PROTECT and SERVE (A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance) (53 page)

Dalton lit up. “Such as…?”

“The original patriarch of the Carlyle Fortune, your ancestor Reginald, had a second will drafted… one that was able to counteract the first,” she answered. “One that was
also
signed by the Crown, with a later date to prove successive displacement of the original terms. There’s a slight amendment to the way the inheritance works.”

The entire room hung on every word.

“As it were, Reginald Carlyle sympathized with his older brother Abner more than history recalled. It turns out that, not only did the disgraced Windsor-Carlyle truly love the Crown Princess, but Reginald foresaw this possibility happening in the bloodline again. It turns out that the man believed very firmly in destiny. ”

Dalton and I shared a meaningful look.

“Once five hundred years had passed, the terms of the
second
will were to be followed… they stipulated that, in the event of the money defaulting to the Crown over a matter of
love
, no matter how disgraceful, all money and resources would default to the otherwise rightful inheritor, and the terms and conditions of the Carlyle Fortune would henceforth be disbanded.”

Raleigh’s lips quivered. “You don’t mean…”

“That’s correct,” Riana Carlyle smiled. “As it turns out, the 500
^th
anniversary was approximately two decades ago. The moment you disavowed Dalton Carlyle his inheritance, and he proved in front of us all that he would gladly turn down the money and power to be with this young woman… our grandson won.”

Everyone was silent.

“Dalton, I must appeal to you now,” Riana spoke, stepping forward and taking his free hand in both of hers. “The Carlyle Fortune is no more, and the money is yours. The family attorneys will see to the succession with you. I ask, my darling grandson, that you allow us a stipend to continue living on, and that you give us time to move out of your rightful manor.”

“Grandchildren typically spend some time in their grandparents’ homes,” Dalton answered. “A weekend here, a week there, to get to know those before them. There’s a certain familial bond to the practice. However… I’ve never slept in Carlyle Manor. That mansion is just another oversized, overblown dot on the English countryside to me. I have no personal attachment to it, or ambitions for it.

“Feel free to keep the manor. I’ll let you have whatever money you need, so long as it defaults back to me in the end.”

Riana bowed her head graciously. “Thank you, Dalton. I deeply appreciate that.”

Her husband looked positively defeated. He sank back down into his chair, staring off into space miserably.

It was William who spoke next. Loud enough for everyone to hear, he turned to my mother and mentioned offhandedly: “You know, Sarah, he wouldn’t be a bad son-in-law to have…”

“And why is that?” Mom snapped.

“Well, besides convincing all of us that he loves your daughter with every fiber of his being, and that he’ll protect her until his dying breath… Dalton just became a multi-millionaire.”

I
glance
over my shoulder at Clara as she’s ordering us some lunch on my card. With a small, affectionate smirk, I turn back in front, kicking back at the café table. The crisp air hits me while my eyes gaze around at our surroundings, and I feel refreshed by its touch.

Long-since indoctrinated military instincts kick in as I continue to lazily survey the immediate surroundings, scanning for threats while out of the States.
All clear
, I think to myself.

My thoughts mellow out, and I appreciate the architecture of the surrounding buildings from this street-level vantage point. My Marine friends were right – Paris is
beautiful
this time of year.

Six months has passed since that fateful meeting with our entire family. In the intervening time, we’ve finished up our semester at college before pulling out for the following term in advance. We still intend on finishing our degrees, but we thought we’d take a quick detour first.

You see, Clara and I decided to travel the world together after all.

I love how well Clara has adapted to this life. Once she let go of her comfort zone and hopped into this adventure with me, if you’d believe it, she became even more beautiful to me.

The best part is that I don’t have to do this alone. In my deepest dreams, I’d never thought I’d have someone by my side through this journey, someone reliable whom I loved with all my heart. I’m willing to put an expiration date on this voyage to come back to the States and see her through the rest of her education… and I guess the rest of mine, too.

I haven’t quite decided what I’m focusing on, but that’s sort of not an issue for me.

Despite his wishes to the contrary, I separated out and dispersed a large portion of the Carlyle Fortune for Father and Sarah. After all, it should have been his from the start. It took a while for them both to come around – Father was comfortable without it, and Sarah was still acclimating to my relationship with her daughter. However, we had put things behind us, and we definitely were on the road to a healthy in-law relationship.

Naturally, I left my grandparents a large chunk of the money to continue living on, and they are free to keep Carlyle Manor as well. I have no intentions of maintaining that dusty old mansion when they die, but I’ve been giving some thought to converting it into an international home for shell-shocked war veterans. I haven’t quite worked out the logistics, although the lawyers I’ve consulted have told me that it’s probably rather doable.

With all of that said, you’ll have to forgive me. There’s something
far
more important than money on my mind right now.

The great Bill Murray once told a twenty-something at his bachelor party that the best way to prove you found the right woman is to walk the world with her for months, roughing it and relying on each other at your darkest or most miserable. When you arrive back at the final airport, if you still love her, marry her on the spot.

With only a couple of months under our belts, I had all the convincing I needed. That’s why my fingers are sliding around this ring box in my pocket right now – because tonight, we’re going to be watching fireworks from atop a German castle.

I’m proposing to her, right there and then.

Natalie had even commended me via text message on my choice of ring… and was eagerly waiting to hear the news. As much as she’d done to be in my corner of the ring when it came to Clara… I just couldn’t exclude her from that part.

The future that we have ahead is bright and full of wonder. I’m already wondering where we’ll go when our schooling is over.

No matter what happens, or what lies ahead for us… we know that we have the support of our family, the warmth of each other’s love, and the strength to circumvent any obstacle.

Clara and I will face that future down.

Together.

T
hanks so much for reading
! Keep your eyes peeled because I’m releasing new novels every single month. I can’t wait to share them with you.

You are the reason I write.

-Nikki

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ant even MORE
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