O Lord & the Queen (Grace Grayson Security Book 3) Read online

  O LORD

  & the Queen

  ALSO BY ELIZABETH STEVENS

  NEW ADULT/ADULT BOOKS

  Heaven & Hell Chronicles

  Damned if I do

  Damned if I don’t

  Damned if I know

  All Devilbums Go To Heaven

  Grace Grayson Security

  Chaos & the Geek

  Hawk & the Lady

  O Lord & the Queen

  Rollie & the Rocker

  Tank & the Rebel

  Loving the Sykes

  Caden

  Carter

  Luther

  Oscar

  Ashton

  MATURE YA/NEW ADULT BOOKS

  the Trouble with Hate is…

  Accidentally Perfect

  Gray’s Blade

  Being Not Good

  Popped

  a GRACE GRAYSON novel

  O LORD

  & the Queen

  ELIZABETH STEVENS

  Kinky Siren

  An imprint of Sleeping Dragon Books

  O Lord & the Queen

  by Elizabeth Stevens

  Print ISBN: 978-1925928808

  Digital ISBN: 978-1925928792

  Cover art by: Izzie Duffield

  Copyright 2020 Elizabeth Stevens

  Worldwide Electronic & Digital Rights

  Worldwide English Language Print Rights

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any form, including digital and electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written consent of the Publisher, except for brief quotes for use in reviews. This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This one’s for all the fangirls, fanboys, fanbies, and fanpeeps.

  May your nerd light shine forever bright like a diamond.

  N

  Contents

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Raegan

  Nico

  Thanks

  My Books

  About the Author

  Author’s Note

  This book is written using Australian English. This will affect the spelling, grammar and syntax you may be used to. This might come across as typos, awkward sentences, poor grammar, or missed/wrong words. In the majority of cases (I won’t claim it’s infallible, despite all best efforts), this is intentional and just an Aussie way of speaking (it took my US beta readers a bit to get used to). I can’t say ‘the’ Aussie way, since we seem to differ even within the same state. Just think of us as a weird mix of British and US vernacular and colloquialisms, but with our own randomness thrown in. I still hope you enjoy it, though!

  A note on the whole Society aspect; I have to admit I’ve taken some liberties with this, but I’ve tried to combine them with a more realistic Adelaide lifestyle. This will hopefully not be too jarring, and explain if there are inconsistencies to the sort of Society you expected.

  1

  Raegan

  The best thing about my workplace was that the carpark was underground and my desk was in the basement, which meant I only had to see as many people who happened to be as late as I was on any given day. I didn’t have anything against people. I just had a problem with people who looked at me like I didn’t belong.

  Most of the suits at Olafson International looked at me like I didn’t belong. It didn’t help the dislike of the establishment I’d been cultivating since my early teens, and it had certainly cemented a dislike for people who wore suits like they were the only measure of successful adulthood.

  Not that I was interested in what most people considered successful adulthood, but no one likes to be made to feel lesser than.

  My boss, Duncan, didn’t usually care if I was late in because he knew I’d both get the work done and I’d stay late as often as necessary. Most mornings, he just gave me a vague nod or wave from the desk in his office as I walked into the Dungeon, and that was about it. Which made his clear ‘get in here’ that Thursday morning oh so weird.

  I dropped my satchel at my desk and wandered into his.

  “Close the door,” he said, not looking up.

  “Uh…” I said slowly, closing the door behind me.

  “It’s bad, Rae,” Duncan said, wincing in apology. “Really bad.”

  Oh, frak. This again. I’d hoped if I ignored it then it would go away. No such luck, obviously.

  I sighed and my hands wrung for the umpteenth time that week. “Okay. But, like the Rohirrim are late bad, or the TARDIS blew up bad?”

  He grimaced in a weird combination of humour and confusion. “Um… I’m not sure. Where does,” he looked at the paper in front of him, “‘Possible ties to criminal organisations, consider your employee in danger’ fall on that scale?”

  I felt the blood drain from my face.

  “Sit, Raegan.”

  “Oh.” I fell more than sat in the chair in front of my boss’ desk. “That’s more like Death Star is aimed at your house bad…” I looked up at him. “Does it really say I’m in danger?”

  Duncan nodded. “I’m afraid so. Between potential retribution and media frenzy… They’ve suggested I get you some personal security.”

  I frowned. “Personal security like ‘dark shades and an earpiece’ personal security?”

  “Yeah. Something like that. The firm Mr Olafson uses is generally pretty discrete.”

  I gave him a disbelieving look. “Discrete? You can pick those dudes out a mile away.”

  And I had. On numerous occasions. I couldn’t remember a staff Christmas party where one of those suited goons hadn’t been patrolling all serious and deadly looking. None of my ‘Men in Black’ jokes had ever gone down well with the big one in particular.

