Page 13 of The Prince of New York

I could handle that. “As I don’t want a broken neck, I will just accept that I have made a mess of the mud run.”

“Actually, I made a mess of the mud run. You were my victim.” My sister sighed and bowed her head. “I got carried away.”

I wondered how to impress upon my sister that her willingness to defeat me even at the risk of cleaning my clock counted as a positive thing. “Until I recover from your vicious assault of my person, you have to feed me chocolate milkshakes and tell your tigers I actually like petting them.”

My sister stared at me, and then she snorted on a laugh. “You want to have chocolate milkshakes and nap with my tigers?”

“I have to see what the appeal is. There has to be an appeal.”

“Sure. I’ll make you some chocolate milkshakes and tell Amisha and Endah you want to relax with them and take a nap. I’m sure they won’t mind. They’re always looking to add new humans to their empire. Is he going to be okay, Dr. Stanton?”

“I’m sure your brother will be fine. We’re just going to take him to the hospital to be certain of that. I recommend that you get showered and change if you wish to tag along. You can even bring your tigers, as you may need them once it sinks in you gave your brother a concussion.”

“We’re even for that drowning attempt,” Rachel informed me.

“That seems fair. We will still face off against this mud run, though. We have unfinished business.”

“Yes, we do.” My sister eyed her prized RPS agent. “Do you want to accompany us to the hospital or get the ball rolling on fixing the mud run?”

“The mud run can wait for tomorrow. I’ll accompany you, and I’ll drag Monty along for the ride. Alfred can hold down the fort while we’re gone. I’m sure your husband will insist on coming as well.”

“I really will,” Ethan said, shaking his head. “We’ll try not to disrupt the hospital too much. I’ll even try to figure out a way to spin this for the media.”

“Her Royal Majesty of New York Launches Successful Sneak Attack on Older Brother,” my sister suggested.

Two could play at that game, and I countered with, “Her Royal Majesty of New York Weaponizes Mud Run.”

My sister giggled. “We’re going to be the reason they have to toddler proof our mud run.”

“We really are like unruly toddlers, aren’t we?” Aware Terry would lose his shit if I moved until the ambulance arrived, I eyed him without moving my head. “Can we try that again but without concussions next time?”

“Assuming we can make some safety corrections to the course, yes. I don’t want to deal with the court crying that the mud run was deemed unsafe.”

“Does that mean I can’t try it after we get back from the hospital?” Ethan asked.

“You are not stepping foot onto that course until the safety enhancements are installed, Your Majesty. If you try, I will recruit the tigers,” Terry warned. “I will tell them both that you are in clear and present danger and that they must protect you.”

Careful to keep from moving my head, I regarded Dr. Stanton with wide eyes. “Can you protect me from Terry, please?”

“I’ll do what I can, but he’s a Niell now, and the Niells call in backup if they are outnumbered or cornered, and I have no doubt he’ll make use of his princess if he must.”

“I’ll behave, Terry,” I promised. “Ethan, just promise you’ll behave. It’s the only way you’ll get out of this alive.”

My sister giggled. “You heard him, Ethan. You need to promise you’ll behave; otherwise, my tigers are going to protect you.”

My friend and brother-in-law rubbed at his temple and likely prayed for patience. “Dr. Stanton, can you run my wife through the machines? I’m concerned.”

“It’s better than panic and self-loathing,” Dr. Stanton replied.

“Forget I said a thing. I’ll behave, Terry, just don’t make the tigers protect me,” His Royal Majesty of New York said in a solemn voice.

“That’s better. Now, do try to behave at the hospital. The more of a fuss any of you make, the longer we’ll be there for. If the entire lot of you can manage this trip without any other incidents, I’ll even see about adding an extension to the course while we’re making the safety improvements.”

“Behave, Ian,” my sister ordered.

Why was she blaming me? Rather than get into an argument with her, thus creating more of a fuss, I promised, “I’ll do my best.”

FOUR

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