Page 130 of Tall, Royal and Grumpy

“Meg,” the older man snapped, his thin, salt-and-pepper brows lurching together.

I had only interacted with Head Councillor of the Eastern Region of Finlark, Beau Fletcher, once during the course of the past two weeks, and only for a few fleeting minutes. That had been before Kai told me what Beau’s daughter had done to him. Maybe it wasn’t the older man’s fault how she behaved, but I couldn’t see him in the same decent light as that day anymore.

The tall, sturdy man bent over in a bow, his face wrinkled in a wince. “I apologise, Your Highnesses.” He gestured to the sofa besides Kai. “Please have a seat.”

Without a sound of acknowledgement, Kai pulled me towards the sofa and let go of my hand to undo the two buttons of his black overcoat. We sat down together, barely an inch between us. I tipped my knees in his direction, and as if it was a pose we had sat in a thousand times before, Kai placed his warm hand just above my right knee, his forearm lying across my lap.

Possessive. Protective. Secure. Seeking. Like he needed to know I was right there the whole time.

Meg arched her brow at her father as he sat down on the sofa opposite her. “You knew he was coming?”

Huh. It was funny how she was talking as if Kai was the only person in the room. Rocco, Gary, Shehryar, and Earl were hovering in the corridor, so she didn’t know they were there. But I was sure I was entirely visible sitting next to Kai.

“He, is a prince,” the older man bit out. “Now sit down.”

She plonked herself down on the edge of the glass coffee table in front of Beau, disrespect dripping from her every pore. “What happened to never wanting to see me again, Mr Perfect Prince?”

My body flashed hot and cold as a bucket of irritation poured down my spine. But as I bristled, Kai’s hand clamped around my knee, mooring me to him. It dully occurred to me that he’d possibly also put his hand there because he could sense my growing anger and was trying to calm me with his touch.

“The statement still stands true,” Kai said with quiet calmness. “But you have gone out of your way to prod and provoke me, so now I have to forgo what I said—just this once.”

“Oh, come on. Dad just rejoined politics after a three-year break. I’m allowed to turn up to one event in support of him, aren’t I? Or do I need your permission for that too because this is getting ridiculous. You’re so hung up on this grudge you have against me for something I apologised for, it’s a bloody joke. Isn’t it time to move on, Mr Perfect Prince?”

Oh, that was it.

“It’s Your Highness,” I said firmly, and Meg finally spared me a glance. “And you will not refer to him as anything else hereafter. If we’re having a conversation as adults, then at least have the decency to act with some respect instead of speaking like an ill-mannered child. It’s embarrassing.”

I created a new world record for the loudest silence ever. I had never experienced anything like it. Neither had I ever felt so triumphant in such tension before, which in any other circumstance, my mouth would have tasted like I’d eaten a hundred bitter gourds.

All I tasted was oozing satisfaction at Kai’s quiet intake of breath before his stare landed so heavily on the side of my face it felt as if he was touching me. And the rising flush of fury on Meg as she visibly shook was the cherry on top. I’d hurt her fragile ego, and now she would—

“That’s rich coming from you, Princess, considering the secrets you’re hiding are an embarrassment to the entire State of Jahandar.”

Well…that was easy.

Beau Fletcher’s head sagged forward as he let out a deep sigh of shame. He didn’t know exactly what was in the recordings, but Meg had as good as admitted she was behind them. It was what we had needed from her. But my stomach still dropped knowing she held my secret over my head.

The fear of it getting out hadn’t vanished overnight. I doubted it ever would fade entirely. But with what Mama Katiya had given me to think about, it was a little easier to sit there and face it. To stare the biggest, scariest monster in my closet right in the eye, knowing Kai was waiting for me behind it.

I could face my fear for us.

“Is that enough for you, Councillor Fletcher?” Kai said.

“Yes.” The older man scrubbed a hand over his face. The corner of his eyes drooped in disappointment at his daughter. “You can confiscate everything you want.”

“Rocco,” Kai called out.

“On it,” Rocco’s reply came instantly from the corridor.

“What? Confiscate what?” Meg demanded, shooting up from the glass table.

Shehryar slunk into the room and the footsteps of Rocco, Gary, and Earl moved back down the corridor. The sound of the front door opening filtered through, followed by shoes on the wooden staircase we’d passed coming in.

“What’s going on?” Meg glared daggers at Kai. “What the fuck did you do?”

Shehryar stepped forward, his face impassive but his huge shoulders were pulled back and wide, ready to react. “Give me your phone, Miss Fletcher.”

Her attention dipped to the smartphone that had been lying face down on the glass table the whole time. She quickly snatched it up. “I don’t think so.”

---