Royally Duched Up: (Duched #3)

by Xavier Neal

  He digs out his own bite. “How could I forget? It was one of my favorite things about studying with you when we were in the states. That and the adorable way you often fell asleep on your textbooks.”

  My head hits his chest on a chuckle. “Hopefully this is the last time we ever have to do this.”

  “I have no doubt you’re going to pass tomorrow.”

  Makes one of us…

  “And I will be here to take you in the morning.”

  Excitement shoots my eyes to his. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. I have cleared my schedule for tomorrow. Being there for you is my top priority.” Kellan pushes a damp strand behind my ear. “First your test, then brunch at your favorite burger place, followed by a trip to The Rose and an evening filled with balcony sex.”

  “We’re not having balcony sex again,” I fuss. “Your father’s head nearly exploded when you explained why your bare ass was photographed in that position.”

  Newly wed sex may have gotten a bit adventurous after a business dinner one night…

  “Fine,” he surrenders with his spoon hand. “I will take dining room table sex for $400 Alex.”

  Helplessly, I snicker. “That show you get right?”

  “It’s a classic!”

  “So was Rugrats but your lack of knowledge about its existence and horrifying response are huge reminders television shows don’t always cross country lines.”

  Trust me when I say it was a long night and not the pillow talk conversation I originally had in mind.

  “Still think it’s a creepy idea for a cartoon,” he mutters.

  I dip my spoon in the carton and tug us back to the original topic. “So…tomorrow you’re all mine?”

  “Absolutely.” The firmness in his voice erases the apprehension I’m tempted to feel. “I’m ready to silently cheer you on and support you in any fashion you need. Hell, I’ll even wake you with a cup of hot chocolate like I used too.”

  “I’d love that.”

  He lowers his mouth to feather mine. “Well I love you…”

  The combination of his warm words and cold lips causes me to shiver. “I love you too…”

  And I love knowing that he will be by my side on the most important day of my new career.

  Brie

  The sound of the doorbell repeatedly ringing forces me to open my eyes.

  First of all, I hate whoever decided this place needed a doorbell, and second of all, I hate Kellan for not getting his lazy ass out of bed to be the one to answer it. It’s not like he’s the one with a life changing test to take.

  I groan, stretch, and turn my head to snap at him only to find his side of the bed abandoned.

  Where the hell did he go?

  Before I have time to call out his name, a pounding on the door reminds me of the reason I woke up without Kellan’s promised assistance. I shove my glasses on my face and grab my favorite sweatshirt in route to the door.

  Just as the knocking starts again, I swing it open, and snip, “What the fuck is your problem?”

  Guy gives me a baffled look. “Why aren’t you dressed yet?”

  “Because it’s ass early and not time.” His mouth moves, but I cut him off. “Why are you on my doorstep with three cups of coffee?”

  He’s reluctant to answer. “Originally, I thought it would be a kind gesture to bring good luck beverages by. I assumed Kellan would be escorting you to the test center, but wanted to wish you the best as well in person.”

  See. He really is a sweetheart.

  “However, I’ve been banging down this door for the past thirty-five minutes…”

  “What?”

  “And your test is in less than twenty-five.”

  “What!” Instantly my body flies away from him and to the kitchen where the nearest clock is. Seeing the time strangles a squeak out of me. “Holy shit!”

  Guy enters the penthouse still puzzled. “Did you not set an alarm?”

  “No!” I scream, scampering past him for my bedroom.

  “That seems…irresponsible.”

  Now is not the time to take his side!

  “Kellan said he would wake me up!”

  “With all due respect, knowing Kellan’s recent behavior, you didn’t think you needed a backup?”

  No, because I thought I could trust my husband this time. In my defense I even started to set one, but he begged me not to. Begged me to believe he would never let me down in times of importance. Begged me to have enough faith in him to not need a backup system. God, I’m an idiot.

  Hastily, I check my phone for some sort of message or warning that Kellan stepped out for just a minute, but there’s nothing. The lack of information boils resentment in the pit of my stomach. I grab a cream colored, lose fitting, off the shoulder summer dress from the closet and refrain from answering Guy’s question out loud. In record timing, I’ve changed clothes, brushed my teeth, and put my hair into a messy bun.

  The moment I exit my bedroom with my phone in hand, I ask, “Did you drive here?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you drive me there?”

  “But your security detail protocol-”

  “Fuck protocol today, Guy. I don’t have time! If I’m not there in the next fifteen minutes all the hard work I’ve been slaving over for the past five months was for nothing.”

