Merciless (Park Avenue Kings #4)

Chapter 1

SHEP

IHAD A bad feeling about this.

It wasn’t just the fact that the streets of Monaco were overflowing with a cheering crowd waiting for a glimpse of their prince and his bride-to-be that had me on edge, but it sure as hell didn’t help.

“This is an even bigger crowd than the last time we were here,” Kai said, scooting forward in his seat, those innocent eyes wide and excited.

He hit the button to lower the window, and while my first instinct was to shove him back from inviting onlookers into the privacy of our limo, I instead cut my eyes at Lucien.

I didn’t have to say a word as my longtime friend—brother at this point, really—smirked at the irritation I knew was written all over my face.

“Relax, Shep,” he said, stretching his long legs out like he didn’t have a care in the world. His hand rested on Kai’s lower back, always touching, always connected, even as his younger boyfriend smiled and waved at everyone we passed.

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered as I continually scanned the crowd, my body hyper alert, as always. Living in the public eye my whole life meant never letting your guard down, but it was more than that today. We had a wild card on our hands, and there was no telling how the day would unfold.

“Here. Take the edge off.” Lucien leaned forward and held his freshly topped glass of champagne out to me.

When I shook my head, he shrugged, his gaze drifting back to Kai.

“Theo’s not going to do anything stupid.”

“If that was a guarantee, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Sure you would.” He shot me a wink. “Someone from American political royalty has to make an appearance. And no offense to your father, but you’re much easier on the eyes.”

The car began to slow behind the procession of vehicles heading toward the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, and as we idled there waiting our turn, someone in the crowd caught sight of me and began to shout.

“Shepard! Look, it’s Shepard Winchester—”

Fuck.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds before others caught on to who was inside, and as more of the crowd began shouting my name, I didn’t have any other choice but to give them a charming smile and wave.

Kai looked back at me, a sheepish look on his face, and as the car began to move again, he rolled the window back up.

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking—”

“It’s fine,” I said. It wasn’t, but the last thing I wanted was to rain on his parade. He’d been good for Lucien, and his excitement over coming back to Monaco and being here for the royal wedding was a little infectious.

Even if love was the last thing I was in the mood to celebrate.

That was a whole other issue, though, and one I’d happily left back in New York City. At least here I only had Lucien and Kai to contend with. Whereas back in the city it seemed everywhere I looked, one of my brothers was leaving the single life behind.

It wasn’t that I begrudged them a happily-ever-after, but did it have to happen when mine had up and vanished right before my very eyes?

“Shep?”

“Sorry, what?” I shook myself out of that depressing headspace and turned to see Lucien looking at me expectantly.

“They’re waiting for you.”

Shit. I hadn’t even noticed the door being pulled open. So much for paying attention.

Jesus, get your head in the game, asshole.

I brushed a hand down my suit jacket and gave myself a final once-over, then stepped out of the car. The second I emerged, recognition dawned, and the crowd surrounding the front entrance of the church let out a joyous cheer like I was about to give some sort of performance—and in a way, I was.

I plastered on my most charming smile, and as I waved to the masses, every single hour of publicity training I’d been through in my younger years resurfaced.

That was what happened when your father campaigned for years on end and then became the president of the United States.

You learned how to smile when you were miserable.

Wave when you wanted to flip off a camera.

Be cordial even when someone was a total asshole.

I was the epitome of polite social grace in public. An expert at pleasing the press. I’d had to be. And as I waved at the cameras snapping photos and zooming in, all I could think was: Get me out of here.

“Shepard! Over here, Shepard!”

“Looking gorgeous as always, Shep!”

“Shepard, are you here with anyone?”

And that was my cue to leave.

I made my way up the stairs—solo—as Lucien and Kai exited the car, and when I stepped inside the enormous church doors, I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t expected the press to recognize me—my face was one of the most famous in the world—but for the first time in years I wasn’t sure I could mask the emotions roiling under the surface.

I was off my game, had been for a while now, and when you were hiding secrets as deep and volatile as I was, that was dangerous. Emotions made you vulnerable, and the last thing I needed was someone catching me unawares on camera.

King would just love that.

But fuck him.

“Wow,” Kai said, beaming as Lucien pulled him in tight to his side. “I thought the outside of the church was beautiful, but this is breathtaking.”

He stared up the long aisle that was awash in white flowers, silk ribbons, and lace, where people sat in pews dressed to the nines.

The sun shone through the stained-glass windows and dappled the guests in sunlight, and while I’d been in churches and castles much bigger than this one, he wasn’t wrong.

There was something ethereal about the sight.

“Mr. Winchester?” An usher stopped by the three of us, and I gave a clipped nod. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to your seats.”

“Just a moment, please,” came a soft female voice from behind me, and I turned to see Princess Jacqueline, the mother of the groom, looking at me with eyes laced with worry.

Shit. That wasn’t a good sign.

She forced a smile at the usher and took my arm, casually walking us away for privacy. “You haven’t seen Theo, have you?”

And there it was. I was going to kill him.

I took a slow, measured breath. “Where is he supposed to be?”

“With the other groomsmen, but no one’s seen him all morning, and I—”

I put my hand over hers. “I’ll take care of it.”

Relief filled her face and she nodded. “Thank you. I knew if anyone could, it would be you. You’re such a good friend to Theo.”

She might not think that after I murder him.

After passing her off to Lucien, who waited nearby with a look that told me he’d been wrong about hoping our resident troublemaker would behave today of all days, I slipped through a side door and let instinct guide me.

I should’ve gotten here sooner. Hell, I should’ve watched Theo’s every waking minute leading up to today knowing how unnerved he got around his family—particularly his brother.

Today being his brother’s big day was a recipe for disaster.

But meetings and prior engagements had prevented me from arriving earlier, which meant “babysitter” really should’ve been a job King gave to someone else.

Because now we had an MIA Theo, but I’d be damned if there was anything in life I failed at—finding that pain in my ass included.