by S. E. Rose
“Of course, Mr. Rollin. I hope you are enjoying yourself,” the king says as he steps away, allowing Terrance to sweep me across the dance floor.
“We should bail on this party. I hear there’s a rockin’ party at this club downtown,” he whispers in my ear. I pinch his arm.
“Ouch,” he says. “What’s that for?”
“You are being rude, Mr. Rollin,” I reply, emphasizing the last word.
He grins, showing off his perfect white teeth. Terrance’s smile is infectious, and I grin back at him.
“Damn it, fine, but I need to stay for a while. I’m an ‘honored’ guest, you know,” I say smugly, rubbing in my status.
Terrance rolls his eyes. “Honored my ass, KK,” he says. The sound of his nickname for me warms my heart. Terrance is a good guy. I might even consider dating him one day if he ever grows up…which is going to be like never, if I have to guess.
I feel the wall of heat behind me before the tap on my arm. Prince August. I can smell his cologne and a scent that is distinctly him. My head turns toward him of its own volition.
“My turn,” he says in a low voice, his breath caressing my ear.
“Your Highness,” Terrance replies as he bows and steps back to allow Prince August to take me in his arms. I get a final wink from Terrance before he disappears into the crowd.
“Back so soon, Your Highness?” I ask him as I look up into eyes that are so intense, they take my breath away.
He spins around and leans into my ear. “I don’t like to share,” he whispers.
I have no idea how to respond to that. Zero fucking clue. So, I do what I always do when I’m unsure. I mimic.
“You don’t like to share?” I repeat as a question.
“I think you heard me, Kathryn,” he says in a low gravelly voice.
August
I feel her shiver in my arms at the words I’ve said. I’m not sure when I became this barbarian, but when I saw her tonight, I knew I had to make her mine. The fact that Terrance fucking Rollin thinks he can have my date only makes my caveman tendencies deepen. Terrance is Chris’s friend, and he is a bit of a self-obsessed asshole, albeit a fun one, but an asshole, nonetheless.
I know it’s juvenile of me, but it’s my party, well, my family’s party, and she’s my date. I twirl Kate around the floor before leading her off the dance floor when Terrance grabs Gwen. Motherfucker. He knows about my hook-up with Gwen.
I decide to take matters into my own hands.
“Let me show you around the grounds,” I say to Kate as I lead her out the doors into the garden. The evening air is brisk as I tuck her arm in mine, and we begin to walk the path.
“Cold?” I ask her when I see chill bumps form on her arm.
“A little,” she admits. I may be an asshole, but I’m also a gentleman. I take off my jacket and drape it over her shoulders. She pulls it around herself. She looks adorable in it. I realize just how small she is because she’s dwarfed by it.
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and rub her arm, trying to warm her a bit. I point out various buildings as we walk. I take us to the stables, which are heated.
“Do you like horses?” I ask her as we enter.
“I do,” she says. Her quiet manner has me wondering if she hates me or if she’s nervous.
“This is my horse, Brego.” I don’t mention he’s one of four horses that I own.
Her eyes widen. “Lord of the Rings?”
I grin. “Yep,” I reply as I give Brego a pat.
“I didn’t peg you as a Tolkien fan,” she says as she scratches Brego’s neck. He rubs against her hand, clearly enjoying her attention.
I shrug. “There’s probably a lot that people don’t know about me.” So many things that they don’t know, I add to myself.
“Do you ride?” I ask.
She nods. “When I was growing up, but not much anymore.”
“We have more horses at the Summer Palace. You really should saddle up one day and go for a ride. It’s a great way to see the estate.”
“I’d like that,” she says thoughtfully as she continues to stroke Brego’s long mane.
“So, who’s the woman?” she asks, not looking over at me.
“The woman?”
She glances over with a knowing look, and I sigh. “Just someone that I hooked up with a long time ago. She is…husband-hunting or should I say prince-hunting. I never should have hooked up with her. It was my mistake. I knew her game.” And that’s the truth. It was my mistake. I don’t mention that I hook up with many women and regret doing it most of the time. It’s a way to forget. One night of physical lust and usually drinks, and I can forget everything for a few hours. There’s probably a decade worth of therapy sessions that I need, but it’s the dark, ugly truth.
“Hey,” she says quietly, squeezing my arm and jarring me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry,” I reply, giving her a tight smile. “I should probably get you back up to the palace before they send out a search party.”
“Prince August—”
“Auggie, please,” I correct her.
“Auggie,” she starts again, “Terrance and I were going to go out later…maybe ditch the pomp and circumstance a little early. Would you…I mean, if you aren’t busy, would you like to join us?” She looks up at me and I notice for the first time how long her dark lashes are. She’s…breathtaking, not anything like the young girl I remember in the photos from her father’s inauguration.
I smile at her. “I think I would like that.” Normally, I’d only hang with Terrance if we were with a big crowd of people. He grates on my nerves. But something inside me pulls me to Kate. I want to know her, want to get to know her.
“Well, then, my lady, I think we should wrap up this ball,” I say with a wink as I hold out my arm to her. She giggles as she slides her arm through mine and lets me guide her back up to the palace ballroom.
