by Roxie Ray
I gave her a rueful look, noting the skepticism in her eyes, which I totally got. She had no reason to trust me. Yet.
“I realize I’ve been rude to you, Brittany. And for that, I apologize. This is me extending an olive branch, if you will.”
Another flicker of surprise passed over her beautiful face, and I resolved to make sure I never gave her a reason to doubt who I really was again.
“I’m really not a bad guy,” I said with a half-smile. “My behavior has been…unacceptable. I’ve been under a lot of stress.” Totally the truth, thanks to this crazy mating gene. “But it’s no excuse. I promise you I’ll do better from here on out.”
She blinked again and bit her lip, and my eyes were drawn to the soft pink flesh. The sudden urge to know what those lips felt like washed over me, and I had to look away.
“Here, let me help you with your things,” I offered, reaching for the shopping bags she was carrying.
Thankfully, she didn’t argue, but I could feel her gaze on me, lingering. Assessing.
“How did you get here?” I asked, trying to make conversation.
“I walked. I needed the exercise. I’m used to walking all around my own city, and I’ve been in the house most of the week.”
“What do you think of my city?” I asked, gesturing around to the open-air market, and then to the mountains, the river, and the ocean below.
“It truly is beautiful,” she admitted, a slight smile tipping her mouth. “The colors are unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
I wanted to see more of that smile, and I vowed then and there that I would hold true to my word and start treating her better.
I smiled as I started walking down the stone path alongside the river. “I think so too. I might be a little biased, but I think Hollander is the most beautiful planet I’ve ever been to.”
“Same,” she said with a laugh, and the sound of it was like a punch to the gut. But the pain in my chest eased slightly, and I knew it was just from being around her like this. Sure, the pull of the mating gene was as strong as ever, but something about talking to her so easily made it more bearable.
“I have my transport with me. We can ride home together,” I told her as I led her toward the docking lot.
She nodded her agreement, thankfully, and in no time, we were cruising back up the mountain toward my home. The ride was mostly silent, and I felt an urge to fill that silence with something.
“How are you holding up?” I asked her, and she gave me a quizzical look. “You know, adjusting to another planet and all that.”
“It’s very different from home,” she replied. “But that part isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I can’t really complain considering what my life was like before.”
That felt like a huge step forward, and her words sparked my curiosity. “What was your life like before?”
She laughed, and I thought I detected a bit of bitterness in it, but she indulged my question, giving me an abbreviated version of what life had been like growing up. How her family was so poor and had worked hard for everything they had, and even then, it hadn’t been enough. She went on about the rich and powerful people she’d worked for and how they’d all treated her like garbage. I felt no small amount of guilt at that, knowing I’d been acting just as badly as her former employers.
She shrugged. “Then there were the ones who just pretended to be nice but ended up being even worse than the ones who were just assholes in the first place.”
The way she said it made me think there was a story there, but I didn’t want to push her. I was just glad she was opening up to me at all.
And it all made sense now, why she’d been so bitter and had put up a wall when we’d first met.
“I apologize if I made you feel that way,” I told her softly, hoping she knew I meant it. “It wasn’t my intention. And I promise I’ll treat you the way you deserve from here on out—the way I wanted to treat you right from the start.”
She stared at me for a long moment, her lips parted and her brow furrowed. I hadn’t meant to admit that, but fortunately she didn’t press me further on it. I didn’t want to get into the details of exactly how I wanted to treat her. How I felt this overwhelming urge to treat her like a princess—my princess.
“I’ll hold you to that,” she finally said.
I smiled, feeling lighter than I had since I’d first laid eyes on her. This was good. No, this was great. It felt like the first step toward Brittany not hating me entirely. And any progress was good in my opinion.
Maybe—just maybe—it wasn’t a lost cause. Perhaps I could figure out how to get her to come around. One step at a time.
8
Brittany
Saturday was my first official day off. It was hard to believe I’d already been on Hollander for six days. Five of them were utterly miserable.
Yesterday, however… Well, the jury was still out, but whatever change came over Niall yesterday was a much-needed improvement. He’d seemed almost human, though I supposed that expression didn’t really hold much weight on an alien planet. In any case, he’d been kind and considerate toward me. Almost normal—if you could call a towering, gorgeous, golden-skinned prince with exotic tattoos normal.
I shook that thought off as I finished getting dressed. Dina had brought me a few outfits to choose from yesterday, saying that I might like the feel of the light and breezy Hollander clothing better than the clothes I’d brought from Earth. She wasn’t wrong.
I stood and observed myself in front of the full-length mirror in my massive bathroom. Not only was the thin gauzy fabric totally comfortable, but it made me look pretty damn good, if I did say so myself.
The semi-sheer turquoise fabric tied behind my neck and dipped low on my chest, leaving my arms bare. It fell nearly to my feet, but the way it twisted and wrapped left most of my waist and back exposed. The strappy flat sandals, visible beneath the mid-thigh-length slits in the dress, had looked like they’d be uncomfortable, but I guessed they were made of some high-tech material because it felt like I was walking on a cloud.
