are on the up and up. I didn't get to meet any siblings."

"Father?"

"Deadbeat. That much I do know. It's something I knew about him when I first started looking into him…" He trailed off, realising just how much he'd given away with those words, but Brett just smirked.

"That's not news, Nick. You were obsessed. Are obsessed."

Nick grinned. "With good reason."

Brett huffed and shook his head. "I'm happy for you. I really am." He glanced across the room and then down at the desk. "I suppose I need—"

"You fucking asshole!" Felix shouted, pushing away from the computer and running his hands through his hair. "Fucking shithead. When I get my fucking hands on you, I'm going to—" He stopped when he faced them and inhaled. "Sorry."

"News?" Brett asked.

"Yeah, he wiped the cameras. But not so that it'd stand out. What he's managed to do is splice them. So he basically cut a few minutes, but it was in such small amounts, I didn't notice."

"Which cameras?"

"Prince of Wales' Tower to Queen's to York. He must've walked damn fast because there are barely seconds missing from some cameras."

Brett stood. "He had to have help. There's no way he could've escaped and deleted all those cameras in the time it took us to start looking for someone."

Felix nodded. "No doubt. He's good, but he's not a magician."

"What did Malachi say about any hate mail?" Brett asked, turning to Nick.

"He gets it daily and ignores it. He did mention one guy, Tarrant Milton. Said he was not a hater, as such, but loved the work he did. Which is a bonus in Malachi's favour, but not in ours."

"If the guy loves Malachi's work, then he doesn't like the royal family. It could be him," Felix stated.

"Correct," Brett said.

"But I thought we were assuming this was about Malachi, not the Sutcliffes," Nick said.

"I suddenly remembered what they said about assuming." Brett sighed. "It makes an ass of you and me."

Nick exhaled and leaned back against the table again. "I feel exhausted all of a sudden."

"Welcome to my world," Brett muttered. "Go home, Nick. Start fresh tomorrow after your shift if you have the energy."

"I'm good now. I'll get started—"

"Go home. That's an order. You've been on duty for hours, even if it's not felt like it. Get some rest."

"No, I'm—"

"Go. Home."

Nick exhaled, knowing he wouldn't get a different answer. And it wasn't like he couldn't do some work from home. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"And if Felix tells me you logged onto the system, I'll stop you from organising anyone else's party for a year."

Nick gasped and spun around. "That's mean!"

Brett smirked at him. "That shows how serious I am."

Shaking his head, Nick headed for the door. "Evil leader," he muttered.

As he left, he caught Felix's gaze, and the man winked at him. He hoped that meant he'd keep quiet about whatever Nick got up to at home. Because he was going to research his ass off. If this was focused on Malachi, Nick needed to figure it out. He wouldn't stop until whoever was involved was behind bars or dead—he didn't care which. All he wanted was Malachi safe. And Nick would do whatever it took to make that happen.

And if it meant he was protecting the crown at the same time, then well done to him.

It was going to be a very long night.

****