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“Tristan!”
A beautiful woman with curly strawberry-blond hair came running at me when I walked into the family drawing room. I caught her around the waist and twirled. “Hey, baby sister!”
I set her down, and she promptly punched me in the arm, which really fucking hurt since we’d taught her how to defend herself. “Ouch, fuck, Céline!”
“Why am I just now hearing about this girl you’re in love with? Philippe has known for weeks!”
“You know I tried to call, don’t pretend it was all my fault that we couldn’t seem to connect.”
Céline tried to pout, but it was ruined by her snort of laughter. “Haven’t you ever heard of a text message, old man?”
I tweaked her nose, and she yelped. “I wasn’t going to tell you about the love of my life in a text.”
“Fair enough.” She grinned and slipped her arm through mine, leading me out of the drawing room. “Come on, have lunch with me and the kids. Philippe went to get Isa.”
“She’s here?” I asked incredulously. “Why didn’t Philippe tell me?”
“He didn’t know until I told him ten minutes ago.” Her green eyes, so much like mine, twinkled. “I wanted to meet her, so I begged her to come here and surprise our dear brother. She is an absolutely lovely woman, and I have no idea why she is with our stodgy Philippe, but I won’t question it because I want her as a sister-in-law.”
I chuckled and shook my head. “You’re always surprising me, yet your unpredictableness is always expected.”
She stopped suddenly, and I turned to see her staring up at me. “Do you think I’m too unpredictable to rule?”
“Absolutely not!” I said emphatically. “Your feet are firmly planted on the ground, but your spunk and creativity make the people love you so much. We should have thought of it earlier, Céline. Honestly, I feel like an ass for never considering you to be the next in line, rather than me.”
She nodded, and we started walking again.
“Will we be able to do it?” I was nervous to ask, but I needed the truth.
“I think so. Dad and I have been poring over the books in the royal library, looking for some kind of precedent to allow him to change the law. Or to at least find something that will allow us to shift the line of succession for this instance, then I can figure out how to change things permanently later.”
“I’ve never been happier that you decided to get a law degree.”
“Well, Mr. PhD, you know how to research, even if you don’t know the law. So I expect you to be in the library with us tomorrow.”
“Whatever it takes. I want all of us to have the lives we want.”
After lunch with my rambunctious nephew and two nieces, I visited with my parents. At eight, I was fucking exhausted and headed to my room. It was three in the afternoon in New York, so after showering, I crawled into bed and dialed Dani’s number.
“Hello?”
“Bonsoir, princesse.”
I heard some rustling and ambient noises, then it went quiet. “Hi. How was the flight?”
“Boring. It would have been so much more fun to have you with me, princesse. The plane has a bedroom.”
Dani chuckled, but it sounded off.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just felt a little under the weather when I got up this morning, and I’m a little more tired than usual. I probably caught a bug, but I’m sure it will be gone in a day or two.”
“I don’t like hearing that you’re sick when I’m not there to take care of you, princesse.”
“I’m a big girl, Tristan,” she sighed. “I know how to take care of myself.”
“But you shouldn’t have to,” I grunted.
“Sometimes, we have no other choice.”
I felt like there was more meaning behind her words, but I couldn’t puzzle out what it was. “I miss you, princesse.”
“I miss you, too, Tristan. So much.” For the first time in our conversation, her words seemed more genuine, more like my princess.
“Did you meet Loni?” I asked, referring to the security woman I’d hired to watch over her while I was gone. “Janice will be your overnight protection, so I’m sure she’ll introduce herself tonight.”
Dani blew out a breath. “Yes, but like I constantly tell my dad when he tries to put bodyguards on me, I know how to defend myself.” It was a statement I couldn’t refute. Justice had made sure all of his girls could kick anyone’s ass. Especially if they refused to have a security detail.
“Indulge me. I need to know you are safe.”
“Fine,” she muttered. “Listen, I need to go. I have class in ten minutes.”
“Of course. I love you, ma princesse.”
She hesitated for just a beat, but I still noticed, and it made my heart squeeze painfully. “I love you, too, Tristan. Bye.”
After hanging up, I immediately called Loni.
