Page 21 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

“Honey…” Victoria said with a sigh.

“I’m not ditching you. We’re waiting for Stephen.”

“Waiting for Stephen?” Maddie asked, her features pinching with confusion. “Why? So, you two can kill each other on the plane?”

“No,” Nate said with a shake of his head. “Just…hang out in your room for a while.”

“Hang out in my room? Why?” She shifted her gaze to her mother. “What’s going on?”

“Nate’s right–”

“No!” Maddie said with a stamp of her foot. “No, I want to know what’s going on.”

“Honey–”

“No, Mom!” Maddie whined. “I’m not a little kid. No one tells me anything. I’m always left out of the loop.”

“Maddie,” Victoria said, her voice a warning.

“Maddie, just cool it for a second, okay? Mom, let me know when you hear from Dad, okay?”

Victoria fluttered her eyelashes as she nodded. “I’m going to call him now and see what’s going on.”

“Okay.” Nate squeezed her hand before she twisted, pulling her phone out to make the call.

Maddie crossed her arms. “What is going on that no one wants to tell me?”

“Stephen was arrested.”

“What?” Maddie’s eyes went wide. “For what?”

“He got into it with Chloe…she says he assaulted her.”

“OMG, seriously? She’s such a liar.”

Nate wrapped an arm around his sister as he led her down the hall toward her room. “I think so, too, but no matter what, we need to stick together as Kingsleys, right?”

“Yeah, I guess. I mean, Dad will get him out of this, right?”

“I’m sure Dad isn’t going to let this stand, but it’s serious, Maddie.”

“I know, but…I mean…it’s going to be okay, right?”

“We’ll make sure it’s okay, no matter what happens. But, given everything that’s happening, I think we should wait to leave and take Stephen with us. He needs to get away from all of this.”

She pouted. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m just surprised you care.”

“Of course, I care,” Nate answered. “Stephen and I have had some rough times but he’s still my brother.”

“Okay,” Maddie said as they arrived at her door. “You’ll come get me when it’s time to leave?”

“Yep. We’re all going to Eldoria today…just a little later than we expected.”

Maddie kissed his cheek with a grin. “Okay. I can’t wait to see Ellie.”

“Hey, you didn’t text her and tell her we’re coming, did you?”

“No, why? Do you want me to?”

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