Recklessly Rogue (Royals Gone Rogue #4)

21. Henry

Chapter 21

Henry

W e do, eventually, make it out to Dick’s.

Everyone is having lunch by that time, but no one seems to mind that we weren’t around before now.

April is completely fine. Elliot too. They’re making airplanes out of popsicle sticks, and he offers to make me one that I can keep.

I can’t think of anything I want more at that moment and I tell him so.

But after checking in on him, I’m out of excuses for not returning Iris’s call. And I really do want to know if she has any information about Ruby’s dad.

I take a breath and dial her number.

“About fucking time,” she answers.

“Good morning,” I say, going for laid back. It’s still morning for her on the West Coast.

“So you’re in Ohio without Cian.”

Okay, no small talk then.

I could come up with some excuse. Probably. I could even tell her that Cian asked me to come keep an eye on Ruby and the house. He’d cover for me.

But Iris isn’t stupid. And frankly, I’ve already hidden my relationship with Ruby for far too long. I’ve been fighting these feelings and dealing with barriers to being together. The only person I’m really interested in dealing with now is Ruby.

“Yes, Ruby, Scarlett’s sister needed my help,” I answer honestly and simply.

“So that’s how this is going to be?” Iris asks.

I frown. That’s not the reaction I was expecting from her. “Me helping the sister of one of our princesses? Yes. Of course. Our protection extends to the entire family of anyone brought into the O’Grady circle.”

That’s not an actual policy. Then again, none of the O’Gradys brought anyone into their circle until a couple of years ago when Cian’s sister, Fiona, fell in love with her now husband, Knox.

But would we all do anything for Knox? Of course. He’s one of us now. And I believe if Knox’s sibling needed help, we’d also show up for him or her.

Of course, I’m pulling all of this out of my ass. Still, it sounds good.

“Uh huh,” is all Iris says.

Iris isn’t just smart. She knows me very well. She’s been the head of the bodyguards for nearly the entire time I’ve been with Cian. There was just over a year where Declan, Cian’s oldest brother, had about nine bodyguards that he kept firing, until Iris came into the picture. Not that he didn’t fire her. She just refused to leave.

Besides, she only pretended to report to Declan. Ultimately, she reported to Alfred.

Which Declan knew the entire time he pretended to be the boss of her.

That stubbornness was exactly what the eldest O’Grady needed, and what prompted her promotion to HBIC—Head Bodyguard In Charge, officially. She prefers Bitch for the B, though.

“What’s the problem?” I ask. “Cian is fine.” I pause and take a breath. “I know you think I’m better than Jonah at the job, but you’re not going to make that obvious to him, are you? That would hurt his feelings, and he’s already sensitive about being the only one without a cool accent.” Iris doesn’t have an accent either, but ‘we’, the guys, love to tease Jonah about his boring American accent when we’ve all got Irish or British accents.

There, I’ll play this light-hearted, laid-back…

“Well, Jonah actually turns in security plans to me when he’s about to take a trip. I don’t think you’ve ever turned in a plan. About anything.”

“The plan is always: provide security, don’t let any royals get kidnapped, hurt, or killed ,” I say. “Seems like a waste of paper.”

“I need itineraries, locations, threat assessments—” Iris breaks off. “Never mind.”

I actually grin at that. She knows she’s wasting her breath. Not only am I not going to do those security plans, ever, she also knows that I know she’ll never fire me because of it.

The O’Grady royals are not in actual physical danger ninety-nine percent of the time.

Fiona is the exception, and that’s not because she’s a royal, but because she works in animal rescue and rehabilitation and tangles with people who illegally keep, sell, and transport exotic, endangered animals at times, as well as run-of-the-mill asshole animal abusers. On any given day, she could run into a dangerous dickhead person. Or a dangerous dickhead tiger.

The billionaire playboy, Declan, might also occasionally be at risk of someone wanting to harm him or possibly try to get some ransom for his life. But honestly, he’s pretty fucking charitable, so he’s not angering anyone who might want to retaliate for some terrible environmental harm or anything.

Another billionaire who gets annoyed with Declan making him look bad, a celebrity who loses a girlfriend to Declan, or a politician who doesn’t get a big enough check could all have reason to want to hurt Declan, I suppose. But as for kidnapping him, Declan’s an intimidating son-of-a-bitch, and anyone wanting to keep him captive is going to have to be willing to put up with his broody, asshole, I’m-better-than-you-and-we-both-know-it attitude for an extended period of time. It would take real fortitude to kidnap that .

