“Especially him.”
He nodded. “Very well, Your Highness.”
We drove off, and I immediately contacted my mother. If Father was going to be an issue, I’d bring out the one person who would make him do as I’d instructed. I’d say she’d do it out of love, but that wasn’t it. She feared me—they all did, and they’d be smart to remember that if they denied me this.
“Julian,” she answered.
“Mother.”
“I’m guessing this is about Wynn Carter.”
“Yes, I need you to talk to Father and get him to step in on his behalf.”
She sighed. “Julian, how would that look if he used the crown to help a stranger who you fancy?”
I gritted my teeth. “I don’t just fancy him, Mother.”
There was a pregnant pause; then she answered, “Oh, I see. He means a lot to you.”
“More than anyone ever has.” I didn’t care if that hurt her feelings. Wynn woke things up inside me, while at the same time he calmed the other parts.
“Julian, I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to really listen to what I’m saying.”
“Go on.”
“Does he feel the same way about you?” Before I could answer she continued. “We know you have an obsessive nature—possessive, even. It doesn’t always translate to the other person you’re involved with. I’m sure Wynn likes you a great deal; I’ve been following the news. He’s very handsome and sweet-looking. But to love him, or whatever it is you’re capable of feeling toward him, you’d be asking him to leave his home and stay here, because there’s no way you can go with him. I don’t say this to upset you, Julian. I say it because if your father is going to put the crown and our family on the line for him, you need to be sure he’s forever.”
These weren’t things I hadn’t considered. Wynn was mine and where he went, I would follow. If it meant giving up the crown because he didn’t want to be here, so be it. But Mother needed to hear the words, the ones opposite any of those thoughts.
“He’s forever, Mother. You’ll just have to trust me on that.”
“I’ll speak to your father, but, Julian, two things. Talk to Wynn about your feelings, maybe not words like ‘own, mine, or obsesses,’ because the other thing is that your father will do anything to keep our family’s name clean. Anything. Wynn needs to be ready for that.”
Anything could be finding someone to take the fall for the killing or announcing a royal engagement. I imagined that while Wynn wouldn’t worry much about the fall guy simply becausehe’d assume that would be who was guilty, a royal engagement could crumble everything I’d built with him.
“I will speak with him later; he’s resting.”
“Okay, son. As I said, I’ll go speak with your father.”
“Very good.”
I disconnected the call just as we were pulling up to my residence. I wished Wynn were with me. He could rest in my bed, I could feed him, bathe him. Yes, I would have words with Wynn because Mother was right about that. Wynn needed to understand exactly what he meant to me. I wouldn’t tell him my secrets—no way was he ready for that—but I was sure he could love me. I had to convince him that being mine was right, because if he tried to leave I wasn’t positive what I’d do…nothing “normal,” I was sure. I could say I’d give up the crown but in reality, that would make things worse with my father. He had to stay here.
Edward opened the door, and I exited the SUV. Rain was starting to fall, and there was a slight chill in the air indicating a storm was brewing. Wynn would be asleep for a while; Mother was talking to Father. In the meantime, I’d be looking into the detectives and exactly what kind of threat they were to me and mine, and what I might have to do if they didn’t back off.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Wynn
When I wokein the morning, my head felt as if I’d been drinking all night. I hadn’t, but that sluggish achy feeling was ever present. When I’d returned to the hotel, I was beat. Hannah and Mark ordered room service, and I was able to eat half my meal before exhaustion pulled me under.
Now, in the light of day, everything seemed worse and not better. I couldn’t rely on Julian; I simply didn’t know him well enough, and him asking the freaking king to help me was insane. Hannah, Mark, and I were supposed to ship out to Korvanna today, but I wasn’t allowed to leave Thrindell.
“Please, you and Mark go, have fun. Hopefully after today, everything will get cleared up and I can join you.”
“Absolutely not, Wynn,” Mark argued. “We’re not leaving you alone in a foreign country while you’re under suspicion for fucking murder.”
I sighed and flopped onto my bed. “We have to vacate the room.”
