A True King (The Poisoned Pawn Series Book 4)

by S. E. Rose

  Christian hasn’t spoken to me since we left the guesthouse. In fact, he hasn’t spoken to anyone. His silence unnerves me.

  I could have taken anger. I could have understood yelling. But the silent treatment is…unlike him, at least with me.

  The flight attendant offers us beverages. She also sets out a charcuterie board before returning to the galley.

  Christian takes a long sip of whiskey. He prefers it on the rocks with three ice cubes. My Moscow mule is in a metal mug. I swear Christian purchased one just for me for when I fly on this plane. Because what plane has a metal mug?

  The cool liquid calms me as I sip it. A million questions circulate in my head on autorepeat as the scenery below us becomes only ocean. Will I be tried for treason? Will I be arrested at all? Will he ever speak to me again?

  I finish my drink; the alcohol goes straight to my head. The only food that looks good to me is the baguette that is on the plate in front of me. I nibble on a piece as I continue gazing out my window. It’s complete torture. I can feel the heat of his body next to me. I want to look at him, to steal one quick glance, but I’m too afraid. What if he’s glaring at me? Or worse. What if he’s completely ignoring me?

  The flight attendant comes over to us.

  “Can I get you anything else?” she asks us.

  “No, thank you,” Christian mumbles.

  I shake my head.

  “The bedroom is available if you want it. I just turned down the sheets,” she announces.

  “Thank you,” Christian mutters. I finally steal a glance at him. He’s reading something on his phone and isn’t even making eye contact with the flight attendant, who nods and quickly leaves us.

  Without looking at me, he breaks the silence between us. “You can have the bedroom. I have things to do.”

  He stands to allow me to leave. Hesitating, I stare into his eyes that momentarily make contact with mine before quickly looking at his phone once again.

  I decide to take him up on his offer. Screw it. I might as well be comfortable for the night; lord knows I won’t be able to sleep. As I stand, the plane hits a rough patch of air and bounces. I stumble into Christian, who, I’m sure on reflex, grabs my arm to steady me. His hand stays wrapped around my forearm for a moment too long, making me miss the way he used to lovingly hold me.

  When I gain my footing, I scramble toward the bedroom, my face flushed. The bedroom is the same as it was on all my previous trips. I wasn’t in here last time as the flight was short, but the time before…my thoughts trail off as I sit on the bed and remember it.

  “Take a nap,” Christian urges. We are coming back from a trip to the Azores. The flight isn’t long, only a few hours, but we are both exhausted.

  “Will you join me?” I ask, raising one eyebrow seductively.

  Christian grins and leans closer to me until I can feel his breath on my ear. “The seven orgasms last night weren’t enough for you, princess?”

  I blush at the use of this nickname because he has no idea how accurate it is. “What can I say? I’m insatiable.”

  Christian smirks. “Well, then, I better accompany you. I don’t want my lady unsatisfied.”

  I take his hand and he follows me into the bedroom. The bedroom is small and practical. It has a double bed and a nightstand on either side. There’s a small bathroom complete with a shower. Luxurious, but surprisingly, not the most luxurious that I’ve been aboard. A sheik once lent Christian his jet and the two of us spent nine hours christening all three bedrooms. It was insanely over-the-top. It looked like a palace that could fly. It had two floors. You heard that right, two floors.

  We no sooner enter the room when Christian slams the door closed and pushes me against it. Our lips press together as he starts removing each piece of my clothing in a methodical but efficient manner. When I’m left only in my underwear, he steps back, licking his lips. His hair is a mess, and his eyes look wild. He’s hot as hell, and he’s all mine.

  “Fucking hell, I’m a lucky man,” he murmurs before he takes off each article of his clothing, laying them neatly on a nearby chair, while never breaking eye contact with me.

  When he’s vested of all his clothes, he steps toward me and slowly removes my last two scraps of cloth before he sinks to his knees and licks me. I nearly jump from his touch. He wastes no time in licking and sucking until I’m crying out, trembling under his ministrations.

