“Now who’s the little brother?” he said.
I grinned and didn’t correct him for his slip of the tongue. He’d always felt like my brother and still did even after meeting my biological ones.
“Tell me more about Natalie.”
With time to kill, I told the story from start to finish, even the parts I might not have shared with anyone else. Retelling only solidified my feelings for her that much more. I had to make her see reason and leave with me. I could be a persuasive guy when I had to be.
When we touched down in Chicago, Grant caught me by the arm before I exited the plane. “Don’t get yourself killed. Your mother would kick my ass and then I’d have to deal with Dad.”
“I can watch my back. You go and handle your business. Take your own advice and go after her,” I cajoled.
He ruffled my hair. “Go get yours and bring your ass back home.”
I saluted him and exited down the stairs.
Griffin had everything waiting when I arrived. There was a black Yukon waiting in the parking lot exactly where he told me it would be. I was hit with the new car smell when I got in.
I found the key to the car tucked above the driver’s seat sun visor as promised. I drove to the agreed location, somewhere outside of the city in a heavily wooded remote area. When I pulled near the house, the area opened up into a clearing. A guy stood outside waiting. He matched the picture I’d seen of the guy I was meeting.
He looked relieved as I stepped out of the car. “Any trouble finding the place?” he asked.
“No. Though I admit, if you hadn’t warned me about the blind turnoff, I would have missed it even driving at speed.”
“That’s the point,” he said and held out a hand. “I’m David, by the way.”
I hadn’t been sure because all the Royal brothers looked similar.
“Liam,” I said, returning his handshake before taking a moment to take in the place. It was a large home, longer than it was wide. But, in a clearing out back, I saw the prize.
“Is that her?” I asked.
He followed my line of sight to the helicopter parked on the landing pad in the backyard.
“That’s her. I hope you like her.”
“Can I see?” I said, pointing in that direction.
“Sure. It will be dark soon anyway.”
As I walked, I got a view of just how deep the house was. It was an interesting design. Though I wasn’t an architecture guy, I could appreciate the unconventional home.
“Yeah,” he said, obviously seeing where my thoughts were. “It’s an old house. Legend had it the original owner had designed an upscale saloon that offered more than drinks.”
“I would have never thought you’d find something like that outside of Chicago.”
He nodded. “A little-known gem my father would like to keep that way.”
We reached the helo, and it wasn’t as new as the one Royce owned. But it was in decent shape. “I’d like to take her for a test run before I fly anyone.”
“Yeah. Sure thing.” He scratched his head. “I’m going to be honest. I’ve never done this before. I’m not sure how it works. Your company came highly recommended by some friends I know.”
That had been the bait David Royal had taken.
He rambled on. “It’s just I don’t think I need personal security.”
I nodded, not wanting to say anything to make him call this off. He was my way in to see Natalie. He was also the competition.
“I just don’t know,” he said.
“Many people think that, but something made you call.”
He rubbed at his forehead. “Yeah.” He glanced down like the world rested on his shoulders. “The city is upside down. This virus. The protests. I just thought it would be better just to have someone watch my back. The fact that you can fly is a bonus. I can get back and forth between the city and here without driving.”
Though he was speaking to me, he was trying to justify this to himself. I wanted to dislike him on the spot. But the guy was conflicted about something. I hated that maybe he wasn’t the bad guy I thought him to be. Time would tell.
“Why don’t you show me the inside and your current security?”
He shook himself out of his thoughts. “Yeah. Yeah. Sure.”
I followed him inside and he was right about the saloon. What could only be described as a rich man’s version of a shotgun house was long and went up three stories. It wasn’t narrow, it was just not as wide as it was deep. The interesting thing was that you could see up, much like you can in a multi-level mall. Each level had railings all around and many doors.
“The top floor is the residence for the family. The second floor is where…”