Rock Bottom (The Gifted Realm #4)

by Jillian Neal

  “We got it,” Vindico assured him.

  “I cannot tell you how sorry I am. Of course, I need to go tell her; I know.” He paused and seemed to gather his thoughts. “Please tell me what I can do.”

  With that, Logan began the tale of Adeline’s upbringing. He started with the story of the way Candy was informed of Adeline’s Gifted energies.

  “She jerked her shoulder and elbow out of socket because Ad wanted to see a doll in a store when she was four,” he spat angrily. Lucas looked physically ill.

  Logan moved on to the fact that Candy was high when she gave birth to Adeline, and that Adeline’s being a Valeduto Predilect had saved her from any permanent harm from the drugs.

  “She offered me Ecstasy when I was with her,” Lucas recalled.

  “I met Ad when we started at the Academy. After we started dating, my mom and dad begged her to come and live with us, but she refused until graduation night.” Logan felt bile rise violently in his throat as he recalled their graduation from the Academy. “Anyway, that’s where all the real problems began.”

  Rainer and Vindico seemed to have nothing to add, but continued to nod their encouragement.

  “I’m so sorry to stop you, mate, but who are they again?” he gestured to Rainer and Vindico.

  “Oh, sorry,” Logan fumbled.

  “I’m Dan Vindico, head of Elite Iodex in the American Realm. Logan and Rainer are two of my finest officers.” He offered Lucas his hand.

  “And this is Rainer Lawson, my best friend. He’s engaged to my sister,” Logan explained as Rainer shook Lucas‘s hands. Logan gestured in the direction the ladies had been taken.

  “You’re the brilliant bastard who told the German crown he could suck your old fella. We heard all about it,” Lucas suddenly looked thrilled.

  Vindico grimaced. “I was afraid of that.”

  “Guy’s a bloody thief. Every Realm in the world knows.”

  “Probably not my finest hour,” Vindico sighed.

  “Anyway,” Logan huffed. Lucas immediately turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

  “Sorry; please go on, mate.”

  Logan went over Candy’s arrest, and then her blaming the drugs in the apartment on Adeline.

  Lucas stood and began pacing again. He looked greatly disturbed.

  “Adeline’s never used, but when she was hospitalized….”

  “What?” Lucas came back to sit in front of Logan. Terror broadcasted from his features.

  “She’s all right, now,” Logan assured him.

  “Why was she in the hospital?” Lucas quizzed. “You don’t have a baby, do you?”

  “No.” Logan felt his impatience grow rapidly.

  “Good on ya. It’s one thing to find out you’re a father and had no idea. It’s another cricket match to find out you’re a grandpa as well.”

  “Could I just finish?”

  “It’s a lot to take in, man,” Rainer whispered.

  A few minutes later, Logan was concluding the harrowing tale.

  “So, anyway, I don’t really know what you might be willing to do. Our lawyer believes that if you came to the trial and claimed Adeline, informed them that Candy was using when you were with her, and that if you had known of her existence you would have provided for Adeline, it would basically discredit her entire story.”

  “If nothing else, by winning the trial, Adeline will be able to continue practicing medicine, which she’s extremely talented at and loves. And,” Logan glanced at Rainer, who nodded for him to go on, “I know you didn’t know she even existed, but I love her, sir, more than life itself. She’s been through hell, and I just think it might go a long way for her to know that she has at least one parent who actually cares about her.”

  Lucas studied Logan for a minute.

  “Of course. I should have been taking care of her all these years. You and your family have given her more than I’ll ever be able to; not that I won’t try. I’ll do anything in my power to get her out of this trouble, but your father’s the Crown Governor. Surely he has more power in America than I ever will.”

  Vindico stepped in.

  “That might be true if this trial was being held within the Realm Senate, but this is a Non-Gifted trial. Governor Haydenshire can keep her out of prison, but if she’s charged with possession and use of legal or illegal substances, she won’t be able to practice medicine.”

  “If I’d known, I would have brought her here. She would’ve lived like the princess that she is. I just feel horrible.”

  “Do you have other children, Mr. Nguyen?” Vindico quizzed.

