Rock Bottom (The Gifted Realm #4)

by Jillian Neal

  Lucas seemed to consider Logan’s diatribe.

  “But your father is the Crown Governor.”

  “Yes.” Logan clearly hoped that Lucas would see the point on his own.

  “I came to the guesthouse to see what was keeping you,” Lucas admitted. Logan furrowed his brow. “I heard Adeline tell you that she couldn’t wait to go back home.”

  With a sigh, Logan nodded. “Well, I told you, this is kind of stressful. We don’t want to be rude or disrespectful. We really do appreciate all of your generosity and your willingness to help us, but,” Logan seemed to draw on deep resolve, “I guess I just hope you can forgive us, forgive her. We really don’t know how to act, not that we won’t try harder.”

  Lucas stared Logan down.

  “It seems that you want a great deal of latitude, Logan, but you aren’t willing to extend any to me or my family. My mother and brother sent you breakfast this morning and an invitation for coffee. You were extremely rude to the butler,” he threw at Dan.

  “We rise at six and are served coffee. On Sundays, we eat breakfast together as a family. We feel it’s just a little more civil to extend an invitation via a member of our staff, rather than via a text message. We would also not send a text to our husband from one floor above, requesting that he come and rescue us from the bed that she apparently finds too high for her liking.”

  “We would not stalk around in someone else’s kitchen, half-dressed, in effort to make coffee without their permission or help. Nor would I ever make fun of a member of your family’s staff, or indicate that their uniform is lascivious in nature.”

  “And just for you information, my end tables certainly do not cost more than your friend’s Porsche,” Lucas continued, and Dan shook his head.

  “You didn’t get a phone call at all. You wanted to know what she would say when she was with us and you weren’t there.”

  “Yes, well, I suppose I took a page from your book, Officer Vindico,” Lucas drawled. “I noticed you last night when you started to walk in, to presumably strangle my brother for his lewd comment about your girlfriend, when Mr. Lawson stopped you.”

  “I did not tell either of my brothers or my father of your eavesdropping. Because, you see, gentlemen, I am perfectly willing to forgive you, or overlook your lack of breeding and polish, because you, Logan, have something that I want very badly.” Lucas turned his haughty glare on Logan. “You have the heart of my daughter, and I can’t even have a little piece of it without your help, which I thought I had until I took it upon myself to do a little investigative work.”

  “All right, fine.” Incensed fury blazed in Logan’s eyes. “We will make a concerted effort to be better guests, and I will help you. Like I told you, I really, truly do want you to have a relationship with Adeline. But, how about you keep your brother from ogling his girlfriend?” He gestured to Lachlan, who was staring lustfully at Fionna as she and Emily fawned over a make-up brush display.

  Dan clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes hatefully. He stared at Lachlan until he noticed Dan, and then immediately turned his gaze from Fionna.

  Lucas rolled his eyes. He seemed equally as disgusted with his brother.

  “I will accept your apology, Logan, if you’ll perhaps stop pointing out the differences in our lifestyles to Adeline, and start helping me really connect with her.” Lucas drove a hard bargain.

  “Fine,” Logan offered Lucas his hand, and Lucas accepted it. “But you don’t connect with Adeline, sir; I keep trying to tell you she connects with you,” he looked truly defeated.

  Dan stepped in, still furious with Lachlan, and irritated with Lucas’s private investigation tactics.

  “You want to connect with your daughter, Lucas? Then stop blaming Logan for being who he is and for who you are. Go shop with her and her friends. Just be there with her. You don’t have to know anything about what they’re doing, but show her that you’re interested in what she’s interested in. Get to know her friends. As you just pointed out, there are a few people here who already have Adeline’s heart.”

  “He’s right,” Logan agreed with a nod as the three of them went into the store and effectively invaded the girls’ conversation.

  71

  Wind Instruments

  The afternoon went by rather well, Dan thought. Lucas did make a concerted effort to try and connect with Adeline. He purchased several things that she admired, although that seemed to make her uncomfortable. Eventually, Lucas stopped.

