by H. M. Irwing
Lucy shook her head mutely and lifted her arms to indicate she wanted a lift back. Her throat felt dry and she doubted she could string two words together without collapsing into dust. Thankfully, he did not hesitate. He rode up closer to Lucy and in a rodeo-like maneuver he had her perched on the horse behind him.
“Hang on tight, little Sheila.”
Then he took off in a gallop for the main house. Lucy clung hard to the sculpted abs before her and held on for dear life.
He rounded the front entryway and headed out back to stop by the entrance to the kitchens. She gratefully got down the horse and with muttered thanks, hobbled her way in only to stop for a jug of water that she proceeded to glug down like beer. Her thirst quenched, Lucy moved on to pass by the hateful library on the way to her room. The sound of conversation drew her attention. She could distinctly hear Celine and was that…?
Lucy moved over to peek inside and saw Sadiq seated on a chaise beside Celine, sipping tea.
Was it tea time already? She’d missed lunch. Lucy was suddenly very hungry. Wait! Sadiq was there.
Lucy rounded the doorway angrily, to storm inside, “You’re here!”
“Of course,” Sadiq replied mildly, “I have already had my ride; I did not require another trip with the rest of the guests.” Sadiq shrugged indifferently, and Celine tittered in laughter annoyingly. Did she know? Was she in on this too? Were they all? Lucy didn’t know who to trust anymore.
“You know what I mean,” she bit out furiously, still smarting from being made a fool, as she was beginning to suspect she had been.
“Do I? I had a change of heart and spared you a chase,” he said with a mild shrug. “Where’s the thanks I should be getting, for my benevolence?”
His grin was carelessly benign, but Lucy knew just how malignant he could be.
Lucy barely restrained herself from lunging at him again, but even she was not that stupid. And even her temper now knew better. Lucy was still feeling the painful effects of his efforts in making her pay for her ways, so she was not about to trigger another vengeance spree. No, she had to be smart about this. At least smarter than she had been. In no way did she regret any of it. Sadiq deserved every hit she landed on him, and more. But for now, a strategic retreat was warranted. She was too weary to do anything else.
Lucy turned, defeated, to hobble out the door. Reaching it, she turned back to have her last say, “I do not regret what I did earlier. My only regret is that I did not hit you harder or where it hurts most, but know this, I will always defend my sister from sadistic bastards like you.”
She decided words would do where fists were no longer able and turned to limp out smartly out, her head held high. It was enough; she’d cast a slur against his legitimacy to his claim to royalty. It was also enough that she’d shown him she now knew better and would take him on at his terms. Using sheer wit.
“I respect your need to defend my Catherine.” Sadiq called out after her, his tone mildly amused. “But, like I said before, it is unnecessary - just as your run was earlier. You waste your time and effort in trying to come up against me. But I have respect for all my adversaries. I know exactly what it would take to go up against me and I can only appreciate your gall to try. Or lament in your foolishness. Still, I wish you well in your endeavour.” Sadiq’s parting words rang bitterly in her ears, accompanying Lucy back to her room.
She would join a martial arts class. The very first thing she would do when she got back. If she got back. For the moment, it felt as though this godforsaken weekend from hell would never end.
Lucy eased her tattered body into the hot, steaming bath. The luxury of this farmhouse was faultless, and she could appreciate that if nothing else. She sank her whole head underwater, thinking back to all that had happened that day. There must be something seriously wrong with the cosmos; this many unfortunate happenings had to be wrong. She seemed to be gathering short straws by the truckload.
Lucy sighed, not at all happy with how things ended with Sadiq the Sadist. Rather than put him in his place, she had probably only fanned the flames for retaliation. Enraging the beast had never been her intention. She only meant to protect her little sister.
But Lucy could see no other way around it, either. She could not have done or acted any differently, knowing what she did. But she did worry now over the repercussions to Cat, to herself, to Jace, and yes, even Richard.
Lucy raised her head from the water and swept her wet hair back off her face. Lounging against the bath, she surveyed with some regret the heap of clothing she would never wear again. In a way it had been just as well that she had worn her own clothes rather than the new stuff Richard got her. But this was her favourite pair of jeans, now scuffed in places no jeans should be so scuffed.
