"Thanks, Scar." I blushed.
"Whatever happens, don't blame the queen's silliness on yourself." She let go of my hand and smiled warmly as she elegantly floated away. "I'll ring you for tea, later!"
I sighed, feeling slightly lighter despite the heavy burden on my shoulders. With my family shamed and my country in turmoil, I essentially walked into the lion's den. But at least I had friends on my side.
My first instinct when I entered my apartment was to call my parents. I settled into my temporary palace home two days ago and hadn't talked to my family since I arrived.
Mum picked up on the second ring. "Hello, Stella dear!"
"Hello, Mum! How is everything back home?"
"Ha, you needn't ask, dear. You know how time stands still out here on the edge of civilization. How is all in the capital?"
My spine grew straighter as I listened to my mother's voice. I imagined her sitting up straight as well, with her ankles crossed modestly like a royal Lady should.
"Alright, I suppose. I met Her Majesty's natural son this morning with Ale- er, Prince Alexander and Princess Scarlett. The Princess and I are having tea this afternoon."
"Oh my, how I miss a good cup of tea. Have an extra cup for me, dear. I can’t even stomach the smell of coffee at this point." Her disgust came across clearly on the phone.
"Of course I will, Mum," I replied, fidgeting in my seat. I knew what she would ask next. As royals do, she was just getting the polite conversation out of the way.
"So what is Her Majesty's other son like? Will he be up to the task?"
"I don't know. We visited him quite early and he's not a morning person, apparently," I sighed. "He's... intense, I suppose."
“How do you mean, dear?”
I sighed, wondering how to describe him without mentioning that he set my body on fire and stared at me like he wanted to devour me like a meal.
“He’s intimidating. Very tall and strong looking and didn’t talk much. He’s a blue-collar worker, you know.”
"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you," Mum chuckled. I knew she wanted to ask more details but being nosy is not royal or polite. "I'm sure you'll do a fine job and make us proud, dear."
"Thanks, Mum." No pressure or anything. "How is Janie doing?"
She paused and I heard her fidget nervously on the other end. "No improvement I'm afraid. She's holding on like a soldier, though."
I swallowed the dry lump in my throat. My nanny's cancer diagnosis last year shocked all of us to our cores. She had been sick for a while but that woman was stubborn as a mule. When she finally allowed the doctor to take her in, it had spread from her breast tissue to her stomach, liver, and lungs.
The prognosis wasn't good, but Janie wasn't ready to let go and neither was I. She was like a second mother to me, and I took on this absurd task for her just as much as my blood family.
To add one more item to the laundry list of things wrong with the country, the queen mandated that the best doctors in Amberfall only treat her and her immediate family. For our small island kingdom, the impact was huge. Especially for complex treatments like cancer.
If there was a chance I could reinstate my family's position, overturning the mandate would be a whole separate issue. But if I succeeded, we would be one step closer to saving Janie and that meant something.
"Tell her I called and said I miss her." I tried my best to keep my voice steady.
"Of course I will, love. It'll lift her spirits, I'm sure."
With a deep breath, I gripped the phone so hard that my fingers ached.
"Mum?"
"Yes, love?"
"I'll make it happen. I promise."
CHAPTER 4
STELLA
I changed out of my blouse and trousers into a soft blue wrap dress to meet Scarlett for tea. She greeted me with a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek as if she hadn't seen me all day.
"Did you get a chance to speak with your family?"
"I called and talked to Mum for a bit this morning after we got back from Gavin's." My stomach gurgled as the servers set out charcuterie and miniature sandwich trays. After hearing about Janie and spending the last few hours a worried wreck, I didn't have the will to eat all day. But being in Scarlett's presence filled me with ease and my appetite returned with a roar.
"I've always admired your mother.” Scarlett prepared and poured her tea elegantly. “I remember when that whole bullshit—pardon my French— investigation against your father went down. Her Majesty's Cabinet tried to buy your mother off but she refused and stood beside him."
"I had no idea what was going on,” I replied. “I was only ten at the time and they barely said anything to me." Unable to hold back any longer, I helped myself to bits of cheese and prosciutto from the charcuterie plate.
"They wanted to protect you, of course. " Scarlett's phone buzzed on the table next to her as she poured from the teapot and she chuckled at the screen.
"Alex keeps texting from the Cabinet meeting. Poor guy says he wants to blow his brains out."
"What are they discussing?" I asked before I could stop myself. Royal Cabinet meetings between her Majesty and her advisors were top secret, naturally. But with the— bullshit indeed— policies coming out of them left and right lately, anyone had to wonder what they talked about.
"They're planning a charity ball to show the queen's sympathy for the poor," Scarlett said with her signature eye roll. "Of course it's morphing into this lavish monster of a party that will cost ten times more that it donates to the shelters. I swear, my mother is a cartoon character."
She looked at me with a small smirk. "Sometimes I envy you, Stella. Alex is my only family member that I can tolerate."
"I'd rather be in your position that mine right now." Gavin's hard, brooding stare popped into my mind's eye. I remembered how his eyes crawled over me invasively like he saw directly through my clothes and shuddered. How could I turn him into a royal if he didn't even know basic manners like not staring at me like a piece of meat?
