Page 179 of Rags to Royals

Linnea nods. "Right."

Jonah looks at his wife and then at Henry, "Yeah. Right." Clearly this is news to Jonah, but he’s rolling with it.

Henry turns back to us. "So he’ll have a babysitter and a bodyguard with him."

"Hey," I protest.

They all look at me expectantly.

Then I shake my head. "No, never mind. That sounds good."

"I’ll call you from Emerald." Henry turns and strides from the room without another word.

Scarlett looks at me. "So he’s just going to go?"

"Yep."

"And I don’t have a say in it?"

"Oh, definitely not."

"Doyouhave a say in it…Your Highness?"

I growl and lean in to kiss her.

She giggles and leans back. "Well, do you?"

"Do I what?" I don’t remember what she asked me before calling meYour Highness. She never should have called me that while on her knees in the flower garden. Forever that’s going to result in an instant erection.

"Ever tell Henry what to do," she says. “Since you’re basically his boss.”

Jonah and Linnea both snort at that. I think I even hear Saoirse giggle softly.

"Oh, I’m not Henry’s boss. And no, I don’t do that."

Scarlett laughs. "I’m shocked to hear that."

"I havetriedit in the past,” I admit. “And a couple of times he’s gone along with it. Specifically to prove the point that he’s always right. I gave it up four years ago when I was in the ER waiting to get stitches and he was assuring the first-year intern that I didn’t need any numbing.”

She smiles, then sighs. "So Henry’s going to Emerald. Where it will be just him and Ruby."

"Yep."

"Ruby’s going to kill me for that."

"Nah, Jonah won’t let her," I tell her with a grin. Then I lean in and kiss her. "Let’s give Ruby and Henry some space. Let’s go to Portland, then New York, and we’ll…see how things are in Emerald then."

She looks at me with wide eyes. "Wait…Cian O’Grady, are you playing matchmaker?"

"Maybe? Henry will bea loteasier to live with for the rest of our lives if he and Ruby can work this out. But… if itdoesn’tgo well, I’m not interested in being there with Ruby and Henry if they’renotgetting along. I say we stay away until they’re madly in love or until this woman and her abusive asshole husband are taken care of and Henry doesn’t feel worked up about protecting the woman he can’t have.”

Her eyes are wide, but she nods. "Yeah, you have a point."

Then she leans closer and says, “I’m so glad we worked out all ofourissues. I’m so lucky to be yourwife.”

That’s it. “Okay, everyone out. My wife and I need to eat dinner."

I need to feed my woman so I can take her back to bed. She’ll need the calories.

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