Lucy snorted, thinking about the wild run back to the house. It had been crazy. She was crazy. Lucy shook her head recalling and begun to scrub hard.
The door to the bathroom burst open. Lucy almost screamed in shock. Placing her hand on her thankfully still-immersed torso, Lucy shouted at Jace and Richard, “What the hell? Can’t a girl even bathe in peace? Don’t you know to knock first?”
Jace fell to his knees beside her, “Are you alright? I have been out of my mind looking for you. Did you have to simply go off in a sulk like that?” But he didn’t wait for a response from the stunned Lucy and instead he pulled her lips to him for a kiss. Lucy parted her lips and returned him kiss for kiss. She felt almost greedy for normalcy and Jace was the constant in her life she appreciated more than anything. She craved it, the familiarity, the warmth, the caring.
“Let the girl answer, dammit,” barked Richard unimpressed.
“I’m fine,” Lucy said simply, feeling both emotionally and physically exhausted.
“Tell us what happened,” Richard demanded and so she did. As matter-of-factly as she could, Lucy related what happened, leaving out her many precarious dips down the rocky slides but the evidence of that was littered all over her for all to see. She sank further down in the tub.
“You’re hurt! Stand up.” Richard instructed urgently, catching a glimpse of her bloodied knee.
“Like hell, Richard! I’ll take care of it. You leave,” Jace flared up angrily. She could see Richard was about to get ugly over this suggestion and so she intervened with a question of her own.
“How did you find out?” Lucy asked.
“Your horse was brought back without you. Alf who minds your horse reported this instantly. He knew better than to question the Emir, but he rightfully reported the matter to me. I had the horse riding session changed into an outright search for you. One of my men radioed in that you had been found and were safe back at the house, so we rode in to see you,” replied Richard, his concerned eyes roaming over every part of her not covered in frothy bubbles. Lucy felt naked and fidgeted uncomfortably.
“Fuck, Richard! Get the hell out,” exclaimed Jace, only just tearing away his own roaming gaze to spot Richard’s trained on Lucy. Without waiting for compliance, he rose to his feet and lifted his hands to bodily shove Richard out. Shutting the door, Jace turned around to face Lucy, “Stand up. I need to treat those cuts and bruises.”
“I’m not getting up with you here,” Lucy stated adamantly, having had enough of both of their high handedness.
“Babe, I need to see that you’re okay,” Jace muttered huskily, leading her to believe that was not all he intended to see.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, settling lower still in the water. Any lower and she would be back where she started with her head immersed in it. Somehow drowning her worries away was not a viable option with Jace having full view of the attempt. Not that she was the suicidal type or anything.
“Honey, you know I’m worried about you,” Jace groaned finally, tearing his gaze away from submerged parts of her that weren’t in the least bit injured to focus keenly on her golden eyes. It worked. She felt it in his gaze. That he was earnest, even though logic insisted that he was merely just
ifying a need to be looking at her naked.
“Pass me a towel and turn around,” Lucy demanded finally.
“Okay,” he said a little too eagerly. She stood up when he turned his back and dabbed herself dry before wrapping the towel about her. It was a large towel, so she felt decently covered. She looked up then to catch Jace staring intently into the mirror at the side.
“You did not just have a peek at me. Tell me you did not see me naked,” Lucy demanded angrily, flushed with embarrassment.
Jace turned around to face her and train his intense gaze up her length to stop at her eyes. “I did not,” he said. The lie exaggerated to comic effect across his features.
“You… you…. Oh, how could you, Jace.”
Anger warred with hurt and hurt won out. He was all she had, beyond family. Jace meant everything to her. She couldn’t believe he’d betrayed her trust like that. Lucy knew she’d fumed many times that he was not worth his salts as a friend but that had been her talking in a temper. Jace was not like that. Jace couldn’t be like that.