I’d seen some of the women out and about in similar clothing, so I trusted that Dina wasn’t dressing me up in some crazy style. And after a week of busting my ass making sure Niall’s home was spotless, I deserved to feel good about myself. I braided my hair quickly, letting the thick brown plait fall over my shoulder to the front.
A teeny tiny part of me hoped Niall was still home. What would he think of my new look? But that was silly. I didn’t actually care what he thought. And I certainly didn’t need to start worrying about it just because he’d shown me some kindness yesterday.
With one final glance in the mirror, I turned and headed out of my room. No sign of Niall anywhere, so I went outside and scanned the surrounding mountainside. I didn’t really want to venture too far away on my own, not after what happened yesterday, but there was plenty to explore just on the royal grounds. So far, I’d only seen Niall’s home.
I made my way slowly up the mountain, following trails that had been perfectly manicured. It was stunning, the intensity of the colors still taking my breath away. I didn’t know how long I walked for, but eventually I found myself coming upon an entrance to an exotic garden to the east of the main palace.
Two guards stood on either side of a shining metallic gate. It looked like it was made of the same material as the silver spires that stood before the palace entrance.
I looked back and forth between the two of them, wondering if the garden was off limits, but they simply nodded at me as I made my way through the gate. Awesome. Niall must have told them who I was, and apparently, I was, in fact, allowed to go where I pleased, just like he said.
I wandered aimlessly around the elaborate garden, mesmerized by the sight of the unfamiliar and strange-looking plants and flowers. I’d never seen anything like it. Every shade of the rainbow covered the grounds and lined the winding paths. There were several benches and a fountain scattered throughout, and I
could easily see this becoming one of my favorite places to go and unwind.
The weather was perfect, warm enough to not need a jacket but not so hot that it was uncomfortable. I wondered how long this spring weather lasted and if Hollander had the same cycle of seasons as Earth. It was winter on Earth now, my least favorite season. I wouldn’t complain if the weather stayed mild here year-round.
I turned a corner in the path and was just about to bend down to inspect a particularly wild-looking plant when a female voice sounded from behind me.
“Who are you?” she demanded.
I spun around, startled, and found a young Hollander woman standing on the path I’d just been walking. How had I not noticed her before? Or heard her? I must have been completely lost in my thoughts.
She was beautiful, in a unique kind of way. She was definitely Hollander, if the yellow-gold tone of her skin was any indication. Her eyes were the same silver of all the other Hollanders I’d seen, though her yellow hair was a bit darker than Niall’s pale locks.
The young woman looked to be around my age, but I knew instantly we wouldn’t be friends. Not with the way she was looking me up and down with no small amount of condescension. I had no time for petty bitches, and I got the clear impression this woman was one for sure.
“My name is Brittany. I’m a housekeeper for the prince.”
Immediately, the woman’s hostile stare melted, and she let out a peal of laughter. “Oh, I see. I thought for a moment you might be a threat.”
I furrowed my brow. A threat? What the hell was she talking about?
“My name is Yivonne,” she said in a much more civilized tone than she’d used before, though the haughtiness wasn’t gone entirely. “I’m here to have lunch with Queen Merida and Prince Niall.”
She gave me a conspiratorial smile, and I realized what was going on here. She was here with the intention of securing Niall’s interest. I nearly laughed at the idea of her considering me a threat, but the fact I was merely a housekeeper had, to her, completely made me a non-issue rubbed me the wrong way.
Just then, another woman stepped outside from a doorway I hadn’t even noticed. There was a little greenhouse and a courtyard just beyond it. Immediately, I knew she must be Queen Merida. Not just from her regal grace but from the similar features she shared with her son.
She saw me and lifted her eyebrows in surprise. Quickly, I bowed my head, unsure of the formalities I was expected to follow.
“Hello,” I said softly. “I’m Brittany, Niall’s new housekeeper.”
Yivonne narrowed her eyes at me as I said it, but Queen Merida met me with a kind smile.
“Of course,” she said, stepping closer. “And I’m Merida, Niall’s mother. Welcome to Hollander, and to our home. I hope you’ll accept my apologies for not stopping by sooner to meet you.”
She gave me a quick once-over, but it was nothing like the way Yivonne had stared me down with disdain. The queen’s warm smile made her even more beautiful, and I felt instantly at ease.
“You’re quite lovely, Brittany.”
I actually found myself blushing, even as Yivonne scoffed and rolled her eyes. I chose to ignore her, though it was kind of hard with the way she was still glaring at me.
“Thank you, Your Highness. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I hoped that was the correct title to use with her. She didn’t correct me, only smiled wider.
“It must be your day off. Would you care to join us for lunch? We’re dining in the courtyard.” She gestured behind her, where several attendants were setting the table with a lavish spread of food.
I started to shake my head, sure I would be imposing, but before I could, Queen Merida linked her arm through mine and led me along the path. “I won’t take no for an answer. I’d like to get to know you a little more since I’m sure you’ll be around quite a bit.”
How could I say no to that? I let her lead me to the white wrought-iron table set with enough food to feed me for two weeks. Was all of this just for us? Or rather, for the queen, Niall, and Yivonne, since they certainly hadn’t planned to have an additional guest.