“What’s going to happen the next time Ruby needs something, Henry?” Iris asks.

I shift uncomfortably, not so much because of the question but because of the sudden softness in Iris’s voice. What the hell?

“I don’t know what you mean. I’ll help her if I can. As I said, she’s Princess Scarlett’s sister.”

Iris sighs. “Knock it off. This isn’t a group call or a group text. You’re in love with her. You know that’s okay, right?”

This softer tone of voice from Iris is making me itchy. She’s a ball-buster, and God knows we need it. She manages us like an older sister. An older sister who pretty much resents all of us being born.

“It’s going to be fine. I can handle it all.”

Iris laughs. “You just abandoned your protectee to fly thousands of miles to be with her the moment you found out she might be slightly at risk.”

I frown. “Jonah’s report sounds like it was unnecessarily wordy.”

“I got all of that when I called him about something else, and Cian answered his phone.”

Oh, boy. Iris doesn’t like when people other than the bodyguards answer their phones. Which Cian knows.

“Look, Ruby is…” I blow out a breath. “She takes care of people. She doesn’t think about herself.” The truth of those words hit me in the center of my chest. “She just needs someone to have her back once in a while. I knew everyone else was fine.”

“And what happens next time?”

“I’ll…assess the situation and make a decision.” I can’t promise I won’t leave Cian to go to Ruby. That realization is startling. Though it probably shouldn’t be. But this is the first time in more than a decade that I would have even allowed the thought of something or someone else being a priority before Cian.

“That sounds exhausting,” Iris says.

Not the reaction I expected. “Maybe. Don’t worry about me.”

She laughs. “My entire job boils down to worrying about you. All of you.”

I open my mouth to say something glib and sarcastic but find I can’t. She’s right, I suppose. We drive Iris crazy, and she doesn’t hesitate to let us know that, but she’s always been there for us, bailing us out, giving us resources, advice, direction, whatever we need, whenever we need it. Even kicks in the ass if that’s what we need. And yes, we do need those. Often.

“Ruby is moving to New Orleans. Soon. I’ll be able to be here fully for Cian, don’t worry.” Goddammit, those words taste awful in my mouth.

“Why is she going to New Orleans?”

“Law school.”

“Ah.” Iris sounds very interested in that. “Why New Orleans?”

“She got in at Loyola two years ago. She’s been deferring her admission to be here for Scarlett. But now, because of Cian and everything, she feels like she can leave.”

“Ah.”

I just wait. Iris is thinking. She’ll tell me if she wants me to know those thoughts.

Finally, she says, “We can get her in at Ohio State.”

Yeah, that was my first thought, too. “No. It needs to be Loyola.”

“It does?”

It does. I already knew that, but hearing Iris say so matter-of-factly that Ohio State is an option makes me even more certain.

Ruby has stayed with Scarlett through thick and thin. Even when Scarlett made the choice to try to reconcile with people who didn’t deserve her. Twice. Ruby was there for her, supporting her, loving her unconditionally. Ruby was determined to stay as long as Scarlett and Mariah needed her.

She put her dreams and plans on hold for years .

Now that she finally has some freedom, her choice is to pursue a career where she can help even more people.

But she put moving to New Orleans for that on hold until everyone here is settled. Including April and Elliot, two people who just suddenly needed her. A co-worker. A friend, but not someone she’s known for years and years.

And here I am, wanting to convince her to change all of her plans for me. I don’t even need her help.

I just need…her.

I selfishly want her here because she makes me happy.

I clear my throat. “Ruby is going to New Orleans. That’s what she wants.”

“And what happens if she needs you when she’s there?”

I blow out a breath. “Ruby doesn’t ask for help. She gives the help. So that probably won’t happen very often.”

I want to give her all the support. The money, the encouragement, my presence. I want to be the one to support Ruby being Ruby.

She’s been Scarlett and Mariah’s main support all these years, pinching pennies, worrying, pulling extra shifts, moving around, dealing with whatever came up on her own. And putting off school.

But now she’s got me.

She doesn’t have to do any of that now.

She’s not alone, and she never has to worry about anything again.

“What if you just miss her?”

“That’s…not enough for me to leave the people who need me. I know that, don’t worry.”

Bloody hell. I will miss her. It will be miserable without her. But my life is amazing. I have to be grateful for what I have and not pine for what I don’t.

Finally, Iris asks, “You’re okay with that? Really?”

