Nikolai watched from the ship''s deck as people were split into groups; girls were ushered in an ambulance, while men were herded to police cars with their hands cuffed behind their backs.

    His lips curled at the sight of Maxen shaking hands with authorities. "Look at him pretend as if he truly cared," he scoffed in derision. He thought Maxen''s married life must be dull and gray for him to be out in the streets playing superhero.

    Now that he thought about Olivia, he snorted. That woman was uptight as hell. It was no wonder Maxen spoiled his evening instead of hammering his wife.

    Successive thuds of car doors closing jolted Nikolai Vasiliev from his stupor. Anger boiled from the pit of his stomach as cars pulled away from the scene and the blaring lights faded into the darkness.

    Gritting his teeth, he watched as Maxen dragged his princely a.s.s towards the gangway. There would always be that one person that would get on our nerves even just by simply breathing, and Maxen was one of those.

    Shaking away his thoughts, he nodded his head and mentally prepared himself for his discussion with Maxen instead.

    He knew all he would receive was a warning. After all, starting a war with the neighboring country was their last priority. Nikolai thought Maxen''s agenda would definitely be concerning about the Huks. "Cease all communication lines with the Huks."

    "Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anything else that you d.e.s.i.r.ed to be dealt with?"

    Dipping his hand inside his pocket, he towered over his assistant, who flinched and whimpered in terror. "Find me a new doll, and maybe, I will let you keep your daughter''s head. Do you understand?"

    "Ye-yes, Your Majesty," the assistant stuttered.

    As though he owned the vessel, Nikolai plastered a smile so wide it could split his face in half and welcomed Maxen with his arms spread in a wingspan. The hate between the two royals created splashing tides of energy that everyone around them felt.

    "Dressed for the occasion, I see," Nikolai jibed, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the star pinned on Maxen''s military uniform.

    Maxen swatted Nikolai''s finger with the back of his hand. Their eyes met for a brief second, and the tension between then grew thicker, one could slice it with a knife. "I''m not here for tea, Nikolai. Give me the list of the guns you exchanged with the Huks or a video of your proclivities would dominate the search engine when after sunrise."

    Nikolai jutted his bottom lip, downplaying the gravity of his situation as if what transpired that night was a joke. "The list is in my fleet, Maxen. I''ll send it to you via snail mail."

    "Blah blah blah," Maxen retaliated according to his age. "Or I can watch you swim back to your fleet in the dead of the night just like the old times, Nikolai." A cruel smirk painted Maxen''s face, and he took refuge at how purple Nikolai''s face turned.

    Nikolai''s back straightened. He stepped forward to Maxen, their c.h.e.s.ts a hairsbreadth away from each other. "Don''t you dare."

    "Don''t you dare what?"

    "Are you serious? Everyone knows you can''t do that to me," Nikolai Vasiliev hissed.

    "Oh, trust me. I can. I did it once, I could do it again. Nobody knows you''re here anyway. I can bury you six feet below the ground and nobody would say a thing."

    "You would do that for a silly list? How heroic."

    Maxen took a sharp inhale. His patience running thin. Scratching the skin above his eyebrows, he spoke, "I don''t like wasting my time, Nikolai. Either you hand us the list or leave me with no choice but cheer you on your midnight dip."

    "I don''t have it. My assistant does. Now, tell Prince Maxen where the list is," Nikolai informed Maxen. He grinned at his opponent, feeling victorious at the thought that his assistant has written it on a cliche black notebook.

    Ignoring Nikolai, Maxen faced the cowering assistant beside Nikolai. "You have ten minutes to pull out what I''m asking for." He then c.o.c.ked his head and immediately, a soldier stepped forward with a laptop in his hand.

    Nikolai''s eyes bulged when his assistant accepted the device and started typing away, logging in into his email to retrieve the list which contains all the firearms and explosives they provided to the Huks.

    "Unbelievable. Why would you keep a receipt in your email?" Nikolai expressed his disappointment in a different phrase when in fact all he wanted to scream was how stupid his assistant was.

    Clearly amused in the situation, Maxen jeered, "Give the guy a break, will you? He''s cleaning up all your mess, and all you did was yap at him."

    "Won''t you ask me why I did what I did?"

    "I don''t need to. You''re a sick f.u.c.k, and you used that sickness to get what you want."

    "Here you go," the assistant uttered, scanning the deck. He was about to pass the device to Maxen, but Wyatt blocked him and took a photo of the list on his phone. Folding the laptop closed, Wyatt pressed it to the assistant''s c.h.e.s.t. "You can keep the device."

    "Look at how easy this transaction is if everyone cooperates?" Maxen remarked, frisking his hands. "It''s a wrap, gentlemen. The chopper is waiting in the open grounds to transport you back to your fleet."

    "I guess I''ll you again in the news then? Don''t let a bullet from Vuono graze you, Maxen," Nikolai warned, and Maxen wanted to erase the smirk on the asshole''s face but held back. Besides, there was no need for him to stoop down to Nikolai''s level.

    The two friends stayed and spectated in silence as Nikolai and his assistant were led by a group of soldiers off the boat and towards the cart that would drive them to the open grounds.

    Once the friends were left by themselves on the deck, Wyatt told Maxen, "You should have thrown that bastard to the sea. Why did you arrange for a chopper?"

    Clamping his hand over Wyatt''s shoulder, Maxen replied, "Sometimes, you just have to show respect even to people who don''t deserve it. Besides, he''s the least of our concern as of the moment."