Chapter 26: Milos

I sat in my chair by the window, staring down over the gardens. It was now raining here, too, and the weather matched my mood. I hadn’t slept very much, since Adriana was having a hard time getting settled. Then, without warning, she woke from a nightmare that had completely shaken her world upside down. She didn’t explain the dream to me, but I could tell that this Reg controversy had really gotten into her head.

I felt helpless, and I needed to step up and stand up to this tyrant. No one was going to come into my Kingdom and bully me and my family around without some severe repercussions. The first thing I needed to do, though, was find out what exactly he was looking for. I swiveled my chair around and faced Brat, who was standing, waiting for me to tell him what came next.

“Can you get word to Mr. Evers?”

“I can,” Brat said carefully. “What would you like me to tell him?”

“Tell him to meet me at that small pub in the capital in an hour,” I replied. “I’ll listen to what he has to say.”

“Are you sure this is the right thing?” Brat asked. “We already know he is looking for money.”

“We assume it’s money,” I replied. “But we don’t know for sure. Reg Evers might be an asshole, but one thing he is not, is stupid. I want to hear him out before I make my decision on how to handle this.”

“Understood,” Brat replied with a bow of his head. “I will go call him. Do you want me to come along?”

“No,” I replied, looking over at the closed door to the bedroom. “I think it best we keep as many people out of this drama as possible. I’ll meet with him alone.”

“I’ll have the car sent around for you,” Brat replied, before turning and walking from the room.

I sat in the chair, finishing my coffee and staring out into the scenery below, before standing and heading back to change. I wore plain clothes and pulled on my waterproof trench coat. I stepped in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection, wondering how inconspicuous I actually looked. I pulled the collar up on my coat and pulled a hat on, bringing the bill down low to hide my face. I clutched my sunglasses in my hand, wondering what kind of money this asshole was really looking for. I knew, even if I paid him off, this would never end. I needed this to be as discreet as possible. In the past, I hadn’t cared if I was splashed all over the tabloids, but now, I had a family and a kingdom to think about. I had to be extra careful meeting with this man.

As I turned back to walk out of the room, I stared at Adriana leaning against the doorframe. She smiled and walked over to me, pulling my collar up and kissing me on the cheek. She looked tired but more relaxed than the night before. I pulled my arms around her and hugged her tightly, knowing this was all very hard for her.

“I am going to meet Reg,” I said, still holding her tightly.

“I know,” she replied, pulling back. “I heard you and Brat. Just be careful, and don’t do anything you will regret.”

“Of course,” I replied, leaning in and kissing her lips.

I walked out of the room and out into the sitting area, pulling my sunglasses on and looking back one last time as Adriana stood by the fireplace, watching me walk out. She looked worried, which made this all that more important to me. There were so many good things in our lives, and I would be damned if I let this asshole ruin that. I nodded at Adriana and mustered the biggest smile I could manage. She shook her head and smiled, giggling to herself. That was exactly what I needed to see before leaving for this meeting, a reminder of everything I was fighting for.

I took a long way around to the front to avoid walking past my mother’s wing. I didn’t want to bring her into this unless I absolutely needed to. She had enough on her plate. I jumped in the car and headed out to the capital. It had been a while since I had been here alone, in fact, the last time I was here, I was wasted, trying to forget Adriana, not realizing I was doing the exact opposite of what I should have been doing.

I had the car stop two blocks away on an empty street and let me out. I knew the car would be a dead giveaway, and I didn’t want anyone to notice me or even think that I looked out of place. As I rounded the corner, I caught sight of Reg standing in front of the bar. He nodded to me with a shit-eating grin, and immediately, I felt enraged.

I took a deep breath and clenched my fists as he opened the door for me, and I walked in ahead of him. The bar smelled like piss and beer, a perfect backdrop for this type of discussion. There were only two people in the bar, so we moved to the back of the room and grabbed a booth in the shadows. I took my glasses off and looked up at Reg sternly. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and ordered a beer. I waved the waitress off, not wanting anything at that time except the ability to knock Reg’s smug face straight out of the booth. However, knowing I couldn’t make a scene, I kept my cool, ringing my hands together under the table.

“Not drinking?” Reg asked with a smirk. “I see family life has really changed you. Maybe it’s the baby on the way.”

“Don’t talk about my family,” I said with gritted teeth. “What do you want?”

