PRINCE CHARMING: A Stepbrother Secret Baby Romance(41)

“As long as the lady in question is not caught by your father sneaking out of your rooms, sir, I see no issue with it.” His tone implied that he did not approve, but he didn’t know it was Olivia.

Mentally, Quincy let out a sigh of relief as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. “I suppose I have to attend the ball tonight. There’s no getting out of it.”

“Not unless you break a leg, I’m afraid, sir.”

“Damn. I don’t feel much like being groped this evening.”

Pascal chuckled. “As much as you won’t like to hear it, Lady Gigi is the one your father is rooting for, last I heard.”

“I don’t know why.”

“Several reasons, from what I gathered. One of which being that her family is the second wealthiest on the isle,” Pascal said as he adjusted Quincy’s tux jacket. “And second, he is trying to prevent them from gaining any more power.”

“What do you mean?” A little wiggle of worry wormed into his mind. “They can’t go any higher than where they are now, and if I marry her, she would be the future queen.”

“Yes, but if you do not marry her, do not take a wife, or do not perform your duties and lose the crown, the Pentacrafts will inherit it. They are next in line after your family.” Pascal’s brow furrowed. “Prince Quincy, you know your father worries for you.”

“He worries I won’t be able to maintain my own crown?”

He’d been mad at his father before, but this was ridiculous. Did he really think Quincy would mess things up to the point where he would let another have his crown or his kingdom? Did Lamont think Quincy lacked that much love and respect for his own people? Marrying Gigi would be a smart political move, if only to keep her close at hand and away from her family’s influence. They would not be so keen to make a move for the crown if she were queen, but any child he had would be related to them.

It was a dangerous game he hadn’t realized his father was playing. Why was he so worried all of a sudden?

“Sir? The ball starts soon, and we must have you ready on time.”

Quincy let Pascal get back to it while his thoughts wandered over the last few months. Before Olivia arrived, he might have spent most his nights out at clubs, dancing away the hours with the ladies and drinking, but he had never caused a scandal. The worst thing he spent money on was his Jeep, and that was only because his bodyguards frowned on him driving himself around. And since finding Olivia, he’d left the nightlife behind.

Sometime soon, he needed to have a discussion with his father and figure out what was going on. He didn’t want to admit it, but maybe he’d been spending too much time with Olivia and not enough listening to what was happening in court.

“There, you are presentable, sir,” Pascal said and stepped back.

“Perfect as always, Pascal.”

“Thank you, sir. I believe Princess Olivia is waiting for you.”

Quincy opened the door, stepped into the corridor and immediately wished they were alone. Olivia wore a blood red gown that trailed behind her when she walked towards him, a bright smile on her face. The gown was fitted with a corset top and beading down the front in a waterfall effect with a full skirt. Cloth wrapped around the sides of her shoulders, and all Quincy could think was thank God it wasn’t strapless. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle her, but any more bare skin, and he’d have to whisk her away.

“What do you think?” she asked as she spun. “I designed this one myself.”

“You look stunning, as always,” he replied quietly. There were too many eyes and ears in the corridor with them. “Shall we?”

They entered the ballroom as they had before, trailing King Lamont and Melinda, entering to the sounds of polite clapping and music playing delicately in the background. Rather than Quincy taking Olivia for a spin on the dance floor, he excused himself from her side and went to speak with his father. He had planned to wait until morning, but there were too many things bothering him.

“Father,” he said and bowed his head. “May we have a moment in private?”

“Quin, the ball just started. Can’t it wait? Go have a few dances, get yourself a drink.”

“It’s rather important. About my future wife.”

Lamont stared at his son and nodded once. “Very well, let us retire to my study for a moment.” He kissed Melinda’s hand, and father and son left the ballroom. They didn’t speak again until they were safely in the king’s study with the door closed and being watched by a guard. “Now, what is this about? Are you telling me you’ve made a decision?”

“No, but I have a question about yours. Gigi Pentacraft. Why are you so worried about her family all of a sudden?”

Lamont’s eyes narrowed. “Who told you such things?”

“Servants talk, Father, you know that. Now, why are you worried about them? What aren’t you telling me?”

“I was hoping to save you from worry,” Lamont offered. “You were supposed to find a wife quickly, marry, and that would be the end of it.”

“And now we’re worried about them,” Quincy postulated with a frown. “I still don’t understand.”

“They have made a claim to the throne, and parliament is considering it for several reasons. Many of which involve you not being fit to rule when I retire.”