  Fionna put on quite the show of hanging all over Dan whenever Lachlan was watching. This included eating lunch in his lap. The look on Lachlan’s face thoroughly delighted Dan.

  The men were told to go away when the girls spied the vast La Perla boutique. More than ready for a shopping reprieve, the men returned to the food court.

  Lucas was visibly uncomfortable with Adeline purchasing lingerie, presumably to wear for Logan.

  “What time do we need to be at the Opera House?” Logan quizzed, in an obvious attempt to distract Lucas from what Adeline was doing.

  “Oh, yes, I’d nearly forgotten. There’s a lecture this evening on wind instruments, and then a concert afterwards by the lecture staff. Should be quite a show,” Lucas announced excitedly. “We have reservations at Bennelong at five thirty, so we can make the nine o’clock show.”

  “Great,” Logan forced a smile. Dan was fairly certain only he and Rainer knew it was a fake.

  “How riveting,” Rainer huffed to Dan, who tried hard not to laugh his agreement.

  Lucas and Lachlan offered to get beers for everyone. As they left, Dan responded to Rainer’s quip.

  “Yeah, and the girls are all in there loading up on La Perla lingerie which, trust me, will make you melt when you see her in it, and you’ll be stuck in an opera house listening to a lecture on wind instruments.”

  Rainer and Logan whimpered.

  “Why did I say we’d be better guests?” Logan whined.

  * * *

  Fionna looked extremely pleased as Dan met her outside the lingerie shop over an hour later. She was carrying three large bags, and giving Dan a broad grin.

  “So, funny thing happened,” she quipped.

  Dan awaited his lecture. “Oh really?”

  “Yes, uh huh,” she giggled and tried her best to feign irritation. “It seems my boyfriend attacked the saleswoman while I was in the dressing room, and instructed her to put all of my purchases on his credit card.”

  “Wow,” Dan mocked impression. “What a great guy.”

  Fionna doubled over with laughter.

  “You are in big trouble, Officer Vindico.” She handed him the card he’d left with the saleswoman. Dan leaned and took the bags and the card from her hands as he growled in her ear.

  “I should really probably be punished.”

  “I’m planning on taking you captive,” she replied, with a naughty glint in her innocent eyes.

  “Believe me, honey, your wish is my command.”

  “Vindico?” Lachlan had sauntered up and presumably overheard Fionna call Dan by his last name.

  Dan ground his teeth as he turned to Lachlan.

  “You’re not related to Lindley Vindico, by any chance, are you?” Lachlan sounded genuinely curious. Dan tried not to whimper.

  “She’s my little sister. Why?”

  Lachlan choked. His eyes goggled.

  “She’s your sister?” he gasped.

  “Yes, why?”

  “Cannot be the same girl. Maybe your distant cousin or something,” Lachlan immediately decided as he pulled a cell phone from his pocket.

  “Oh, no, not that one,” he grimaced as he flipped through pictures. Dan’s stomach churned.

  “I met her at Governor Haydenshire’s inaugural ball, but she’s nothing like you,” Lachlan drawled stupidly.

  “Here,” he landed on a picture of Lindley fully-clothed, and showed it to Dan and Fionna.

  “Yes, that’s my sister,” Dan fumed.

  “Wow, wel
l,” he chuckled, “she’s a real screamer. We had a ball.”

  Dan fought back the deep desire to pound Lachlan into oblivion.

  Fionna wrapped her arm around Dan’s forearm and willed calm into him. She gave him a sorrowful gaze.

  * * *

  Lucas sent the girls’ purchases back to the palace with one of the drivers as the other drove the crowd to the Opera House.

  “Wind instruments?” Emily huffed as Rainer informed her of their evening plans. Rainer nodded morosely.

  Dan slapped him on the back as they exited the limo and entered the restaurant that did have amazing views of the bay.

  The rest of the Nguyen family was just being seated, and they were all introduced to Liam, his wife Sophie, and their children, Joshua and Jessica. They were both in their early teens. The entire family all wore identical, derisive sneers.

  When Lucas introduced Adeline as his daughter, Liam scowled.