I could practically feel Yivonne’s gaze boring into my back as she followed behind us. Queen Merida took a seat at the head of the table and gestured for me to take the seat directly to her right. Yivonne took the one to her left, opposite me.
When I lifted my gaze to her, I knew I had just found my first enemy on Hollander. Why, though, I couldn’t be sure. Hadn’t she just dismissed me as not being a threat?
“Help yourself to anything you’d like, Brittany,” the queen said. Then, almost as an afterthought, “You too, Yivonne.”
I didn’t hesitate. I’d always considered myself an adventurous eater, always willing to try anything once. While the Hollander food looked completely unfamiliar to anything I’d eaten on Earth, it didn’t look bad. In fact, it looked really appetizing. I wanted to dig right in, but the queen had many questions about what my life had been like on Earth and what had brought me to Hollander.
As the lunch wore on, Yivonne’s glare became more pronounced, as did the sour expression on her otherwise lovely face. But I couldn’t completely blame her. After all, she was here at the queen’s request, and apparently had some interest in Niall, who had yet to make an appearance. Yet the queen was practically ignoring her in favor of giving me all her attention. I didn’t know what to make of it.
“Where is Niall?” Yivonne asked petulantly when the queen asked me what type of boss her son was. “Shouldn’t he be here by now?”
“I’m not sure. I actually haven’t seen him today. He wasn’t home when I woke up.” Too late, I realized she had been speaking to the queen.
Yivonne’s eyes widened. “Home? Are you living in the same house as Niall?”
When I nodded, unsure what she was implying, she thinned her lips. “Why aren’t you living in the maids’ house?”
“There’s a maids’ house?” I asked, dumbfounded. I’d just assumed all the housekeepers lived in the homes in which they were responsible for.
Queen Merida cleared her throat, drawing my attention away from Yivonne’s hateful gaze. “Usually, humans from the IEP are provided with housing of their own outside of their employer’s home. Most of the royal household helpers live in a home together off the royal grounds.”
I blinked, completely taken aback. If that were the case, then why was I living not only on the royal grounds but with Niall? Not that I was complaining. I was certain my accommodations were above and beyond what any servant could hope for. But still… Yivonne was shooting daggers at me with those eyes.
The queen, however, looked amused.
“If you had any class whatsoever,” Yivonne said, fuming, “you would immediately request to be moved to the maids’ house.”
“Brittany is exactly where she’s supposed to be,” a familiar deep voice said, and my body went on high alert.
Niall.
What timing. I could feel his penetrating gaze land on me, and I wanted to sink into the perfectly manicured lawn and disappear completely. I settled for keeping my gaze on my plate.
“Niall!” Yivonne stood gracefully, her voice a sugary-sweet purr now as she bowed low.
The queen stood as well, wrapping her arms around her son’s waist as she stood on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek.
“Niall,” she said, her voice soft with affection. “I’m so glad you could make it. I must say, your new housekeeper is quite lovely. So nice, and beautiful to boot.”
I lifted my gaze and felt as if I might melt under his scrutiny. He took in my hair, my clothing, my shoes, scanning me slowly from head to toe. When his silver gaze landed on mine once more, his eyes were full of something I couldn’t quite name, and my stomach fluttered. In that moment, I didn’t think I could look away even if I tried.
Heat bloomed in my chest, and I swallowed hard, trying to calm the sudden racing of my heart. I wiped my palms on my dress, wondering why was I suddenly so nervous to be aro
und him.
He continued to stare at me, not even sparing a glance at Yivonne. I couldn’t stop myself from taking him in as well. He was dressed casually in pants and a sleeveless, loose-fitting white shirt that looked to be made of a similar material as that of my dress. His shirt made his tattoos stand out in stark contrast, the vibrant colors catching my attention.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Niall finally asked, gesturing at my plate.
His words snapped me out of my reverie, and I quickly tore my gaze from his to look at my nearly untouched food. Looking away from him was harder than it should have been, and actually, I was starving. The food looked delicious, but I’d been so busy talking with the queen that I’d barely had a chance to eat yet.
“That would be my fault,” Queen Merida remarked, giving me an apologetic look, though she was smiling widely now as she looked between Niall and me. “I’m so sorry, my dear. I was so busy trying to get to know Brittany that I’m afraid I didn’t give her much of a chance to even take a bite.”
“Oh, no, Your Highness,” I said. “It’s fine. Truly. I enjoyed our conversation.” As I said it, I realized it was absolutely the truth. Queen Merida was a kind and gentle soul, I could already tell that much.
Niall nodded at his mother, but he was still watching me. “I’ll take you out for lunch then. Meet me at the house.”
The way he said it left no room for objection, and I quickly found I was more than happy to do as he said, especially if the alternative was sitting here with Yivonne and her death glares.
I nodded, and that was apparently all he needed. He turned to his mother, truly acknowledging her for the first time. “Mother.” Still not a word or glance for Yivonne.
I took that as my cue to leave. Oddly, I wanted to thank him for the excuse because this lunch had gone from an enjoyable conversation with the queen to awkward really freaking fast. I didn’t know what to make of any of it.
I pulled my gaze from Niall and found the queen still smiling at me.