“Not into small talk? I guess that’s a good thing. I am looking to build a new establishment here in your lovely little capital. It will be a huge deal, bring lots of money in, and grow the tourism factor of your city.”

“We are just fine without dirty strip clubs and drunks,” I replied.

“Now, now, Your Highness,” he said with a grin. “Don’t forget who spent the most money last year at my ‘dirty strip club.’ But that point aside, it's not a strip club.”

“I don’t know what any of this has to do with me? Do you need money? Is that what this is about?” I was tired of his games and wanted him to just get to the point.

The waitress walked up, and I looked down at the table, not wanting to make eye contact. It was a small place, and everyone had seen my face a million times. The last thing I needed was to be photographed with the owner of a strip club at a dirty bar. That would immediately catch my mother’s attention and make me look really bad.

I was starting to regret the decision to come out here alone. It might have been less conspicuous to take him to a fine dining restaurant than a dirty, dusty bar where we were lurking in the shadows. But none of that mattered now, because we were here, and we needed to get through this so I could move on with my life.

“I don’t need your money,” Reg said angrily. “I am actually a really good businessman.”

“Because you rob your employees and treat them like shit,” I replied.

“They ain’t really the highest quality of people,” Reg scoffed. “Except your wife of course. She never really belonged there, but either way, she was there, and she was my employee.”

“So, if you don’t need money, what is it you are looking for?” I’d had enough.

“I want to open a casino of sorts,” he replied. “An upscale gambling facility, and I need you to grant me a concession.”

“Gambling is illegal in Silesia,” I scoffed. “It has been for many decades, and I fully support that decision. These people need prosperity, not some leech sucking their money right out from under them.”

“It would bring tourism and jobs to your kingdom. How could that be wrong?”

“This is a pointless conversation,” I said, putting my hands up and pushing myself to my feet.

“Hold on,” Reg said grabbing my arm. “You might want to sit the hell down, Your Majesty.”

His tone was harsh but knowing, and I grimaced at his dirty hand around my arm. From the look on his face, I could tell his nice guy routine was over, and he wasn’t there to play games anymore. I sat back down in the booth and folded my hands in front of my face.

“I am not sure why after decades of a law, you would think I would change my mind now,” I said with irritation.

“Have you forgotten where you came from Milos?” Reg asked with squinted eyes. “Have you forgotten where you met that lovely wife of yours? Ahh, the memories I have of your sweet Adriana. She was a fan favorite, especially when it came to the lap dances. She moved her hips unlike any girl I knew, and her blonde hair was a favorite of the crowd. What’s even funnier was at one point, we called her ‘The Queen.’ You know, a stage name fit for her majesty.”

“Enough,” I growled, drawing the attention of the people sitting at the bar. I looked across the table at Reg, waiting for him to say it.

“No, it will not be enough, until I get what I want,” Reg replied with an angry tone. “I wonder how your subjects will think of their precious Queen when they know she used to bump and grind against every dick that came through the door? You do this Milos, or I will make sure everyone knows of Adriana’s past.”

Reg stood from the table and downed his beer, tossing a few bills on the table and straightening his pants. He reached down and took the hat from the chair next to it and slapped it on his shiny, bald head. He turned back to me with a happy smile and nodded at me.

“I’ll give you until Monday night to make your decision,” he said. “Until then, remember my finger is on the speed dial to the press. Don’t do anything stupid, my friend.”

He turned and walked from the bar, nodding at the bartender as he left. I sat there for a moment, gathering my self-control. All I wanted to do was rush across the bar and throw him through the front window. There was no way I could get away with a concession like that, nor could I even imagine doing it. This Kingdom’s history was rich, and there was no place for a dirty casino and unruly tourists. That’s why there were so many outgoing flights to Prague. Do your business there, but leave our city clean and historical. I would not allow this to happen. I was the King of Silesia. No one was going to blackmail me, or my family, for that matter.

I dropped some extra money on the table for the waitress and threw my sunglasses back on before heading back out to the car. Livid did not even start to describe the way I was feeling. My poor wife was probably beside herself at the castle, and all I wanted to do was handle this in the most discreet manner possible. The last thing I needed, though, was another scandal on my hands. I stared out the window of the car as we made our way back to the castle. Reg Evers was going to get what was coming to him, and hopefully, it would be everything he deserved and more.