Page 43 of Daniil
“What are your plans today?”he asks.“I have a security briefing at eight, and then I have to be at Parliament to debate the damn pipeline bill.I probably won’t be around until dinner.”
“Don’t worry about me.I remember my way around, so I’ll probably go for a run and then nap with Micah.Then we’ll go over to Lennox’s at three.”
He nods.“Great.I’ll see you tonight.”He leans over to kiss the top of Micah’s head.“Everyone is dying to meet the baby and see you.”
“Are they?Aren’t they pissed I hid him from you?”
“That’s between you and me,” he says quietly.“No one else has a say in the matter.”
“Okay.”
“Welcome to Limaj, Courtney.”
I’m not sure if that’s a threat or a promise.
Chapter17
Daniil
The last thingI want to think about is the pipeline, but it’s my job and I’ve delayed this debate and subsequent vote for weeks.Now that the time is here, I’m not prepared for the drudgery.For some reason, I’m even more displeased than usual that I have to be here.And apparently, it’s obvious.
“If you scowl any harder, your face might crack,” Erik murmurs.He’s with me today, since we’re hoping to bring this to a vote.
“Fuck off,” I respond under my breath.Our banter is easy, casual, but it wouldn’t be proper for anyone tohearme talk to my king that way.
He chuckles.“Thinking about tonight?”
I nod.“You guys better not fuck this up for me.”
“Never.Casey’s going out of her way to make it a warm, casual family get-together.”
“There are going to be a lot of people there,” I say.“I don’t know how she’s going to react.”
“You want her to cancel?”he asks worriedly.
“No.I want Courtney to be comfortable with the family.But more than that I want her to like them.Because she doesn’t like me.”
His brows lift just a tad.“You sure?”
“Oh, I’m pretty damn sure.”
“What did you do?”
“I think she called what I do smarmy.”
“Being a politician?”
“And royalty.”
He nods.“Makes sense.”
“Makes sense?!”I glare at him.“Whose side are you on?”
“Most politiciansaresmarmy.And most royal families have tons of skeletons in their closets—us included.I’m trying to do better, be better, and leave a better legacy for the next generation, but the past is what it is.”
“Well, don’t get me started on her feelings about the Protectors.”
He starts to ask me about that, but then our attention is called to the front and there’s no time to talk again until we’re on the way back to the palace.We’re late, since the bill didn’t pass, and now we have to go back tomorrow.
