Cold Flame
Page 33
“I will do anything, but please do this to our congress. I really will do anything.”
“Okay. I’m not sure they make condoms small enough, but okay.”
“Ian, can you handle things here? I want to get Rachel back to Dr. Stanton. She’s been under too much stress.”
“I can handle things here, and I’ll notify New York that Rachel is the reigning monarch. Will California host the initial honors?”
“I see no reason why not, especially considering the circumstances. We’ll gloss.”
“Gloss?” I asked.
“We’re not going to tell them who, exactly, put out the fire, and we’ll allow them to believe what they want to believe. We all know Rachel did the heavy lifting, but we’ll cooperate, assuming Rachel’s transition is smooth.” Ethan’s expression soured. “And I’ll fight with them over it if I must. I’ll turn New York upside down to make sure she’s happy, and I’m not going to put up with any bullshit while I do it. They’ll either cooperate, or they’ll find out just how much of a bastard I can be.”
“And because you married in California with His Royal Majesty of Montana in attendance, your marriage is unassailable. They have to deal with you. Are you going to be okay with this, Rachel?”
“Do I have a choice if I want to keep the Californian foolish enough to have agreed to marry me?”
“We can abdicate to Ian,” Ethan replied. “I am not going to force you into anything.”
Ian shuddered. “Please don’t abdicate to me. I’ll beg, work as your slave, and do those diplomatic things you’d likely hate. But please don’t abdicate to me.”
“I’m going to need a room just for my rats, I have so many problems my support animals are tigers who can understand English, and I’m not sure New York has enough therapists to deal with me.”
“She’ll also need a lot of beef jerky. Preferably beef jerky that’s yours but she takes from you at her leisure,” Ethan added.
“You need to work on your negotiation skills, Rachel.”
I shrugged. “I need my rats, my cats, and that Californian. Beyond that, I’ll figure it out as I go. The Californian has to live in my suite.”
“He’s your husband, Rachel. That’s traditionally where they stay. You can even leash him if you really want. As he’s your king, you can take him anywhere you want.” My brother heaved a sigh. “You stole my sister, Ethan. How could you?”
“How could I not?”
Ethan’s answer puzzled my brother. Hell, it puzzled me, too.
“I see it is too late for you. Enjoy life as a married man. Good luck. However much I love my sister, you’re going to need it.”
I scowled at my brother. “Ian, you don’t love me, first of all.”
“First of all, I most certainly do. I’m just very bad at showing it.” He held out the rest of his beef jerky, which had somehow survived his session with Endah. “I’ll even go to therapy sessions with you as penance for my poor childhood behavior.”
I accepted the beef jerky, stuck a piece in my mouth, and stared at Ethan for guidance on what I was supposed to do.
“You really have no idea how to handle this, do you?” Smiling, Ethan kissed my cheek. “It’ll be easier from here on out, that much I can promise.”
“It will be? Being a queen isn’t easy, Ethan. Or in your case, a king.”
“I didn’t say easy. I said easier. But for now, I’ll do the heavy lifting, as you have a more important job.”
“I do? What?”
“You’re to live happily ever after, of course. With me. That part’s definitely a requirement. But we’ll play the rest by ear. Sound good to you?”
It did, and I wondered what the future would hold.
Something good, I hoped.
The next novel in the Royal States series will be Runaway, in which a young woman from California must come to terms with having the unexpected attention of a prince. She can run, but Thomas of California isn’t ready to give her up without a fight.
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Miss Pat & Jessica? Join them on their next adventure! Taken releases July 21, 2020 at all major retailers.
About Susan Copperfield
Susan Copperfield is the royal romance, urban fantasy loving alter ego of award-winning and USA Today best-selling novelist RJ Blain.
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A complete list of books written by RJ and her various pen names is available at https://books2read.com/rl/The-Fantasy-Worlds-of-RJ-Blain.
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Under the super not-so-secret identity of Susan, the Royal States of America is explored, where the work of sixteen founding royal families preserved the United States from destruction and civil war when magic swept over the world.
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In the Royal States, life, love, and magic always finds a way.
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RJ Blain suffers from a Moleskine journal obsession, a pen fixation, and a terrible tendency to pun without warning.
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When she isn't playing pretend, she likes to think she's a cartographer and a sumi-e painter.
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In her spare time, she daydreams about being a spy. Should that fail, her contingency plan involves tying her best of enemies to spinning wheels and quoting James Bond villains until she is satisfied.
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RJ also writes as Susan Copperfield and Bernadette Franklin. Visit RJ and her pets (the Management) at thesneakykittycritic.com.
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