4. Henry
Chapter 4
Henry
I ’ve been a growly asshole for the past two days, since my ‘talk’ with Ruby—okay my break-up with Ruby—so I’m not surprised that it takes me nearly thirty minutes to find Jonah. I’m also not surprised to find he’s not answering my text because he’s at a little party that I wasn’t invited to. So no one’s answering my texts or wanting to hang out. I’m not in a good mood and they’re sick of me. I get it.
But I’m still annoyed when I walk past Cian and Scarlett’s room and find the doors open and not only Mariah and Saoirse inside the front sitting room but Linnea and Jonah looking very comfortable, as if they’ve been here for a while.
"Didn’t think we’d be welcome across this threshold for a few more days," I say dryly,
"Welcome is a strong word," Cian replies.
My friend has sequestered his new bride in this room for the past forty-eight hours. We’ve left them alone, of course. Her daughter, Mariah, has been warmly welcomed into the family, and her new cousin, Saoirse, who is only a couple of years younger, has kept her constant company, showing her around the palace and grounds.
Cian and Scarlett haven’t been needed for anything, so they’ve been left alone.
Until now, I guess.
I look around as I cross the room to take the chair near where Cian and Scarlett are sitting. I’m acutely aware of the fact that Ruby is not here.
"I was just filling them in on the trip to Portland to open up the new moms’ community there,” Linnea says. “And telling them how excited Christian is to have us come to New York and open one. He’d like to sit down and meet. He has some great input on locations.”
Linnea, Jonah’s new wife and long-time royal advisor, is helping Cian and Scarlett with their new foundation. The foundation funds communities that bring single moms together to live and help each other with childcare, cooking, housework, laundry, and all the other activities of daily living that are made easier when they have people they can trust and depend on.
She discussed a number of plans with me, including a trip to Portland and one to New York. She’s already reached out to Cian’s brother Declan to help with the new site in Portland and Christian Waite, one of the senators from New York, to get him involved with the one there.
"Of course Waite is interested," Jonah says, his hand moving from the back of the loveseat where he and Linnea are sitting to the back of her neck in a very possessive, almost second-nature gesture.
" Anyway ,” Linnea says to Cian and Scarlett. "The trips are all planned. I think a couple of interviews would be interesting for you as well, but we can check on those as we go. And I love the idea of talking to the podcast. In fact, I’m going to pitch having Mariah come back after we’ve gone around the country and opened some of these homes. I’m sure they would love to have a young woman’s perspective on this kind of work."
Mariah sits up straighter. "That would be really neat.”
Why isn’t Ruby here? She’d love to know all the ways they’re involving Mariah in the project.
Linnea smiles at her. "You’re going to be so great at all of this. As an ambassador for the royal family, but also for all of the wonderful things your mom and Cian are doing."
Mariah looks over at her mom and Cian, almost as if she’s stunned.
"As much as you want to do," Cian assures her. "Your call."
Saoirse leans over and nudges Mariah with an elbow. "It gets easier as you go along."
And is Ruby going to be traveling with us? Has she told Scarlett about law school and New Orleans yet? If not, when is she going to? Are they making plans to involve her in the foundation? If so, she needs to tell them that she’s not going to be around for that instead of springing it on them after they’ve planned a whole future with her in it.
I realize I’m scowling when I lean over and ask Cian, "Where is Ruby?"
He looks surprised at the question. "She left. Last night, actually. She texted Scarlett when she landed in Ohio this morning."
She what ? My frown deepens. "She left?"
"You didn’t think she was going to stay with us indefinitely, did you?” Cian asks, smiling.
But his smile dies almost immediately as I continue to scowl. I know that she didn’t plan to stay indefinitely but I bloody well expected her to keep her ass on this island until we all left. Together. So that she isn’t back in Emerald alone.
"She wanted to get back,” Cian says. “She has a life in Ohio. She had to get back to work. She’s got a house. Friends. She can’t travel around the US with us.”
I shake my head. "Why not? You could support her.”
I know that’s not her plan, but Cian doesn’t know about law school. I know Ruby didn’t tell her sister that she plans to leave them for New Orleans while Scarlett is still essentially on her honeymoon.
Hell, Ruby might not have even seen Scarlett with the way Cian has kept her to himself for the last two days.
“That’s not the issue,” Cian says.
“Then what? A bartending job she does only out of necessity in a town where she lives only because Scarlett wanted to move back there? Emerald was never Ruby’s plan.”
Okay, that was a dickhead thing to say. I mean, it’s true. But it’s not as if Ruby is upset with Scarlett. In fact, Ruby is sweet and accommodating and patient with her sister almost to a fault. Scarlett has been calling the shots in their relationship for…ever.
Am I annoyed because if Scarlett had just stayed in New Orleans instead of going back to Emerald two years ago to try to make amends with a town that doesn’t deserve her we could all be living in New Orleans, together, happy and in love?
Yes.
But it’s not Scarlett’s fault.
Cian glances at Scarlett but she’s listening to Linnea and Mariah talk.
He lowers his voice and leans closer to me. "Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Henry. She came in and said her goodbyes. I arranged the plane. She texted Scarlett when she got home." He studies me. "I take it she didn’t say goodbye to you?"
I blow out a breath. Okay, that’s why I’m annoyed. "No."
"Maybe that’s for the best?" Cian asks.
I grind my back teeth together. But then I nod. "Yeah, maybe.”
