Recklessly Rogue (Royals Gone Rogue #4)

18. Henry

Chapter 18

Henry

“ I t’s Scarlett,” Ruby says, looking at her phone.

“Go. Talk to her. I know you want to hear how things are going.”

She gives me a little smile. “Things are going great. I listened to the podcast.”

I know things are going great. I heard from Jonah just before Ruby got home. But I didn’t tell her. That would have been rubbing it in that Scarlett and Mariah were fine without her. I knew that would be hard.

“You still want to hear it from Scarlett. Hear how she feels about it.” I know hearing Cian’s version of events is always different.

She nods. “Yeah.”

“Go talk to her. I have a couple of messages to return. I’ll clean up the kitchen.”

“Okay. I…”

I wait.

She sighs as if she knows she shouldn’t say it, but then she smiles and says, “I love you.”

I smile. “I love you, too.”

That complicates everything. It makes all of this harder.

But it’s still true.

I’m glad I told her about Alfred. I’m glad she knows my whole history.

She heads upstairs to talk to Scarlett, and I open my text.

From April.

April: Elliot and I are going to spend the night at Mandy and Will’s.

Me: Ruby would really like to see you and hear how things went at dinner.

I know that April is already getting her life together and moving on from Christopher, which is not only impressive, it’s healthy. I don’t want to block that. But Ruby needs a little slower separation. She deserves to hear and see April and Elliot doing well and being happy, at least. Not just seeing it in texts.

April: I will fill her in tomorrow.

Screw this. I dial her number.

April answers immediately. “Hello?”

“Why the rush to stay over there? Don’t you at least need Elliot’s pajamas? A few toys? Toothbrushes? How about Ruby and I bring some things over?”

“It’s not a rush. And all of that would be great. I just?—”

“Hey, Henry.”

Suddenly I’m talking to Will.

“Uh, hey.”

“So I think it’s better if April and Elliot stay here tonight. We had to handle something with Christopher and he knows where everything stands now.”

I stand immediately. “What? Christopher came over?”

“He did. I assume he felt safer approaching her here than at Ruby’s after meeting you.”

Well, that’s good. He definitely shouldn’t feel safe approaching her when I’m around. “Is he still there?” I’m already moving toward the door. I obviously need to make things even more clear with Christopher.

“No, no. He left pretty quick. Well, after John got here.”

I stop at the door. “Is John your cop friend?”

“No. I was gonna call him but then I remembered I know someone even better for dealing with Christopher.”

This I have to hear. “Who’s that?”

“John.”

I roll my eyes. “Will, who is John?”

“John and I went to high school together. We were on the baseball team together. Went to State our junior year. We had a bit of a falling out after senior year. I stole his girl.” Will chuckles. “But he and Mandy weren’t a good fit.”

Fantastic. Will stole Mandy from John thirty-some years ago. What this has to do with Christopher, I don’t know, but I assume Will will get to it tonight eventually.

“Mandy felt bad and set him up with her friend Rhonda. And they fell madly in love. So, obviously, John forgave me and we’re all good.”

I wait. Surely there’s more. But he doesn’t go on. “Will? What does that have to do with Christopher?”

“Well, if John hadn’t gotten together with Rhonda, they wouldn’t have had Sally. And Sally wouldn’t have had Christopher.”

I blow out a breath. “John is Christopher’s grandfather?”

“Yep. And I called him up and said his grandson was on my porch acting like an ass. John drove right over and had a talk with him. He and Christopher left, and John said Christopher won’t be back.”

“You believe that?”

“That Christopher will listen to his grandfather? For sure. If he doesn’t, John will tell Rhonda. Christopher does not want that to happen.”

I shake my head. Okay, then. And they still have the cop friend as backup, I guess.

“That still doesn’t explain why April and Elliot can’t come back to Ruby’s tonight.”’

“Well, Elliot fell asleep on the bed in his new room already. Porter’s in there with him. And April’s just?—”

“Hi, it’s me again.” April comes back on the line.

“I’m sorry. We’re just settled here, and now that Christopher’s been over here but John stepped in for us, it feels good here, and, I don’t know, Ruby was just so awesome to take us in, but we were completely crashing into her life. I’ll come over after work tomorrow and grab all of our stuff.”

“She doesn’t mind at all, April,” I say sincerely. “She loves helping out.”

“I know. I really do. But it’s temporary with her. She can’t take us on for good. She agreed that first night spur of the moment, and I’ll always be grateful.”

I sigh. Fine. She’s right. “I’ll bring some stuff over to you.”

“Thanks, Henry. We really appreciate you, too.”

We disconnect. I head upstairs to grab a few necessities for April and Elliot. Along with a few not-so-necessities. Like flannel pajamas and toy airplanes.

I can hear Ruby’s voice behind the door of Mariah’s bedroom. She’s still on the phone with Scarlett. I’ll leave a note on the kitchen counter.

I gather the things I need and head back downstairs, but even after I drop everything off, I’m antsy. I want to do more.

I need to do more.

I need to make sure Christopher understands who else April has on her side.

I can’t go to his place. I want to, but I’ll just be picking a fight. The way Will handled it makes sense.

Still, I’m in the driveway and I can’t resist pulling up Christopher’s phone number. Right after I pull up his bank account information.

I do a little typing.

