Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Julian
“Thank you for your service.” I ended my speech at the veteran’s luncheon I’d been invited to.
As I stepped off the dais, I was thanked and offered handshakes.
I did what was expected of me, I smiled, asked the right questions, ate while I listened to war story after war story.
Through it all, the only thing that kept me sane was Wynn.
I thought about his laughter, how he whimpered as I sucked him, his delicious moans as he came on my cock. He was perfection, everything I’d ever craved. Knowing I’d be seeing him for dinner this evening helped me to get through my daily itinerary.
“Your Highness.” Edward leaned close to whisper in my ear. “We have a situation.”
My eyes met his. “What kind?” I was already excusing myself and following beside him out into the hallway.
“Per your instruction, I’ve had someone trailing Wynn. In case you wanted to know where he was but also with the paparazzi beginning to take notice.”
“Get to the point, Edward.” I exited the building and headed toward my waiting vehicle.
“Francis informed me that the Thrindell police just took Wynn to the police station.”
I froze before entering the SUV. “What for?” Just then, my cell phone buzzed in my pocket. Quickly, I grabbed it and saw Wynn’s name light up the screen. “It’s him.” I hit the button. “Wynn, what’s going on?”
“Your Highness. Sorry, it’s Hannah.”
“Hannah?” My eyes narrowed. “Why are you calling me from Wynn’s phone? Where is he?”
“Wynn told me to call you. The cops took him in for questioning for some governor’s murder.”
I clenched my jaw. “Why would they think he had anything to do with that?”
“I…I don’t know, but we don’t understand the laws here, and our lawyer has no jurisdiction here. We need your help, please.”
I looked at Edward. “Get us to the Thrindell Police Department.”
“But, the tour.”
“Now, Edward.” I slipped inside the vehicle and addressed Hannah. “I am headed to the station.”
“Oh, thank God! Mark and I are on our way there now, but I doubt they’ll let us see him.”
“I’ve got it from here, Hannah. Thank you for calling.” I disconnected the call and slammed my phone against the cushioned seat beside me.
“Your Highness, is this in regard to Governor Rambles?”
I didn’t answer in words, just a perfunctory nod.
He hummed. “She was strangled…” He didn’t say any more than that. He knew my methods, likely knew I’d killed her too.
“That’s what I’ve heard.”
He didn’t say any more; we drove to the station in silence. I was seething. Rage, like a fire, licked my skin. How dare they accuse Wynn of such a thing. This was why I didn’t leave bodies behind. I’d known this would be a complication, but I hadn’t expected it to blow back on Wynn.
My phone buzzed again, this time my father. For fuck’s sake. “I can’t talk now; I’m in the middle of something.”
“Julian, I know you’re on your way to the police station. I know you’ve rearranged your itinerary, and I know you killed Rona…all for this man, this fling.”
“Watch yourself,” I practically growled.
“You’ll destroy this family if it gets out that you—”
“It’ll do no such thing.”
“Julian, let it be.”
Anger raced up my spine. “And let him take the fall? I won’t. He’s mine and nobody, not the authorities, any governor, or you will take him from me. If you try, you won’t like the way it ends. Do you understand me…Father?”
I could feel Edward’s gaze on me; he likely thought I was spiraling, but I was not. I was laser focused. Wynn Carter was mine, now and forever. I’d burn the world down for him and if that was what had to be done, so be it.
“You’re going to be king. You can’t play these games anymore.”
“Games? What games am I playing?”
“I know you can’t help what you are, Julian. It’s why we have the crematorium, why we turn away from the things you do. It’s never touched us until now, but we told you if it did, I’d have to intervene.”
“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”
“I don’t want you seeing that boy anymore. This will taint him, even if he’s freed. But he will go home, and it’ll fade. If you get more involved, he may never go home. You may destroy him, Julian…it may destroy you.”
“You don’t get to tell me who I can and can’t be involved with. If you push Wynn away, if you make this difficult, I will end your reign before you’re ready—am I making myself clear?”
He sighed. “Son—”
“Good-bye.” I disconnected the call.
Edward, thankfully, didn’t say anything. I knew my father could very well make this nearly impossible for me. He could send an order to have Wynn sent home, never to be allowed to return. If he did, I’d keep every promise I made. I’d destroy him—all of them if I had to.
The station wasn’t much farther. I had to make a call to my lawyer, or I should say the royal family’s attorney. Wynn was mine, and that meant he’d be protected as if it were me being held in that place.
Without another thought, I called and ordered the firm to get someone to the police station immediately. They didn’t question me, simply told me it would be done.
“Two minutes, Your Highness.”
I stared out the window, my mind shifting about, trying to figure out why the police believed Wynn had anything to do with her death. By the time we pulled up to the station, I was no closer to understanding the reasoning.
I waited in the car until Edward got the all-clear and he opened the door. I rushed inside and right up to the counter.
“Your Highness.” The officer paled.
“Where is Wynn Carter?”
“Wynn…” His eyes widened. “Oh, um.” He glanced behind him. “He’s in with Detectives Peters and Ridgeway.”
“Take me to him.”
The officer’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “I…Your Highness, I can’t do that.”
I glared, and his already pale face turned sickly. “Wynn Carter is not responsible for the death of Governor Rambles. He’s my partner; this is an insult to the royal family.”
“Oh, okay. Let me go and see if I can get one of the detectives to come out here and speak with you. My authority doesn’t stretch so far as to let you go in there. Sorry, Your Highness.”
I released a growly sigh. “Go on, then. Don’t keep me waiting.”
I watched as he practically ran down the hallway. I knew the lawyer was on the way, and for the sake of this police department and the detectives, they’d better get here soon.