Page 70 of Princess For All

“Yeah, see, I thought they weren’t telling you thatI’mnot the reason you haven’t gotten what you really need from me,” James bit out.

I was annoyed when I caught on and looked at Vitor and Tian. “Which of them told my knights they would die if they took me up in the fighter jets?”

“All of them,” they said together, Tian continuing. “And Branko. Petre agreed but kept his mouth shut.”

“Assholes. Seriously. They absolutely knew that I blamed James for that.”

“No, they think he is smart enough to agree with them and is just complaining that you’ll blame only him,” Vitor clarified.

“Will you really take me up?” I asked James, brimming with excitement.

“Yes, and not to score points with you. I think you need it and now is the right time. We control this continent and the weapons. Fully.” He searched my eyes. “But not far, okay?”

“Don’t do this without talking to them first,” Tian muttered. “This is a line with them.”

“It’s one they’ve crossed with me too,” I growled. “I would never have… Assholes. They knew how much I wanted this.”

“Look, I was against it at first too with how much was going on and the dangers,” James admitted. He nodded when I was shocked. “You’re our only hope, spicy snack. And we were using jets I didn’t know.Fuelthat was too old. But we’ve got that all worked out now. Additives so the fuel is almost perfect and normal risks. A jet I know.”

I let out a slow breath. “Don’t back out on me, okay?”

“I promise. I prefer you not let them kill me. Trisha and Vance can’t take that.”

Neither could I. Which was why a conversation needed to be had first.

I had someone from security tell my husbands and a list of people to meet us where everything was in Albuquerque. Kristof arrived first, and death was in his eyes for James when he probably put together what was going on.

He focused on me then but flinched at whatever was in my eyes. Cerdic came next with his twin hot on his heels plus a few more from Matilda’s coven. Then Jaxon with Sebastian and Jamelle. Last was Darius with Branko, Moon, Sisay, and… A whole damn crew.

“Did you tell my knights you’d kill them if they took me up in the fighter jet like I wanted?” I demanded.

“Yes, and I told you that,” Kristof hedged.

“No, that was—you said pound them, and you say that about fucking cookies or the last filled donut,” I snapped. “And that was at first. Was that astandingthing and you knew I blamed James for not taking me up?”

If the situation wasn’t so serious, I would have laughed at the way James moved behind me like a shield.

“Don’t blame him,” I said snapping my fingers to get their attention. “Are you my fathers or husbands and lovers?” I flinched thinking about my murdered father I’d never known but then focused back on the conversation.

However, rage filled me seeing the parallel.

Dark rage.

I glanced between Jaxon, Darius, and Cerdic. “Though I guess you three are my daddy issues since you abandoned me like him, huh? Vanessa would probably say that’s a thing.”

“Not sure that’s a far dig, love,” Cerdic muttered.

“Not sure it’sunfaireither though,” I chuckled darkly. “So I’m sure you really don’t have a vote in something like this that I’vewanted. You don’t get to take it away from me without a fucking conversation when you’re not even in my bed or Iwear your ring, love.”

He ground his jaw and nodded. “No, I suppose not. It was an old…” He cleared his throat.

I almost glanced over my shoulder. Something had been on James’s face. It wasn’t old. I almost thanked Cerdic for not lying to me.

Wasn’t it sad that was where we were at and I would thank him for that?

It was hard to not fall into depression and even get out of bed when thoughts hit me like that because they overwhelmed me and almost dragged me into the darkness.

17

---