Page 33 of The Heir
“Twins?” I exclaimed.
“Yes, it’s the third set of twins in that family. Laura was a twin, Mason and Aubri are twins, and now Aubri is having twins as well. It’s been a rough pregnancy so far. Indiana is worried about her because the Academy is demanding work and for the first three months, she threw up several times a day.”
“Wow. That sucks. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Aubri might not like it, but I think we should tell her to stay home and rest for a while. A few years after Laura and Magni had Dina, Laura suffered a miscarriage when she was halfway through the pregnancy. It was a sad time for all of us and we don’t want anything like that to happen to Aubri. I’m not sure if these things run from mother to daughter, but better safe than sorry.”
“Yes, of course.” I made a mental note to go see my cousin later today. Aubri was a tough woman and if they all worried about her, it had to be a really bad pregnancy.
My dad continued, “Linea could step in for Aubri, but…” My dad held up his finger for emphasis. “I’ll have to talk to her and Finn first. We need to be sure we can trust her to have our best interests at heart and that she understands what’s at stake.”
“I’m sure that can be arranged.”
It occurred to me that over these past five and a half months, my dad looked to have aged five years. As he sat with a thoughtful expression on his face, his forehead had five distinct lines. “And what about you? Are you planning to take on the role of my heir and stop whining?”
In one sentence we were back to my shields going up. “I’m not whining,” I said and stood up. “You are.”
My dad groaned, but before he could say anything, I cut him off, “I’m not your lapdog and I won’t be a copy of you. I’m not making you any promises except that in two weeks I’ll go to France and represent our country like I’ve always done. We can discuss what agenda you want me to push, but I’m not taking orders on what to wear, how to live my life, and whom to marry.”
“Thor…”
I held up a hand. “My message was simple and since you claim to be a genius, I’m sure I don’t need to repeat myself. I may not be the heir you hoped for, but you admitted that I’m still your first choice compared to Freya.”
“For now.”
I shrugged. “Everything in life is for now. There are no guarantees.”
My dad stood up and with his desk between us we watched each other for a moment. “I’m glad that you came back.”
It moved me to hear him say that and in response I dipped my chin.
As I moved to the door, he called out. “Just one last thing, son.”
“Yes?”
Turning I saw him pick up a paper from the desk. “I’m not telling you who to marry, but I thought you might like to look at the list of suitable candidates that I compiled.”
I had expected this meeting to end in a shouting match. That’s why I’d felt so relieved a second ago that I was about to walk out without drama. His list pissed me off when I’d specifically told him not to meddle in my life. Six months ago, I would have told him to burn the list, but today I was calmer and took it from his outstretched hand thinking that I could destroy it myself.
It wasn’t until I was alone in my room hours later that I pulled out the list.
Lying on my bed, I scanned the eight names on it. It surprised me to see four male names. It wasn’t that I was interested in any of them, but it still touched me as I understood that this was my father’s way of showing me that he was listening.
I knew all four women on the list to be beautiful and intelligent, but for some reason I felt disappointed. With a sigh, I searched for the root of my disappointment and groaned when Linea’s face popped into my brain.
I’d thought about her too much since she turned up on the beach in the Motherlands the first time. Ever since I came of age, women had wanted my attention and affection. For the past ten years, every woman I smiled at was soon rumored in the media to be my future bride. My father wasn’t alone in making lists of potential brides. Over the years the media had made several with so-called experts rating women according to their beauty and suitability. It always made me feel uncomfortable.
Linea had never been on any of those lists, and she had never shown an interest in me. I assumed it was the Motlander part of her that was unimpressed with my title and money. She was peculiar and different. Her opinions were those of a Motlander, but she argued like a Northlander and even cursed out loud sometimes, which was extremely rare for Motlanders to do.
But I don’t like her, and she doesn’t like me.
Something about that thought didn’t sit right with me. Linea’s personality might frustrate me but at least I had to admit that I liked her looks. The many sexual fantasies I’d had about running my hands through those thick red locks of hers were hard to dismiss. Linea didn’t fit into the different categories of women that I had created in my view of the world. She had empathy but wasn’t sugary sweet. She was direct but never truly hurtful. There was an innocence to her but at the same time her eyes had the look of a wild rebel. Linea was so many things at once that I couldn’t figure her out.But I do like her.
It was right there as a quiet fact spoken not from my mind but my heart. Linea had found me when I was lost and kept her word. She hadn’t revealed where I was to my friends and family, but when it was time, she came to bring me home.
Spreading my arms on my large bed, I looked up at the ceiling and appreciated the comfort of my private suite. I’d wanted to come home for months now, but my pride kept sabotaging my decision. Linea had made it easier.
Conversations that we’d had in the drone made me rub my face with embarrassment. What had I been thinking when I asked her if she wanted to be fucked hard and punishing by me? If Finn knew I’d spoken to his daughter like that he’d tear my door down to punch my face. I’d been raised better than to disrespect a woman and I wished that I could take my words back.
