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In this chapter, Joseph makes good on his promise to Clarisse to uncover who betrayed them with disturbing results...

Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Betrayal

November 29

Joseph sat in silence taking in the quiet buzz of the security hub at night. He'd missed the sounds and smells of his domain, his territory and his peace. Being cleared for duty had been an important move, psychologically, for him to find his way back to some semblance of normal. His relationship with Clarisse was far from where it had been and, to be honest, he wasn't sure how long that trip back would take. If we can make it at all.

The first step on that path had taken place during their first joint session, both painful and healing. The brief touch they'd shared with their hands and the words spoken gave him hope. Before they could nurture that hope, though, he needed to find out who was responsible for the leak at the palace.

He didn't want to believe that anyone in the employ of the Royal family could betray them on such a deep and frightening level… but someone had. Someone had in a devastating manner. It was his job to find out whom.

Time to get to work.

Two hours later, the fatigue settled deep in his bones and a headache prominent in his brain. No one seemed to jump out as a potential suspect. Frustrated at his failure…again, he leaned back in his chair stretching his legs and tried to clear his mind. A few moments later, he heard a hesitant knock on the door. "Come."

He looked up to see Lionel pushing open the door and stepping in quietly, two cups of coffee and a file folder balanced carefully in his grasp. ""Lionel? Is everything alright?" His brain cleared enough to remember the young man was supposed to be guarding the Queen. His tone came out harsher than he intended, fear for her safety paramount in his thoughts. He stood, prepared to make his way straight to Clarisse's quarters. "I thought you were standing guard outside the Queen's chambers tonight?"

"Everything is fine, sir. Please, sit. I'm on break. Felix is standing guard. I thought you might like a cup of coffee." Sitting the two cups down on the desk, he grabbed the chair from Shades' desk and moved it alongside Joseph's. "How's the search coming, Boss?"

"It isn't, but I still want to review the files you've been looking at as well." Joseph tried to keep the frustration out of his voice, but wasn't certain he succeeded.

"I think I might have found something that can help." Lionel leaned forward in his chair.

Raising his brow, Joseph sat up straight in his chair eager to hear what the young man had uncovered. He was annoying, but when it came to background checks, he'd never met anyone more thorough.

"Ever since you and the Queen returned to the palace, I've been looking over the files of people hired in the last six months. At first, I couldn't find anything—nothing that stood out anyway. But then an address on one of the files caught my eye."

The young man definitely had his attention now. "Go on."

"One of the newer maids, Lydia. A check of her prior addresses revealed a match with one of the last known addresses for Lester and Jason. I just received the confirmation before my break and I wanted to let you know right away."

"Let me see that!" Joseph snatched the file from the desk. "Sonofabitch! Where is she now?"

"Sleeping. Her shift starts at five in the morning so we have a couple hours before she wakes up."

"Good. Call Shades and tell him to meet me along with his team here in the hub in one hour. Until then, not a word to anyone. If Shades asks, tell him it's a high level security matter and I've requested his presence. End of story. No more, no less. Am I clear?" Joseph was already at the door, anxious to be on his way to Clarisse's room, but wanted to make sure the young man understood.

"Crystal clear, sir."

Before Joseph even left the room, Lionel was dialing the phone to Shades' room. He knew the second in command was not going to be happy about being roused in the middle of the night, but Lionel had Joseph on his side and that was good enough for him.

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A loud knock on her main door startled Clarisse tripling her heart rate and causing her to drop the book she'd been reading. A quick glance at the clock showed three in the morning. She knew of only two people who would brave waking her at this time…not that she'd been asleep.

Making her way quickly to the door, Joseph's words about the potential danger still being present gave her more than usual cause for concern in her own suite. "Who..." She cleared her throat, "Who is it?"

"It's me...Joseph."

"Joseph? Give me a minute." Rushing back into her bedroom, she grabbed the trousers and blouse laid out for her to wear tomorrow. Raking her fingers through her hair as she passed the mirror, she fought to control her breathing and her heart rate. Why would Joseph be coming to her suite in the middle of the night? She opened the door. "Come in. Is everything alright?" From the crease in his brows, which only appeared when he was worried about something, she knew the answer even as she asked the question.

"I think we may have found the mole."