  “No,” Lucas shook his head. “My ex-wife never wanted to have a family. It was one of the reasons we split up. Of course, I didn’t know about Adeline. Not that she would’ve changed anything,” he corrected quickly.

  “Let’s maybe not mention that to her either,” Logan instructed.

  Still reeling from the information that, if Lucas had known about Adeline, she would’ve been raised in an Australian castle and probably never have met him, Logan swallowed harshly. There were too many emotions to sort through.

  “May I speak with her?” Lucas broached cautiously. Logan deeply appreciated the fact that Lucas seemed to understand that he had no hold over Adeline, and that Logan would set the boundaries for the relationship.

  “If she wants to, and as long as I’m with her.”

  Vindico gave Logan a nod that said he was deeply impressed.

  “When did you marry?”

  “Last weekend. This is actually our honeymoon.”

  Lucas offered him a regret-filled half-smile.

  “I would have loved to have been there,” he commented dejectedly as the reality of the situation began to settle into his eyes. “You said that you found out about me a week or so ago. Did she use her maiden name?” Lucas asked suddenly.

  “No,” Logan shook his head. “She didn’t want any part of Candy anymore, so she’s Adeline Marie Haydenshire,” Logan tried to soften the blow.

  Lucas nodded and swallowed hard. He blinked back his emotion.

  “The American Realm must be vastly more accepting than the Australian for the Crown Governor’s son to have married a girl without a last name.”

  “Logan’s gotten a lot of flack for that over the years,” Rainer stepped in. “But he’s never cared. That’s the kind of guy your daughter married.”

  “Yes, I’d say she did very well for herself, all things considered.” Lucas offered Logan his hand again. Logan shook it and smiled.

  “If she hasn’t completely freaked out, I think she would really like to meet you.”

  Lucas’s brow furrowed. “I don’t want her to be frightened. I’d really like to know her and do what I can for the both of you. I’d love for you all to stay here at the palace for the rest of your trip, if I can persuade you,” Lucas looked momentarily like he might drop to his knees and plead.

  “Why don’t we go get Adeline, and we’ll see what she wants to do? She’s my top priority.”

  Lucas was moved by Logan’s vow.

  “Logan, I do want you to know that if I’d known all these years she would’ve been mine also, and she certainly is now. Everything else can wait.”

  “I think that would mean a lot to her,” Logan gestured to the door.

  With another nod, Lucas led the group back down the staircases and through the vast hallways, until they located a small parlor area where the women were having tea with Lady Nguyen.

  Lucas nodded to his mother, and then turned to Adeline. Logan had already reached her and offered her his hand.

  “Adeline, I’d very much like for you and Logan to finish your tea in my den, if it would be all right with you,” he soothed kindly. Logan gave her a reassuring nod as her terror-filled eyes sought his.

  “Oh, uh, ok. Thank you,” Adeline forced in a choked whisper.

  “Lucas, dear, I was trying to get to know our guests,” his mother informed him, but her expression said that s
he knew there was a great deal more to the story.

  “Yes, Mother, but I’d like to try to get to know my daughter,” he shot back instantly.

  “I think that’s probably a very good idea.” His mother gave Adeline a kind smile. “Why don’t you drop the gentlemen off on the south deck? Your father thinks he can best the American Head of Elite Iodex at clays,” she rolled her eyes as Vindico and Fionna chuckled. “The ladies and I will continue to get to know one another, and then we can have a dinner to welcome Adeline to the family.”

  Adeline looked stunned at the declaration as Logan beamed. With that, Lucas guided Vindico and Rainer to one of the back decks and then led Logan and Adeline back to his den.

  60

  Protocol

  ~Rainer Lawson~

  “Clays are skeet, right?” Rainer whispered to Vindico.

  “I sure as hell hope so,” Vindico quipped.

  “I’ve never shot skeet before.”

  “It’s just like shooting anything else, Lawson. If it moves, you blast it, and you better make us look good,” Vindico demanded through clenched teeth. “I’m still not certain if I should be offended that he called me a ‘brilliant bastard’.”