Kathryn
Auggie…it’s weird to say that, like I know him or something…is not exactly like I thought he would be. It’s confusing. Between his charming behavior at the hospital and now, I’d swear he was just trying to get in my pants.
To be clear, he’s not the first guy to try to get in my pants. Being the daughter of a president means that people wanting to suck on the power teat constantly are trying to get with you. I learned that the hard way a long time ago. My thoughts go to my one and only ex-boyfriend, Jared Farrington.
Auggie’s hand presses against my back, bringing me out of my thoughts. He leans into my ear.
“You OK, secret agent girl?” he asks.
I pause and look up at him. He’s tall but only by a few inches while I’m in these ridiculous heels. “Yeah, I…” I trail off as I look across the room and see Jared as though my imagination has conjured him up.
Suddenly, Jared is blocked because Auggie is standing in front of me. His hand cups my cheek and I look up at him.
“You don’t look so good,” he says as he pulls me into an alcove along the hallway that leads out to a balcony. I grasp the railing and look out into the gardens of the palace. What the fuck is Jared doing here?
“Breathe, Kate,” Auggie says as he wraps his jacket more tightly around me. I realize that I’m trembling.
I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. When I feel under control again, I open them. Auggie is rubbing my back and something about that gives me strength.
“What was that about?” he demands. I can’t tell if he’s pissed off or just used to acting like a dick.
I clear my throat, giving myself a minute to figure out what to say.
“My ex, Jared Farrington, is here,” I admit to him, opting for the truth. I look everywhere but into his eyes. His hand goes to my chin and he slowly pushes my head up until I’m forced to look him in the eye.
“And why would that scare you?” he inquires as though he can see right through me. I know my skin is turning pink with embarrassment.
I close my eyes and take another
breath. “W-we didn’t end on a good note,” I stammer.
When I open my eyes again, Auggie is mere inches from my face and his eyes are blazing with anger.
“What did he do to you?” he growls.
I can’t stop the single tear that manages to escape my eye. Auggie catches it on his thumb. His look goes from anger to concern in a split second.
“Kate?” he encourages me, his voice taking on a less angry tone.
“H-he was…h-he…I shouldn’t have…” I stumble in my explanation.
“Kate, I won’t judge you. I promise,” Auggie says. How can a man that I just met know exactly what to say to calm me down?
I close my eyes so I don’t have to see the look in his as I vocalize the truth.
“We dated for two years. He was a year ahead of me in high school. My parents only let me go out with him because his dad is a senator and is friendly with my parents. At first, he was nice. I mean, it’s hard to be mean when two armed Secret Service agents are a few feet away. Then, one night, a few weeks after he had started at an Ivy League university, I decided to surprise him. I had a friend cover for me, and I snuck out of her house and drove to see him. He was in his dorm room. I overheard a conversation that I shouldn’t have heard. He…was using me to get information for his father who wanted something from my dad. I turned to leave and tripped. He heard me and…well, he was less than happy. If his neighbor hadn’t stopped him…anyhow, his dad made a deal with mine to keep him out of jail and to keep me out of the spotlight. Because of that, I rarely see him…I mean, it’s been years now.” I look up at Auggie.
“He beat you,” he says in a low menacing voice.
I shrug. “Let’s just say…his temper…he got physical,” I admit.
“Stay here,” Auggie says. He turns to leave but then surprises me by grabbing me and pulling me against him. He presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Kate.” He lets me go and walks quickly back into the ballroom. I stand there stunned, trying to put together what just happened. Auggie just hugged me and kissed me. My mind runs in circles attempting to marry the Auggie that just did that with the Prince August that I’ve heard so much about. I suddenly wonder if anyone really knows Auggie at all.
Chapter Five
August
I pull my father’s secretary over to me.
“We have a guest that should not be here,” I say in a low voice.
“I’m s-sorry, Your Highness? Who?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.
I nod in the direction of Jared. “Jared Farrington.”
“I see. Should I have him escorted out?”
I shake my head. “I am taking Kate out of here. And I expect him to be on the blacklist from now on.”
“But, Your Highness, it’s only nine,” he says, looking at his pocket watch.
“I know that. Figure it out,” I snap as I walk away. I decide if I’m going to make Kate’s night better, I need to eat some humble pie and find Terrance.
It only takes me a minute because the guy is holding court on the far side of the ballroom.
“Who’s the fucking prince, now?” I mutter to myself as I walk toward him.
“Auggie, man, what’s up?” he says as I approach.
“Same old,” I reply. I feel the eyes of all six girls surrounding him boring into me as I speak. I lean in toward him. “Uh, can I have a word with you?”
Terrance looks surprised, and I fight the smirk that threatens to emerge on my face.
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
I pull him aside. “How well do you know Kate?” I ask.
“Kate, Kate Bradford?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ve known her for a long time,” he says. “Why?”
“Do you know her ex, Jared?”
Terrance frowns. “Unfortunately, why?”
“He’s here.”
Terrance looks around and then freezes. “That motherfucker,” he growls.
“Whoa, dude. I’ve been debriefed. I don’t want to cause a scene. I figured since you’re friends with Kate, you’d help me sneak her out of here to go have some fun and forget about Jared.”