  Without warning, he stands, grabs me, and tosses me on the bed. He slinks over me and kisses me hard, my taste on his lips, as he plunges inside me.

  I curl up beneath the sheets, wishing things were different, wishing he was lying in bed with me right now, wishing we were reliving that last time. But instead, I’m here alone, uncertain of what will happen when we land in Norddale.

  Chapter Ten

  Christian

  The battle in my mind continues hours after Mia has gone to the bedroom. I’ve lost count of how many times I started to stand to go join her, partly out of habit and partly out of desire. Yet, each time, I stop myself. I trusted her with all of my being, and she betrayed me. A message pops up on my phone. It’s Anna.

  Anna: How are you? For real, not fake prince shit.

  My lips involuntarily lift into a small smile at her words. Since the day she was born, she’s brought a smile to my face. I took one look at the baby lying in a bassinet and vowed to protect her forever, yet here she is, protecting me.

  Me: I…don’t know. Trying to figure it all out.

  The phone to my right rings and I know before answering that it’s her.

  “What do you mean exactly?” she asks.

  I look at the time. It’s very early morning at home.

  “Shouldn’t you be…sleeping?” I ask. If eye rolling made a sound, I would be hearing it right now.

  “I should be doing a lot of things, but if you must know, I was nauseous and couldn’t sleep, so I’m up in my office doing some…work,” she admits. “So?”

  I sigh and look back at the bedroom door. Cain and Vince are seated near the front of the plane. Vince is sleeping, Cain is reading a book. Our stewardess is tucked away in the galley, probably prepping things for breakfast, if she’s not napping.

  I lean back in my seat. “I don’t know how I feel about it all.”

  She’s quiet for a beat and so am I. “Do you still love her?”

  I pause, considering it. “I think I do.”

  “Do you still trust her?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Well, then, that’s your dilemma. You are in love with someone that you aren’t sure you can trust. That’s a problem.”

  “No shit.”

  “You either have to forgive her and move on together, or you have to let her go. You can’t keep her at arm’s length forever. You’ve reached a fork in the road. Make your choice.”

  “When did you become so wise?” I ask.

  “Not wise, just observant.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Lion, can I give you my thoughts on this?” she asks. “And also, know that I haven’t found any evidence that contradicts what Mia has told you.”

  “I don’t think I can stop you from telling me your thoughts, not even if I duct-taped your mouth closed.”

  She laughs. “True.” She pauses and then continues. “I think that if I was scared and confused, I would do something I didn’t want to in order to protect the ones I loved. Especially if I didn’t think it was a big deal. If they just wanted your schedule, then, that’s public information anyhow. I think they were trying to have a confirmation of it and of any private meetings you had, but I can see why she did what she did. She was young and didn’t want to lose her job or you or her family. It doesn’t make it right, but when push came to shove, she showed her true colors. She didn’t give in to the demands. She did what she thought would protect you. And that is loyalty that you can’t buy, it’s a devotion that is earned. That woman loves you. She did all of this because she loves her family, a
nd she loves you.”

  “My head agrees with you, but that doesn’t make my heart hurt any less.”

  “I know,” Anna whispers. “I should go and try to sleep some more. If Logan wakes up and finds me missing, I’ll get the riot act.”

  I chuckle. “I bet you will.”

  “He’s already all protective dad. It’s like I’m made of glass and our kiddo is gonna combust if I don’t follow the doctor’s orders exactly as stated.”

  “Somehow, I have a feeling he still knows he’s married to the feistiest little ninja around.”

  She giggles. “Our kid is gonna be like a little ninja swimmer.”

  I roll my eyes at the reference to both Anna’s martial arts love as well as Logan’s love of all water sports.

  “Take care,” I say.

  “You too, and, Lion, give her a chance, one more chance. We all make mistakes. God knows I’ve made my fair share and so have you.” And with that, she hangs up, leaving me even deeper in thought than before she called.

