“Henny,” I choke as tears fall from my eyes.
“Let’s get this news over with and tell our families,” he mutters.
“Can you kiss me one more time before all hell breaks loose?” I practically beg.
“I’ll kiss you every day for the rest of your life, if you’ll allow it,” he murmurs as his lips crash against mine and he takes me in a hard, wet kiss. “Even if you don’t, I’ll kiss you anyway.”
We break apart and I hurry to the shower to rinse off the pool water and wash my hair. I don’t bother styling my hair. Instead, I just braid it down one shoulder before I get dressed. I throw on a pair of cuffed black shorts and a loose, yellow sleeveless top before slipping into a pair of flat sandals.
“Ready?” Henrik asks.
I look over at him, lounging, his back against the headboard of my bed and his legs stretched out. He looks nothing like the prince that he is. He looks like just a regular man around my age. It’s then that I realize I don’t know how old he is. There are so many things that I don’t know about him; his age is just one of the many things.
“How old are you?” I ask.
“You don’t know?”
I shake my head and wait for his answer.
“C’mere,” he murmurs.
I walk over to him as he swings his legs around and plants them on the floor, widening his thighs before he wraps his hands around my waist and pulls me between them. I don’t speak, waiting for his answer, enjoying his hands as they wrap around the outside of my thighs and move up to my hips.
“You really don’t know anything about me, do you?” his voice rumbles deeply.
“No. I only know what little you’ve told me, and I saw on television that you were engaged. But no, I don’t know anything else,” I admit.
“Do you know how absolutely refreshing it is to meet a woman who has zero clue who I am? Who isn’t looking at me and thinking of all the things she could gain from knowing me? This, this is one of the many reasons why I truly believe you were brought to me, Caitriona,” he murmurs as he looks up at me. “I’m thirty-one years old. I’m much too old to have behaved the way I did by getting pissed and marrying a stranger, but I’m glad that I did.”
“We’re crazy. This is crazy,” I whisper.
“Right. It’s insanity; but do you want to wonder about us for the rest of your life?”
“Not one single minute more,” I admit.
“Then let’s tell everybody. Let’s tell them our decision and then tell them to fuck off when they try to change our minds,” he grins.
I don’t speak. I nod as my response and he stands, moving his hands up my spine until one is wrapped around the back of my neck and the other is pressing against the middle of my back. Then he kisses me again. It’s another, hard, wet kiss that sends my brain and body into a tailspin of want and lust.
“Let’s get this over and done, precious,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Yeah,” I sigh.
Together, we start to walk toward the door, then Henrik grasps my hand and pulls me into his chest.
“This is going to be all right, Riona. This is going to work out, I swear to you,” he says with conviction.
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself, Henny?” I ask, watching as he closes his eyes and his grip on me tightens for a second.
He nods once, not answering me at all, and I know his answer. He’s trying to convince himself, and that’s okay. It really is. This whole situation is scary, and I can’t imagine what he’s feeling. This doesn’t just affect us and our families, this is an impact that we can’t really estimate. I watch as he closes his eyes for a second, inhaling a deep breath as his grasp on me tightens. We walk hand-in-hand toward the main house, toward our families—or at least part of his.
The scene inside of James and Madison’s house is almost comical. Almost. James and Madison are sitting on one side of the table while Phillip and his fiancée, are at the other.
James and Beatrice are looking everywhere but at the people across from them, and Phillip and Madison are staring straight into each other’s eyes. Madison is looking challengingly at him, and he’s just smirking at her.
“Everything is all sorted, then?” Phillip asks as I close the sliding back door behind me.
“It is,” Henrik announces, without offering any more information.
“Well, somebody fucking tell me something, dammit,” Madison growls.
“Madison—,” I warn and am cut off by Henrik.
“Apparently, our weekend in Las Vegas was very fruitful, Madison, as we’re married,” Henrik announces.
I watch as she gasps and her eyes bug out of her head. James’ eyes are now focused on the table top, and I can tell he’s extremely uncomfortable. He likely knows that Madison is about to freak the hell out.
“What?” she whispers.
“It’s true. I didn’t think it was a legal marriage, though I remember it all. Henrik doesn’t remember any of it. The palace’s security team discovered it while they were gathering documents for Henrik’s marriage to Eugenie,” I explain, knowing that if I don’t tell her everything, she won’t let me even think before she finds out every detail.
“What do you mean, you didn’t think it was legal?” Madison asks with a narrowed eye. “You’ve known this whole time and you never said anything to me? You do realize I’m an attorney. I could have found out if it was legal or not,” she scolds, shouts, and glares all at once.
“It was a ceremony given by a terrible Elvis impersonator after three in the morning, and we were completely plastered,” I say in my defense.
“Never mind the details, what’s done is done,” Henrik interrupts.
“Yes, and now that that’s sorted, I have the annulment papers and the non-disclosure agreement that Caitriona can sign so that we can all be on our way,” Philip announces.
I feel Henrik tense beside me, squeezing my hand tightly again.
“That will not be happening, Philip. Caitriona and I are married. I’ll not be abandoning her,” Henrik says as he releases my hand and slides his arm around my shoulders, bringing me closer to his side.