Scarlett's phone buzzed again several more times as a long string of messages came through. A surprised, wide-eyed expression came across her face as she read them and looked at me.
"Sorry, love but you'll want to switch places with me even more after you hear this," she said uneasily.
"What?" My heart dropped into my stomach as I waited for her answer.
"Her Majesty has decided the charity ball is the perfect occasion to introduce her long-lost son to the public and the Royal Cabinet."
I swallowed, trying to push down my rising panic.
"And when is it?"
Scarlett bit her bottom lip. "In two weeks."
CHAPTER 5
GAVIN
"BZZZZZZZZZT!"
"Fucking hell, go away!" I shoved my head underneath my pillow in a futile effort to block the sound of my door buzzer.
"BZZZZZZZZZZZT!" It only continued insistently, helping my hangover ring my head like a gong.
"God fucking damn it!" I hissed through clenched teeth as I bolted up in bed and stormed to the door, ready to rip the head off the neighborhood kids fucking with my sleep.
With an aggressive pull, I yanked open the door to see the last person I expected.
Lady Stella, Scar's friend who came over with them yesterday.
Her hair was done up tastefully, exposing her long, graceful neck and delicate, yet prominent cheekbones. She wore slim trousers with flats, a simple top, and a tailored blazer. Somehow she made herself look casual with a perfect royal polish.
And there I stood, wearing nothing but my boxer briefs and distinctive morning wood.
"Ah, good morning..." I stammered.
She abruptly turned her head to fixate on the peeling paint on the wall, but the flush of red creeping up her neck indicated she already got an eye full.
"Good morning, Gavin. I'm sorry to disturb you," she said formally. I relaxed my aggressive posture and leaned casually against the doorjamb, dari
ng her to look at me again. Her discomfort was nothing short of adorable.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Stella?" I drawled in my sexy, hoarse morning voice.
"New orders have arrived from the palace. We're to begin your training immediately."
I raised my eyebrows. "What happened to letting me think about it?"
"I’m afraid that's no longer an option." Her bright, hazel eyes flickered over to me and locked onto mine. I could practically hear her shouting at herself to not look lower. "There's an event in two weeks that Her Majesty wants you to attend. The whole country will be watching it on television. You have to be ready by then."
I looked at her incredulously. This girl may have been shy and naive, but she had some serious gumption to march up to my door and start making demands.
"And what if I refuse? What if I want no part in this?" Maybe it was obvious to her but I failed to see why I should give any amount of fucks.
Right before my eyes, her armour cracked and her cool, robotic demeanor flipped 180 degrees.
"Gavin, please," her breath hitched in her chest as her lower lip trembled and her voice cracked. “I can’t tell you why, but I need this.” Her hand shook as it reached up to stop a tear from escaping onto her lovely face.
Well shit, I didn't expect that response. And the last thing I needed was a woman crying on my doorstep.
"Hey, hey. Look, I'm sorry." I reached out to put a hand on her arm and the pleading look on her face was heartbreaking.
Guilt ate away at the little heart I had left. She didn't want to do this any more than I did but something was clearly forcing her. And with how hospitable I had been at yesterday's visit, it must've taken all of her willpower to come back.
Great job, asshole.
"Come inside," I offered awkwardly.
She nodded with a sniffle and stepped past me through the doorway, hugging her arms close as though to avoid touching me at all costs.
"I'll put some clothes on and be right back," I told her after shutting the door. "Make yourself at home."
She nodded again and glanced at her slummy surroundings. It was almost laughable how out of place Miss Prim & Posh Stella looked in my dumpy flat. But she did a good job of keeping the disgust out of her expression. If anything, she seemed curious.
As I pulled on yesterday's shirt and jeans, I wondered what part she played in this whole mess. Why did she have to be the one to teach me all this royalty bullshit and why was it with a proverbial gun to her head?
I zipped my fly and snapped my belt buckle into place as I returned to the living area. My jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw Stella in my kitchen.
Making coffee.
She set the pot underneath the drip filter and gave me a sheepish look. "I thought we could both use some," she said quietly.
"You drink coffee?" I couldn’t believe my eyes. All royals came off as though they’d rather be waterboarded than drink it. Even Alex and Scarlett gagged when I made them try it.
"I like the taste, actually. Don't tell the prince and princess." Gone was the scared, innocent girl at my front door. She looked more at ease than a minute ago and dare I say, a bit naughty with that last statement.
"Well, color me surprised," I said as I leaned against the counter. "You're the most un-royal Lady I've ever met."
"I'm not a Lady. I told you that yesterday."
"So why are you the one teaching me?"
She didn't have an answer for that and chose to fiddle with the coffee filters instead. Back to uncomfortable and afraid.
I tried again. "Does Queen Cunt have something to do with you not being a Lady anymore?"
That got a reaction. "Don't say such things!" Stella's eyes nearly bulged out of her head and her nostrils flared as she turned the color of a tomato. "The first rule of royalty is to never speak such unrefined words."