  Eventually, sleep overpowers me, and I dream about her. I dream of all the dirty things we’ve done in that bedroom where she now sleeps. The memories of those intimate moments playing like a movie reel in my mind, interlaced with snippets of what she said happened. A mysterious man. A threat. The phone that was found in the closet. So many pieces of a puzzle that don’t add up and I can’t help, even in sleep, to feel like the sands of an hourglass are falling faster and faster.

  I wake with a start, confused by what my brain has been showing me. Vince is sleeping. Cain has on headphones as he reads a book. I gaze out at the sky. It’s just starting to turn pink; the sun is low in the sky. We will arrive soon.

  I get up and walk to the bedroom, placing one hand on the doorknob. I turn it and crack the door open an inch, peering inside. Mia is fast asleep, curled up on one side of the bed. She looks small all by herself. I want so badly to crawl beside her, but my pride and destroyed heart keep me from doing it. I gently close the door and stretch my arms before returning to my seat to watch the sunrise as I try to come to terms with everything that’s happened. Anna’s right. I do need to choose my path. I just don’t know which one yet.

  Chapter Eleven

  Mia

  The knock on the door from the flight attendant wakes me. I groggily make my way to the front of the jet and take my seat next to Christian. He doesn’t even acknowledge me as he keeps staring out the window while we are brought our breakfast. So much hangs in the balance, and I don’t know what else I can say to make things right between us. There’s a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that I’ve messed everything up beyond repair. Maybe our love isn’t redeemable.

  I quietly sip my juice and take a few bites of the omelet in front of me. It’s my favorite kind, filled with goat cheese and smoked salmon and asparagus. I tried it once at a summer camp my parents always sent me to in Michigan. I should have gone to the United States. I spent my teen years at a boarding school near Washington, D.C. It’s where I got my unusual accent, part English, part American, and now a hint of Norddale. It was something Christian always said he found charming about me. I wonder if that still rings true.

  As our plates are cleared, I finally muster my courage and turn to Christian. “Has Anna found out anything about the man who threatened everyone?”

  He turns his head slightly, but his gaze doesn’t meet mine. “Not yet. She’s working on it with Jack. Jack has a team member whose specialty is finding people, even more so than Anna. Between the two of them, I’m sure they will figure it out.”

  “Are we returning to the castle?” I ask because at this point, I honestly don’t know if I’m going to prison, the castle, or somewhere else.

  This time Christian’s entire body turns to me. He looks at my face for a long while and I tap my finger nervously on the arm of the chair.

  “No. I’m taking us to the Summer Palace.”

  With a frown, I ask, “But isn’t it closed right now?”

  He shrugs. “It’s never closed to me.”

  At certain times of the year, the royal family resides at the Royal Palace and the Summer Palace is cleaned and maintenance is performed. Normally, no member of the family would stay there during this time as it would be an inconvenience. I’m unsure of how to read Christian’s words. But I’m also relieved he didn’t say I was going to prison for treason.

  “What about the king?” I ask.

  “What about him?”

  “Surely, he wants to speak to me.”

  “He doesn’t know yet.”

  My eyes widen in shock. “What do you mean ‘he doesn’t know yet’?”

  “I don’t want to go to him with anything until we have more information. I’ve even kept Pete out of the loop.” Christian motions to Cain and Vince who are speaking to the flight attendant. “Even they don’t know everything. Just Logan, Anna, Jack, you, and me.”

  I swallow at the realization that maybe, just maybe, Christian still loves me. He hasn’t turned me in yet. But why? I don’t ask that last question out loud because honestly, I’m too afraid to know the answer.