“Bloody hell,” Philip mutters; but instead of a frown, I watch as a smile tips his lips. “The family is going to completely come unglued at this news.”
“Yes, I realize this; but there are more important things in life than how grandfather and father feel,” he mutters.
“Damn right, there are,” Philip chuckles.
“Philip, I don’t understand,” Beatrice whispers loudly.
“My brother has taken some rather fantastic advice, and he’s going to end the engagement he has with that horrible woman by keeping his wife—his wife,” Philip says.
“This is going to be a mess,” Madison mutters. “I fucking love it. But you listen here, mister—Caitriona is my best friend, and I will hunt you down if you hurt her.”
“Understood,” Henrik chuckles.
“So you’re leaving me?” Madison says, turning to face me with tears in her eyes.
I don’t speak. I can’t. All I can do is nod. I am leaving her. She’s finally pregnant, and I’m going to be an aunt, and I’m leaving her. It’s all too much. Madison stands and hurries over to me, wrapping me in her arms.
“I want you to be so fucking happy,” she whispers through her quiet sobs. “But why do you have to be happy so far away from me?”
Together we cry softly and hold one another. Everybody else in the room melts away, and it’s just my best friend and me. Then, I feel another’s arms around me, and I realize it’s James.
“This is bullshit,” he rasps.
“I love you, James,” I sigh.
“Let’s all take a few hours to regroup, rest, and then we’ll have a dinner here. A family dinner,” Madison says, clearing her throat as we break away from our hug.
We all go our separate ways. Henrik informs me that he has several phone calls to make and that he’ll be back later in the eveni
ng with Philip and Beatrice for dinner. He leaves me with a soft kiss that, of course, leaves me wanting so much more from him.
“YOU’RE A DIRTY LITTLE SLUT, Cait,” Madison announces as I begin chopping up vegetables for our salad.
“How so?” I ask.
“You fucking married him and didn’t tell me? Plus, you fucked him today, didn’t you?” she says with a wide smile. How she knows about that, I have zero clue.
“I didn’t know we were married, Mads; I swear. I told you that I thought it wasn’t legal,” I answer, evading her second question as best I can.
“Okay, I can possibly believe that crap, but you fucked him today, right?”
“I did. I’m his wife. How can I hold out on him?” I ask, taking a gulp from my glass of wine with a giggle.
“How was it?” Madison asks while filling a pot full of water to boil noodles for spaghetti.
It’s the only thing she knows how to make, and since my brain isn’t functioning, I just let her make it for tonight. I’m not in the mood to cook a fancy meal for everybody, and James is hiding out, afraid to get in the middle of girl-talk.
“Dare I say, amazing?” I watch as her eyes shoot up and her smile turns into a knowing grin.
“Good. Good that’s good, Cait, you deserve amazing sex,” she nods like she’s agreeing with herself.
I do deserve amazing sex, especially since I haven’t ever had amazing sex with anybody. I’m not a timid virgin by any means, but the partners I’ve had have all lacked in the bedroom department.
Henrik lacks in nothing, not a single aspect of the bedroom, and this morning proved it. We were both completely sober and it was still absolutely outstanding.
“I’m scared,” I whisper as I walk over to a barstool and sit down.
“Yeah, I would be fucking terrified. You don’t even know what kind of shit storm awaits you. He’s going to have to publicly break off his engagement to Eugenie, and then, publicly announce your marriage all at once. Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, there is the major detail of his family. I highly doubt they’re going to be welcoming you into their waiting, loving arms.”
I wince. She’s totally right. I am so fucked. Completely and totally fucked.
“You aren’t making this any better, Mads.”
“I wish I could, but newsflash: this situation is about to go public, and viral, and there isn’t any way around that shit. Your whole life is about to change. Plus, you’ll be moving to a new country. Shit is going to go down, sweet cheeks, and there’s nothin’ anybody can do about it. So, you better just put on your big girl panties, strap those huge titties down, and roll with the punches, ‘cause I’m betting those punches are going to be heavyweight champion shit.”
I gape at her, my mouth wide open. She’s right on all accounts. Even if her analogies are a bit odd, she’s right. This whole thing is going to be a media circus. I feel like hiding in the fetal position under a table just thinking about it.
“What time are they supposed to be here?” James asks from the kitchen’s entrance.
I open my mouth to tell him, but the doorbell rings instead. He chuckles and waves it off before he turns and walks away to answer the door.
“I’m freaking out,” I admit.
“Well, yeah,” Madison shrugs.
“You’re supposed to help me,” I say, giving her a small glare.
“I can’t help with this one. This is way over even my head.”
Our conversation quickly comes to an end as Henrik walks into the kitchen. The air is thick with tension. We’re all stressed out about the unknown that awaits us.
“You need to relax, precious,” he whispers in my ear as he wraps is arms around my waist from behind.
“Hhmmmm,” it’s all I can say back.
I need to relax. Sure, I’ll relax—when I’m not thinking about the media circus, or my face being plastered everywhere, or the fact that I’m his wife, or his family and, I’m sure, my eminent public humiliation.