Then I call Christopher.

“Hello?”

“You should not have gone to see April tonight. Did you follow her? That’s pathetic.”

“This is none of your business.”

“You’re wrong about that. I am April and Elliot’s friend. And you’re bothering them. This is very much my business.”

“You need to stay out of it. It’s fine. We’re fine.”

“Christopher, I need you to check your bank account.”

“My bank account?”

“Yes, I assume you have a mobile app for your bank?” I ask, knowing he does.

“Yes.”

“Check your account.”

“Man, why don’t you just fuck off.”

“Okay. I hope you don’t have any automatic withdrawals coming out soon. And, um, don’t stop for coffee or breakfast in the morning.” I hang up.

Two minutes later, my phone rings. “Hello?”

“You fucking stole all my money?” he shouts into my ear.

“No. I proved to you that I can get to your money.”

“You took all of my money ! There’s three dollars in my account!”

“Yeah, it looks like you bought a boat,” I say. “Not a great idea, Christopher. That took everything you had.”

“You asshole ! I’m calling the cops.”

I keep my voice calm as I say, “You won’t be able to prove anything.” I hit a few more buttons on my phone, then say, “Check your account again.”

“You are a son of a bitch! I will find a way to prove this! I have this call! This will be on my call records!”

“Even if it did show up, which it won’t, that won’t prove anything. I called you to tell you to leave April and Elliot the fuck alone. You called me back to yell at me further after I hung up. What’s that got to do with you buying a boat, Chris?”

“You are a?—”

“Look at your account again,” I say firmly, my voice low and menacing now.

There is silence on his end for a few seconds, then he says, “You put it back.”

“Yes. I’m not going to take your money and ruin your credit unless I have to. I’m also not going to do any of the dozen or so other things I can do from the comfort of my bed, with just my phone, to make you miserable. And then there are the dozens of things I can do to you in person if I must. Don’t make me do those things, Christopher. Leave April and Elliot the fuck alone. I mean it.”

He's quiet again for several long seconds. Then he says, “I want her back.”

“Too bad.”

“I can do better.”

“No.”

“I just?—”

“You had your chance. For some reason, that sweet, wonderful woman fell for you. Or thought she did. You had a chance to be a good guy, a good husband. You blew it. Let her go.”

“I love her.”

“Then let her go, Christopher. No matter how much you love her, you don’t get to decide what makes her happy. She decides that. You just get to hope and pray that you’re a part of it. You just try every fucking day, with everything you’ve got, to deserve her. And you already fucked that up. So, leave her alone now. April decides what she wants and needs, not you.”

He's quiet for a second. Then he says, “My grandpa basically told me the same thing.”

I nod. “Hopefully, he added that he’d kick your ass if you didn’t back the fuck off.”

“He said he’d write me out of his will if I embarrassed him in front of old friends of his again,” Christopher says. “Then he said he’d tell my grandma. She’d kick my ass.”

“Good,” I say bluntly.

And I really do understand how his family was more effective in getting him to back off tonight than I was last night. I would do anything to keep King Diarmuid, or Ellie and Leo Landry, or… any of the O’Gradys or Landrys happy and proud to call me one of theirs.

“Don’t make me see you,” I say to Christopher.

“When can I see Elliot?” he asks. “He’s my kid. I have rights.”

“You’re going to let the judge figure all of that out and you’re going to do whatever she or he tells you.”

“Fine.” He sounds miserable.

I’m glad.

“Good answer.” Then I hang up on him.

I head into the house, put all the dirty dishes in the sink for the morning, shut off the lights, and head upstairs.

Mariah’s bedroom door is still shut. I don’t hear Ruby’s voice on the other side, but maybe she decided to sleep in there.

I don’t like that. At all. But I’m not going to push her. Tonight was big. Sex. Finally telling her about Alfred. Maybe she needs some space.

But after I brush my teeth, clean up in the bathroom, and slip between the sheets in her bedroom, I hear the door open.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” I say, rolling toward her.

“Where are April and Elliot?”

“Staying at Mandy and Will’s tonight.”

“Are they okay?”

“Yep. Everyone is good.”

She seems to accept that. She steps closer to the bed.

“How’re Scarlett and Mariah?” I ask.

“Really good. They love Portland. They love Astrid and Iris. They’re so proud of the foundation.” She sighs. “They are happy. So happy, so accepted, so secure. It’s everything I ever wanted for them.”

“I’m glad.”

“Me too.” Her smile is genuine and the tightness around my chest loosens a little.

Then she kneels on the mattress. “Can I sleep in here? Mariah’s pillows suck.”

She took one of her own in there, but I’ll let her use any excuse she needs to be in here with me. I lift the duvet, and she slides in next to me. I put an arm around her, cover us, and take a deep, contented breath. “Don’t try to seduce me, though,” I tell her with a yawn. “I need some sleep, and I have to get up early to deliver cinnamon rolls.”

She laughs and snuggles closer. “Okay, good. That means I can sleep in like usual. Early mornings are bullshit.”

I settle my hand on her ass and cuddle her close.

Yeah, early mornings are bullshit.

Those and about twenty other things I can think of right off the top of my head.

But falling asleep with Ruby Gale in my arms is definitely not one of them.

However, realizing I don’t get to do this every night for the rest of my life is absolutely on that list.