"Who?"

"Lydia. A maid who started at the palace a few months ago."

"What makes you suspect her?" Clarisse wasn't sure if she felt relieved or nervous that the person who might have betrayed them had been living under their noses for several months now.

"She shared an address with Lester and Jason for a period of time. I'll still need to question her, but she's our prime suspect." His eyes found hers. "We both know how…persuasive he could be."

"Living with Lester?" A shudder ran through her body as she vividly recalled how manipulative Lester could be. Had this woman been "persuaded" with extraordinary means to betray her Queen? Or, had she been a willing participant eager to please her lover? "Why didn't we know about this previously?"

"Because Lester wasn't a known threat at the time of her hiring and she cleared all initial background checks. Shades is getting his team together and we're going to pull her in for questioning in about forty-five minutes. I wanted to let you know first, though. "

"Thank you for keeping me informed."

"I need to go. Felix and Lionel will both be outside your door should you need anything." He fought the urge to touch her, despite an overwhelming need to do so. Instead, he turned and made his way out of the room, eager to put the unpleasantness of at least this part of the nightmare behind them. As he opened the door, she was standing right behind him. "Going somewhere?"

"I'm coming with you. I have questions and I want answers."

"Clarisse, I'm not sure that's the best idea. I would feel much better if you stayed here and allowed my men to stand guard."

She knew he was trying to protect her, but she needed this closure. She squared her shoulders and mustered a confident voice. "I'm coming." Her eyes challenged him to pull rank.

Joseph sighed, he knew that look and that voice. "As you wish." He held the door open and he and his men followed closely behind her as she walked with purpose to the security hub.

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After a quick briefing with his men, Joseph stood at the back of the group now surrounding Lydia's door. Clarisse stood near him, close but not touching. He could feel her nervousness, though she tried very hard to hide it.

Shades slipped the master key into the lock and pushed the door open to allow the newest member of their team, a female guard named Victoria, to enter first. Protocol required a female guard present when arresting a female. Joseph and Clarisse watched in silence as Victoria emerged from Lydia's room with the maid. Her eyes, as blue as Clarisse's, gave away nothing. Joseph blinked twice but held his tongue as Victoria also clenched in her other hand the long black wig Lydia had apparently been wearing to deceive them from the first time they were introduced to her. Her real hair, short and blonde, still mussed from sleep, fell partially across her face. The glare she gave Clarisse sent a fresh wave of chills down the Queen's spine.

Joseph's voice broke the silence. "Take her to the hub. I'll be there in a moment."

As Lydia was escorted away, Joseph's eyes found Clarisse's. "Still think you should be there for the questioning?"

Clarisse's features paled as though she'd seen a ghost. "Joseph, am I the only one who noticed…"

He sighed, he'd noticed too. "She looks remarkably like you, fifteen years ago."

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Despite his misgivings, Clarisse had insisted on being there for the questioning. He positioned a chair next to the door for her and she was flanked by Lionel and Felix. He wasn't taking any chances that this eventuality might be a part of Lester's sick and twisted plan.

"Do you understand why you've been brought in for questioning, Lydia?" Joseph fought to keep the patience in his voice and his tone even.

Her eyes focused past him and remained fixed on Clarisse. "I do."

Joseph was surprised at her admission. "Why don't you tell me then?"

Lydia leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs, revealing a fair amount of flesh since she'd been left in the nightgown she slept in. Her gaze never left Clarisse's. "I was specifically chosen. Did you know that?"

"Chosen for what?" Joseph fought the urge to dispense of what little food he'd consumed this day.

"To please him."

"Him?" Joseph was certain he knew who she referred to, but it was important to get the details down for the record.

She smiled, an odd cross between affection and evil. "Lester. He selected and brought me to his home. There, I learned to serve him. After my initial training period, he called me by only one name."

Joseph swallowed hard, the soup battling to make the return trip. The level of depravity surged beyond comprehension. "What name was that?"

"Clarisse."

All of the revulsion, the fear, the nightmare returned to Clarisse at hearing her name. She stepped forward, hastening toward the young woman. Joseph's voice slowed her progress. "Your Majesty…"

She turned and saw the expression on his face, silently asking her to let him handle this. Any other day, any other situation, she would acquiesce. But not this time. She pulled a chair a few feet in front of Lydia, thankful the woman's hands were handcuffed behind her back. "Tell me Lydia, why did he call you by my name."

