Page 115 of The Prince of New York

“We can handle helping to transport them to their families—or bring them here until they can go home.” At a snap of her fingers, several palace servants came forward, and she gave them instructions in Thai. “There. They will open suites in the palace and the doctors will come and tend to their health. You will all find rest here, you and your animals.”

Thailand’s queen blinked and regarded the cage Eddie held. “Is that a mangrove? Boy, your father has enough trouble with that old snake of his. We send our reptile experts yearly to assure him that his serpent son is doing well. He is, for the record.”

Eddie bowed his head. “I’m so sorry. Dad even tries to hide how often he goes to visit Mr. Wiggles. And when Mr. Wiggles gets to visit his bullsnake ladies at the zoo, Dadinsistson accompanying him to make sure nothing happens to his baby.” Eddie grimaced and cast a sheepish look my way. “I have one of the sons of Mr. Wiggles in my suite at the palace. I might have smuggled him into California. I got into a lot of shit with everyone over Junior.”

I stared at Eddie, marveling over the man’s ability to cause trouble and mayhem wherever he went. “Seriously?”

“I didn’t want to leave him at home! It’s bad enough I could only bring Black Sand with me, and he’s at the main RPS stable, so I don’t get to see him daily unless I’m willing to drive an hour each way.”

“You drive an hour each way, don’t you?”

“I really do, and I spend my days off with him. But I raised Junior from the minute he hatched. I had him in my pocket during the entire event at the airstrip. I was certain someone was going to catch me.”

“You are just like your old man, and I’m going to give your old man shit over this,” I warned. Shaking my head, I got out my phone, sent Ethan’s mother a text requesting that she have Junior and Black Sand sent over to New York so their sad little owner might see them sooner than later, and notified her that our mission had been accomplished. “You have to come with me to New York to deal with the import issues for Miss Meany, so I’m having California send your pets over to meet us. If you have any other loose animals in your suite, do let me know.”

“I just have Junior and Black Sand, and Thomas is watching Junior for me.” Eddie sighed. “We’re both screwed on the paperwork, aren’t we?”

“We really are, but it’s fine. It’s not like we got any more leopards or tigers. That might have broken us. Anyway, the Cambodians will simplify much of it, we just have to declare our new companions everywhere we go. Just remember that Miss Meany is going to be aptly named. Good luck.”

“At least Miss Meany isn’t going to grow to be massive. I thought my soul was going to flee my body when that big one decided you were its plaything.”

“I am just glad that onelikedme.” I shuddered at the thought of being the crocodile’s victim. “And worse, Smalls is cute enough I’m willing to fight Terry for the right to keep her.”

“Siamese crocodiles are one of the gentlest crocodile species, which is a factor in why she’s riding in your pocket right now. Don’t forget to put her in her bowl for a while. She can’t regulate her temperature, and you don’t want her to dehydrate.”

The bowl, which one of the on duty RPS agents hauled around for me to keep the whining at a minimum, served as Smalls’s general habitat and would until we returned to the Royal States. At first, she would live in an aquarium in my suite, and once she grew to over a foot long, she would be given a proper room, where she would live her best crocodile life hunting prey, basking on warm rocks, and otherwise enjoying her version of paradise.

As the last thing I wanted was for Smalls to become ill, I retrieved her bowl, placed her in it, and made certain she was settled.

The Cambodian RPS agent accompanying us took her, raised a brow in challenge, and waited for me to accept I wouldn’t be carrying her around at all times.

Terry cleared his throat. “Please don’t mind His Royal Highness. He takes caring for his menagerie quite seriously.” Then, because my sister’s head of detail had it out for me, he went on to introduce the Thai monarchs to every single one of my animals, including Isla, who dozed on Daphne’s shoulder. “Fortunately for all of us, he couldn’t bring any of the ferrets.”

Had we, we would have lost what remained of our sanity within minutes. “Maybe we should go to Europe to find me a Jutland mare, Terry. It’ll extend my lifespan. Once Rachel and Madelyn find out what we’ve been up to, we’re both dead.”

“I had my wife’s permission. In fact, she encouraged me. Alas, you’re going to be the only casualty, Your Royal Highness. But think about it this way: Madelyn can’t make you suffer for your crimes if she kills you.”

THIRTY-THREE

“You’re right. I got outclassed”

Four daysafter the death of my parents, news of the terrorist organization spread, drawing my lifespan to an end. I would perish in posh accommodations surrounded with gifts from the hostages we’d rescued. Despite my best efforts, the Thai monarchs kept concocting excuses to keep us around for just one more day. According to my phone, Madelyn wished to speak with me, and if I didn’t answer, I would die a little sooner. Bracing for the worst, I answered, “I love you, please give me five minutes to explain myself before you issue final judgment.”

The woman snorted, and I couldn’t tell if she laughed or prepared to flay my flesh off my bones through the power of her words alone. “All right. I’m going to give you five minutes.”

“My parents sold me out to the terrorists, and I decided to handle the matter personally. Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you view it—a bunch of angry jungle cats beat me to the kill. I was going to gather their ashes after I took my temper out on their corpses, but Terry scattered them into the jungle waters of Cambodia. I have Terry, Daphne, Eddie, Ed, and a bunch of other RPS busybodies here, and Olivia is in on it, so Terry has a much longer lifespan than I probably do.” I grimaced and waited for hell to rain down on my head.

“I see. You went to put an end to a problem, but the local wildlife eliminated the problem for you.”

“You’re right. I got outclassed by some snakes, some crocodiles, some tigers, and some leopards. My self-esteem and ego may never recover.”

Madelyn snickered. “Is there something else you’d like to tell me?”

“Does it involve the crocodile I have been keeping in my pocket or carrying around in a bowl?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

“I named her You Scaly Little Bastard in honor of Terry’s past squirrel, but I call her Smalls. I’ve been told she is a runt, and there is no real chance of her survival in the wild. She followed me for half a mile and exhausted herself in the process. I couldn’t abandon her. I am ready to accept my punishment.” As she wasn’t verbally giving me hell, I relaxed and checked on my little girl, who slept in the aquarium taking up the entirety of a dresser and designed to mimic her native environment. Minnows swam in the water for her to chase and eat, flightless insects she enjoyed hunting hid in the tiny plants, and a few young mice made themselves at home, although not for long.

---