Page 48 of Royal

“I think the fuck you do. It’s nice to meet you, Royal.”

They shake hands, and they’re doing that hand squeeze thing men do to see who the bigger man is.

Thankfully, Donovan makes himself known on his little toy motorcycle. Shane looks at the little boy, his face showing his pain. “Fuck, is this my nephew?” He bends down to Donovan’s level, and I realize how much he looks like my brother.

“It is,” I tell him happily. “Donovan, this is your uncle Shane,” I tell him, and he looks up from his bike, momentarily distracted from pushing random buttons on it. Donovan gives him a nod, his face straight, and I cover my mouth so I don’t laugh out loud. He just acted so much like Royal then.

Shane can’t help himself, he laughs, and Royal joins in. “Can I have a hug, bud?” Shane asks, and Donovan swings his leg over, walking to Shane.

They hug. Shane closes his eyes, and I want to cry because being away from family for so long must have been hard. On top of that, meeting your nephew when he is almost two years old.

Royal kisses my cheek. I lean back into him, watching Shane and Donovan meet for the first time. “I’m glad you’re home,” I tell Shane, so happy I don’t have to worry about something horrible happening to him overseas. “Let’s go into the kitchen, and I will catch you up on everything.” I take Shane’s hand, and Royal picks up Donovan before he can knock over the vase on the table.

I look over my shoulder at Royal before turning the corner. “You okay?” he mouths to me, and I nod, though I know I will be in big trouble.

Right now, it’s like Shane is my parent because I’m scared to tell him the things I’ve been keeping from him.

“Want something to drink?” I ask him, opening the fridge and trying to delay the conversation as much as possible. “Beer?”

He laughs. “You’re acting like I’m going to kill you or something.” I sigh, hating being called out. I slide the beer in front of him and move to sit beside him. “Where is James?”

“He died in a car accident when I was eighteen. I found out I was pregnant right around the time he died,” I tell him.

“I’m sorry, sis. I know how much he meant to you.”

I smile sadly. “He was a particular person, but now I realize he was never meant to be someone I spend the rest of my life with. That person is Royal.” I smile just at the mention of his name.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have sent you money to ensure you had what you needed. Seeing where you were living, I know you were having a hard time.”

“You have taken care of me my whole life, Shane. You got out of that town, and you started to make something of your life. You needed to have your own life. I made it just fine, okay?”

He shakes his head. “I still don’t like that you kept that shit from me. Mom never did one thing to help either of us.”

I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder. “I know, bub, but I wanted you to not worry about me. I’m happy.”

Royal walks into the kitchen, looking way too good in his jeans and dark blue t-shirt. “Did you tell him about Selene?”

I glare at him. “Not yet, but I wanted to ease him into that,” I hiss at him, and they both laugh at me.

“What’s going on?” Shane asks.

I explain how I inherited all of the money from James and how she wants the money, the threatening notes, and the letters she has sent me.

“Well, let’s go find the bitch and put a stop to that shit.” He lifts his beer toward Royal, who smirks.

“I was just thinking the same thing, but she is homeless. I have no fucking clue where she is.”

I look at Royal in shock, because I didn’t know that. “She’s homeless?”

He nods. “Yeah, she racked up too much debt, and the bank took everything from her. Then her man split.”

Wow.

“How did you find all of this out?” I ask Royal.

“I had someone trying to keep track of her, but she is a ghost right now.” He growls the last part, and I know he is frustrated. So am I, on top of everything with Penny’s bitch of an egg donor.

She assaulted Royal to get herself pregnant with a date rape drug, and that burns me alive knowing she hurt him in such a way.

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