AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 11
HENRYK
Waking up with a hangover and the knowledge that I had to climb on a plane in a few hours was not pleasant. Quite the opposite.
The misery was made even greater by the fact that I was woken by my personal cell phone ringing. That meant it could only be one of a very short list of people who was trying to call me.
“Hello?” I spoke into the phone, my voice unexpectedly husky and groggy—no doubt from all the very expensive wine I’d drunk last night.
“Henryk. What’s wrong with you?”
I closed my eyes and rolled over to lay my head on the pillow once more. “Good morning, Mother.”
“What’s this I hear about you going on a vacation? You’re not scheduled to travel to Spain at all this year.”
Fucking Francis told on me.
I tried not to sigh too loudly but enough of the sound escaped that my mother heard.
“Henryk!”
I wasn’t a playboy prince. I didn’t get vacations. I got “scheduled” time off, occasionally, when we had diplomatic visits in exotic countries. That was the extent of my free time.
“Mother, the only way I could get those papers signed was to agree to go on this vacation with them.” I rubbed my eyes and forced myself to sit up, cursing those last few glasses of wine. They’d really put me over the edge.
Even so, I didn’t regret kissing Erin. Not for one second. I only wished...
“Henryk.” My mother’s tone was annoyed.
“Mother, this was your play. No entanglements. It’s what you said. I’m untangling so I can marry your princess. Isn’t that what you want?” I hadn’t said it out loud much in the past, as secretly I’d railed against the planned marriage.
But after reaching a level of loneliness I’d never before experienced, I changed my mind.
“You’ve decided?” she asked, breathless with whatever emotion she was feeling.
I’d never been able to really understand or interpret my mother very well. Although in this instance, it was fairly obvious she wanted a son and a prince who bowed to her wishes and did what she said without complaint.
“Yes, Mother. I’ll marry the princess.” And hopefully have a few children and find some happiness outside of fulfilling my duty.
“That’s wonderful news, Henryk. Enjoy your vacation and we will see you when you return.”
She disconnected the call and I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up. Today was going to be interesting. I was leaving for a vacation without any work commitments with three strangers—one of whom I wanted to get into bed as soon as possible.
I groaned and hauled myself into the shower before ringing the bell for my valet.He packed my bags while I got dressed and headed to the dining room for a light breakfast. The hangover breakfast, to be exact, of toast and water. Only toast and only water.
Silas, Viktor and Erin were already at the table, but they weren’t speaking. They were all pale, not a bright morning eye among them.
I chuckled and the sound made the ache in my head more of a throb. “Everyone re-thinking that last bottle of wine?”
“The last one?” Erin groaned.
“More like the last two,” Silas said, reaching for a glass of orange juice and a piece of toast.
I sat down in my seat and poured a coffee. “I changed our plane itinerary slightly.”
Erin sighed. “I hope you moved the flight to tomorrow?”
I chuckled at the hope in her tone. “No. But instead of using the commercial airline, we’re taking my private plane.”
