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By the time I was fifteen I knew if I stayed in that shit-hole, I’d start to stink And then I’d have only two options: prison or the cemetery

Neither one of those worked for me

"What’s this really about? All the questions?"

It’s always better to cut to the chase, deep and quick

His gray-green eyes focus on htly hunched, like an elephant’s sitting on them

"Now that I have Henry in hand, the Queen wants us back in Wessco, in two days You know this"

I nod

"I want to bring Olivia home with me, for the summer"

For a time, I was on the fence about the pretty New York baker She put ideas in Nicholas’s head, , honest--and she cares about hiive a shit about those and probably would prefer him without them She makes him happy

And in the two-odd years I’ve worked with the Crown Prince, truly happy is so I don’t think I’ve ever seen hiirl And the Palacehas a knack for turning sweet to sour

"No But I want to do it anyway"

And the look on his face--it’s raw and exposed It’s yearning Fro a royal could want that he can’t have Nicholas has private planes, servants, castles and more money than he can spend in a lifetile instance when he did what he wanted, just for the hell of it Or when he let hi he knew he shouldn’t

I admire him, but I don’t envy hi her sister alone for the su, still in school andna&iuht as the pink in her blond hair, which has been joined by blue, then green, during the twotrouble," I comment

"Exactly Also, Ellie will have to run the coffee shop on her oith just Marty for help Olivia’s father is--"

"He’s a drunk"

I’ thehs "Look, Logan, you’ve been around long enough to know that I don’t trust easily, or often But I trust you" He pushes a hand through his black hair andyou Will you stay in New York? Will you help Ellie, watch over herirl, but I already said I wasn’t a servant--and I’ the royal fae girl is a fucking headache waiting to happen

Nicholas glances out the"I know it’s a lot to ask It’s not your job; you can say no But there’s no one else I would chooseno one else I can depend on So, I’d consider it a personal favor if you say yes"

Ahhell

I have a brother To say I wish I didn’t would be an understatement And not in the sarow the hell up, or how Miss Olivia seeer sister at times The world would be a better place if my brother weren’t in it--and that’s a stance shared by others

But if I had a choice, if I could asseround up, I would build the ht now