Page 40 of The Royal in Room 3

I made a face at him as I opened the browser on my phone.

“Like you haven’t sucked a cock in your life,” he said. “It might have been a while, but I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.”

“It’s not been a while. I sucked Daddy’s this morning.”

Dean scoffed. “I’d sooner believe you’re the king of Cuckoo Land.” He gave me a mock bow. “Your Royal Highness?”

“It would be Your Majesty.” I thrust my phone into his hands. “There.”

He scanned the page in front of him and frowned. “What bogus page is this?”

“It’s not. It’s the most reputable newspaper from Belvaria, my home country.”

The article I’d shared with him was about the crown prince of Belvaria’s deposition. Splashed across the headline was a photograph from my investiture ceremony, showing me in full court dress with the royal sash across my chest and the Order of the Silver Crown pinned over my heart.

Without a word, Dean handed me back the phone and took out his. His fingers flew across the screen several times, then he would pause, scroll, then repeat the action. When he finally looked up at me, his eyes were wide and his Adam’s apple trembled in his throat.

“You’re a crown prince?”

“Not anymore,” I said quickly. “I was deposed because I fell in love with the wrong man and he used me.”

“What. The. Actual. Fuck?” Dean shook himself. “Dude, you let yourself get kicked out as crown prince for some dick? What were you thinking?”

My face burned hotly. “I thought I loved him, okay? And I never expected him to do that to me. He told me he wanted to marry me.”

“So why are you here? Are you no longer a prince then?”

“In name only,” I said, unhappy to recall the deposition ruling. “The court allowed me to keep my title, but it’s useless now. The crown will go to my younger brother when he comes of age.”

“This is wild.” Dean clutched the back of a chair, pulled it out, and sat down hard. “I’m going to need a minute to digest this.”

“Dean, you can’t tell anyone,” I said. “Not even Jorge. Promise me.”

“Of course I won’t tell, but why won’t you? People would treat you so much better.”

“Really? Because your reaction just now says otherwise. One person thinking me dumb for losing the crown for some dick is enough.”

His face turned crimson. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it like that when I didn’t know what happened. Honestly, you’re taking it better than I would have. You lost everything.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I looked away from him. I’d already grieved over that loss before, and now I needed to move on.

“Will you help me make lunch?” I asked again. “Daddy’s done so much for me, and I just want to do something right for a change.”

“Were you serious about you and Daddy Jude having sex?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He shook his head slowly. “I can’t tell if you’re lucky or unlucky. Come on. I’ll show you what to do.”

An hour later, I hugged Dean and reminded him again that he couldn’t say a word about my family to anyone. I watched him get into a cab to return to Halo House, then hurried back inside before the grilled cheese sandwiches had time to cool.

For once, nothing was burned.

The bread was golden on both sides, the cheese had melted properly, and strips of bacon peeked from the edges. I arranged the sandwiches on one of the paper plates Jude had bought after my unfortunate history with ceramic ones, added a handful of the brand of barbecue chips he loved, and poured lemonade into a tall glass.

Then I stood back and admired my work.

It looked like an actual edible lunch, and Jude would be none the wiser that I hadn’t put everything together by myself.