Greg's tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm so sorry. I just wanted to wash my car, that’s why I’m wearing these uglyclothes."
Antonio tried to keep Greg calm while Marco worked overtime to find a way to ensure that bomb didn't go off. "We'll get you backthere,Greg."
Greg nodded and sniffed. "I don't want a life of excitement. I just want to go home and forget this everhappened."
A loud bang echoed as the door opened with such force it hit the wall and was then followed with heavy footsteps. Now what? Antonio turned, expecting to see Babik, but Victor Amadeus walked into the room with a semi-automaticgun.
Antonio flexed, eager to face the threat against his family and win. "Keep working, Marco. I'llhandlethis."
Victor snorted with derision. "I'm sorry, I can't let youdothat."
Antonio straightened to meet the man who wanted to steal his throne, his legacy, from him. If he died tonight, then he died knowing Kristin and his parents were safe—he’d take Victor down with him. In that second he understood Greg's tears—not for himself but for a loved one. Antonio never blinked. He crossed his arms. "Victor, put thegundown."
Victor came closer. "You walk around all proud of yourself because you were brought back to be a future king when the truth is you don't deserve anyofthis."
Antonio inched closer. If he had a chance to rush him for the gun then they all had hope. He kept his words steady and his forward movement unnoticed. "It's true. I don't deserve a crown. I never sought it out. It was offered to my father, because of our family lineage. The people believe if we’re here, then our kingdom is blessed from heaven above and that they will allprosper."
Victor snarled and cocked the gun. "Your father bribed people to get backtoAvce."
Antonio put his hands up but took another step forward. He was closer. "Now, that's a stretch.” His dad hadn’t bribed anyone. “Either way, you’ve lost. Even if you manage to kill all of us, my brother Lucio is in the FBI—so someone in my family survives to take over the throne." One more step and he could tackle him. "You gain nothing from anyofthis."
Victor pointed the gun at Antonio’s face. "I get to watch you and your brother die and know I finallystoppedyou."
He had one chance. He lowered his head like he was scared and asked, "Stopped us?Fromwhat?"
"From having what you don't deserve," Victor said. Antonio jumped forward and punched him square in the nose. Victor rocked backward, off balance. Antonio reached for the gun and struggled to get it out of Victor’s hands, peeling back Victor’s thumb to get the man to release hisdesperategrip.
As Antonio threw the weapon on the floor, he hit Victor again. "That's it. Thisisover."
"Not quite." Victor pulled out a small device that must triggerthebomb.
“Don’t!” Greg yelled, his tan facepaling.
Marco called out, "It'sclear."
Antonio's heart raced. Could he trust that Marco had really fixed it? He clawed at Victor's arm in an effort to get the trigger and they both wrestled onto theground.
A shadow loomed behind them both and then someone else punched Victor in the back of the head. He sprawled,unconscious.
Greg kicked Victor for good measure and stood above him. "No one gets to hurt mymother."
He assisted Antonio up. Antonio wiped his hands on his pants and then patted Greg on the shoulder. "Thanks."
A second later, the ricochet of the bomb exploding knocked them all on their feet. Antonio flipped over on his stomach. Where wasMarco?
The debris cleared the room and it seemed like all four walls stillexisted.
Marco then called out from the patio, "Iseveryoneokay?"
"What happened?" Antonio stood up again. This time hehelpedGreg.
Victor was stilloutcold.
Marco pointed to the balcony. "I threw it into the river, away from the village and thecastle."
“Quick thinking.” Hopefully Kristin, his mom and everyone else was safe in one of the other towers. Antonio glanced around the room for something that might be used as rope to tie Victor, but then settled on his belt. He knelt next to Victor and looked up at his baby brother. "Want to callBabik?"
Marco nodded and took out his phone. He spoke to the guards and then hung up. He knelt next to Antonio and adjusted the tightness of the leather around Victor’s hands. "I knew Victor was jealous but I had no idea it wentthisdeep."
