Midnight CEO After Dark

39.

"What the hell is going on, Jake?" Henry yelled at me as I entered the throne room. "Did you know about any of this?"

I shook my head, scowling in protest but said nothing as I wanted to test the waters. Where was this going to go?

"Really? She said nothing to you?" Henry looked doubtful as he raised his eyebrows suspiciously. "You knew nothing about this guy?" He almost scoffed like I was lying. "I'm finding that hard to believe."

"Are you accusing me of treason, your highness?" I glared at him, disappointed in his attitude right now. "Seriously?"

Henry sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he looked away. "I honestly don't know what to think." He shrugged and almost collapsed onto the gold throne behind him. "I apologize for my assumptions." He sighed once more as he rubbed his temples. "What do you know?"

I hesitated for a moment as my first instinct was to protect Bianca but my loyalty was being tested at this point. I owed Henry the truth. "The guy you saw was Bianca's husband...."

"Excuse me?" Henry sat up on the throne with a look of pure disbelief on his face. "Her husband?"

I nodded and rolled my eyes as rage suddenly fueled my mind again. "She is saying she has no choice in it, and I saw the fear in her eyes. This girl is terrified."

"Her husband? She said nothing on the voyage. Nothing at all about being married?"

"Nope." I sat on the ground next to the throne and hung my head down. "I know this situation looks bad, but you have to believe me when I say Bianca is innocent in all of this. Whatever this guy's plans are with Claudia have nothing to do with Bianca. She would have told me."

"Jacob, I understand what you are trying to say," Henry said calmly, patting my back. "I really do, but you have to understand the predicaments here. My sources saw her with this man apparently planting Claudia's blood in the forest so the creatures would react. We learned from you what happens when a vampire drinks from a mermaid, so who knows the power it has over a rogue creature who has lost its way? I mean, I've heard the stories, but this is ridiculous."

"I know she had nothing to do with this." I protested, looking up at him as he sat on the floor next to me. "Bianca is a victim here too. I can't sit here knowing she is hurting like that. Henry, I can't. I think.....I think I'm in love with her."

Henry smiled softly and nodded his head. "I know, my friend. I saw the way you looked at each other."

We both fell silent momentarily while trying to figure out our next step.

"This should be the easiest thing in the world, right?" I said, breaking the silence. "You meet someone, and you feel a connection. Easy, right?" I sighed, hanging my head down. "A part of me wants to kill everyone who has ever hurt her and whisk her away so I can protect her and make her happy. The other part of me is completely terrified of fucking this up like I always do and, in turn, hurt her like everyone else has." I groaned in frustration at myself. "I hate this."

"Can I say something here?" Henry said, clearing his throat. I sighed and shrugged as he continued almost defeated by my anxiety. "I have grown up with a silver fang in my mouth and had the privilege of being called a royal my entire existence, but that's where my privilege stops. My father, although a great man, made me work for everything I have. I had to earn my title. I had to earn my place by my father's side, and I had to earn your respect and friendship, which was not easy I might add." He smiled and shook his head. "Nothing was ever given to me, and I am truly thankful for that. Having to work for something you want makes it taste even better in the end."

"Does that include tall, brunette demons who lie to you and then beg you for forgiveness because they are married to a big hunk of stupid shit?"

Henry nodded his head slowly. "I can almost guarantee you the fight ahead of you will be worth it.......if you survive until the end. No offense." He patted my head like a dog.