  Duncan failed to hide his smirk. “Mr Olafson likes the…image of security.”

  “I’ll say,” I muttered. “And, I’m getting one whether I like it or not. Aren’t I?”

  He nodded again. “Yep. ‘Fraid so.”

  I sighed. “Well, can’t we just chuck mine in some cargo shorts and a fandom shirt and say he’s an intern?”

  Duncan snorted. “I’ll see what I can do. But you know what the big guy’s like.”

  I nodded. I did know what the big guy was like. I’d worked for Olafson International for the three years, before I’d even finished university. Duncan was the uncle of my good friend Mel. So, when a position came up in the bowels of their IT Department and he knew I was perfect for it, he fought to get me the position.

  Olafson International was by and large your basic multi-national and, I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand more than half the pies they had their fingers in. There were legal sectors and accounting sectors, real estate was bought and sold, information was traded, there were lavish parties, and my salary was good. So, I’d dealt with system maintenance, I’d done the ‘have you tried
turning if off and on again?’ spiel about ten million times already, and I’d worked on updating their secure networking.

  What I hadn’t bet on was stumbling across a shady-looking money trail and a suggestion of human trafficking or something equally as glamorous. Which was why I was in the pickle I was now in. Because, I’d taken it to Duncan, who’d taken it to Mr Olafson, who’d taken it to the authorities, and somehow it had been leaked.

  As far as we knew, we were the only three in the company who knew it was me who’d found it. But you’d think criminals would have some decent hackers, so I guessed the authorities figured it was only a matter of time before someone followed my e-footprints back to their source.

  “Mr Olafson said the security company was organising their team to get you someone as soon as possible. Could be this afternoon, could be tomorrow.”

  “That soon?” came out as a squeak and I cleared my throat.

  “Yeah. He was going to give me a heads’ up to send you up to his office to meet them.”

  “You mean I’m going to have to leave the Dungeon?” I asked him, utterly aghast.

  He nodded solemnly. “Sorry, Rae. But it’s the only way.”

  “But no one leaves the Dungeon, Duncan… Not unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

  He shrugged. “I guess it’s absolutely necessary.”

  I sighed and hung my head. “Fine. But, let the record state that I’m not pleased about this.”

  “You think anyone will be?”

  A sudden thought hit me. “What are we going to tell Jackson?”

  Jackson completed the Company of Nerds who ruled over the Dungeon.

  Duncan frowned. “About what?”

  “About why there’s a security dude following me around?”

  Duncan rubbed his hands over his eyes. “I dunno. We’ll work it out. Oh hey, can we say your nan finally kicked it and left you the millions?”

  I rolled my eyes. “He’ll be all over that in a week.”

  “Shame. I’ll sort it. Just be ready to meet the dude. Yeah?”

  “Sure, because I didn’t have anything better to do with my life.”

  Duncan huffed a laugh. “Go forth, Nerd Queen. Janice’s email won’t fix itself.”

  “Janice should stop giving her email address to sex sites,” I said as I stood up.

  Duncan snorted. “Oh, but I don’t possibly know how they got my email,” he said in his sarcastic falsetto.

  “The Wallbanger and Thrusting Swan winging their way to her front door say otherwise,” I replied wryly.

  “Not that you’d know anything about those things,” Duncan said.

  I pointed at him and tried not to smile. “I am far too pure, boss-man.”

  “No. ‘Course. Miss Innocent of the Perpetual Single would rather watch Touched by an Angel.”

  I sniggered. “You shut up, Duncan. I don’t see dates clamouring at your door.”

  Which was as surprising as it was unsurprising. Duncan was a lot younger than Mel’s dad, which put him about ten years older than me. I think he’d recently had his thirty-fifth, maybe? I found it hard to keep track. But still, guy wasn’t heinous, and he was falling behind in the nerd-knowledge compared to me and Jackson, so I didn’t know why he didn’t pull more tail.

  He had that light brown hair and sweet brown eye combo and, had he not been Mel’s uncle, then I might have even been inclined to roll the die on that one. But, between that and understanding adulthood required a modicum of professionalism, I’d put Duncan in the ‘drool but don’t touch’ basket as soon as I became legal.

  “Maybe not.” He leant back in his chair and laced his hands behind his head. “But I’m not going to pretend I don’t indulge in carnal pleasures.”

  I barely contained an epic snort. “I’m going to get to work before Jackson slaps a sexual harassment suit on us.”

  He unlaced his hands quick smart, but didn’t lose the companionable smile. “Good plan. I’ll let you know as soon as Mr Olafson calls.”

  I nodded, starkly reminded of the serious dive my life was about to take. “Cool.”

  I pulled his door open and saw Jackson’s eyes snap up at the sound.

  “Everything good?” he asked and I nodded as I threaded my way back to my desk through the piles of computer towers and parts and spare monitors that littered the Dungeon.

