Page 105 of My Five Daddies

She cocks her head. “Have you really slept with thousands ofwomen?”

I laugh and shrug. “Maybe. Who keeps count? That’sweird.”

“Gross,” she says, making aface.

“Are you judgingme?”

“No, it’s just, I don’tknow.”

“Your Americanprudishness?”

She sighs and nudges me. “Maybe,” sheadmits.

“We have that here, too, you know. But a lotworse.”

“I’ve noticed.” She bites her lip. “Are people here going to accept a foreigner likeme?”

“Yes,” I say seriously. “Right now, this country is at a crossroads. We can modernize, become a true global player, and evolve as a people. Or we can look inward again, cast out anyone that differs from what we think is right, and bury our head in the sand. I don’t want to be afraid of foreigners or others, Hazel. I want to bring my people into thefuture.”

She looks at me with a hint of surprise in her expression. We come to the end of the hall and stop in front of a door. I want to ask her what’s so surprising, but before I can get the words out, the door flings open and Andrew stumblesout.

“Nolan!” he says loudly. “I was wondering where the fuck you were. We broke out the Kubb already, and I’m getting trulyblasted.”

“Hi, Andrew,” I say. “You’re having a good time.” I grin and pat hisback.

“Yes, yes, I am.” He looks over at Hazel and bows stiffly. “Hello, Wife Consort. Fair warning, I am drunk and offduty.”

Hazel looks at me a little surprised, and I grin back. “What did you think we were coming to?” I askher.

“You said we were going to see some nobles youknow.”

“We are,” I say. “They just happen to be young and fun. And they also want to celebrate mymarriage.”

“Your first fucking marriage!” Andrew shouts. “Get in there, you piece ofshit!”

I’m shoved in through the door, laughing the whole way. Hazel follows me, looking totally shocked as we step into the large upper banquetroom.

Inside, tables line either side of the large room. In the center, a group of people are playing a game called Kubb, which involves throwing long pegs to knock down the opposing team’s blocks. It’s a complicated game, but it’s fun as hell once you get how toplay.

“There’s that fucking prince!” Ryan shouts. He’s tall, with flaming red hair that’s starting to recede. “I was wondering if you’dshow.”

He walks over and shakes my hand. “And miss my own party?Never.”

“Is this her?” heasks.

“Hazel, this is Duke Michelo DryanDearbloom.”

“Call me Ryan,” he says, grinning. “The title is such a fuckingbore.”

“Nice to meet you,” Hazelsays.

“Come on, come see everyone. How long’s it been since you were last at court, tenyears?”

I shrug. “Something likethat.”

The next ten minutes are spent saying hello to everyone. All told, there are about twenty people there, all around my age or a little younger. I grew up with a lot of the people here, and although we’ve grown apart, I know they’ve always supported me. In the castle, these are the people that I can counton.

They’re the children of dukes, duchesses, marquises, and prominent business leaders. They’re the rich and the powerful, but mostly, right now, they’re drunk asfuck.

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