  He hesitates to comply. “You can always take the test again in August.”

  Waves of consternation, aggravation, and heartbreak spin my mind in a cruel circle.

  Do I really want to wait another three months to do this? Do I really just brush off the hours I’ve spent studying, memorizing, and researching? Do I really put my life on hold again because Kellan’s an asshole who can’t keep his word?

  The last question causes me to sneer.

  Screw doing this for him. I’m gonna go take that test for me. For my future. Whether or not we end up together, becoming a teacher is something I want. Where it happens…well that’s a question for another time. This one doesn’t have much wiggle room.

  “I wanna take it today.”

  “Brie-”

  “Will you please drive me?” my voice pleads with tears sticking to it.

  “Of course I will.” He nods, pulling his keys from his pocket. “Do you want me to wait in the lobby for you while you test?”

  I grab my wristlet from the bar. “You don’t have anything else to do today?”

  Guy shrugs. “I can move some shit around.”

  “Really? You don’t have to. I can just-”

  “It’s fine. It’s no big deal.” He offers me a small smile. “You need someone there for support. I care about you. It can be me.”

  His words persuade the tears I’m holding at bay to fall. Quietly, I state, “Thank you.”

  He doesn’t say anything else as he ushers me out the door.

  Support…The thing your spouse is supposed to provide. The thing I’ve given Kellan endless amounts of from the first time he asked. The thing he swore he’d be here to deliver. I don’t know if I’m more upset that he’s not actually here or that I was stupid enough to believe him when he said he would be.

  Kellan

  My hands drag down my face in frustration. “What do you mean you’ve discovered bones?”

  “What else could they possibly mean, Kellan?” Felicity huffs from beside me. “And no matter how many ways you say it, it is still true and a situation we have to deal with immediately.”

  Easy for her to fucking say. It won’t be her bones they find next…

  “Because they’re human, we’ve alerted the proper authorities,” the site supervisor, Jerry, informs politely. “They are sending a team now, but both of you should really be there for the answers they discover.”

  I run a hand through my untamed blonde hair.

  It’s not like I can say no, I have somewhere very important to be. Which I do. Somewhere not just mildly important, but single handedly the most important career milestone Brie has had
of her time here. But discovering human remains can mean two very detrimental issues that could completely tank Hannah’s Hope. This is officially my greatest horror come to life.

  “We’ll ride together,” Felicity sighs, motioning towards her and I. “We’ll be right behind you.”

  Jerry nods and dismisses himself without another word.

  Another heavy sigh leaves me as I pull my cell phone from my sweat pants pocket.

  See. It truly was an unexpected middle of the night problem that needed to be dealt with immediately. I didn’t even have time to put on more than these and a t-shirt. In my defense, I thought whatever was waiting for me could be wrapped up with enough time to not only return home, but stop for the promised hot chocolate. Fuck…She didn’t set an alarm! I have to call! I have to-

  Felicity covers the screen with her hand. “Do you have any idea what we could possibly be up against?”

  “I do.”

  “Do you really?” She snips. “Because if you did, your previous panic would rapidly be increasing.”

  “You think I’m suddenly too calm?”

  “I think you’re trying to distract yourself from the reality that Hannah’s Hope is about to receive a blow it might not be able to bounce back from.”

  My lips press together to prevent voicing my resentment towards her for that comment.

  “Those bones, most likely do not have a pleasing path for us. They are either less than fifty years old, making the digging space a scene of interest in an active criminal investigation, shutting it completely down for months at minimum or they are over a century old making the site an archeological opportunity shutting it down for years if not permanently. On the very, slim odds those remains are somewhere in between? We are still looking at weeks of downtime as they deliberate in the court what to do with them.”

  Hearing my thoughts actually spoken out loud causes my head to fall forward. Trepidation tightens around the nape of my neck. “Bloody hell…”

  Why me? Why does this shit keep happening to me? Am I just not meant to make a difference? Am I not meant to create this? Is this God or the Universe or fate’s way of declaring MINOH is enough, stop trying to aim higher?

  Her hand reaches out for mine, instantly lifting my eyes to hers. “Let’s hope for weeks and start brainstorming alternatives for years.”

  Unsure of what else to say, I whisper, “Alright.”

  “We should get going.”

  I thoughtlessly nod and tuck my phone back into my pocket.

  Do me a favor? Hope or pray or send out smoke signals to whatever it is you believe in that this is not the end of my future. That whatever happens next we can work through it.

