Page 64 of Seduce

“Pet, I didn’t have time to make it taste good,” he chuckles. “I’m so sorry. I’ll rub your feet and feed you chocolate cake.”

Grayson snorts, standing. “It’s going to be a rough night. Kick out the dog so we can plan,” he says, striding out of the room.

“I have a feeling they don’t trust you,” I tell Kenzo with a small smile.

“I’ll work on that. I was a dick,” he says. “I can provide manpower to whatever you’re working on.”

“We’ll take it,” Ayden grunts, hunched over Isaac and Sidney. “We have two weeks to make this happen. Now go. The adults have to work now.”

My lips twist into a smirk as I sip more of my tea. My lovers are not the kind of people that you want to piss off.

“Bye, Falcon,” I tell him, forcing myself to use the right name.

Standing, Kenzo faces the room. “Do you know who Charming’s sister is?”

“What sister?” Grayson asks, his eyes rising to glance at Kenzo.

“Lauryn Monroe was married off when she was fourteen to a royal on the island of Naroi. It’s part of Forbach, but his father needed their naval fleet, so he sold his oldest child to them,” Kenzo explains. “She escaped when she was twenty-one with me. Kal wasn’t born yet, and we didn’t reconnect until five years ago. Lauryn is my mother and she left me at an orphanage, stating that both my parents had died and I was alone in the world.”

“Oh my Gods,” I whisper. I’m staring at an heir to the throne.

“The organizers of the orphanage couldn’t find anyone to take me, so I was sent to a foster family that was a bit of a horror show,” he says with a shrug. “I should know better than to judge anyone. Mistress Silla, I am truly sorry.”

Fuck, that shouldn’t affect me as much as it does right now. Nope, no, absolutely not.

“Apology accepted,” I whisper. I think I’m in shock.

“So you’re telling me you’re an heir to the throne,” Ayden bites out. No wonder Kenzo hides himself and his brother as well as he does. Charming and Cinder haven’t had children yet. It’s been years, and I don’t even know if she can. “How are you still alive?”

“He hides really well,” I murmur. “Don’t you ever get tired of it?”

“Of course I do!” he exclaims, Kenzo’s cheeks turning pink as he realizes he yelled at me. I wave my hand, because I understand his emotions are running high.

“Why don’t you take the throne?” I ask. “Charming and Cinder don’t have children, so there are no other heirs other than your brother.”

“We don’t want it.” Kenzo shrugs. “Forbach needs a strong female ruler. I’m the wrong gender. It’s said that the crops grow better, people are more logical, and everything flourishes. Maybe it’s just a tall tale, but I believe it.”

I think it’s more the people who surround a woman that helps a country flourish. Sidney and Ayden are amazing with plants which would translate to crops, and I’m already seeing the rot that lives in those in power.

“Alright. It looks like we have some work to do,” I say, wincing at my cramps. It feels like my uterus is waging war inside of me. Sidney holds up his balm for my stomach that is made of plants and CBD. “Yes, yes, please.”

The last word is whimpered, making him walk over quickly to drop to his knees next to me. Uncovering my stomach, he rubs the medicated balm into my skin.

“I think we’re in for it for the next few days, Little Love. Give everyone their tasks, and then try to nap,” he suggests, kissing my forehead.

“Damn uterus,” I mutter. Shark week is the worst.

“I’m going to go speak to my brother, start pulling in our more trusted people to help,” Kenzo suggests.

“I feel silly calling you Falcon and dog boy now that I know you’re royalty,” Ayden confesses with a wince.

“No one but Silla and my mother know my real name,” Kenzo says with a shrug. “I don’t fancy becoming the reason that Cinder begins to kill people at random trying to find me. Kal is the next in line after me, it’s just smarter for as few people to know my name as possible for now.”

“That’s a solid reason,” Ayden says with a nod.

I give Kenzo a few last instructions before he goes. I wonder how he’s going to explain the collar, because he never makes a move to remove it. “We need about twelve people to take over positions in the castle. Two in the kitchen, two at the servant entrances for the castle so that we can ensure the right people are in place. We also need servants in the dining halls where I’ll be having dinner and the guards do. There’s a lot to coordinate.” I sigh.

“It’ll all work out,” Kenzo says with a wink. “You have good people supporting you.”

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