“Whoa!” Jace exclaimed seeing as how his attempt to tease was rapidly backfiring. “I was just joking, Lucy. I didn’t look, honest. A little peek at most, but I hardly glimpsed anything, luv. I wouldn’t do that to you. You know that, luv. There’s no need for you to go all ago on me.”
In his agitation, his Australian accent was stronger than ever. Lucy stared at him, torn between needing to hammer at him and needing him to take her in his arms. Finally, she settled for the latter. The easier option. Always the easier one. Lucy took the step necessary to melt into his arms.
“I got you Lucy. You know I would never hurt you. You mean too much to me.” Jace nuzzled his face into her wet hair.
“I want to go home, Jace. I really want to go home,” said Lucy, almost tearfully. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears, but Lucy was so done crying.
“We will, Luce. We will. Tomorrow, luv. First thing. I promise.”
Lucy hugged him tighter. Grateful they would be returning home. Just knowing that eased the tension from her shoulders and Lucy melted in his embrace. They cuddled for a bit, each content to simply hold the other, and then together, hand in hand, they stepped out to the room.
On the bed was Lucy’s change of clothes laid out neatly. Richard! Neat rows of gold blouse, beige slacks, and underwear were displayed on the bed. Lucy heard Jace emit a low expletive of his displeasure and sighed inwardly. While she was not happy at Richard wading through her things, she was eager to get something on.
“Close your eyes,” Lucy demanded, brooking no objection. This time turning around wasn’t an option, and she knew he wouldn’t go in for waiting outside for her to get changed. No doubt worried that Richard might somehow slip in past him and encroach on what was his. Lucy kept her eyes trained on his face as she slowly let her towel drop.
Then she grabbed the lacy panties that Richard had thoughtfully placed on the bed and quickly struggled into them. Slipping on her bra next, she only just managed to hook it into place before a loud hammering on the room door jolted Jace into action.
His eyes flew open, and taking in Lucy’s still unclothed state, he ignored the pounding on the door and threw her on the bed. “Do you know just how erotic it is? The sound of you dressing?”
Lucy bounced up once- twice- before Jace’s weight was over her, pinning her into place. His mouth opened hungrily over hers and Lucy couldn’t help but respond.
“Are you guys deaf?”
The piercing tone was close. Closer than at the other side of the door like it should be. Like she should be. Lucy opened her eyes and tore her lips away from Jace’s consuming kiss to look at Celine lounging by the side of their bed with what looked like a first aid box in her hands.
“Richard sent me up with this. I don’t know why. You look like you’re getting more than enough TLC as it is. Tell me, does the kiss-it-better treatment really work?” Celine smiled down at them sweetly, but it was wasted on Jace.
“Get the hell out, Celine!” Jace all but snarled at her, making Lucy feel a little bad. She did come carrying the much-needed first aid after all. Lucy smacked Jace’s chest and pushed him away. Scrambling to her feet, she grabbed Jace’s t-shirt that was hanging on a chair and pulled it over.
Then she took the first aid kit off Celine who was all this while shooting vile glares at Jace who returned it with interest.
“Thank you,” said Lucy, walking Celine backwards to the door. She shut the door and leaned her tired head on it.
After a while, Lucy said, “We should get dressed and head downstairs for dinner. I’m starving.”
“Let me look at those first,” Jace said, resigned to the inevitable. He reached out for the box as Lucy approached the bed then, telling her to sit beside him, he opened the box and rummaged through it. Pulling out an ointment and a spray, he made Lucy remove his t-shirt as he went over each scratch and bruise placing kisses where the salve was not required. Lucy blinked away unexpected tears; she had never felt so cherished before. She guessed Celine had it right. Kisses do make her feel better.
Lucy pulled Jace in for a long kiss when he was done and that delayed their arrival for dinner a little, so that she was absolutely famished when she hobbled into the dining room on Jace’s arms.
Filling her plate to the brim, Lucy took her seat at the furthest end from Sadiq, who lifted his flute of champagne in toast to her. Lucy wanted to lift the finger in reply but only just managed to restrain the urge in time. She refused to look in his direction again. Jace kept her plenty engaged with anecdotes on the other guests. Dinner was sublime—a feast made for the starving, for sure. Lucy appreciated every morsel of it.
