Page 38 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

“Lazy,” she teased. “Well, I’ve got to run, darling. But I do hope you get good news soon. Keep me updated via text?”

“I will. And, Ellie…”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.” He ended the call after they expressed their love for one another and eased back into the leather cushion. She’d lifted his mood somewhat. At least they had hope for their future, but the mess in Sterling City continued to plague him.

He needed to speak with his father about it. They shouldn’t have any surprises.

He forced himself from the chair, leaving the library behind and striding through the halls to his father’s office. He poked his head in, expecting to find his dad staring out the window. Instead, it looked like command central during a war.

Legal assistants hurried around the room, taking notes or receiving instructions from Clifford.

“What’s going on?” he asked as he stepped inside.

“Hi, Nate,” his father answered. “Friend on the force says to prepare for some questions to come our way. I don’t expect it to stop there. I’m guessing there will be charges. We’re trying to strategize.”

He glanced around the room, finding Stephen absent. “Has Stephen talked to you about anything?”

Charles squashed his eyebrows together as he snapped his gaze to Nate. “Should he have?”

“I think so,” Nate answered. “Can we speak privately?”

“Give me a second, Clif,” Charles said, patting the man on the shoulder as he skirted his desk.

They left the office behind, heading for the living room. Charles crossed to the drink cart with a heavy sigh, pouring himself a bourbon despite the early hour. “Please don’t tell me you have some dirt on your brother you plan to use.”

“No,” Nate said with a shake of his head. “No, I…Dad, I’d never do that. Stephen and I have had our differences. We've clashed in both our business and personal lives, but this is different. We've talked and we're trying to put the past behind us."

“Good. That’s good. We may need to band together as a family behind your brother. He’s going to need all of our support.”

“Yeah, I understand that, but Dad…there’s something you should know.”

“What is it?”

“Well, first of all, Stephen did leave the house last night. He went to Chloe’s, but he says he didn’t go inside. I’m the only one who knows that, I think.”

“Someone else knows it because the cops are looking to bring someone in for questioning. That’s the scuttlebutt, anyway.”

Nate tugged his lips back, the weight of the next piece of information crushing him. “Yeah, I’m a little worried it won’t be Stephen.”

His father eyed him over the rim of his tumbler. “Nate, please don’t tell me you went to see her.”

“Not me,” Nate said, a lump forming in his throat. “Dad, when Stephen and I spoke…he said he…”

“What? Spit it out, Nate.”

Nate centered his eyes on his father, his stomach twisting. “Stephen said he saw Mom there. Dad, I’m concerned the questions coming aren’t for Stephen. They’re for Mom.”

His father choked on the bourbon he sipped before he slammed the glass down on the table. “What? Is he sure?”

Nate lifted his shoulders. “He seems to be sure. He said he went by and saw Mom there. And she was…beside herself yesterday about this, Dad. I mean, she was really upset.”

“Watch what you’re saying. Even the implication–”

“No, I know.” Nate held his hands up. “I know. I don’t think she did anything but…Dad if there are surveillance cameras…”

“I need to discuss this with Clif, see if we can get some information from his source.” He strode toward the door, leaving Nate behind in the living room.

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