Page 89 of My Five Daddies

I have to keep my cool. I can’t blow up on him. That won’t solve anything. We’ve always had a strained relationship, and I know he never approved of any choices I’ve made, but I had no clue it went thisfar.

“Do you really believe that’s all I’ve been doing?” I ask himslowly.

He sighs. “Yes, you have your charities. And I’ll admit, you’ve done remarkably well. But, son, how can I possibly believe that you want to take the kingdomseriously?”

“Because I’m here,” I say. “You think it’s easy returning to the castle after all this time? I know you don’t approve of how I’ve been living, father, but you know I’d make a goodking.”

“Maybe,” he says, shaking his head. He leans back in his chair and glances up at the clock. “But maybe not. Your cousin has been a part of this court his entire life, which is saying more than you. He also has several heirs and a lovely wife that will be a wonderful help if he takes the throne. The fact is, you aren’testablished.”

I laugh, genuinely surprised. “That’s it, isn’t it? You hate that I haven’t settleddown.”

My father’s frown deepens. “It’s unbecoming of you to sleep around the way you do. It tarnishes ourreputation.”

“Unbelievable. I thought you’d be above such absurd cultural prudishness, but apparently not.” I stand up and glare at him. “If you choose Julian over me, you’ll be making a bigmistake.”

“I don’t think so,” he says to me, not backing down. “But nothing is official yet. There’s always time for you tosettle.”

I bark out a short laugh and turn away. “It’s a shame you see the world in such stark contrast, father. But nothing is as simple as youthink.”

“Prove me wrong,” hesays.

I don’t respond, and just head to the door. I leave his chambers and walk back out into the hallway, trying to keep myself undercontrol.

That fucking bastard. He really is going to choose Julian over me. I knew it was a real possibility but hearing it from his lips just makes it so much worse. I didn’t think he’d actually go this far with it, but apparently I’m really being cutout.

I won’t back down though. Julian would be bad for this fucking country. This place is socially and culturally backwards enough as it is, it’s time to bring Polovia into the twenty-first century. I’m the perfect man for the job. I was to make people’s lives better, but I know Julian and his cronies will continue to bleed the commoners dry until there’s nothingleft.

I’m not going to stand aside and watch it happen. It was a mistake to leave court all those years ago, but I’m going to fix thatmistake.

I head back toward my room, lost in thought, trying to decide what to do. As I reach my room, I notice a steward standing in the hallway, staring straight ahead. I smile to myself. Andrew must have sent him to watch overme.

“What’s your name?” I ask the man. He’s in his forties, tall, thin, and goingbald.

“Richard, my prince,” hesays.

“Well, Rich, I want you to get someone for me. She’s a maid namedHazel.”

He hesitates. “I know the girl,” hesays.

“Good. Bring herhere.”

He bows slightly and quickly walksoff.

I watch him go before going into my rooms. I sigh and shut the door behind me, not really sure what I’mdoing.

My father and his court are so fucking backwards. They care more about someone with a family than they do about someone with a proven track record of good management and charity. My charities have flourished over these years because I’m damn good at running them, just as I’ll be damn good at running this country. But just because I don’t have a wife and children, he can’t imagine putting me on thethrone.

It makes no fucking sense, or at least it wouldn’t if we were anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, I’m stuck in Polovia, the backward-ass capital of Earth. And I want to ruleit.

I lean against the counter in my small kitchen. I hesitate a second before finding a bottle of whisky and pouring myself a drink. I need to figure out how to change my father’s perspective of me, and I need to do it fast. Julian may not be the official crown prince yet, but he will be if I don’t dosomething.

A wife and children. That’s all Julian has on me. Maybe he has more experience at court, but my father knows that counts for less and less these days. We aren’t in the fucking sixteenth centuryanymore.

I sip my whisky and think. I forget all about asking the steward to send Hazel to my apartment, at least until I hear a knock at my door. It pulls me from my thoughts. I walk over and open the door, smirking at the girl standing in front ofme.

Hazel is fucking gorgeous. She smiles at me, a little unsure of herself. I can tell she doesn’t know why she’s here. Frankly, I don’t really know why I wanted to call her over. Maybe because I want to fuck her, which is obvious, but I should be keeping to myself right now. I need to change my bad reputation, not feed it by fucking thestaff.

“I’m glad you knocked this time,” I say toher.

---