Chapter 129 - Inseparable

Nash

I’ve been a lot of places in the world. I’ve stayed in the most opulent mansions of the world’s richest politicians, and I’ve stayed in filthy caves that smelled of goat s.hit. I had learned to be comfortable anywhere, from Heaven’s gates to the pits of Hell. I hadn’t yet decided where the Royal Château fell on that spectrum of s.hitholes.

I set up my office on the desk in the corner of my suite. It took me a couple of hours to get everything situated and secure. I wasn’t going to connect to the palace’s Wi-Fi, or use a data connection that could be traced. I used a special advanced satellite internet service with high speed and low latency that was virtually untraceable. All of my devices were set up with seventeen layers of security, which my cuber security specialist assured me could not be hacked.

Everything can be hacked, with enough time and skill. I set up the satellite link receiver, my laptop, and my phones, and checked in with my teams in the offices I had scattered all over the world. There was some trouble in South Sudan, as one of our primary contacts had gone dark. I set up a three-man team to go investigate.

Normally, I would have gone and led the team myself.

It felt a little weird to sit it out.

I spent a few hours at the computer, which was three hours too many. I hated desk work, but it was a necessary evil to run a business. Turner Security was more than the services I provided to my clients, both domestic and international. It was an employment opportunity for veterans when they retired from active duty. It was a home for those who found it difficult to integrate back into a 9-5 civilian life.

Some were born to be soldiers. They couldn’t be anything else.

I was one of them.

When I couldn’t stare at a screen any longer, I locked up my equipment and took myself on a self-guided tour of the palace. The place was huge, larger than it looked from the outside, and was practically a city in itself.

When I came to a closed door, it usually had a black badge-reader, and when I swiped, it either blinked green, meaning I had access, or blinked red, meaning visitors were not allowed. I found an inner courtyard with a heated pool and a hot tub surrounded by a lush garden. It was completely empty, but the pool looked immaculately clean and ready to use.

There was another wing that seemed to function more like a hotel, and I figured Pilar had a room somewhere along those corridors. It had its own small restaurant to cater to guests staying within the palace, but who were not privy to the king’s private dining room.

There was a ballroom, which was empty, save for some chairs stacked neatly along the walls, and a small theater. There was a library with two stories worth of books that probably never got pulled off the shelves. There was a wing of offices, but I couldn’t get past the door. Likewise, I was denied entry to the laundry facilities, the kitchen and the sublevel. I did find a small gym with all the basic cardio and weight equipment and wondered if it was the King’s private gym as it was also completely empty. I found the hospital wing, and even found the entry to Dr. Conway’s offices. There was a worker outside the door adding a name plate for Daphne Redhawk.

When I had gone as far as I could inside the building, I ventured outside. I explored the grounds, the stables, the garages, what I suspected to be an armory that was gated and off-limits. Beyond the inner wall there was a second concentric circle which held a whole village, with an outdoor market, apartments and houses, and everything you would expect to find in a small town. A fire department, a school, a sports field with bleacher seats, a grocery store, several clothing emporiums, a pharmacy and apothecary. There was even a little corner shop that offered dog grooming.

That struck me as funny in a werewolf community.

All in all, I had a grudging admiration for Louis. The Royal Pack was well organized and secure. The streets were lined with trees and shrubs, small blocks were interspersed with small parks with benches and fountains. The citizens seemed friendly and content, although I got a lot of curious glances when they picked up my human scent. All and all, it looked like a nice place to live.

Maybe that’s why it made me feel so antsy. It was too nice for a guy like me.

I didn’t circle back to the château until dinner time. By then, at least, I had a mental map of the castle, and I didn’t need a maid or Louis’s assistant to show me the way to the semiformal dining room. Daphne was already seated. She’d shed the dark blazer she’d been wearing in the morning, and had the several top buttons of her blouse undone, revealing just a hint of her soft cleavage.

Daphne had swiped an orange from the fruit basket that adorned the center of the table. I had the feeling that the edible arrangement was more for decoration than actual eating, but she was peeling the fruit with her fingernails. It reminded me of the smell of her hair, which I guess came from her shampoo… like oranges and vanilla.

She smiled at me, and I couldn’t resist going to her, rubbing a hand around her shoulders. “Hey.”

“Hey,,” she lifted one hand and placed it over mine, and I felt the excitement tingle through my knuckles. It was teasing me, reminding me of how much more I could feel if I had all of her against me. I wanted all of her against me.

“How was your day?” I asked as I slipped into the chair opposite her. I didn’t particularly like being seated next to Louis, but I did like being able to see her face and look into her eyes as I ate. Besides, that’s where the place settings were arranged, it seemed rude to move them.

“My day was good, thank you. How was yours?” Her brow wrinkled up a little bit. “I hope you weren’t too bored?”

“Not at all,” Since my hands needed something to occupy themselves, I plucked a small bunch of green grapes from the basket. “I had some work to do for my business, then I went out and explored the palace.”

“Good! And what did you think of it?”

“Impressive,” I admitted truthfully. “I love the little town. It feels like something that should be on a post-card.”

Her smile widened, “Oh yes, I felt that way too. It's so pretty.”

I felt the moment that Louis entered. The air felt heavy and charged, the way it did before a thunderstorm broke. I had my back to the door, but I saw the way that Daphne’s eyes brightened at his arrival. I felt it too, a little thrill of anticipation that I didn’t want to acknowledge.

Louis took his seat at the head of the table, and greeted us both politely. After a quick moment of small talk, he motioned to the staff to begin serving the meal. I declined the wine when it was offered. I had no doubt that it was an excellent bottle, but just being in one room with Daphne and the king was enough to make me feel tipsy. I didn’t need to add any alcohol to the equation.

A thick, rich clam chowder was served, along with hot, crusty rolls and sweet yellow butter. When we had finished the soup course, the main meal of steak and shrimp was served. I couldn’t help but notice how much food Daphne and the king ate. I was a big man, but Daphne could put away twice as much food as I could, and she did, without reservation. I was too stuffed for dessert, but she happily dug into her strawberry shortcake with a contented hum.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to you both about.” She said when she had almost finished the dessert.

Something inside me said uh-oh before she even started.

“I have my first appointment with Dr. Singh tomorrow.” She met my eyes across the table. “Dr. Singh is one of the OB-GYNs here. Since I’m already in my fourth month she’s also scheduled an ultrasound.”

Louis had gone very still. He laid his spoon beside his bowl and waited tensely.

Daphne sucked in a deep breath and smiled, a little too brightly. “I’d like you both to be there.”

“Daphne–” Louis and I both spoke her name in objection at the same time.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Louis said quietly.

“Neither do I.” At least the king and I agreed on that much.

“I didn’t ask for your approval,” she said, a little color spreading across her cheeks. “I asked you to be there.”

I shook my head. She was asking too much. She was pregnant with my baby, but she wanted another man to come to her first doctor's appointment? “You don’t understand, Daphne. I told you before, I can’t share you.”

Her fist came down on the table unexpectedly, making the glasses rattle dangerously. “No! You don’t understand, Nash.” She scraped her chair back and stood up, placing her hands on either side of her place mat, leaning over the table to glare at me.

“You aren’t sharing me with Louis.” Her words were short and clipped.

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Louis grow a little pale.

“I am sharing you with him. I am not the hinge in this relationship, you are.” She tossed her napkin down on the table and stalked to the door. She paused at the entrance and pointed a finger, first at me, and then at Louis. “Eleven-thirty, gentlemen. I expect you both to be there. Or so help me!”

She left the threat hanging in the air as she disappeared down the hall.