The meal was almost over when Richard suddenly stood up and, lifting his champagne flute, he offered a toast.
“I thank you all for joining me here to enjoy the rustic life,” he started to say, and a tinkle of laughter rang across the dinner table. Lucy’s own chuckle was ironic, for there was nothing there remotely rustic at the farm… except for Sadiq, of course. The speech was quaint; funny even, which, considering Richard, was unusual.
“Here’s to new beginnings, new endings, and the continuation of all that has been amazing. I wish you all a happy new year.” Richard lifted his flute in a debonair salute and then downed its contents in one go, eliciting the cheers and laughter of his guests.
The guests dispersed after that, many to stay on in conversation or to partake in games with cards, chess, or attending the billiard tables. But Lucy had had enough. She sought only her bed.
“I’m turning in, Jace; you have fun. No need to rush on my account.” She leaned up to brush her lips against his. Then met his concerned eyes.
“You want me to tuck you in?” In a flash, the worry was gone and in its place, was pure heat.
Lucy shivered, but reluctantly shook her head. What Jace offered was enticing; it would have been too easy to lose herself in pleasure, but with so much unresolved, Lucy wasn’t ready.
“I’ll manage,” she said instead. His answering smirk was rueful, but Jace leaned down to brush his lips across her forehead.
“Go then. Get some rest, luv.”
Lucy obligingly did as he bid, but two hours later and she was still awake. Her body was fatigued and ached all over, but her mind strangely alert.
The clock ticked noisily on but there was nothing. No sleep and no Jace. Her mind flew, assessing all that had happened. Thinking about Cat and her infatuation with Sadiq. Thinking about Sadiq and his ridiculous claim on Cat.
Thinking about the law and how nobody seemed at all concerned that he had blatantly broken it. It didn’t matter how much brains Cat had packed in her little head, she was underaged and he wasn’t; it was a crime, plain and simple. And yet, it was a crime he would never be punished for. Not only was he a diplomat with diplomatic immunity but he was also a freaking prince.
Lucy had to let out a low whistle at that. Just wait until Emily heard the news. Cat Little shag
ged a Prince. They always knew she was the one Little who would go far in life, but no one knew just how far that would be.
It must have been nearly dawn when the door to her room creaked open. Lucy turned around to have the bright glare from the corridor fall upon her. She squinted to see the silhouette of Jace come through the doorway. Then the door fell shut behind him. She heard the rustling of clothes and knew he was undressing. Then the bed creaked beside her and the mattress rolled beneath her and finally the scent of his fragrance hit her.
“Richard?” She gasped out loud, turning to face him but he was barely discernible in the dark.
“Yes, it’s me,” was all he said before falling silent again.
“Why?” She asked simply.
“This is my room,” he said with a shrug that set the bed moving. “Jace had to escort the Emir back to the city. Celine accompanied them.”
“Oh, I bet she did!” Lucy’s retort was sardonic. Richard was clearly up to his tricks again, pairing off Jace with Celine and trying to encroach on her. Not happening. Lucy fumed silently.
There was an awkward pause as they both stared up at the ceiling. At least that was what Lucy thought he did too. It was hard to tell in the dark. Hard to tell that he was staring directly at her. Then after a pause, he whispered,” I didn’t want to be alone.”
That had her pausing in the little rant she had going on in her head. It melted her heart like nothing else could have. Just knowing that Richard was lonely made him more human. But she was human too, and he was bent on tugging her in every which direction. Her sigh came out weary. His hands crept over hers and Lucy allowed it to wrap about her fingers.
“What did Sadiq say?” She asked finally, needing the distraction that cussing Sadiq would give her.
“He wanted to warn me that my behaviour was unacceptable and that the funding conditions would be held strictly to its terms. In short, we can expect no clemency nor reconsideration, should we default on any clause. He warned me that if we so much as put one foot wrong he would foreclose.” He fell silent then and no doubt his brows were as furrowed as her own. What were they going to do with Sadiq?