Page 32 of The Prince of New York

I winced. “While I’d been aware my parents had taken swipes at my siblings, I wasn’t aware they’d been injured enough to need a physician.”

“Your temperament was such they understood you couldn’t handle seeing your siblings hurt. Your talent was sufficient for their needs, and you have always had a reputation of working well with the lower castes. Your talent level is one step below unsustainable for life. They would want to have strong flameweavers, but they would be looking to skip a generation for having another family member of your level. Rachel will provide sufficient legacy for their needs in the New York line; she may have changed her name, but they know their blood will continue to rule New York. That leaves you, a proper New York heir to further their plans.” Dr. Stanton wrinkled her nose. “I dislike that I understand their motivations. You are irreplaceable for their plans, so they will take care with how they acquire you. As long as you are close to an agent, you should be safe enough. That’s part of why Terry will be going with you. If theydomake a move, they will take youandTerry—and they will underestimate Terry despite knowing he is strong. He’s always presented himself as elite, and while word has surely spread he is the latest addition to Montana, they won’t view him as a threat. Theywillview him as a prize, however. And both of them have a long history of admiring and appreciating Olivia. They won’t hurt her if there’s no other option.”

I sighed, and I nodded. “You’re correct. My parents have always had much fondness for Olivia.”

“Did you know that Olivia was on the docket of women they were going to push you into marrying?” Dr. Stanton asked, and she gestured to her briefcase. “It was in the RPS records that they were considering a serious offer for Olivia for you.”

I raised a brow at that. “I love Olivia like she’s a sister, but we would try to kill each other within a week, Dr. Stanton. And that’s before knowing Olivia is—and has been—in love with Terry for a long time.”

“But to your parents, Olivia would be the perfect queen for you. Royal, a genuinely good person, and tolerant. Honestly, the proposal for Olivia is a work of heart and quite possibly the only genuine thing those two have done in their entire life.”

That I could believe. “Dare I ask what the offer entailed?”

“Five hundred million, a herd of rare horses, and four properties in New York is the start of it.”

Huh. My parents had valued Olivia far more than any of their children. “If it weren’t for the prince involved, even her brother would think twice about that offer.” I eyed the conference room, which was devoid of RPS agents. “I assume the room is being recorded?”

“It is, but I already cleared with Terry for this to be confidential, so they’re practicing how to keep something like this confidential. They’re aware none of us are getting out of here alive if you take offense to us, Ian.”

I snorted at her joke, which turned the usual RPS concerns on its ear. “Are you a tank pointed at a friend?”

“Not today, but thank you for slagging that tank. I about had a heart attack when I saw those recordings. Still, the instant Adam finds out about this? There are going to be issues. He will want to help.”

“And my parents would hesitate to do anything to him because they like him.”

Dr. Stanton nodded. “That’s honestly something we’re going to take advantage of. If we surround you with people your parents like, it’s less likely anyone gets hurt. And yes, Terry will be going in understanding there’s a high chance of you both being kidnapped by New York’s former monarchs. His job will be to get you both out of the situation alive. And no, I don’t expect you to get out of any situation dealing with your parents mentally sound. That’s what I, and the rest of the medical staff, will be for once you finish eliminating them. And yes, that is the result we expect. You won’t do such a thing if there’s any chance of someone else being hurt, but ultimately, the truth is this: if they aren’t eliminated, they’ll find some way to commit even crueler atrocities. And that’s something that you simply cannot tolerate.”

As she was correct on every count, I nodded. “I won’t claim to like it, but I do agree with you. And when I’m being honest, I don’t think it’s going to be all that difficult to become angry enough to be willing to kill them. If they were to show up in the hallway, and all that would have to be rebuilt was part of the castle, I wouldn’t even bother with snapping my fingers. They’d be annihilated. And they are so confident that their abilities surpass mine that they will try to overwhelm my talent and fail to do so.” I glanced at Madelyn. “And I apologize for how direct I’m being about this.”

“You have nothing to apologize about. I assure you, any illusions I had regarding them have been shattered. I can handle acting as I always have if I must share space with them, however. I’m well practiced.”

I had zero doubt of that. “I’m still sorry. I’d rather nobody be caught up in this mess. If I had an option, I wouldn’t be caught up in it.” Shaking my head, I turned my attention to Dr. Stanton’s briefcase. “My parents were really interested in Olivia?”

“They were. Judging from the nature of the offer, I think they wished to give Olivia a chance for the family they likely knew she wanted. While they were never ideal people, they were capable of understanding things sometimes. You’ve always come across as a family man, and Olivia would have been an optimal match for you. Her age would have also factored. There would not be many royal children born.” The woman bowed her head. “I fear nothing but twins and triplets will plague them. I’m concerned there might even be a set of quadruplets before they’re done.”

“I’m sure Melody can handle anything Olivia throws at her. That will save your sanity for Adam and Veronica.” I wondered if I might convince the Montana royals to at least pretend they weren’t going to add to their herd as soon as biologically possible. “Please tell me Olivia wants some sanity in her life.”

“She does not. She would rather she had quadruplets until menopause comes for her. I’m concerned. Melody is resigned. Terry defers to his wife, as he is a wise man.” Dr. Stanton shrugged. “I’ve accepted I’m surrounded with those who love children just as much as they love their spouses, and that combination tends to lead directly to large and happy families. I’ve taken steps to make certain history doesn’t repeat itself with Adam and Veronica. I don’t foresee any issues with Olivia and Terry.”

“You would have to treat me for shock if either one of them ever abused a child,” I informed her.

“I would need to be treated for shock if that were to happen, Ian. Now that we’ve gossiped about the love lives of other royals, I want you to be careful over the next few days. As long as we can get you to California without incident, you should be safe. Your parents are wise enough to avoid California. Well, I hope. That doesn’t mean there won’t be bounty hunters out for you.”

Great. I could see my parents hiring bounty hunters, assuming they had the backing of someone wealthy.

Their ‘deaths’ had resulted in their wealth being distributed among their surviving children. Rachel and I had opted against taking a share.

She’d received the payout for returning to New York and intended on making it last for as long as possible. I helped as needed, as I’d been independently wealthy long before any sign of an inheritance had shown up. I hoped the money I refused to accept might help my half-siblings start fresh anywhere they wished.

“I’ll play nice,” I promised.

While I hadn’t been able to find other purpose in my life, I could work towards making certain my parents never hurt anyone ever again—or found their way into a position of power where they might continue their reign. If allowed to run unchecked, I feared what atrocities they might commit to regain what they had lost and feed their ambitions.

The trick would be making certain only they suffered for the choices they had made.

NINE

Little escaped Terry.

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