  Rainer shared a chuckle with his boss and then shook the Caliph’s hand along with two of Lucas’s older brothers.

  In the end, Rainer shot well. He hit six of the eight clay targets. Vindico couldn’t quite hide his smirk as he shot a perfect score.

  The men joined the women, as did Lucas, Logan, and Adeline, in the opulent dining room a little while later.

  The Caliph had taken to Vindico quickly after seeing him shoot. As he gestured for everyone to take a seat, he leaned and kissed his wife’s cheek.

  “So, not only is the bastard built like a brick shit house, but he’s a corker of a shot, and we’ve all heard that he’s got a bloody mouth to boot. Tell us the tale, Officer Vindico. Tell us what you told the German crown. I want to hear it,” he held both of his hands up to Vindico in exaltation.

  Fionna looked extremely curious, and Vindico appeared ready to murder as he pulled her chair out for her and then seated himself beside her.

  “That’s really not a story for mixed company, sir.”

  Rainer and Logan choked back laughter as Vindico continued to dissuade the Caliph. Lady Nguyen instructed her husband to have a seat.

  “Now, I believe Lucas has something that he’d like to share,” she opened the floor for her youngest son. Lucas stood. He smiled and moved behind Adeline and Logan. As this was the first time the Caliph or his other sons had seen Adeline, they all held shocked expressions as Lucas began to speak.

  “Well,” he chuckled, “Adeline, this is my father and two of my older brothers, Lachlan and Ethan. This is Ethan’s wife, Maribel,” he gestured to his sister-in-law, who smiled kindly. “And this is my daughter, Adeline, and her husband Logan.” He watched as stunned disbelief washed over the features of his father and brothers.

  “Obviously, I’ve missed a great deal of Adeline’s life, and I intend to rectify that situation. I’ll be leaving for the States to spend Christmas with Logan and Adeline, and to clear up a little matter there. I’ve also decided that I’ll be purchasing a home near Crown Governor Haydenshire’s farm. I plan to travel back and forth for a while.”

  The Caliph stood and moved to Adeline. He welcomed her to the family. He did pull Lucas to the side, and Rainer overheard the word ‘press’ used several times.

  Lucas, however, didn’t seem to care what the press or anyone else thought, and told his father that he would be phoning the papers himself the following morning.

  “Uh, actually, sir,” Logan interrupted, and everyone turned to look at him. “Our lawyer would really like to keep the fact that Adeline found her father under wraps until the trial.” He took Adeline’s hand as she blushed.

  “Lawyer?” Caliph Nguyen urged his son.

  “We’ll talk about it after supper, but certainly, Logan, like I told you both, whatever you want is precisely what we’ll do.”

  “If Mrs. Haydenshire,” the Caliph nodded to Adeline, “has gotten herself into some sort of trouble, perhaps our legal team should take care of whatever the problem seems to be.”

  “Adeline hasn’t gotten into any trouble. This is all due to the woman who gave birth to her, and our legal team, fine though they may be, cannot practice law in America, Father. I think it best, this time, for us to let Crown Governor Haydenshire, my daughter, and her husband tell us what they need. That is what we’re going to do,” Lucas stood firm.

  “Your will and estate will have to be changed, Lucas,” the Caliph challenged his son. Adeline shuddered visibly.

  “No, sir. I really don’t want anything except to keep my job,” she assured her grandfather.

  It was evident to everyone seated at the table that she was using every ounce of determination and fortitude she had to make her plea. “I mean, Logan’s always taken such good care of me. He’s really all I’ll ever need. I just want to work.” She offered Logan a hesitant smile. Logan shook his head as he gazed at her with an expression that said he wasn’t certain how he’d gotten so incredibly lucky.

  “Yes, well,” Lucas smiled proudly, “the fact that you’ve married one of the finest men I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting is one thing; however, my will and estates will be changed. I will do what should have been done twenty-one years ago, and I will certainly try to make up for what Logan and his parents did on your account. As shocked as I am that I’m standing here looking at you, dear, I cannot tell you how much I would love to be a part of your life.”