I take a deep breath. Only King Diarmuid, Alfred, Iris, and now Ruby know my whole story. Cian doesn’t even know everything about my father or how Alfred pulled me out of school and put me into specialized training. Cian knows my mom died when I was a kid and that my father died a few years ago. He knows Alfred hired me. He knows I consider the O’Gradys my family. Those are the important things.

Alfred brought me in as Cian’s companion. He told me the young prince needed me, but Alfred was honest from the very first minute and told me he knew I needed Cian too.

And he was right.

Alfred saved me and I will never forget that.

“I’m okay with everything. She’s got plans. And I’m going to help her make those happen.” That is how I can best love Ruby. I can help make all of her dreams come true.

Watching her face, seeing her emotion around my plans for Ruby’s Way here in Emerald, brought that home for me.

I want this woman to be happy.

Whatever that means, I will make it happen.

I will change this fucking world for her.

“So when Cian comes back to Ohio, you’re staying there,” Iris clarifies.

“Right.”

“Without Ruby.”

I swallow hard. “Yes.”

“Henry—”

“It’s fine,” I cut her off. “I made a promise to Alfred, and I won’t forget it. Cian’s happiness is my first priority.”

Iris doesn’t answer for several seconds, but then says, “Okay.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I ask. “It’s creeping me out.”

“Because you’re in Ohio . On purpose. That feels like a cry for help.”

I laugh. I can’t help it. “Ohio is fine. Maybe you should come for a visit.” I don’t mean that. I really don’t mean that. Iris would scare the hell out of these nice small-town folk.

Then again, some of them are real assholes. Maybe a dose of Iris is what a few of them need.

“I’ll pass,” she says. “But…”

Iris Lee is a direct, bluntly honest person. She doesn’t tiptoe around anyone’s feelings, least of any of ours.

“What?” I ask.

“Alfred never meant for you to sacrifice your happiness, Henry. He loved you, too.”

My heart gives a hard thump. “Alfred was focused on the big picture. The O’Gradys and Olsens need to be secure, safe, and fully supported.”

“Alfred wanted everyone to be secure, safe, and fully supported,” she says.

“Right.”

“You’re part of ‘everyone’, Henry.”

I let that just hang in the air between us for a moment. My chest feels tight.

“You’re part of the family, too,” she says. “You matter, too.”

I have to actually swallow hard when she says that. If someone asked me if I felt like part of the O’Grady family, I would have said yes. I’ve always been included. I’ve always known they love me and have my back.

But no, I’ve never thought that it would be okay to choose myself over them. “Iris…”

“And besides,” she goes on. “They’re all good. The O’Gradys and Olsens are finally settled and good. The plan is in place.”

I frown. “Wait, what? The plan? The thing that has been going off the rails for years?”

She laughs.

And my eyes widen.

I have worked for Iris Lee for years. She is smart, tough, loyal, driven, scary organized. She’s also a whole bunch of other adjectives. But easy-going is not one of them. And I have never ever heard her laugh on a business phone call with one or more of us.

In fact, while I’m sure I have heard her laugh, I can’t think of a time right off the top of my head.

“Everything is great. Torin is on the throne. Linnea is advising the palace, and so much more. Fiona is settled and happy doing her advocacy work. Saoirse is growing into an amazing young woman. And she now has an amazing cousin to share being a teenaged royal princess with.”

I smile thinking of how quickly the bond formed between Saoirse and Mariah.

“Cian has finally found a true purpose, and it’s such a good one. And Declan…” She trails off. “He’s the one who’s united the families and who will be the father of the O’Grady-Olsen heir. I mean…that’s pretty amazing.”

Her voice has softened. There’s a note of, for lack of a better word, affection there.

“You sound happy about all of that.”

She laughs again, and yeah, I don’t think I’ve heard her like this, ever.

“I am happy. Everyone is not only doing meaningful things that will fulfill them and make the world better, but they’re in love and happy! Including you !”

“None of this is according to plan,” I say again.

“I know. And that definitely stressed me out when it was happening,” she admits. “But now that it’s all over and done, it’s so great.”

“So Declan and Astrid are good?” That wedding came out of the blue, and I got the impression it was mostly for show for Diarmuid.

“Well…” Iris hesitates. “They will be.”

“You’re sure?”

“Let’s put it this way: they’re both incredibly intelligent, and divorcing the other person would be very stupid. So that won’t happen.”

That does not sound like they’re madly in love.

“And we’ve got the added bonus of Colin, Jonah, and you falling in love, too,” she says.

Yes, she does sound genuinely happy.

That’s… weird.

