Page 50 of Ruthless Prince

I had my reasons for specifically choosing this career path. Very fucking goodreasons.

Teddy shrugged. “Probably best you didn’t go into politics, anyway. It’s fucking dangerous. Take it from me.” He pressed his lips together in a sullen line and rose to his feet. “I’ll be back in aminute.”

He got up and headed to the dim hall which led to the bathrooms. I sipped at my scotch while I waited, trying to ignore the girls next to me. A second dancer had joined the first on the platform, and they were doing their best to get my attention by gyrating all over each other and pretending like they were about to kiss. As if I fuckingcared.

They were Teddy’s exact type. Big fake tits, tight spray-tanned bodies, long dyed hair cascading down their backs in shiny waves. I personally preferred a more naturallook.

Teddy slid back into the booth with a slight dusting of white powder under his nose. His hands trembled violently as he picked up his glass again, only to realize he’d already finished his drink before heleft.

“Want another one?” Iasked.

“No, it’s fine.” He stared down at the table again, paying zero attention to the girls as they clamored for our attention. He wasn’t ignoring them. He simply hadn’t noticed them. He was milesaway.

“You missed a bit.” I snapped my fingers to draw his gaze to me and motioned toward hisnose.

He rubbed the powder away. “You wantsome?”

“No, I’m good.” I leaned forward. “But you aren’t. You look like shit,man.”

“I’mfine.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Have you eatenlately?”

“Yes.”

I rolled my eyes. “Really? Because you look like a fucking zombie. Do you evensleep?”

“For fuck’s sake, Logan, I said I’mfine.”

I raised my brows. That was an obvious lie. He’d lost weight since I last saw him. At least ten pounds. Usually that wouldn’t make much of a difference on a tall guy like him, but he’d already lost around thirty pounds in the months since his father’s passing. Any more and he could be snapped in two by a fuckingpreschooler.

He noticed my doubtful gaze traveling from his dark under-eye circles to his sinewy neck and bony shoulders, and he leaned forward. “Look, if I tell you something, do you promise not to judgeme?”

“Even though you spent the last five minutes judging my career choices?” I grinned, then dipped my head in a slight nod. “Sure. Tellme.”

He rubbed his jaw and licked his pale, dry lips. “You promise you won’t think I’mcrazy?”

“Jesus, man, just spit itout.”

He nodded and held up a hand. “Okay, okay.” He glanced around to make sure no one was listening and dropped his voice to a low mutter. “Remember when we were talking a while back, and I said I thought my dad’s death might’ve beenarranged?”

“By Quinn Rhoades?” I said, lifting a brow. “Yes, Iremember.”

“I know you think it’s insane. Even I think it’s insane most of the time. But I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I can’t even sleep because of it. So when I’m lying there trying, I dig and dig. Look at this.” He grabbed his phone and leaned farther forward. “See?”

I frowned. Lighting his screen was a real estate page with a photo gallery of a recently-sold vacation home on Cape Cod. “What aboutit?”

“Public real estate records. George Colgate bought this place a month after my dad died. As inRear AdmiralGeorgeColgate.”

“So? Who is he?” I cocked my head to the side. “Some old militaryguy?”

Teddy gave me a look he usually reserved for vapid women he was tired of fucking. “He was my father’s personal physician when he was in office, you moron. He’s the one who did the autopsy and signed the deathcertificate.”

“Right. What’s that got to do with this?” I jerked a thumb toward the phonescreen.

“This house sold for eight million dollars. You think a military doctor could affordthat?”

“A high-ranking one who worked as the president’s personal physician? Maybe.” I took another small sip. “They earn a lot. Most doctorsdo.”