  I lean against the rear passenger door and fold my arms tightly across my chest. “They have to test the bones in a lab?”

  “Just to ensure they are indeed as old as he’s predicting, Kellan. I tried to talk Aprille out of it, given that we’re old friends, but she wouldn’t budge. She refuses because it could cost her her job. Apparently it’s indisputable protocol.”

  “It’s ridiculous.”

  “It’s only ridiculous because you can’t have the answers you want the minute you want them.” Felicity positions her body in front of me. “Patience, babe.”

  “Please do not call me that,” I practically growl.

  She glances at her heels for a moment before looking back up to state. “If those bones are not in the historical time frame, then we can keep the property, but for the sake of the children it would probably be wiser to purchase more land and build the sports facility there.”

  “Can we even afford to do that?”

  She sighs, “If we make budget cuts elsewhere.”

  “Like what?”

  “Perhaps the nutritional structuring?”

  “No.”

  “The humanities department you are dead set on?”

  “No.”

  “There’s always the cultural departments. Perhaps music. Or theater. Or-”

  “Do not say it.” I point a stern finger. “Do not even think it.”

  Felicity presses her red lips together.

  “My wife is taking that fucking three hour test specifically to work at Hannah’s Hope!” All of sudden I feel completely winded as if someone punched me in the gut. “Fuck!” Scrambling to pull my phone out, I mentally start preparing for the annihilation I more than deserve at this point.

  I didn’t even fucking text her!? Why didn’t you remind me on the ride over?! Do you want me to get divorced?

  A look of distress settles on my face at the sight of numerous missed calls from palace security.

  “What?” Felicity questions with a cocked head.

  “I don’t know,” I barely state and hit the button to return the call.

  Clarence answers to the phone. “KPS.”

  “You called?”

  “Yes, Prince Kellan. It’s in regards to Princess Brie.”

  My heart wedges itself in my throat. “Is she…is she…is she…”

  “We honestly do not know, sir.”

  “What?!”

  “Why are you yelling?” Felicity interrupts.

  “Shut. Up.” I bite viciously. With my heart racing, I command, “Explain. Now.”

  “Kage called Vincent to confirm the testing situation of this morning. When Vincent informed him you two were not together, he insisted we try to get a hold of her. After consistently calling her only to receive no response, we sent him to the penthouse. There was no answer. There has not been an answer. I’ve tracked her phone to a parking garage about a block from the testing center. I sent two agents to do a sweep of the area, but could not locate her. I had footage pulled from traffic cams, but again, could not locate her on them. There’s a possibility she is there, but unfortunately due to the busy downtown morning, if she is, we could not locate her in the footage. I’ve been in contact with the administration of the testing center; however they are not legally allowed to disclose whether or not she checked in.”

  My entire body tenses as I force myself to ask, “Did anyone try Guy?”

  “He has not been answering either.”

  “And his phone?”

  “Off.”

  “Him on the cameras?”

  “No.”

  I lied. This is my greatest horror come to life….

  “I’m headed to the teaching facility now.” Vincent doesn’t question my declaration. He relocates to the front of the vehicle and climbs inside. “I will let you know what I find.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Quickly ending the call, I rush to open my car door when Felicity’s hand grabs my bicep. “Where are you going?”

  “To find my wife.”

  “She’s missing?”

  “Possibly.” I snatch my arm out of her grip. “But I need to go.”

  “But-”

  “I’m not asking permission, Felicity. I am politely informing you I’m fucking leaving.”

  Her mouth falls.

  “Verified results are not in until tomorrow and even if they get them sooner, I don’t care. Even if she could spout them off this very minute, I. Do. Not. Care. The only thing and I truly fucking mean, the only thing that matters right now is finding my wife and verifying her safety.”

  I slide into the back seat at the same time she says, “I’ll call a cab. I’ll message you the change if there is any. Find your wife.”

  Nodding, I shut the door and Vincent begins to drive.

  What the hell is wrong with me? How could I let this happen? How could I do this? Not a single text or call or anything? What if she’s just as worried as I am? What if she can barely breathe for fear the worst has happened to me?

  With my attention devoted to watching the passing car, I try to assess how I let my life spiral this far off its axis.

  One minute I had everything and within the span of mere hours I may have absolutely nothing…

  Vincent makes what feels like record timing downtown. He valets th
e car at a trusted parking center and escorts me closely to the education center I’m hauling ass to. Thankfully because of his size, rather than have to shove people out of my way, they veer to one side to automatically make room. At the rate I’m moving they hardly even have a moment to note my face let alone who I am.