Page 92 of Rogue Royal
Douglas hugged his cousin with a back slap. Mav marvelled at how alike some of the cousins were and how different others were. The diverse and complicated results of genes had always amazed him.
“Yeah, I was told you needed some extra hands, and I had some time.”
“Great, thanks. Mav, what needs doing?”
Mav checked the clipboard he had close by and ran a finger down the list. “The flowers?” He raised an eyebrow at Henry. “Would you mind?”
“That’s cool. I help Mother in her garden, so flowers don’t bother me. What needs to be done?”
Mav studied the room and saw who he needed. “Robert!” When the man turned to him, Mav waved his hand to get him to come over. When he did, he introduced the two men. “Robert, Henry can help with the flowers if that’s okay with you?”
Robert was a slim, toned black man with short, curly hair, a barely-there moustache and chin beard. He accessorised his look with jewellery and makeup that varied every time Mav saw him. Robert had been their florist for the last several events, and Mav hoped he would continue because he was the easiest man to get along with.
“Of course. Follow me, Your Highness. I’ll show you the plans.” Robert pivoted and sauntered back the way he’d come.
Mav frowned when Henry didn’t follow.
“Everything okay, Henry?” Douglas asked before Mav could.
Henry started and glanced at them, his cheeks pinking. “Yes, sorry. Off in my own little world. I’ll…” He indicated with his thumb in Robert’s direction, then scampered off.
“What was that about?”
Douglas gave a small smile. “I think someone has a crush.”
“Really?” He glanced at Robert and Henry again, not seeing whatever Douglas had. He shrugged. “If you say so.”
Douglas slid his hand around Mav’s waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. “I do.”
Mav shivered at the words. Douglas had been dropping hints about potentially getting married at some point, but Mav hadn’t been acknowledging them. He would love to marry Douglas, but he wouldn’t make it easy for him.
“We have work to do. We can play later.”
Douglas growled into Mav’s neck, sending tingles down his spine, and pulled back. “You’re right. The quicker we get this prepared, the better. Although, tell me again, why are we decorating this place when we have other people who can do it?”
“Because then we can see what’s involved in creating something this extravagant, and it’ll help us with planning in the future.”
Douglas rolled his shoulders. “All right. What am I supposed to do?”
Mav gave Douglas his job and watched him stride across the room to help the decorators who were stringing up lights and balloons. He knew Douglas didn’t mind helping, especially as this event was for the children he’d been getting to know through the charity he supported. Over a hundred children had received handwritten—by Douglas—invitations to attend the party tomorrow night, and he knew Douglas would do everything in his power to make it a success. There were several types of entertainment: a magician, a company who brought weird and wonderful animals for them to see, several street performers, some small trampolines and a bouncy castle. It was a veritable wonderland for kids.
It hadn’t always been plain sailing for them. The case against Talon had brought a few things to light about the club the royal family hadn’t wanted known. Unfortunately, once they had acknowledged the information, despite it being deleted from the record, those who were there knew it. The result had been that Club Royal had received an astonishing amount of membership requests. The family had hired someone to take control of that aspect of the club.
As for Talon himself, he pleaded not guilty though there had been witnesses to what he’d done, and therefore, the court case had drawn out enough Kendal, Eddie and other subs had to go through the ordeal of sitting in front of the courtroom and having their lives exposed to all. Douglas and Mav had ensured they cared for each sub during and after the case, as had the king and other Monitors. When Talon had been given seven years in prison, they’d collectively let out a sigh of relief.
As the hours passed, Mav got more and more excited about what he and Douglas had planned for that evening. For the first time, he was going to the club. Douglas had offered to take him as soon as Mav was ready, and when they got home tonight, he was going to tell Douglas to take him. He was equal parts excited and nervous because Douglas had done his best to explain and describe what it was like there, but Mav wanted to see for himself.
He hoped there wasn’t an event or anything to stop them from being able to go now he’d gained the courage.
“Are you ready to go?”
Mav jumped and spun around, hand on his chest. “You scared me.”
Douglas frowned. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was concentrating, that’s all.” Mav shuffled the papers he’d been working on, then picked them and his tablet up before turning back to Douglas. “Ready.”
Heart racing, he inhaled and allowed Douglas to guide him through the room with a hand at Mav’s lower back, as he always did. They said goodbye to the remaining staff and journeyed home. Mav found it difficult to believe Douglas’s apartment was now his home, too. He’d let his own apartment go when the lease ran out two months ago, but it seemed strange when he entered the penthouse to find his own belongings intermingled with Douglas’s, and especially his guitar, which now lived in the corner of the living room.
