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“Even millionaire mountain trolls don’t stand a chance,” she muttered.
Shifting the cat off her legs, Vivian went to find some shoes. She’d changed her mind about going to the grocery store. Losing a thousand bucks on a pointless dating app was something which had to be celebrated. The occasion called for nothing less than a three dollar bottle of white wine.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Hudson Yards, New York City
Late Saturday night
The Mercedes luxury SUV cruised to a smooth halt in the underground parking garage of the House of Royal building on Eleventh Avenue. Jordan turned off the engine, and there followed a moment of silence.
On the drive back to the city, all three Royal brothers had stuck to safe topics such as football. Bryce, who was a Giants fan, put up with an hour of crap talk from Jordan and Matthew who both followed the Jets. Considering how tense things had been at their parents’ home, it made sense for him to let them have their fun and simply suck it up.
“Does anyone fancy a late night cup of cocoa?” offered Matthew who was seated in the back seat.
Up front, Bryce and Jordan exchanged a look, and both nodded. “Yeah, that would be good.”
They headed for the private elevator which serviced the Royal family apartments. When they got inside, Jordan pressed the button. “How about you both come up to my place. I have a good selection of water.”
Bryce and Matthew both nodded. As a recovering addict Jordan found it hard to go to places where the only non-alcoholic drinks on offer were usually either coke or plain bottled water. In his apartment, he had an impressive range of alcohol free drinks and Fiji Water on tap.
“Bryce and I are sorted,” said Matthew. He magically produced a bottle of wine from under his jacket.
“Where did you get that?” asked Bryce.
Matthew grinned. “Dad’s wine cellar. Thought we might end up having a late night drink, so I stole it before we left.” He held it up to the light and Bryce caught sight of the label.
“Wow. That’s a five hundred dollar bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Dad will kill you if he finds out you’ve taken it.”
“Make that eight hundred bucks, and he won’t know if we all keep our mouths shut,” replied Matthew.
“Yeah. We have got to start teaming up with each other,” added Jordan.
The elevator came to a stop, and they all piled out. Jordan tapped his keycard on the security pad and pushed the door of his apartment open. Matthew followed, leaving a contemplative Bryce to trail in their wake.
While his brothers set about sorting out bottles and glasses, Bryce pondered his next words. It was time. If tonight’s dinner had shown him anything it was that the gap which divided the three of them was widening. Their father, whether he meant it or not, was driving a wedge between his sons.
I have to say something and now.
Bryce cleared his throat. “We three need to work out what to do about Dad and the business. It looks like I am going to be staying in the US for at least awhile and after what happened with me being sent to Laguna Beach, I’m worried that he is playing us off against one another.”
Jordan nodded. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Yeah,” added Matthew.
“I know the whole first born thing stems from his own family, with his grandfather being a duke. The English nobility with it’sthe son gets the title and the landwhile the rest of the kids get nothing has shaped his worldview. But this is the US, and that mindset has to stop. And it stops with us.”
Bryce hated being made to go behind his brother’s back, and if he didn’t call a halt to this sort of thing now, he feared it would only get worse. His brothers both nodded their agreement.
“Good.”
Drinks in hand they ambled into the living room. Jordan swiped his hand over a lamp and the room was immediately bathed in a pale light.
“You do know they have invented dimmers for the main lights in these places,” offered Matthew.
Jordan turned to the window. The lights of New York were the perfect backdrop. “Yeah, but the old school lamp just gives the right ambiance.”
“Ooooooh, ambiance.” Bryce and Matthew, both gave him their teasing response. It had all three of them laughing.
