Page 83 of The Empire and the Wolf King

“Is it true?”

I said, “Aye.”

He said, “By the light of the day, I do not believe you. It is more fiction than my latest movie and the entire premise ofthatwas a world inhabited by dragons made of metal.”

I ran my hand through his hair again. “How can I prove it tae ye, Wilfred — I mean,Wilfrey, where would ye like tae go?”

“Anywhere?”

“Anytime and any place.”

“In that case, I would like to go to Old Hollywood…to walk along the boulevards under the palm trees. I think I would feel at home there.”

I said, “Done, once this current crisis is ended, I will take ye tae Old Hollywood, in exchange ye will accompany me tae New York tae attend a party. My friends will think ye verra handsome.”

He smiled his dazzling smile and said, “Done.”

I dislodged him from my breast and stood and wrapped a luxurious silk robe around me. “We will be serving breakfast in the?—”

“Mairead, are you inviting me to stay for breakfast? Here in the castle?”

“I am inviting you to stay, aye, but then I will be in meetings…”

He put his arm behind his head cockily. “But I could stay? I do dislike the idea of going home, rattling around in my big house, my next movie does not begin filming until…” He let his voice trail off.

“Ye will rattle around here as well.”

He shrugged. “I could work out in your gym? There is a gym in this castle?”

“Aye, there is a gym.”

“Then after your long meetings I could meet you here — you could put your feet on my lap, Mairead, because you will be tired from ruling your son’s kingdom, and you could bed your lover, Wilfrey, again in that way you do.”

“Oh my,” I said, fanning myself, “that does sound lovely, and aye, ye can stay for the day, I could use the company. But daena be distracting, ye must wear a suit and tie for dinner, nae workout clothes. I winna stand for ‘casualness’, tis demeaning tae all of us.”

“I must wear a suit and tie? Done. And ‘no distraction’? Is this distracting?” He climbed from the bed, completely naked and shook his hips tae make his cock perform distractingly.

“I daena mind a wee bit of distraction, just daena be distracting in the wrong way.”

He raised his brow and teased, “Isthisthe wrong way?”

“Tis verra distracting in the wrong way. I must focus on the work of the kingdom.”

He drew the back of my hand up and kissed the knuckles. “I can be a good distraction, I will stay to keep you company so you won’t dwell on the loss of your son.”

“Aye, twould mean a lot tae me, Wilfrey, ye are a fine distraction. I rather like having ye around.”

He strode across the room tae the bathroom, his arse a fine sight tae my forlorn eyes.

CHAPTER 39 - LADY MAIREAD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

Ikept myself busy in meetings all day, but then, midafternoon, in my office with a general and an admiral, I received an alert.

Someone had arrived on the jumping spot.

Archibald!

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