Page 41 of The Heart of the King

David nodded and sighed. “I’ll let you know as soon as I talk to Jasmine.” It would likely be their longest, private conversation since Christmas. They’d both been incredibly busy in the weeks since their movie marathon, though he hadn’t a clue what she’d been doing most of the time. He only knew they hadn’t seen much of each other outside of official functions. He had no idea what she did with her days.

The knock on the door from her office came in just a few minutes. David called for her to enter, and then they took seats in front of the fireplace.

“You seem serious.” Had she gotten a haircut? It seemed like it, but there was still plenty of color left.

“I’ve told you about my half-sister and how my father paying off her mother is a big part of what sent him to jail, where his financial malfeasance came in.”

Jasmine nodded. “Yes.”

“Her mother and nanny are both being arrested. Her mother for extortion of a member of the royal family and the nanny for collusion.”

She blinked. “What will happen to the girl?”

“Gabe and I are her next of kin. If neither one of us will take her in and be her guardians, then she’ll go with Children’s Services to a foster home.”

This time she shook her head. “No. Absolutely not. She can come here.” A cautious look covered her face. “Unless you’d rather your brother take care of her.”

David shook his head. “No. I’ve never met her, but with our father’s current permanent living situation, it falls on me as her oldest sibling to take care of her. However, with my job and responsibilities, much of that will land on you. I need to know you’re on board before I tell them for certain she can live with us.”

“Of course, we’re her family. It’s our responsibility, but it’s also our privilege.”

“I’m glad to hear that. They’re waiting for me to tell them our decision before they execute the warrants. She’ll be here within a couple of hours, I’d think.” David glanced at his watch. “I have some work Ihaveto get done before she arrives. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get as much as I can done then the three of us can have dinner together.”

As he stood, Jasmine joined him. “I’ll wrap up some things as quickly as I can. I probably need to get in touch with Mrs. Sneedly to see if there are any clothes around here that will fit her if she comes with very little of her own.” As they walked toward her door, Jasmine continued. “And where will she live?” She shook her head. “Forget whatever else I had on my agenda for the day. I’ll get started with Mrs. Sneedly and Marie and have a place ready for her.” If anyone knew where to find things, it was the stylist. And now that Jazz had her own assistant, something she still found hard to believe, Marie could run interference with Mrs. Sneedly if necessary.

All things he would never have thought about. “Thank you, Jasmine.” He kissed her cheek. “I’m glad you’re here.”

She smiled up at him. “Me, too. You’d never figure this out on your own.”

He chuckled. “Likely not. I’ll see you when she arrives.”

Before either one of them could say anything else, his phone rang. David spent the next two hours working on as much of his to-do list as he could.

Stewart came in and together they watched the press coverage of the warrants being served. Someone had tipped off the media so they were camped out across the street from his half-sister’s home.

They’d been camped out there for a while, though the numbers had surged this time.

The little girl hadn’t been photographed outside since the story broke over two years earlier. David frowned. Did that mean she hadn’t been outside in all that time either? Or had she been secreted out somehow?

The girl’s mother, who he’d met at least twice, didn’t strike him as the type to protect her daughter from prying eyes, but rather one to use her own child as a pawn for attention when she decided it was necessary.

His frown deepened when he saw the mother being walked out in handcuffs to a waiting car. She looked straight at the cameras and smiled.

And made David uneasy.

There was something he couldn’t quite remember. Something to do with her.

But what was it?

15

Looking around the room, Jazz decided it would have to do. “Why don’t we let her decide how she wants to decorate or rearrange?”

Mrs. Sneedly took a deep breath.

“Without going overboard or ruining any of the palace features,” Jazz hurried on. “I’m not suggesting we paint one of the walls with chalk paint and let her draw all over everything. She should be too old for that anyway.” Right? The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the rapport they’d carefully developed over the last few weeks.

“Yes, she should be, but heaven only knows how she’s been raised to this point. She could be a wild child who will break everything she can get her hands on.” Mrs. Sneedly looked worried. “I’d rather we take everything out we can.” She eyed a vase that had to be older than Jazz’s home town.

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