  Tears streamed down Adeline’s face that Logan wiped away.

  “Ok, but you don’t have to give me any money just because you want to be in my life, and you can think about it. I’ll understand if you just want me to go away. Just helping me keep my job is more than I could hope for.”

  Logan and Lucas shared an extremely concerned glance.

  “Adeline, stop. That isn’t true. He doesn’t want you to go away. I can tell. Why don’t you ever believe that everyone loves you?” Emily couldn’t seem to keep the thought from verbalization.

  “I assume this is the way she feels about most things?” Lucas quizzed Logan discreetly. Logan nodded. The pain broadcasted from his features. “Seems I have more to make up for than I ever could have imagined.” Determination etched Lucas’s face as he turned to the table.

  “Let’s eat, and I would like to extend a formal invitation for Logan and Adeline and their friends to spend the rest of their stay here in the palace.”

  “I don’t have to think about it, Adeline. I want to get to know you and Logan. I want you to be a part of my life, and I yours. I will make certain that you are cared for in the manner that you would’ve been taken care of if I’d known about you all those years ago,” Lucas vowed.

  No one spoke as Lucas took the chair on Adeline’s left. Logan was seated on her right.

  “I assume your mother will be at the trial,” he whispered quietly to Adeline.

  “Yes sir,” she nodded timidly.

  “Good; I have quite a few things I’d like to say to her.”

  Logan couldn’t quite hide the broad grin that spread across his face.

  “Mr. Nguyen,” Vindico cleared his throat. “I certainly can’t speak for Logan and Adeline, and though Fionna and I truly appreciate your offer, you don’t need to house us,” he insisted politely. Fionna nodded her adamant agreement.

  “Officer Vindico, I will consider it a personal offense if you do not allow me to put you up for the next few nights. I imagine that you might be trying to rectify your international image at this point, are you not?” Lucas pointed out with a slight chuckle as Vindico grimaced again.

  “Perhaps they would be more comfortable in the guest quarters. If Logan and Adeline would feel all right in your apartment, then Officer Vindico and Ms. Styler, along with Mr. Lawson and Ms. Haydenshire, could be accommodated in the guesthouse,” Lady Nguye
n suggested. She was clearly accustomed to playing peacemaker.

  Lucas nodded as the servers began bringing out the first course. Adeline was giving Logan terrified glances. Everyone else was still trying to imagine living in a place large enough to have numerous apartments inside of one home.

  Caliph Nguyen informed everyone that they’d had the cooks prepare Australian delicacies for their grand feast. Fionna, who had moments before looked slightly bewildered at the thought of staying in the Nguyen’s guesthouse, smiled excitedly.

  Vindico winked at her as Rainer rubbed Emily’s thigh and tried to calm her. Her energy stuttered in nervous pulses from the Caliph’s insistence that they stay in the palace as well.

  “We’ve prepared the finest in sushi platters for your appetizer this evening,” the chef informed them as he stepped out from what must’ve been the kitchen.

  “Thank you, Nigel,” the Caliph complimented as each person in attendance was given a rectangular-shaped platter that held four small mounds of raw fish in delicate arrangements.

  Fionna and Vindico shared a smile at the announcement of sushi, but Fionna’s face fell quickly as Vindico put his arm around her and caressed her shoulder with his thumb. Fionna smiled hesitantly.

  “Uh what kind of sushi is this?” she asked politely. Only those at the table who knew her well picked up on her confusion.

  “Oh, so sorry, dear,” Lucas stepped up, though he seemed hesitant to direct his attention to anyone but Adeline.

  “That,” he pointed to a small mound of translucent, raw white fish stacked on what Rainer thought were some kind of black noodles, “is cuttlefish. It’s a local delicacy. It’s prepared on Tagliarini pasta. The sauce is made of squid ink.” He didn’t seem to notice the nervous glances being shared by Rainer, Vindico, Fionna, Adeline, Emily, and Logan.

  “Those,” Lucas went on, “are, of course, spiced prawn on aioli, octopus, and those are soused snook,” he pointed to the one on the ends of the platters. “Try them. They’re my personal favorite.”