Chapter 16
Sixteen
Brooks
Could I not return to the States?
Calira felt like a different world. One where I didn’t have to measure every move I made or every word that came out of my mouth. One where I could hunt Daphne down without worrying about cameras.
Seated in the navy leather chair aboard the jet, I finished another drink.
Is this my fourth?
Or fifth?
I’d lost count.
Alcohol never relaxed me. Weed did. But unfortunately, lighting up on a government plane was a bad idea.
So, I drank.
If it shut Daphne out of my head for five fucking minutes, tomorrow’s hangover was worth it.
Somewhere in the sky, Daphne was heading back to Saint Vale too.
Her going back to New York wasn’t what pissed me off. It was that she was flying back with Cory.
Before takeoff, I’d spent twenty minutes trying to get her on my jet. Even asking the king hadn’t worked.
Royalty flew on royal aircraft. That was the one thing the old man refused to negotiate on.
I hadn’t said one word to the King about the politics my father wanted me to. Less politics, more talk about his granddaughter had been my goal during this trip.
Not the granddaughter who sucked at stripteases.
The one who’d somehow clawed her way under my fucking skin.
I set my crystal tumbler aside and sank deeper into the leather, stretching my legs into the empty aisle. My conversation with the King replayed in my head.
I stood in front of his throne while eying his crown. It was hideous and ostentatious, but I kept that observation to myself. It wouldn’t help me get what I wanted.
See? There were times when I knew to show respect.
I stopped at the foot of his throne. “I’m making Daphne my Fawn.”
He shook his head, straightening his crown atop his head. “My prime minister’s son already requested her.”
“Him requesting her doesn’t mean he gets her.”
“They won’t be happy about that.”
He readjusted his crown again, as if his head had shrunk since he’d had it made.
His permission didn’t really matter. The King was an Elder Son, though, and I didn’t need him making this more complicated than necessary.
“The prime minister reports to you,” I pointed out. “He’ll get over it if he wants to stay in your good graces.”
The fact that he took too long to answer irritated me.
Again, I practiced that fake respect thing and kept my mouth shut.
“You and I both know I have more power and influence than Cory,” I added.
“Cory is from our country. His father means a great deal to me.”
“Your Highness. I think this arrangement would bring our families back together after the incident, don’t you?”
It was a lie. Nothing would repair the broken relationship between our countries. But lying usually got me what I wanted.
I gave him the smile I’d been trained to give donors, diplomats, and every other person I needed something from.
His fingers stopped fussing with his crown.
Then I saw it.
The interest.
The king wanted the scandal between our countries buried.
“It’s worth it,” I said, taking a step closer to his throne. “Trust me.”
He nodded. “She’s all yours.” He pointed his fat finger at me. “But if this doesn’t help my country, I won’t be happy.”
I bowed my head. “It will.”
“Do you want another drink, sir?” the flight attendant asked.
I looked down at my empty tumbler. “Please.”
She disappeared behind the partition. I rubbed two fingers against my temple as another Daphne-induced migraine started behind my eyes.
Soon, she’d be mine.
Maybe not forever.
But I’d steal every second I could get with her.
It was a tragedy that Daphne hadn’t come to the Devil’s Lair tonight.
None of the girls had come tonight. They were probably celebrating Enzo and Blair’s ridiculous engagement.
The coffee table was filled with empty glasses, an abandoned deck of cards, and whatever expensive-ass watch Cassian had taken off and forgotten about this time. He treated ten-thousand-dollar watches like loose change.
I stared at Enzo in disgust. “Who the fuck gets engaged before graduating from college? I’m disappointed, man.”
I took a hit of my joint, smoke drifting between my lips as I spoke. “You were the asshole who swore you weren’t choosing a Fawn. Now look at you.”
Cedric and Cassian, who seemed to still have working brains, nodded in agreement. Cassian lifted his glass toward me like I’d just delivered the toast at Enzo’s wedding.
Emeri sat in the corner, sharpening his knife, contributing absolutely nothing. I didn’t think the fucker had ever told a joke. But if we needed a body dismembered, Emeri was the first person we called.
Fawns weren’t as popular with Sons anymore. Why spend months training a woman you might not keep when finding someone to suck your dick took five minutes?
But having one was mandatory if we wanted the real Night Son perks. And none of us were stupid enough to give those up.
Enzo plucked the joint from my fingers. “Are you too fucking high to remember how you spent your break?”
He took a deep inhale before handing it back. Smoke spilled from his mouth as he sat back with a smug smile.
“Tell us more.” Cassian propped himself up on the couch. “Where’d he spend it?”
“In Calira,” Enzo said. “Chasing Daphne around like a fucking stalker. At least I admitted I was obsessed with my Fawn.”
“I had to deal with Cory.” I took another hit of the joint.
“Bullshit,” Enzo spat. “You could’ve done that here when you returned from break.” He blew out an agitated breath. “At least you finally got your head out of your ass and claimed her.”
I’d finally submitted Daphne’s name during my flight home. Waiting had nothing to do with doubts. I just didn’t need the assholes thinking I cared.
It was revenge.
That was my story, and they could all fuck off with the obsession bullshit.
“You can take your anger out on Cory during his Initiation,” Cassian said.
Unlike the Sons around me, I wouldn’t just get a front-row seat to Cory’s Initiation.
I got to participate. I hoped like hell he’d fail.
I would’ve preferred digging up his brother’s ashes and serving them to him on a platter, but that wasn’t an option.
“Trust me, I plan to.” I pressed the burning tip of my joint into the ashtray until it died.
Imagining Cory bleeding on the Initiation floor almost put me in a good mood.
That thought instantly dissolved when I remembered that Daphne’s Initiation was coming too.
If Daphne failed hers, she wouldn’t become my Fawn.
If she failed badly enough, she wouldn’t survive.