“It will be just fine, Riona,” he whispers. As if on cue, his cellphone rings.
I chance a glance and it says Eugenie Ice Bitch calling. I feel dread fill the room and my entire being. Henrik doesn’t leave the room to talk to her. He answers the phone as he’s standing right next to me.
“Hello,” he says into the phone.
Of course, Eugenie chooses this exact moment to return my phone call from earlier. I cringe before answering, knowing that this conversation is going to be extremely unpleasant, and that her voice will become even louder than normal and probably shrill enough to break glass.
“Henrik,” I hear her cold shrewd voice bark.
“Eugenie,” I greet.
“I just tried to go to your place and your security detail wasn’t there. The doorman wouldn’t let me in and told me that you’d gathered your things and left for the airport,” she says.
The woman could work for British Intelligence. She’s like a fucking spy.
“Yes, Eugenie, I’m in America. It’s why I rang you earlier. I need to have a somewhat delicate conversation with you and, unfortunately, I’m afraid it must happen now and over the phone. I had no intention of speaking with you about it like this, however, I’m afraid you’ll hear from the paps first. I would hate for that to happen.”
“Does it have anything to do with that Trollip that’s been plastered all over the media for weeks, with a connection to your little last hurrah in Las Vegas a few weeks ago?” she asks.
I almost laugh at her words; she’s really should be an investigator. I look up and see that both Madison and Caitriona are staring at me. Madison has a smirk on her lips, as if she can’t wait to see what I’m going to say next, hoping it’s going to be some juicy tidbit of information; and Caitriona looks as though she’s going to be sick all over the kitchen floor.
“Caitriona and I are married, Eugenie. We were married weeks ago in Las Vegas. We just didn’t recall it, and Malcom found out only a few days ago,” I explain.
“What?” she screams.
“It’s true. Our engagement must be over. I’ve already approved a proper press release that my team will issue tomorrow morning bright and early. It will in no way implicate that you were the other woman, but it will announce Caitriona as my wife,” I explain as I turn to meet my Riona’s beautiful blue eyes.
“How dare you, Henrik. How am I supposed to come off as unscathed? I will be the other woman because I was, if you’re telling me that you were married in Las Vegas weeks ago,” she growls.
“Eugenie, the press release tells the truth. I fell deeply in love at first sight with Caitriona Geneva Grace in Las Vegas. However, I had to leave the next morning, unaware that we were, indeed, legally united in marriage. Then, during the time my security was filling out the proper paperwork and preparing to file it for our union, it was discovered that I was already married.
“Once I came to the states, I discovered that the marriage would suit me. We’re not going to be dissolving our union. I am sorry that you have been caught up in the scandal, but there it is, and there you go. I will not be offering any other information on the matter as of late, so accept my deepest apologies. I am sure I will see you around,” I explain.
“Well, just wait until your grandfather and father hear of this. She’s an American, Henrik, a title-less American,” she spews. I can practically feel her hatred.
“We aren’t in love, Eugenie. We’ve never even been together. The titles and the pomp bullshit don’t mean anything to me,” I explain.
“They could strip you, and then what?” she challenges.
“I will think about that if it ever happens. For today, I’m not going to think about it. Now, I must be going. I will see you assuredly at some party or another. I wish you all the luck in the world,” I murmur before I end the call.
“Henrik,” Caitriona whispers next to me.
I don’t know if she’s angry or what she is. The look on her face is indescribable to me. I know tha
t she was unaware of the press release. I’d done it as soon as I left her this morning. Perhaps she’s upset about it, but it is something that cannot be avoided.
“Riona,” I murmur back, afraid to say anything else.
“You fell in love with me at first sight?” she asks, tears shining in her beautiful eyes.
“Any man would, Riona; and any man who couldn’t is a fool.”
“I fell for you, too,” she announces before she wraps her arms around my neck and presses her lips to mine.
My Riona.
My wife.
“Alrighty, now let’s eat,” Madison announces after clearing her throat.
The six of us gather at James and Madison’s large dinner table, and after we load our plates with food, there’s silence in the room. The tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
“Caitriona, tell Philip and I about yourself. This has all happened so quickly. I would love to know more about my future sister-in-law,” Beatrice asks Riona very sweetly.
“There isn’t much to tell; not really,” she shrugs.
“What about your family, your work, hobbies?” Beatrice offers.
“Ummm,” Caitriona mutters.
I can feel her leg next to me as it begins to shake. I place my hand on her knee before taking a bite of salad.
“My, umm, James and Madison are my family. I work at a Medical Spa as a receptionist, and it was my boss who called the paparazzi and told them that I was the mystery woman in the tabloids, in hopes of drumming up more business. It’s been a nightmare, and I’ve hated every second of it. I don’t have hobbies, because I don’t have time to really, and even if I did, I’ve never had money for them.”
Caitriona rambles before she stands and rushes off, leaving us to stare after her pathway in surprise. I didn’t know any of this; though, how could I? We don’t really know each other, and that’s never been more apparent.
Royally Relinquished: A Modern Day Fairy Tale Page 9