Page 115 of Truth (Wicked Empire 2)

Twenty-Eight

Davit

“You’re making unannounced visits, now?”Elias said.

“I didn’t know we stood on ceremony, brother?” I responded.

“Ceremony,” he scoffed. “So why are you here?”

“I got kicked out of my house,” I said.

“She came to her senses already?” he asked.

“Ha-ha. Not funny at all, Elias. And besides, Amethyst didn’t kick me out. Paulette did.”

“The nanny kicked you out?”

“Don’t look so surprised. You’ve met her.”

He gave me a laugh. Then said, “Why were you expelled from your castle?”

“Amethyst is having a tough time with feeding Crystal, and Paulette said I was hovering and making things worse.

“Paulette is a smart one,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“The women can’t take a breath without you up her ass. She probably did need you to leave.”

“I’m concerned about them. Is that a crime?”

“Of course not. And of course you’re concerned. But I think Paulette was saying is that both of you need to chill out a little bit.”

“Chill out a bit?”

“It’s just a baby,” he said with a shrug.

“Just a baby? You won’t even hold her,” I countered.

“No. I won’t,” he said, wrinkling his nose.

“No. I’m going to insist the next time you visit,” I said.

“Well, I’ll see you on her fifth birthday, then,” he said.

“You scared of a baby?” I asked.

“Fucking terrified,” he responded.

I laughed, and he did too.

“But seriously, both of you should relax, and I’ll come visit someday. And I might even consider holding the baby,” he said.

He was putting up a front, but I knew he was as excited about Crystal as I was. He’d already bought her a diamond tennis bracelet to match the earrings. Not age-appropriate, I had told him, but he had shrugged me off.

And I saw the way he looked at her, even if he hadn’t yet built up the courage to hold her.

His expression had almost the same awe as mine did.