Page 90 of Penny & Royce

Maybe he’d gotten her all wrong. Was it possible Royce had an ally in this room? He nearly sought out Morgan to see how she was reacting to this news, but his father’s angry bark cut him to the quick.

“You will file for divorce.”

Royce’s attention shot back to his father. “What?”

“You heard me. Under no circumstances will my boy marry someone of that bloodline.”

A laugh was all Royce could muster, even if it was void of humor. He threw his hands into the air and turned away from his father to pace. “I think you forget what millennium we live in. You have no say in what I do or don’t do. And I will not break the vows I made to that woman because of a feud I never chose.”

What almost sounded like a growl erupted from his father. “You will, and you will never see her again.”

Royce shook his head. “Or what? You’ll disown me?” He looked from his father to Lincoln, his chest aching in a way he refused to show. “How can you not grasp that I love her more than I fear losing your approval?”

Lucy seemed to pale at that. Her eyes darted to his father. Several of the others glanced in the same direction. But Lincoln’s hard stare remained locked on Royce.

“So be it,” Lincoln said.

Royce had thought he’d been prepared for an outcome like this one.

But to hear the confirmation of it from his brother’s own lips ripped something in his chest wide open.

He couldn’t find the strength to say anything else.

So he shook his head and left the room.

He got into his truck with no plans of going anywhere specific and ended up at the country club.

Thankfully, Quinn was working.

She was one of the best listeners there was. Gave some of the best advice, too.

But after he’d spilled everything that had occurred since his accident, he hadn’t expected her advice to be so infuriating.

“You’re just going to have to let the dust settle.”

His mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”

She shrugged. “Well, Penny did ask you to leave. But I imagine even so, you don’t want to alienate her.”

“I can’t just let her draw up the paperwork. She’ll think I’m willing to consider a divorce.”

Quinn gave him a pointed look. “I don’t think there’s a chance at all that she’d believe that. You haven’t exactly been subtle with how much you care about her.” She reached across the counter and patted his hand where it rested. “I don’t think your family is doing the right thing, but they’re blood. Eventually, they’ll come around.”

He scoffed.

“I didn’t say it would happen fast. It might take years.” She shrugged again. “Maybe it’ll take the birth of your firstborn to get them to realize what they’d be missing out on if you’re cut out of their lives. They’re mad. But they’ll settle. You just have to focus on your relationship. Don’t give up on her, but give her some space. Give her a chance to miss you.”

Quinn winked. “That shouldn’t take too long.”

Royce couldn’t help but smile at that.

Perhaps she was right. It would be difficult, but he could give Penny some time to think about what it would mean to cut him out of her life. All he could do was pray she would come to the same realization that he had at the very beginning.

They were meant to be.

He blew out a heavy breath. “Okay, so what now? I can’t stay at home with my family. And Penny’s kicked me out…”

Quinn rolled her eyes. “I’ve got a guest room available. Just… don’t overstay your welcome, okay?”