“I guess we just need you and Miles to fall in love,” I say of Astrid’s best friend and trainer, who is also her bodyguard, though no one knows that.

“What are you talking about?” Iris asks, her tone suddenly sharp.

“Just… you’re the only two people in our group left, the only bodyguards not in love,” I say with a frown.

“Oh.” She pauses. “Yeah. I guess. Well, that doesn’t matter.”

Now she sounds strange. “Are you okay?”

“What? Yes, of course. I need to go,” she says quickly. “Do you need me to get Ruby in at Ohio State? Have her admission to Loyola rescinded?”

“God, no!” I say emphatically.

“Okay, fine. As for her father, I haven’t found anything specifically illegal. Unfortunately being an immoral asshole isn’t illegal,” Iris says. “But we do have a contact in the Governor’s office who is willing to make a big deal out of Emerald being the only town to turn down the grant. We also have some news outlets—TV, newspapers, pods—that will run the story if we ask them to. We also have some big religious leaders in the state who will denounce this and draw attention to the state grant and to Ruby’s Way.”

I’m nodding. “That’s all great. Not as great as a criminal indictment maybe…”

She laughs. “Maybe not, but embarrassing him, calling his bigotry out publicly, shaming him in front of the town and his congregation? That’s not nothing.”

“True. Maybe we can even peel off a few members of his church.”

“Or maybe more than a few,” Iris says. “He seems most interested in power. The more people he can influence, the happier he is. So, we can maybe reduce that number, take some of his power away.”

Make him unhappy . That would be great.

“You should devise a way for the other churches in town to be involved with Ruby’s Way. You don’t need their financial support, of course, but they should make a big deal out of approving the group’s mission and work. They could show the town the alternatives to that church.”

“Other people should show their support for the work we’re doing, too,” I agree. “Anyone in town who believes it’s a good idea should say so. We could have some kind of event to kick things off. Simply to show that the bigots are outnumbered. And maybe people going to that church will start to look at who they are associating with. And who else in town they could be associating with instead.”

“Take it down brick by brick,” Iris agrees. “I know the O’Gradys—well, Declan anyway—are more into smashing things down in one fell blow, but dismantling things can happen in lots of ways.”

“A slow bleed might drive the good pastor even crazier,” I say, my mind turning. “And it would only take removing a few really key bricks. People who have been solid members, people who are well-known, liked, and respected in town. If they take a look at what that church is doing and decide they don’t agree and leave, others will take a hard look at it too.”

“We’ve seen it in major corporations,” Iris agrees. “We get the right VP to second-guess something or resign, and lots of others follow.”

“And in this town, it’s even more effective,” I say. “The people here are connected. They have history. They have real relationships with one another.”

“Great. If you want to ruin that church, I think you can do it. And it would be a service, honestly. What I looked into wasn’t illegal, but it sure wasn’t nice.”

I chuckle. “No kidding.”

“You should advertise about Ruby’s Way, put together packets, all of that, and hint at being supported by ‘most’ of the groups in town. Just be careful not to get into anything they could yell defamation about.”

“Oh, I don’t have to worry at all,” I tell her. “I don’t need packets or ads. I just need a person. Someone who has a history here, who can talk to people with straight-forward facts and passion about what we’re doing.”

“A spokesperson,” Iris says. “Even better. You?”

“Oh, no. There are dozens of better options.”

“Better than the most charming person I know who almost always gets his way?”

I grin. “Believe it or not, yes.”

“Okay, well, let me know if you need anything else from me.”

“Of course.”

“Talk soon.”

We disconnect and I immediately round the bar to where April is working. “Does Cecelia go to Ruby’s dad’s church?”

April snorts. “No way.”

“And is she well-liked in town?”

April thinks about that for a second. “She’s well known in town. And I think people know that she’s honest and no bullshit. Some people like that, and some don’t.” She shrugs. “I’ve learned that most of these people have been here long enough that they all have a few that don’t like them. But that’s normal, right? None of us are perfect.”

I nod. “That’s right. And totally normal.” I grin. “You don’t happen to have Cecelia’s number, do you?”

“I do,” she says. “She doesn’t bake, but she’s always said I can call her if I ever need anything else.”

Of course, she did.

I don’t know Cecelia well, but the little bit I did see of her makes me think that she might really get into taking down a manipulative mega-church human brick by human brick.

And as I’ve already learned during my time in Emerald, Ohio, I probably don’t even need to give her a plan. She’ll come up with something even better if I give her five minutes.

And maybe some cinnamon rolls.