The smile transformed into a look of hatred. "He obsessed about you. From the first time he met you at a ball, he fantasized about having you in his bed—teaching you to serve him. When you weren't available, he found me."

"So he used you to get to me?"

The malevolent smile returned. "I volunteered."

Clarisse's nerves froze in shock from the level of hate this woman felt for her. "Why? Have I harmed you in some way?"

Lydia pulled against her restraints. "Don't be so vain to think this was about you. I wanted him to have you, play with you and then end you. Once he did, then he would be free to love only me."

The color drained from Clarisse's face, but she held her composure. "You wanted to be with him? Do you have any idea what he did to me? To Joseph?"

Clarisse's statement caused Lydia to sit up straighter. "Wait? He got you? But… you're here and," her eyes swept over Clarisse and Joseph looking for signs of abuse. "You're not harmed. Where is he? Where is Lester?" She pulled against the restraints, her agitation clearly growing.

Clarisse wanted to laugh at the woman's statement that she hadn't been harmed. Lydia didn't realize her plan had been successful. The staff who knew about that weekend had done their job and kept the secret, even to those working within the palace. "Tell me what he had planned, how you helped and then I'll tell you where he is."

She could feel Joseph's gaze burning into her, but she needed/wanted to finish this. She needed to hear the motivation behind such cruel acts. Thankfully, being Queen had its privileges. Though the men were loyal to Joseph, first and foremost, they were loyal to her. They would not intervene. Only Joseph could stop her and she knew that he, too, wanted the answers.

At Clarisse's promise, Lydia relaxed into the chair seemingly accustomed to being restrained. "I managed to get the job at the palace several months ago. I was in the habit of disguising my appearance because I got tired of everyone telling me how much I looked like you. Lester told me to maintain my disguise, keep my ears open and report back to him about your routine, your schedule and other details. I had a special cell phone I kept to text him what I learned."

Clarisse nodded, the fact she was being spied on—unsettling, but not the heart of the issue. "Go on."

"I was assigned to clean your office the Friday you left early. Mrs. Cowts let me know you were going to be out the rest of the afternoon so I could get in early. I was excited because that meant I could get to Lester sooner for the weekend. On my way to the supply closet, I heard some of the maids mentioning how nice it was Joseph was taking you away for the weekend to the beach house since it was the anniversary of your son's death."

Clarisse wanted to be angry about the maids talking, but she knew it was only out of respect for Philippe and for her grieving, they were even mentioning it in the first place. Innocent conversation twisted for perverse uses.

"Once I verified the rest of the security team was still on the palace grounds, I checked the public records to see what houses along the coast were owned by the royal family and sent the info to Lester." She smiled widely as she continued. "He was so proud of me and promised me quality time with him as soon as he was finished."

"Finished?" Clarisse prompted.

Lydia's eyes narrowed. "He wanted to play with you, teach you to serve him and, when he was done, you'd be locked up with all his other used up playthings."

The soup she'd had for dinner vaulted up her throat as the vile words from this young woman filled the room. "And Joseph?" She swallowed hard in an effort to maintain her calm…and her dinner.

"Once Rich was through messing with him and making him pay for testifying against him in that rape trial, they were going to kill him so he'd have you all to himself for a while."

"Where are the others? The women you mentioned?" Other women subjected to ongoing torture…dear God please let them be safe and unharmed.

Lydia shook her head, "Once he set his sights on you, he got rid of them…either released or those who wanted to stay in service, gifts to other friends of his who like to play. Now tell me where Lester is!"

Clarisse stood and pulled herself to her full, regal stance. Her eyes burned into the younger image of herself. Her voice was low and filled with an odd sense of satisfaction. "He's exactly where he belongs, burning in hell, along with Richard and Jason. Each and every one of them shot by my security's second in command."

With those words, she turned and walked out, ignoring the screams and cries of the woman responsible for the nightmare she'd had to endure. Vaguely, she heard Joseph issue commands for Shades to remove Lydia from the palace. Whatever was going to happen to her next…she didn't know and she certainly didn't care.