  We return to our uncomfortable silence as the captain comes on the overhead speaker and announces our initial descent into Norddale. Even after landing, we are quiet as we climb into a limo and head to the Summer Palace. The drive isn’t long, forty minutes, but it might as well be forty days. I glance over at Christian at least every other minute, but he doesn’t look at me. His brows remain furrowed, that telltale little wrinkle between them appearing and disappearing as he muses over information. That’s how well I know him. Just a small wrinkle tells me how he’s feeling. If a wrinkle appears around the crease of his lips, then he’s fighting a grin. If one appears at the corners of his eyes, then he’s truly happy. If his forehead wrinkles, then watch out, he’s mad. I’ve studied this man for only a few years, but I’ve seen so much. I just wish I knew what he was thinking. This dam will have to break soon and I’m not sure what is scarier, not knowing what will happen, or knowing something “will” happen.

  As the Summer Palace comes into view, nestled amongst the hills, I watch it. I never tire of seeing it. It’s beautiful. Even with the damage done several years ago, it still looks like a fairy tale come to life. I remember my first visit here. I was so excited. I’d read three whole books about it. Christian showed me every square meter of it while exploring every crevice of my body in each room and corridor.

  I close my eyes and remember his gentle touches. The way he wanted me to feel good. The way he focused on my needs in a way no man ever had. We had only been together for a few short months during that first visit. It was a honeymoon period. But that honeymoon has never ended. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, yet it never did. Until now.

  My eyes find the garden and stables as we approach the palace. A flush creeps over my face as I remember how he leaned me over a bench in that stable. I can still feel the riding crop as it smacked my ass. I can still hear the metallic sound of his zipper. I can still smell the hay as he entered me from behind.

  My legs involuntarily press together as I think of that, and for the first time since the plane, Christian looks over at me. His eyes focused on the apex of my legs. I blush and look away. I hear his breath as he exhales.

  Stealing a glance, I see his pupils dilate and his fists clench. He remembers too. How do we still affect each other this much? Our bodies' responses to the other’s are magnetic. It’s unavoidable the chemistry between us. How long will we be able to deny it?

  Chapter Twelve

  Christian

  We are greeted by Tessa. I’ve missed her. This woman was not just my nanny but became like a second mom to me after mine died. If she hadn’t kept me in check during those rough teenage years, who knows what I would have become. And now, she runs the kitchen at our Summer Palace, because Tessa’s other skill is cooking. Her Southern American–style food could warm the coldest soul.

  I walk into her open arms and pull
her to me.

  “Cookies are in the jar, sweetie pie,” she says as she gives me an extra squeeze before pulling back.

  I don’t even have to ask. I already know. She’s made my favorite, oatmeal raisin with walnuts. She knows all our favorites and, of course, her chocolate chip cookies are the collective fan favorite. The number of times she snuck those into my bedroom after a particularly hard day are too many to count.

  “Thanks,” I reply. She looks over at Mia and smiles before opening her arms again. Mia accepts her embrace and I can visibly see her relax as the older woman rubs her back and whispers something in her ear. She nods and I can’t help but wonder what words were just exchanged.

  Tessa took to Mia from the moment they met. She always says Mia’s my soulmate, but now, I’m not so sure Tessa knew what she was talking about.

  “Come on, I’ve got your rooms all set up,” Tessa says with a wink. She knows. She’s known since the beginning. And that’s why Mia’s room is connected to mine by a secret passage.

  Halfway up the stairs, my phone rings, and I motion for Tessa and Mia to continue while I take the call.

  “Hello?” I answer, but I already know who it is.

  “Your Highness, Jack Ross,” Jack states in his Scottish accent. Jack is a bit of an international man of mystery. I know his work has something to do with espionage. I believe he currently works at Interpol, but he might still be with MI6 or the CIA. All I do know is Jack Ross is the person you want helping you if you have a major criminal issue at hand.

  “Jack, good to hear from you. Anna said you were in touch.”

  “Indeed. I…well, no sense in beating around the bush. I don’t have a clear picture of what is going on yet, however, my initial intel is…interesting. I would prefer that we keep this matter between you, Anna, and me.”

  “What?” I prod, interrupting him.

  “I have reason to believe that The 44 is a much more widespread issue than we had previously thought. I think your staff may still be compromised. It’s not just a single person.”