Page 123 of Royally Benevolent

I was distracted by the child. She blew a raspberry at me that melted my heart.

“Wyatt, are you alright?”

I looked at Rick. “Sorry, she’s adorable. I was transfixed. Um… yes, sea bass is great, thanks.”

The butler left.

“She’s precious and probably our most devilish. Which, after her next-oldest sister, I thought was impossible.”

“This age is the one I remember most fondly. I forget everything for a bit after this age.”

“Because you lost Isla?” Rick asked.

“I did, yeah. And I feel like I lost so much of Theo’s childhood. Which is why I told myself we’d move back to the States and I’d see him more, except… I feel like I see him less, and he’s fucking miserable.”

Rick sighed. “I’m sorry, man. I am sure you feel like that. It all goes too fast. And with just the one, it has to feel much louder like you’re letting all the sand slip through.”

“It does,” I agreed. “Never supposed to be an only, but here we are. Ilove him to bits and miss him like crazy, but it’s a real struggle. Do you ever feel like you know what the right thing is?”

“Never,” Rick admitted. “I am constantly failing, just a littlelesseach time.”

I chuckled. It was too relatable.

“So, you’re back? I don’t mean to pry, but?—”

“I don’tknowif I’m back.”

A staff member appeared out of nowhere to display a bottle of wine for Rick’s review. It was so bizarre. He could be casual andnormalbut was still there to approve the wine list. Rick sighed.

“More champagne?”

“It is all Her Majesty is permitting in the household at present. Those wereherorders.”

Rick rolled his eyes. “Bring whiskey or something.”

“Yes, sir.” The kid disappeared.

“Apologies for my beloved wife. She is frothing at the mouth with excitement over Celeste’s death. Please don’t see this as cruel. That woman tortured them.”

“I know,” I said. “I get the feeling Odette feels a mix of emotions and is struggling. I’ve never seen her get drunk before. It concerned me.”

“I blame Lex. She’s never drunk like that. Poor girl is going to have a hangover.”

The boy reappeared with a rare bottle of Scotch and two glasses.

I appraised the bottle. “This is impossible to get in the States.”

“Well, I believe this was a gift from Ingrid’s ex. His family sent it. That whole thing was a fucking mess. I wish they’d get back together. I still want to strangle the bastard slightly, but I suspect he thinks he was doing a favour by cutting out, and she’s still hopelessly in love with him.”

Like Odette.

“What was he protecting her from?”

“He was going on a deployment, but I think it was more than that. He lost his father when he was very young—like the girls—and I think it worried him when Lex nearly died in childbirth.”

“It was that bad?” I asked.

“We thought we’d lose her. He was here. Astrid and Parker were running things. Odette and Ingrid were back here with the kids. It probably triggered him. Shortly after, things devolved. I keep hoping he will grovel, and we can get this over with. Perhaps he could show up here in her time of need and apologise?”

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