Page 93 of The Prince of New York

“I do. You about gave Zach and Peter heart attacks.”

“I was being fitted with an enhancer.”

“Ian, you did not get an enhancer. We do not need enhancers.”

“I was fitted with an enhancer, and I used it for the first time today. Well, outside of factory testing. It works quite well, and I like it. It has a suppressor built in, so if you do get close to exertion, it activates the suppressor. It cost alot. Our asshole parents think I bought an extra suppressor because I’m a good little son who flinches if I don’t meet expectations.”

“Okay. Good job. How many terrorists did you kill?”

“All of them minus the ones the RPS beat me to.”

“Good work. And Madelyn?”

“She had already left the airstrip with the animals, Zach, and Daphne when the attack started. There was a pursuing cell, but I had a herd of wild horses, and they ended that threat with extreme prejudice.” I sighed. “At no fault of anyone present, there was a ricocheted bullet that met my leg, but it’s minor. Terry already bandaged it, and I’ll be fine.”

“You were shot.”

“It’s minor enough I can still walk on it, at least until this nice adrenaline spike I’m riding wears off and the enhancer fever kicks in. And yes, enhancer usage has a side effect of a nasty fever. I’m going to be fever walking around the Californian palace driving everyone insane.”

“Ian,” my sister wailed. “Who shot you?”

“Honestly, it could have been anybody. It was a ricochet, not an actual murder attempt. But if it was a terrorist, the terrorist is very dead now. My talent handled the situation like he’s a very large cat and he wished to play with his food. I’m pretty sure he had picked who he played with the longest based on if he witnessed them attacking an RPS agent. It was a little brutal.”

“A little?” Eddie muttered. “Dad’s being seen by the royal physicians because his heart definitely did not like the terrorism event. In good news, he’s happy I emerged unscathed. In bad news? I told him you were shot, and he’s been dressing me down ever since. I guess being pissed I let you get shot is better than having an actual heart attack, but he’s probably going to be going in for heart surgery. It would not surprise me if they give him at least one stent to fix his heart problems. I’m pretty sure they’ve narrowed down which version of cardiac disease he has. Mom told me she has had it, and she’s taking his old damned ass to the hospital, and he is not leaving until he has his operation. The operationbeforethe heart attack means he doesn’t have the heart attack at all.”

I nodded my approval. “Good. Tell him that it’s my fault. I thought it was a good idea to introduce myself to the bullet. But you can tell him I’m borrowing you to be my personal assistant and legs until mine is back in full operating condition.”

Eddie laughed, dialed a number, and held it to his ear. “Hey, old man. Are they letting you go in an RPS SUV or are they subjecting you to an ambulance? Good. Remember, if you misbehave, theywillcall an ambulance, and they’ll let the reporters take pictures. Here, talk to Ian. He’s a bit edgy, and he could use a dad to comfort him before he has to go comfort his kids.”

As Eddie thrust the phone my way, I lost my chance to decline the conversation. Sighing, I put his phone to my ear. “You doing okay, Pat?”

“I want to say I’ve dealt with worse, but I really haven’t. A little discomfort they could tolerate. My blood pressure and discomfort? I get to be treated like I’m an old man on death’s door. I had to complain bitterly for the right to walk to the SUV, but I do not get to walk once we reach the hospital. The wife has a mallet, and she’s absolutely willing to break a knee right now. Maybe if I’m recovering from a broken knee, I’ll give my heart a rest.”

Ouch. “Don’t grill Eddie too hard. It really was a ricochet. Terry is already beating himself up enough over it—and over Will’s plane. The poor plane.”

“I’m sure Will will have plenty of friends willing to pitch in to fix his plane. I’ll talk to him and remind him that the plane isn’t much younger than Mireya, and it’s time he gets a shiny new one while his old one is with the plane doctors. There’s a new one available, and it will only take three weeks to get fitted. I was thinking about buying it.”

I crossed my eyes at the idea of Texas joining in the horse cargo plane competition. “Why don’t you pitch buying the wreckage of this plane, fix it up, and direct Will to the one you were going to buy? You can tell him you’re getting the plane for Mireya.”

Texas’s king chuckled, and the raspy quality to the sound worried me. “Good idea, boy. Please tell me Thunder is all right.”

“Thunder was with Daphne, His Royal Majesty of Maine, Dr. Stanton, the girls, and Madelyn, and the terrorists following them came to a rapid and violent end without them being aware they were being pursued. They got out before the terrorists were in position from my understanding of the situation.”

“Good, that’s a relief. Do me a favor, Ian?”

“Anything you need, Pat. What is it?”

“Smack that brat upside the head for me.”

I changed which hand held Eddie’s phone and did as told, hard enough the younger man yelped. “I have delivered your message, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you. I heard you give it to him good. That’s for worrying me straight to a damned heart attack and an operation, and when he gets home, I’m going to put him through his paces!”

Ouch. “You dad is not happy with you, Eddie. Please spare him a little?”

“I’ll think about it, but he best be coming home and having a damned good excuse for this travesty!”

I frowned. “Which travesty, Pat? It was a ricochet.”

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