  “Yeah. All good.”

  Jackson nodded and went back to focussing on his computer. I had to hand it to the nerd, he was even less adept at social interaction than me. At least I managed it with flair and an endearing bumble.

  I dropped into my chair, picked up my pen, gave my David Tenant bobble-head a whack for good measure, and pulled up Janice’s email account.

  Managing to get lost all day in work, any hopes that I’d go home without having to meet whoever was sent for my bodily protection were dashed at four fifteen.

  We’d long since stopped using our legs to covey messages in the Dungeon, so the notice came via an email that just said:

  Mr Olafson’s ready.

  Why Janice hadn’t just called me, I didn’t know. But message received.

  I nodded to Duncan to show him I’d got it, then pushed up from my chair.

  Again, Jackson’s eyes darted up. “Leaving early?”

  “Nope,” I replied, popping the ‘p’.

  “You don’t need more coffee or the toilet yet.”

  “I sure don’t.” I mean, I could always do with more coffee.

  “And you’re not leaving yet?”

  I shook my head. “Scotty’s beaming me up.”

  His eyebrows drew together for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Why?”

  Jackson was the kind of guy to be laser-focussed. He took ignoring social mores to a whole new level. Normally, I applauded him his quirks. Just then, not so much.

  “Who knows? Maybe Olafson’s firing me?” I chuckled humourlessly.

  “He shouldn’t do that. You’re the best here.”

  I nodded and pointed at him in agreement. “No. Thank you. If he tries it, I’ll remind him of that.”

  Jackson gave me a nod as he went back to his computer screen. “Do.”

  “Good talk,” I mumbled to myself and headed for the lift.

  It felt wrong and weird to hit the up arrow but, like the adult I was, I did it.

  As the doors closed in front of me, I felt a twinge of something unpleasant wash over me. It was like my whole life was about to change and I was not prepared for it.

  “No one’s trying to kill you,” I reminded myself as I rode up the building. “This isn’t a crime novel…”

  2

  Nico

  I woke with a jump and heard a familiar voice talking at me. I was willing to bet the voice belonged to the foot that had kicked me awake.

  “Coffee…” I rasped as I pulled my face off my desk and sat up, and opened my eyes.

  A mug was waved past my face and I rubbed my hand over it in an attempt to wake up. All that served to do was further disrupt my glasses, so I had to right them before having any hope of seeing anything with my still-sleep-laden eyes.

  “Remember that time you weren’t going to sleep for a month?”

  “What God forsaken time is it?” I asked, my voice no better than it had been before.

  “Eleven. I don’t have time for you to wake up. I need you functioning now.”

  My chair went out from under me and I looked up into the no-nonsense face of Chaos.

  “That was not excellent, dude,” I said. “You want me functional, give me the good stuff.”

  “Get up and get to the War Room, then you get the coffee.”

  “No, no, no!” I whined as he walked out and I grunted in annoyance.

  I dragged myself off the floor and pulled my half-awake, tired arse to the War Room after the much faster promise of coffee. Everyone was already there.

  I picked up my tablet and followed t
he boss to the War Room, and found the others already there waiting for us. Hawk and Rollie were fighting over pastries, and Tank was pouring more coffee.

  “Okay, let’s settle down, shall we?” Chaos said, sounding like a weary school teacher coming up to the end of term.

  “Aye, aye, boss man,” Rollie said, spraying icing sugar on the table.

  I took my seat and buried my head behind my tablet as per usual. Some days, I wasn’t even doing anything exciting – I could just be refreshing emails – but they didn’t need to know that. Let them think I was doing something on the dark web that protected some small corner of the world from harm.

  “Here,” Tank said, sliding a napkin over to me. “Saved you one.”

  It was the thought that counted in this scenario since I was the only one who liked the yellow iced doughnuts. Was it my fault if I’d taken a particular shine to that fake banana flavour as a kid and never grown out of it? At least it meant I always got two doughnuts to every one of their nasty strawberry and boring chocolate ones.

  “What’s so pressing you got the nerd up before noon?” Tank asked.

  “Olafson needs us on a new job and he needs it yesterday,” Hawk said, more perfunctory than usual.

  “What’s that got to do with him?” Rollie asked, kicking his head in my direction.

  “I agreed to function in exchange for coffee. I don’t see coffee,” I mumbled pointedly.

  Something wet and cold hit my face and I looked at Rollie. Slowly, my blinking turned to a frown.

  “Do you want me to rig your place to blow?” I growled. “Because I fucking will.”

  “Can we not antagonise Nico before he’s alive on the outside as well, please?” a sweet voice said, and I looked up to see Bert walking in with a tray of coffee.

  A part of me felt instantly better.

  “Shouldn’t you be at uni?” Hawk asked his little sister.