  “Must you say that so loudly?”

  The entire table tensed. Adeline looked utterly crushed.

  “Of course, I don’t suppose you can deny her,” he gestured to Adeline indignantly.

  “Liam, if you have a problem with my daughter, then perhaps you should leave. Otherwise, you can keep your demeaning and abusive comments to yourself, because I will not allow you to bully my child,” Lucas glared hatefully at his older brother.

  Liam scoffed, “So, you’re going to choose this girl, the daughter of a whore, over your family? Dad says you’re giving her your inheritance. Are you completely insane?”

  Lucas shook his head and glowered at Liam.

  “No, I’m not choosing my daughter over my family, although I certainly would if need be. I am choosing her over you, Liam. So please leave,” Lucas demanded.

  “No,” Adeline was distraught. “No,” she stood and scooted out of her chair quickly. “I don’t want you to choose me over anyone,” she managed to get out before her tears fell as she raced from the restaurant.

  “Adeline!” Logan was furious as he raced after her, with Lucas following after him.

  72

  Take It From Me

  ~Logan Haydenshire~

  “Adeline!” Logan called as he raced out into the corridors of the Sydney Opera House. He searched the numerous darkened hallways frantically. He didn’t have to go far before he heard her trembling, tear-filled, plea coming from his left.

  Her father was right behind him, and Logan bit back the urge to tell him precisely what he thought of his family.

  “Yes, sir,” he heard Adeline say. “I just want to come home, please,” she begged, and Logan listened intently. The darkened area seemed to have engulfed his wife.

  “Yes, sir. No, you don’t need to come get me. I was just wondering if it would be all right if I came home tonight. Please, I just don’t want to stay here anymore.”

  “That’s my dad she’s on the phone with. Believe me; if you think I’m overprotective, you haven’t seen anything yet.” Logan challenged furiously.

  “No, I’ll be all right. I just want to come home,” her voice shattered in her tears.

  “My dad and probably half of my brothers are going to be on the next flight to Sydney. You’d better fix this!” Logan demanded of Lucas, who looked utterly heartbroken.

  “I don’t know where Logan is right now. I don’t really know where I am. It’s dark everywhere here.” They heard her begin to sob.

  “I’m right here, baby, Logan raced to her as soon as he saw the light from her phone. In one fluid movement, Logan pulled her cell phone from her grasp, and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her sobs in his chest.

  “I’m here, Dad. I just found her,” Logan shuddered as his father began yelling loudly. “Dad!” Logan attempted to interrupt, but quickly realized that was going to be impossible.

  He decided to let Lucas in on the infuriated lecture. He casted Adeline’s phone and raised the speaker volume.

  “If one of my girls wants to come home, then that is precisely where she is coming. You get off of your ass and get her to the airport, Logan Haydenshire! Do you understand what I am saying to you, son? She is your wife! When she wants to leave, I don’t give a damn where you are, you get her out of there, and you do it now!” Governor Haydenshire roared furiously.

  “It took me a minute to find her, Dad. I’ll take her to the airport now. I have to call a cab, but I’ll bring her home tonight, ok?”

  “Where is Adeline now?” Governor Haydenshire barked.

  “Dad, she’s in my arms crying. I’m holding her.”

  “You’d better be,” was his father’s next command. “And you tell my sweet girl that I will be there when that plane lands, and that she never has to go back. You understand me? You know, maybe I should just come there and get her. There are several things I believe I’d like to say to the Caliph’s sons.”

  Logan cringed.

  “Dad, I will bring her home. You know I will take care of her. Please stop yelling at me. I didn’t do this.”

  “Well, sometimes Logan, other people upset our wives and guess whose job it is to make that right?” Governor Haydenshire growled. “Now, I understand that things turned bad a few minutes ago, but she sounds exhausted. It sounds like she’s been a mess for a while. It is your job to take care of her, so start acting like a husband and like the man I raised.”

  Logan’s jaw clenched as he held Adeline closely.

  “Yes, sir.” There wasn’t anything else to say. His father was right.