Terrance looks me over as though sizing me up. I raise an eyebrow.
“You into her, man?”
I shrug.
Terrance points his finger at me. “If you so much as look at her the wrong way, I will fuck your royal ass up? Capiche?”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, capiche.”
“I mean it.”
“Fine, whatever. Can you help me?”
He nods. “Yeah, sure thing. What’s your plan?”
I lean in and explain how we will sneak out Kate. Five minutes later, I’m back on the balcony.
“Miss Bradford,” I say, extending my arm to her. She looks less pale but her eyes dart around nervously as I lead her along the wall and down a back hall. Terrance meets us as we round the corner.
“Mission accomplished?” I ask him. He nods.
“Kate, you OK?” he asks.
She nods. “Yeah, just…I didn’t know he would be here.”
“Come on,” I say to them as I lead them to the tunnel we use to sneak out of the building. This whole production is a lot more cumbersome than normal.
“Stay here. I’m getting us some different clothes,” I say to them. I hurry to my sister’s room and snag an outfit that I know she won’t even miss. Terrence is a little bulkier than me, but I find something for him in my closet and return with the clothes.
“Put these on,” I say.
Kate’s eyes go wide. “Here?” she practically screeches.
I round the corner with her. “You can change here. I’ll wait around the corner with Terrance.”
Kathryn
“What am I doing?” I murmur to myself as I strip out of my ball gown and into a t-shirt and jeans.
“Everything OK over there?” Auggie’s voice calls out in the dim light of the tunnel.
“Yeah,” I reply, cursing under my breath. I pull on the boots he’s brought me and peer around the corner. Auggie and Terrance are leaning against the wall whispering.
“Do you two need a minute?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.
Terrance laughs and pushes off the wall to come wrap an arm around me. “Where should I put this?” I say to Auggie, holding out my dress and shoes.
He grabs them and adds them to a pile of clothes he’s already holding. He turns and opens a door. I peer inside and see a small closet. He sets them on a shelf and dusts his hands off as he turns back to face us.
“Let’s go have real fun,” he says with a grin.
“Hell yeah,” Terrance yells.
We follow Auggie down the tunnel until we reach a rather substantial-looking door. He pushes it open and sticks his head out, looking one way and then another.
“Coast is clear, but we better hurry. We have extra security around the grounds tonight,” he says as he ushers us away from the palace. I realize we just walked through to an area outside the palace grounds, and once we cross the street, we become immersed into the hustle and bustle of the city.
We walk a few blocks and then Auggie pulls us down a sketchy-looking alley. He knocks on a door and a moment later a giant man opens it. I can immediately hear the thumping of club music coming from somewhere in the building.
“Augs!” the man cries out and pulls him in for a hug.
“Gusty! How the hell are you?”
“Can’t complain. Hey, Terrance. Give me a minute and I’ll see if I can clear the VIP area,” he says as he walks down a hall and disappears.
“You guys come here often?” I ask them.
They both laugh. “You haven’t been here yet?” Terrance asks. I shake my head.
Terrance grabs my hand. “Well, you are in for a treat, The Study is the most exclusive club in the city.”
A moment later, Gusty appears and escorts us up some stairs to a large room with a balcony overlooking a dance floor.
“Call in the t
roops,” Auggie says to Terrance. He nods and places a few phone calls. Meanwhile, Auggie takes me by the arm and leads me up to a small bar.
“What will it be?” he asks me.
“Gin and tonic,” I say to the bartender who quickly makes my drink. I take a sip.
“Better?” he asks me.
I nod. “Thank you.” He nods as he places his drink order, but his eyes don’t leave me. I feel myself blush under his scrutiny.
The next three hours are a blur of dancing and drinking. Terrance and Auggie make sure that I’m never without a drink or one of them. I feel safe, which is strange because I’m never without security. Thoughts of how pissed Jackie will be waft through my fuzzy mind, but I let it go. I seldom ever sneak out, and I certainly never let go, ever.
Chapter Six
August
After carrying a very drunk and tired Kate back to the palace with Terrance’s help, I set him up in a guest suite and end up putting Kate in my bed. I find a trash can, some medicine, and a glass of water for her. I help get her into one of my t-shirts and tuck her in. The last thing I want is for her to be alone. It takes every cell in my body not to look where I shouldn’t look as I undress her. I keep the lights off just so I won’t be tempted. The entire thing is so unlike me. I’m not a gentleman, at least not in the bedroom.
I lie in bed watching Kate sleep for hours. I’m not sure when I fall asleep, but when I do, I dream of my mother and her crown. I wake to her calling my name and sit up abruptly, my heart racing. I’m dripping with sweat. I look over and Kate is still passed out. I’m not sure what comes over me, but I need to go to the crown jewels vault.
I throw on a t-shirt and head down to the secret room that is under the palace. I walk past the guard and perform the crazy number of scans required to gain access. Once inside, I pause in front of the empty spot, the one that used to house my mother’s favorite tiara.
I place my hands on the ledge and stare at it, as though staring hard enough will make it appear. The vault door opening startles me, and I turn to see Anna.