CHAPTER SIX

Lundin

“That’s right, come for your king.” Jack groaned loudly, sending shivers of disgust down my spine.

“I told you,” David hissed low, and I shook my head as I backed a few steps into the hallway.

“Yes!” Mina screamed. If I wasn’t listening to my older brother fuck his wife, I would’ve found it hot as shit that I was catching someone having sex.

Something hit the floor and the two of them started to laugh. I counted to sixty to give them a moment of post fuck bliss then wrapped my knuckles on the door.

“You’ve satisfied your wife, now it’s time to work,” I called out and Jack growled low inside.

David shook his head.

“Maybe if you got laid lately, you wouldn’t be messing with us now.” Mina pulled open the door, her hair all messed up, but her dress was down in the right place.

“I got laid last night, thank you very much.” I lifted my chin up and held a smirk on my lips. Yet as I thought about Amber, I wanted to retract my sentence and tell her I found a real woman last night.

“Oh? Did you finally give in to the Princess?” She fluttered her eyelashes with a mocking grin.

“No.” I gave her a look and she started laughing.

“He’s just sour she won’t leave without a ring.” Jack strolled forward, adjusting his tie along his neck. If he’d come down like this, I would be none the wiser at what had happened between him and his wife.

“I don’t fucking want her. I’m nice because offending her would cause issues but she’s testing my last damn nerve.” I let out a huffed breath.

Jack chuckled then looked at David. “Couldn’t keep him downstairs for five more minutes?” He arched his brow.

“Don’t blame him.” I shook pulled back then started working Mina’s hair with my fingers and she accepted my help.

“Thank you, Lundin.” Mina smiled up at me, I was about four inches taller than my sister-in-law. Jack glared at me as I helped his wife to not look like she had sex hair.

“I could’ve done that.” Jack slid past Mina, kissed her cheek, then followed David down the hallway. I finished up untangling Mina’s long hair then glanced around to see which way my brother headed.

“You look beautiful today.” I kissed Mina’s other cheek then ran after my brother. “I wanted to talk to you before you speak to Amber.”

“Amber is the woman we didn’t get to yesterday,” David supplied as they reached the stairs.

“Right. What was her issue?” he asked David, but I grabbed my brother’s arm.

“You stopped sending the widow of a hero her money.”

“Excuse me?” Jack’s brows bunched. I told him who her husband was and how she stopped receiving her payments. “David, get into this before I see her. Accounting should be in by now.”

David bowed then headed off without another word.

“This shouldn’t have fucking happened,” Jack hissed, and I nodded.

“I took care of her house for the holidays, including helping with her two children.” I rubbed my lips together. “And I think I’ll be spending more time with her.”

“Oh?” Jack glanced at me, and I nodded. “This a crush or something more?”

“I…” My mouth snapped shut because in all honesty, I didn’t know the fucking answer. It was like part of me called to her on a soul level. “How did you know with Mina?”

Jack started laughing and clutched at his chest. “That was a fucking mess from the beginning.” He shook his head. “Then mother made everything so much fucking worse.” His eyes darkened at the mention of their mother and his ears even reddened.

“I remember.” I patted his shoulder. Even the thought of Amber going through the shit Mina went through made my blood boil. I couldn’t even imagine what Jack had felt at the time. Dearest mother didn’t believe Mina when she said Jack was the father of her baby. Mother had forced her into a test while pregnant, which almost caused a miscarriage.

“You might be better off asking David. He and his wife moved rather fast.” Jack headed toward the throne room, and I kept close behind. As if on cue, David ran up to them and handed Jack a piece of paper.

“The claim is correct. There was some glitch in the system, and I found three others not getting their payments.”

“Fix it,” Jack spoke through his teeth as his whole body tightened.

“Do you really think I wouldn’t have already done that?” David’s brow lifted, and Jack blew out a breath. “Payments have been updated, and an additional month’s worth added. Should hit the accounts within the hour if they’re not already there now.” He beamed with pride.

“Good. Lundin do you want to tell Amber or-”

“I’ve got it.” I smiled and patted them on the shoulders before walking away. I wanted to be the one with the good news for Amber. I wanted to be the fucking reason she smiled and pulled the stress of her life away.

“Kid!” Jack called out and I turned back to my older brother. “If you’re serious, I’d keep her away from Princess Costenza.”

My body froze and my mind started racing. I put Amber in Costenza’s path before going to find my brother. “Fuck,” I hissed then bolted toward the pool party she’d mentioned. Maybe she was talking to the other women in the group. A few of which I’d slept with, but she already called me a playboy when we first met. It wouldn’t shock her to know about my past. At least, I fucking hope not.

I pushed the door open to the pool area and a few turned to look at him. His eyes scanned the area, but Amber wasn’t there. Shit!

Costenza sauntered over, putting an extra sway in her hips. “So, are you here to make me an offer? Or even a proposal.” She beamed and I scowled at her.

“I told you, you’re pretty but not the woman for me. I’ve done my best to be nice, but I need to find Amber.”

“That fat chick you pawned on us?” She sneered and it took everything in me not to grab at the woman’s wrists, or even her throat for that matter.

“Where is she?” I spoke through my teeth and heat flushed across my ears.

“She stormed off before even jumping in. Seemed pretty stunned that you’d be mine sooner or later.” She placed a hand on her hip and my resolve and nice guy act snapped.

“No, I won’t be yours. Now go fucking home and find some other elf to make you happy.” I turned and ran back inside, leaving her dumbfounded. I needed to find Amber and fucking fast.