  “Your tickets will be at Kingsford Smith as soon as I get off of the phone with you, and I will see you at Ronald Reagan tomorrow, Logan, and you tell Adeline we love her.”

  Logan ended the call and tried to soothe Adeline.

  “I...didn’t...mean for him...to yell... at you,” she stuttered through her convulsive tears.

  “I deserved it,” Logan defended his father’s infuriated lecture. “He’s right, and he loves you, by the way. And so do I, Ad.” Logan remembered his father’s command. Adeline nodded into Logan’s shirt.

  “I know, and I love him and you, too.”

  In the midst of being on the receiving end of one of his father’s notoriously harrowing lectures, Logan had forgotten that Lucas was standing there listening.

  Logan and Adeline’s cell phones chirped simultaneously. Logan grimaced.

  Quickly pulling his cell from his pocket, he read the text.

  I’ve changed my mind. Garrett wants to come check on Fionna. We’ll be heading that way as soon as the pilots get the jet ready. There are a few things I’d like to say to the Caliph and his sons. Take Adeline somewhere she feels safe and content. Get her something to eat and try to get her to sleep. Do nothing else! We can all fly back together a little while after I arrive.

  With a defeated sigh, Logan shuddered.

  “So, Dad’s on his way here, and Garrett’s coming as well.”

  “Really?” Adeline looked concerned, but Logan saw the hopeful serenity there behind the worry that she’d caused the Governor trouble.

  She wanted him to be there. She was desperate for any piece of home, and Logan began lambasting himself as to how he could have let her be so miserable on his watch.

  “The Crown Governor is coming here?” Lucas still looked utterly shocked by the turn of events.

  “No,” Logan huffed angrily. “My dad is coming here because he’s worried about her, and he loves her, and he doesn’t think I’m taking care of her. He isn’t coming as Crown Governor Haydenshire. He’s coming as my dad and, if one of his kids, whether they gave birth to them or not, needs him, then he’s there. That’s what he does!”

  “And if my mother wasn’t five months’ pregnant and staying home to take care of all of the rest of us, then she’d be coming as well.”

  Lucas sighed and gazed at Adeline.

  “Love, please, just listen to me. Liam has never gotten on with the rest of the family. That’s why he doesn’t live at the palace anymore. We see him on big
occasions. I’d hoped he’d be civil tonight, that we might mend some things in light of your arrival. This kind of rudeness is nothing new, and it’s not on your account. I really don’t want you to leave, Adeline. I’ll demand that Liam go. No one wants him here anyway.”

  Adeline trembled in Logan’s arms, but he felt it. That same spark that ignited in her in that supply closet made a hesitant return. She drew a deep breath and turned to her father.

  “I don’t want to be a rift in your family, Lucas. I don’t want your inheritance, or for you to try and do things for me now. I appreciate that you want to try to make something up to me, but I’m proud of who I’ve become. All I want is to keep my job.”

  With that, her resolve gave out, and Adeline dissolved into a puddle of heaving sobs. Logan cast his shield around her.

  Rainer, Emily, Vindico, and Fionna, who Logan assumed must’ve been looking for them for some time, saw Logan’s cast light the darkened corridors. They sprinted to them.

  “Adeline, are you ok?” Emily soothed. She and Fionna were immediately on the verge of tears. Neither of them was able to get to Adeline, as she was in Logan’s orb.

  “Dad’s on his way, along with Garrett,” Logan sighed.

  “Oh, man, he let you have it, didn’t he?” Rainer grimaced.

  Logan was thankful that someone in the crowd understood what was actually happening.

  “Why is Garrett coming?” Fionna quizzed suspiciously.

  “I imagine to check on you and to defend her. They’re both coming because they’re worried about Ad. Dad doesn’t think that I’ve been taking care of my wife, which, judging from the fact that she’s sobbing, I guess I haven’t been.”

  Lucas stepped up. “No, Logan, I’ll tell him that you were doing the best you could, under the circumstances. I put a tremendous amount of pressure on you. I had no idea that your father had such high expectations for his children.”