Page 133 of My Five Daddies

I don’t know what to do, so I wrap myself in a blanket and I pretend that I don’t exist, at least for a little while. Once I’ve calmed down, we’ll talk this through and figure it out. But for now, I’m spinning out, and I don’t know how I’m going tostop.

21

Nolan

The lookon her face nearly fucking brokeme.

It was pure fear and anger, like she was terrified of what they were saying about her, but angry at me for putting her in the position to be talked about. And I can’t blame her. She’s not from this world, so this sudden media spotlight is probably pretty terrifying forher.

Besides, being called a spy and a traitor is a big deal. She’s right that I brought her out here to keep her safe, but I hated admitting that to her. I don’t trust the loyalty of the guards back at the castle, and I definitely don’t trust most of the stewards. So for now, I’m the best protection she has, at least until I establish more control in thecastle.

And I’m working on that. I’ve been making calls to influential lords outside of the castle, trying to win them over to my side. I’ve also been sending out bribes to prominent stewards within the castle, hoping to turn them against Julian. So far, I can’t tell what’s working and what isn’t, but I need to keepgoing.

I leave Hazel alone for the rest of the day. I spend my time back in my little office, making calls, shoring up my alliances, and starting to build my power base. I’m going to need allies when I finally make my move against Julian, and this is the start of all that. I know the younger nobles support me, but they aren’t enough, though they’re a greatstart.

The day slips by and the sun slowly starts to sink over the landscape. I stretch in my chair and get up. I haven’t heard from Hazel in a few hours, so I decide to go upstairs and check on her. I knock on the bedroom door before slowly pushing itopen.

She looks up at me and smiles a little bit. She’s sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed looking through an old photoalbum.

“Hey,” shesays.

“Hey, yourself.” I step toward her, smiling a little. “What’sthat?”

“Pictures of you and your family,” she says. “I found this under thebed.”

I laugh and sit down next to her. “I don’t remember this at all,” Iadmit.

“It’s pretty good. You had some really bad haircuts.” She points to a particularly awful picture of me when I wassix.

“I was as handsome then as I am now,” I say toher.

“You weren’t my type backthen.”

“Why, not into badhair?”

“No, not into six-year-oldkids.”

I grin and nudge her. “I’ve always been an oldsoul.”

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t begross.”

We lapse into silence for a couple of minutes as she continues to page through the book. I don’t so much look at the pictures as watch her reactions to them. She seems really interested in each one, and I have to admit that I like watching her smile and get interested in our history. We may be unconventional, but I do still have some good memories from when I was akid.

I glance at the window and note that the sun is about to set. An idea comes to my suddenly, and I standup.

“Come on,” I say. “Leave the book. We’ll look at itlater.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Where are you takingme?”

“It’s a surprise. I think you’ll like it,though.”

She hesitates. “I think I’ve had enough surprisestoday.”

I crouch down in front of her and take the book away. I close it and toss it onto the bed before taking her hand between mine. “Trust me, princess,” I say. “You’re going to likethis.”

She watches me for a second then sighs. “Fine,” she says. “Let’sgo.”

I grin and stand, tugging her along. She reluctantly follows as I hurry us back through the house. We head out the back door and down a path that leads toward thelake.

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