God damn, angry was such a cute look on her.
I smirked. "Sorry, baby but you’ve got your work cut out for you. I'm as unrefined as they come."
"And no pet names!" She narrowed her eyes at me and crossed her arms in front of her chest, which surprised me for the third time that day. Maybe she wasn't a meek, fragile porcelain doll after all.
"Well, the question stands, Miss Not-A-Lady Stella. You were apparently a Lady at some point but not anymore. Why is that?"
I watched as she chewed her lower lip and felt my cock twitch in my pants as I thought about biting that lip for her.
Fuck.
Getting her all worked up was not only adorable to watch, she was getting me all worked up.
"My lack of a title doesn't concern you," she replied snippily. "Prince Alex and Princess Scarlett felt I was the best person to teach you. If you doubt my qualifications, you can take it up with them. I have my own reasons for accepting the job. Now, shall we begin?"
Just like that, I saw walls go up around Fort Stella. She'd throw hot coffee in my face before telling me any more about herself.
I could respect that. I had my own walls built up that I'd never let anyone through. But I wasn't satisfied with her answer. She'd be here in my home, my personal space, playing a hand in changing my life forever. I had a right to know what her deal was.
I'd scale the walls of Fort Stella. And maybe get a few unrefined words out of her while I was at it.
CHAPTER 6
GAVIN
"So, how'd it go?"
I threw back another shot of liquor before glaring at Alex's smug face.
"There wasn't really any 'it' to go. She just talked at me about manners and politeness and shit, then she left."
And damn her ass looked fine on her way out.
"Well, you've gotta start somewhere." Alex nursed his beer while I motioned to the bartender, Kyla, for another shot. She gave me a dirty look then flicked a bar towel over her shoulder and walked away. I sighed. She was still bitter about me not wanting to pursue anything more after I took her home one night.
"I'm a paying customer, sweetheart, unless you forgot," I called after her.
"Don't be a dick to Stella. She's in a rough spot," Alex said, ignoring my plight of not having anything to drink in front of me.
"No shit. I could tell that much but nobody wants to say what the actual fuck is going on," I lamented. Was it really so much to ask for details before my life got flipped upside down?
"Everyone's worried about what to talk about and how much, even in the Cabinet." Alex pulled his cap down lower over his eyes to maintain anonymity. So far, no one in the bar had recognized him that night. "You never know what ridiculous thing Her Majesty is going to take offense to and punish you over."
"Right, so I don't get why everyone is bending over backwards to make that crazy bitch happy. This charity event sounds like a horseshit publicity stunt. I don't know why everyone cares so much. She obviously doesn't."
If my disdain for the queen wasn’t already palpable, it rolled off me in waves at the thought of being used as her pawn for publicity. It made me absolutely sick.
"Because it's a tiny step in the right direction,” Alex replied. “It means she'll listen to other people's advice and not just her yes-men if we can avoid a total fucking civil war."
"And Stella fits into all this, how exactly?"
He drained the remainder of his beer glass. "That's something you'll have to ask her."
"Aw, come on!" I groaned, perhaps a little loudly. Kyla shot me another dirty look as other customers glanced at me nervously.
I ground my teeth as I looked down at the bar. I hated nothing more than being stared at. I might be a tall, tattooed son of a bitch but I'm not a violent drunk and I don't like having attention called to myself. This whole turning-royal business got under my skin more than I cared to admit.
When Stella was at my place going over our first lesson, I barely registered anything she told me. I just watched her lips move and listened to the sound of her voice. She sounded bright and musical. I wouldn’t mind hearing what she sounded like
when moaning my name.
Part of me wanted to interrupt her and ask her questions about herself. But I had to scale the walls of her emotional fortress gently, or she'd never let me in.
Her smile shone like a clear beacon in my memory. I only caught a brief glimpse of it while she was over, but it was enough to stick in my head like a catchy song. When she drank my coffee—which most royals turn up their noses at and call it dirt water— she smiled at how it tasted. Her eyes lit up and her face flushed with a warm glow before she went all royal business again. Even I didn’t like coffee at first, but like me, Stella drank it as black and bitter as my soul.
"Stella's a good girl,” Alex assured. “She's sheltered, a bit naive. But she knows the royal lifestyle in and out. So go easy on her."
I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you're trying to set us up."
Alex shrugged but his wily smirk spoke volumes. "You're about to become a royal bachelor. Casual hook ups are more damaging to our reputations than with ordinary folks. If you want the press to leave you alone, it's better to settle down."
I laughed and lowered my voice. "What about you then, Playboy Prince? You're twenty-five now and no betrothal in sight. It's awfully funny you're talking to me about settling down."
Alex's playful expression dropped and his face turned steely. He tried to appear casual but I knew how much this topic bothered him.
"I just haven't found the right person yet. It’s especially hard as the prince," he said, looking intently into his empty beer glass. "It'll be a long time before the throne is mine. I'm young enough, I've got plenty of time to figure it out."
Beauty and the Bastard: A Royal Bad Boy Romance Page 3