Chapter 45 Royal
ROYAL
INTERNATIONAL STALKING AGENCY
She never connected to Wi-Fi.
I still have access to her phone, but Leticia never connected to the Wi-Fi at the house she’s staying at. It seems to be owned by one of Steffano’s subsidiaries, and I can tell he pays for all the amenities. It looks like his primary residence, so it surely must have Wi-Fi.
But Leticia never connected to it. Without the mirrored connection, I can’t figure out what system he has. I can’t stalk her. I can’t —
My wolf is a wreck. I’m a wreck. I’m on the verge of shifting all the time.
It’s been two days, and she hasn’t gone anywhere in public, just private residences, and she hasn’t connected to any Wi-Fi.
Why couldn’t they be poor and worried about things like data and roaming and lack of coverage? my wolf snarls.
“Royal,” Valor snaps.
“Yes?” I turn to face him.
“A little fuckin’ help. This massive tree was your idea.” He glares at me, and I draw my focus back to what I agreed to help with.
A Christmas tree, twelve feet of one, for the informal living room in Valor’s house.
“What? You can’t do it yourself?” I scoff and look over at him. “Consider it payback for the last time you did something without my help.”
Valor stops trying to wrestle the tree, which is wrapped in plastic sheeting we’d normally use to get bodies to the cleaners. He looks over at me, drawing a huge breath. “Say what you’re going to say and stop making snide remarks. Let’s hear it.”
“You know how incredibly fucked it was that you did that to her? Of all people? She literally saved your daughter’s life. Why wouldn’t you at least call me before taking her down to your lair?” I keep my voice down, knowing we could be ten seconds away from being ambushed by Kerrianne.
“Is that it?” Valor’s voice is flat.
“She’s perfect for you. If you’d pull your head out of your damn ass, you’d see that,” I add, knowing this is the last time Valor will hear what I have to say on how he hurt Antonella.
Since we were kids, it’s always been a ‘one and done’ conversation style for our grievances. Sure, we both manage to land barbs afterward every now and again, but we’ve both tried to stick to Mom’s rule about having it out the first time.
“I know she’s perfect.” Valor pulls his hat off, and his shoulders drop a bit.
He becomes less the family’s inquisitor and more my older brother.
“I know I messed up a good thing with her. I wasn’t the only one who was blindsided in this, but I have to answer to her, her wolf, and my daughter on the subject.
I see your anger, and it’s valid, but I’m also living with it too. ”
Some of my anger fades. “Call me next time?”
“Don’t be in the middle of getting kidnapped, then?” He laughs, breaking the tension between us. “Who the fuck gets kidnapped at twenty-six?”
“Easy for you to say. I was outnumbered, and they threatened Mom,” I snap.
“Mmhmm. Yeah, you’re getting more training.” Valor smiles. It’s a little more sadistic than loving. After a moment of silence, Valor extends the olive branch. “Are we good?”
I nod and move toward the tree, helping him heft it from the truck in the driveway, up the walk, and into the house.
It’s comforting that by the time it’s standing in the living room, I’m not the only one out of breath.
Valor pants as he sits back on his heels out of the way of the branches now that it’s secured into the stand.
But his eyes are turned to me, they’re calculating and cataloging what he sees.
His mind is always working on angles and anticipating.
“It’s so perfect.” Kerrianne runs up behind me and jumps, climbing up my back until she’s looking over my shoulder. Her little fingers, knees, and elbows dig into sensitive places, but I don’t make a fuss about it.
“Big enough?” Valor looks up at us, his whole demeanor softening for his daughter.
He might have been crabby about getting it in the house in the first place, but she’ll never know.
“Definitely.” Kerrianne beams and points toward the top of the tree. “And that’s where we’re going to put the star. Not an angel.”
“Star, not an angel.” I nod in agreement.
Not sure where we got to be particular about tree toppers, but I know better than to question her if I want to get home and back to watching for Leticia’s every movement.
Kerrianne climbs down my back and rushes to Valor, hugging him tightly. “Thank you! I gotta go back to finish decorating Captain’s room.”
Before we can object, not that we wanted to, Kerrianne sprints through the house back to her tortoise’s room.
“Are you staying for dinner?” Antonella asks as she comes down the stairs. Her wolf is pressed up against the surface, her eyes golden and alert.
Would our mate look that striking? My wolf wonders, but I shove him and that thought aside.
“No, I’ve got to get back to working on some things.” I can’t even come up with a single project that hasn’t been put on hold for the new year.
“He’s busy stalking Leticia.” Valor outs me, not that he has any real proof of what I’m doing. “He admitted to me while we were at the cabin that he’s caught feelings for your cousin, and now she’s in Italy, and he’s heartbroken.”
I turn to walk away from him before I start a fight between us in the living room and probably knock over the tree we just wrestled into place. “Fuck you.”
“Royal, come back.” Valor sighs. “I’m sorry.”
Shaking my head, I keep going. “Got to go, have a computer update to attend to.”
I have to go back to bed. The seven-hour time difference between Chicago and Italy means that Leticia’s day starts at midnight, and I don’t want to miss a second of it.
Mom is straightening the wreath on the front door when I pull into the driveway. I try to get in the garage, through the house, and down to my lair before she can stop me, but Mom’s quicker than that.
She beats me to the top of my stairs. Arms crossed in front of her chest, she’s who Valor gets the cutting glare from.
Mom’s mad. My wolf fawns, trying to get her favor, tipping his head to the side so far that I have no choice but to follow.
I keep my eyes trained on her and cock my head aside, exposing my neck in submission.
“You cannot stalk the D’Medici girl every night for the rest of your life.” Despite her gaze, Mom’s words are soft. “I’m sorry she left. I’m sorry you’re hurting. But you only have until Christmas to watch her every night. Then you’ve got to start moving on.”
“I just wish she could have stayed,” I admit aloud, knowing it sounds weak.
“Me too.” Mom steps forward and wraps her arms around me. “I’m sorry, baby. But we all knew her place wasn’t here.”
The lies. My wolf whines. Our mate’s place is here with us. Forever.
I don’t argue with Mom though. I just nod. “D’Medicis and Cavanaghs already have one arranged marriage.”
It doesn’t feel like a lie when I say it aloud. But that’s what I just did. I forced Leticia and me into a marriage. I took away a choice she made. Am I all that different from everyone else in her life?
I should probably have remorse. Especially standing here before Mom when she’s trying to make me feel better. But that’s not who I am. I made a choice, and it’s going to affect all of us. I just hope it’s going to protect Leticia like I think it will.
Mom lets me go with one last squeeze before shuffling aside, opening space for me to go downstairs. “Come up for dinner?”
“I’ll set an alarm.” I promise with a nod.
I’m not hungry, haven’t been in days. But I’ll make an attempt.