PROLOGUE

King Adesiyan Gbadegesin of Ijomo Kingdom, stares at the picture of his late wife with a wistful smile, he still misses her, even after all these years. They were soul mates and when she died, a part of him left with her. He rose from his bed and paced slowly around his master suite.

The master suite's bespoke bed is set against stained- walnut panels and dressed in a pristine white and blue bedspread, with a Persian rug cushioning the bedroom floor. The curtain hangings were shades of purple and lilac, giving the room a cheerful look, all thanks to his new daughter in law, who has taken it upon herself to rebrand all the fourteen rooms in the main palace building.

Fabrics, wall coverings, trimmings, window hardware, even beddings were changed. Beautifully hand crafted upholsteries that would leave you breathless. The whole place now looks grander than ever, all thanks to Lola. William his first son couldn't have made a better choice; she is just the right woman for him. They have even given him a handsome grandson, with another one on the way hopefully, because it has been two years. "This place needs to be filled with grandchildren,” he mutters to his wife’s picture.

His worry now is his second son, Henry, who has refused to settle down. That boy of ours is as stubborn as a mule, it's time to bring out the big guns, don't you think" he mutters to Pearl’s picture. He smiled as an idea begins to form in his mind. Henry is nobody's fool, he can smell your bull crap from miles away, so he will really need to be subtle, just a nudge in the right direction is all he needs.

It's time to call in his friend and partner Dr. Bamisaye, "this is what they made me resort to, lying once again about my health," he sighed, but he would do anything at the moment. He has been watching Kezia for years, the first daughter of one of his loyal and trusted workers in the palace. She has grown to become a beautiful lady, with good head on her shoulders. She just graduated with a degree in Library Science, now she is back in the Palace to help in the running of the household. He loves what the young woman has done with the Royal Library, it's simply amazing and such talent should be in the family, he mused.

Kezia will be a good choice in melting his Son's cold heart hopefully. "Let's hope it all works out with him the way we have planned it, Pearl. Don't look at me like that, your Sons are stubborn just like you, they need to be pushed, just see how well Liam is doing," he smiled ruefully.

He slipped back into his bed, with a mischievous smile on his face, tomorrow the game would begin, his Son will soon hear from him,

******

"Hello honeymooners! Don't tell me you are getting bored already, calling us your lowly servants" Prince Henry Adegoke Gbadegesin, teased his big brother and crown prince of Ijomo Kingdom—Liam.

"Hello, little brother, how are you too, how is Abuja?" He said in a mock reply, "Since you don't know how to use your phone, I decided to save you the trouble"

"Ouch! Anyways I am fine, and how is Lola and my nephew doing?" Henry asked enthusiastic to hear about the young champ.

Liam regaled him with stories of his naughtiness, and how much he seemed to be enjoying Panama, "Trust me next time we are going on vacation I will ship him to dad's, speaking of dad, how is he?"

"Well I don't want to worry you but the family doctor called me earlier, that he is not feeling well. I will visit him this week to see him and update you about the situation of things, and in the main time, try to enjoy your vacation. I heard the island where you are in Panama is full of interesting activities this time of the year, Henry said.

"Alright little brother, I will do just that...” Liam replies, just as his wife joins him.

"Who are you talking to, hope it's not one of your numerous girlfriends" Henry heard Lola tease Liam in the background.

"Of course darling, it's one of my lovers, come speak to her" he said, and a second later Lola's voice came online.

"Hello Lola, jealous much?" Henry chuckles.

"Well hello! If it's not my favorite brother-in-law, how are you?" Lola laughed.

"That's what you told Leonard, but am fine" he teased her back.

Henry did not believe he could come to care about a woman this much, at first when he had not met Lola, and his brother asked for his help in locating his runaway wife, he disliked her. He helped his brother in locating her, He thought she was like all other women, full of deception and lies, but after he saw her and spent time with her. He realized what a beautiful soul she was, and a very good partner for his older brother.

She is one in a million, his brother is indeed lucky, but love is not for him. His brother will supply his father with all the grandchildren he needs, they should just leave him out of the equation.

"So any lucky woman in the picture?" Lola asked him, in her usual playful manner.

