Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 68691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68691 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
“How about Anadang then?” I said slowly. I was referring to an upscale neighborhood of Siem Reap where a lot of expats lived, with excellent medical care and plenty of people who spoke English. “Would you consider moving there? We could have the babies at the International Hospital. I know a doctor there, a buddy of mine from college. You’d still be able to work, see clients, and we could find a house to live in, big enough for all of us.”
Tina smiled at me then.
“Yes, that’s a possibility,” she murmured. “I was afraid you wouldn’t understand, and that you’d insist we move back to St. Venetia. But after everything? I’m not so sure that’s the best idea. So for now, let’s stay here, in this beautiful country.”
So we settled in Cambodia at least until the girls were born. Soon enough, Corie and Carlie joined us with loud squalls, their faces red while crying uncontrollably.
“They’re beautiful,” ground out Kato, his face suffused with emotion as he held a newborn in his arms.
“Absolutely gorgeous, just like their mother,” agreed Karl, looking at Tina and his new daughters with absolute adoration, a man with his heart on his sleeve.
And me? I wasn’t much better. I could feel a lump in my throat, my chest tight, as I took Tina’s hand. But the brunette spoke first.
“The three of you look terrible,” she teased, looking at us from her hospital bed. “It’s almost as if you just gave birth and not me,” she murmured because the three of us were crying now with tears running down our cheeks at the magnificent gift we’d just been given.
But we had a present for her too, to show how much we loved her, and how much we owed her.
“Honey,” I said slowly, reaching into my pocket. “Take this as another promise of sorts. The first ring we gave you marked the beginning of our commitment and as we move down this path, we want to commemorate each step with something special. Karl, Kato and I,” I said through the lump, making it difficult to speak, “thought you might appreciate this token.”
I flicked open the velvet case to a stunning diamond inside. It was a huge sparkler set on a narrow band, flashing with fire and light, vivid in its intensity.
Tina’s face was a mix of shock and pure delight.
“Is it…?” she breathed, not even daring to touch it.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “It’s a traditional engagement ring, a five carat solitaire. We’re hoping you’ll consider our marriage proposal once again, and take this as a symbol of how much we love and adore you.”
Tina smiled at us, lifting the ring out of the box and sliding it onto her left ring finger where it sat snugly above the tri-color band from before.
“It looks perfect, doesn’t it?” she murmured. “Like the two rings were made to fit together.”
“Like we were made to fit together,” growled Kato from the other side of the bed. “All four of us, together.”
We smiled at each other then, secure in our love, knowing that we had an exciting future together, filled with ups and downs, unexpected happenings, bizarre family relations, and best of us, our baby girls. Because nothing’s turned out as expected. For one, I’m no longer a prince. I gave all that up to establish myself as a citizen. Maybe I’m a high-profile citizen, but I’m still a commoner.
But it’s a good life because Karl, Kato, and I work as mercenaries for various defense contractors: Karl and Kato as traditional soldiers of fortune, and me as a geopolitical guru / intelligence consultant of sorts. I shrugged. It suits my talents and uses the skills I’d developed as Crown Prince: the negotiation tactics, the intimate knowledge I had of various regimes across the Middle East and Europe, not to mention the personal alliances I’d developed with VIPs around the region.
Meanwhile, St. Venetia? Well, the Crown is still scrambling to find an heir. It’s ironic because there are three descendants of the blood alive, and yet all three male heirs have spurned the throne. We want nothing to do with St. Venetian problems and politics because enough is enough. It’s their problem and not ours any longer.
But never underestimate the power of the Crown, or at least the shadow powers operating behind it. Because we’d received word recently that the King and Queen wanted to visit, along with particular Rothschild family members, forming an entire entourage. I think they want to patch things up with Karl, Kato and I, yes, but I also think that they want to take a look at Corie and Carlie as potential heirs to the Kingdom.