Just then, Scarlett’s phone rings.
"Sorry,” she apologizes, pulling the phone from her pocket. She glances at the screen and frowns, then looks at Cian. "It’s Ruby."
My heart thuds against my ribs just hearing her name.
"Take it," Cian tells her. "It’s fine."
Scarlett stands and takes a few steps away from the group, lifting her phone to her ear.
I can’t help but watch her.
It’s clear immediately that this isn’t just a friendly phone call.
My heart starts beating faster.
"Something’s wrong," I tell Cian.
Scarlett comes back over to the couch. "We might have to rearrange our trips a little bit.”
"What is it?" I ask, my voice clipped.
"We just need to go back to Ohio. Or I do. Maybe you can go on without me," Scarlett says to Cian.
He frowns. "No way. Why do you have to go back?" He stands. "Is Ruby all right?"
I do too. I need the answer to that question now .
"Yes. Kind of. She’s…taking someone in."
"What the fuck does that mean?" I demand before Cian can speak.
She looks at both of us, then glances around the room. Everyone is listening.
"You can tell everyone," Cian assures her. “They’re all here for you and for Ruby.”
What is going on ? I nearly shout, but I manage to keep my cool.
I can’t yell at one of Cara’s princesses.
Who is technically my boss.
Scarlett’s shoulders relax a bit at that. “A woman who knows Ruby from the bar has decided to leave her abusive husband and reached out to Ruby for help. Ruby invited her and her young son to come stay at our house until the woman can get her legal stuff in order and figure out a plan.”
"No," I say firmly.
Scarlett frowns at me. "She’s not asking for permission, Henry. From me or you. She was just informing me.”
Too bad. “Why do you need to go home then?" I ask.
Obviously, I’m not going to let Scarlett go to Emerald. She’s on her honeymoon. This isn’t something Scarlett is going to deal with.
This is something her bodyguard will take care of.
Scarlett shrugs. “I know the guy. We went to high school with him. He’s definitely not a good person. I am afraid he’s not going to let his wife and son leave peacefully. And I’m afraid he’s going to blame Ruby directly."
"So she’s not safe," I say.
Goddamn it, Ruby. But, of course, she wouldn’t say no to someone asking her for help. Not even this kind of help.
Maybe especially this kind of help.
Scarlett grimaces. "That’s what I’m worried about."
"Then I’ll go,” I say easily.
I’m definitely going. I made that decision the minute I found out Ruby was back in Emerald and Scarlett and Cian were making at least two stops before they went back to Ohio.
"You’re going to go to Emerald? And you’ll do what? Protect Ruby?" Scarlett asks.
"Yes." Obviously. "I’m trained for this, for fuck’s sake. She couldn’t have better protection. It makes perfect sense.”
"Except that she doesn’t want to see you anymore," Scarlett points out.
I see the sisters found time to talk before Cian locked his bride in his suite.
Yeah, well, too fucking bad that she doesn’t want to see me. "This isn’t about that. She needs to be safe. We both know we’re not going to talk her out of doing this. So I need to be there to make sure she’s all right."
"But—" Scarlett starts.
"Even if you did go, you will not be as good at protecting her as I will," I say. “And if you and Mariah go home, there are two more people for this asshole to threaten. You, Mariah, and Cian will stay away until we get this woman and her kid settled. I’ll be there to be sure they’re okay. And Ruby, of course.”
There is no other way this is going to go, but I have to make Scarlett feel as if she’s a part of this decision.
“It makes sense, Scarlett,” Cian says.
She frowns. "What about Cian?" she asks me. "I thought you always had to be with him."
We are going to figure this out.
"He’s got you now,” I say.
Scarlett looks puzzled. "What?"
"You can keep him from doing anything stupid." Thank God. That’s part of the job I’m happy to have some help with.
"I…" She looks from me to him, then back to me. "I was thinking more of the keeping him from being assassinated thing."
Thankfully, that’s very rarely been a true threat.
"He can’t be anywhere safer than here in Cara," I say. "And when you go to the US, Jonah will be with you." I turn to Linnea and Jonah. "Right?" Jonah will be with them because of Linnea. He’s been protecting a much more headstrong prince for ten years. Cian is far more easy-going than Torin.
Linnea nods. "Right."
Jonah looks at his wife and then at me, "Yeah. Right." Clearly this hadn’t occurred to him before now, but he’s rolling with it.
I turn back to Scarlett and Cian. "So he’ll have a babysitter and a bodyguard with him."
"Hey," Cian protests.
We all look at him.
After a moment, he shakes his head. "No, never mind. That sounds good."
Exactly.
"I’ll call you from Emerald." I don’t wait to see if anyone has anything further to say.
It doesn’t matter.
There’s a sassy, stubborn brunette I need to…talk to.
Yes, we’re going to talk . I can keep from yelling. I’m pretty sure.
But she left without telling anyone. To go home alone. Then let a woman move in with her who has an abusive husband who is “not a good person” and who will blame Ruby for his wife leaving him.
Okay, I’m going to yell.
But Ruby knows me. She’ll be expecting it the second she sees me.
And the fact that my yelling won’t faze her a bit will make me want to kiss her. And fuck her against the wall.
I blow out a breath.
This trip to Emerald is such a bad idea.
But am I still going? Of course, I am. I’ve been Cian O’Grady’s bodyguard and best friend for twelve years. Something being a bad idea has never been a deterrent before, so why start now?