"No princess, but I promise you will be the first person to know, once there is"

"Fine then, just remember you are not getting any younger"

"How could I forget, when you always make sure to remind me of my age," he teased back. Lola has made it one of her duties to always remind him of how old he is becoming. At Thirty-five, you would think he is reaching Fifty already with the way she pokes at him about settling down.

Henry heard Liam, told his wife to stop pestering him, he smiled at the banter going on between the two. His brother is truly smitten. Liam came online again asking how his own business is going before ending the call. Henry had already informed Martha, his Secretary to make arrangements for his flight to Lagos, before going to Ijomo; he needs to pay one of his late military friend's, wife a visit. He winces in pain as he feels a headache coming on, he has not been really sleeping well, the flashbacks are back again and there is nothing he can do about it.

It has been six years since he lost his team to the hand of the Boko Haram insurgents, and by a twisted hand of fate, he is the only one that escaped death, with just a bullet wound to his shoulder. He rubbed his left biceps as if the bullet is still lodged in his shoulder. Everything was his fault; he was the one that led the team on perimeter surveillance. They would still be alive if his head was in the right place.

He remembers vividly the day everything went ape-shit. The week started on an atrocious note for him, He was having a two day break from the field, and all he could think of was surprising his girlfriend, on her birthday. They had been together for a year and Henry felt it was time they take their relationship to the next level, but he was the one that got surprised, catching his girlfriend going at it with another man. It took sheer will and discipline not to inflict the anger coursing through him on the lover.

He went back to his duty post full of rage, hurt to the bone, to think he was planning to propose to her after everything normalized in their fight against the terrorist! Henry hisses jolting him back to reality. He drops his mobile on the table, leaving his seat to saunter to his bookshelf in the corner of his office. Women are just plain distractions, that's what they are, and he will be damned before he allows any other woman to have that much hold on him again.

He is not a monk--Henry enjoys the company of beautiful women, but nothing serious and that's the way he wants it. All his lady friends understand that, there can be nothing serious other than to enjoy each other's company for a while. His father, the King, will have to be content with the grandson Liam has given him, and he is sure more are still on the way.

****

Lola sashayed into their suite, in sheer lace lingerie that left nothing to imagination. Liam just put their Son to bed, in the other bedroom, and was in the process of removing his slippers, when Lola came out of the bathroom, he whistles in appreciation.

"Are you trying to kill me wife, in that little number?" He asked with his eyebrows raised, waiting for her to join him in bed. Her eyes gleamed with mischief, joining him. The bed lamp cast a golden glow around her.

"Maybe just a little, now come over here baby" she mutters, giving him a coquettish smile before pulling him close for a deep heated kiss, as they both tumbled to bed.

"What are you thinking, because you have that look on your face" Liam asked, after they made love.

"Babe, you know me too well" she teased.

"So spill it"

"Well I am thinking about your brother, Henry"

"What! Woman we just made intense passionate love and you are saying you are thinking of my brother, do you want me to kill him" he teased with mock annoyance, before tickling her.

Her laughter fills the room, "Easy tiger, I mean, am worried about him, that's all, and I have a feeling that his life is about to change after this visit to Ijomo" she said, like she knows more than she is saying.

Liam stared at his wife with amusement, "hnmm what are you and my father planning, woman? I am sure there is more to what you are telling me, but just leave me out of it. I just want to enjoy this time out with my family" he replied her, sighing with content.

"Fine no more talk of Henry. We will just enjoy this moment. It feels good to be back in Panama with our own son, imagine who would have thought we will last this long, because I didn't think so myself"

"I am just glad to have you beside me and thank you for that beautiful son you gave me, though he is on my last nerve at the moment, God knows where he gets his energy from," he responded.

She giggled at her husband, "Well my prince, I am sure that you used to be as naughty as him while growing up, if not more," she teased.

"It seems to me like my father has being telling you stories."

"Well maybe a little, I just hope you still have enough energy left in you, because we are about to have another addition to the family," she told him, staring at him with so much love, full of excitement.

"What! You are pregnant!" He exclaimed, hugging her tightly in his arms, showering her with kisses all over, both laughing, and kissing each other. Thoughts of Henry or any other person totally forgotten, as the two were once again lost in each other's embrace.