by B. B. Hamel
“Yeah,” I agreed.
“Anyway, I just came here to check on you.”
“I’m fine. You should be with your people.”
“Maybe,” he said. “Truthfully, the generals will handle this. I already gave them the order.”
“What order?”
“To get revenge. Tomorrow morning we’ll be starting renewed attacks on the rebel strongholds.”
I bit my lip, looking away. I knew I shouldn’t say anything, but I couldn’t help myself. I was a foreigner, that was true, but I could read and I had Trip’s attention. Maybe this wasn’t the best time, but it was better than never.
“Trip,” I said, “I read some things online.”
“I’m sure you did.” He sipped his drink.
“Your Royal Army has been doing things, some very bad things.”
His face hardened. “Allegedly.”
“Come on, Trip, people aren’t making this stuff up.”
“Maybe they are. Maybe some men in my army are doing bad shit. Those men are caught and they are punished.”
“But is all this fighting helping anything?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “The rebels aren’t going to stop on their own. They have to be put down. This is war, Bryce.”
“I know it’s war,” I said. “But your attacks are going to kill people.”
“They are,” he said. “That can’t be helped.”
“The rebels are your people too, you know,” I said. “I know they’re doing bad things too, but isn’t there some other way?”
“No,” he said simply, standing. His face was drawn and serious. He knocked back his second drink and then put the glass back on the tray. “I’m glad you’re okay, Bryce.”
“Wait, Trip,” I said. “I didn’t mean to be an asshole.”
“You’re not,” he said, “but you don’t understand. These aren’t easy, black-and-white decisions. If I could have my army move in and destroy the rebels without harming a single civilian, I would. As it stands, we punish those individuals who break our rules very harshly.”
I felt terrible for what I’d said almost immediately. “I wasn’t trying to say you’re okay with any of this.”
“I’ll check on you again tomorrow.” He turned and left the room without another word.
I felt awful. I shouldn’t have started pushing him on politics, not right after his people were killed in a terrorist attack. I thought maybe I could convince him to open negotiations with the rebels, but I realized that was foolish.
I was out of my depth, and now I’d pissed off the only person in Starkland who seemed to give a shit about me.
I crawled back into bed, groaning to myself, feeling like an idiot.
14
Trip
Nobody wanted to be thought of as some violent tyrant, least of all by the woman they wanted.
It wasn’t like I didn’t understand what she was saying. Yes, the Royal Army had done some things during the war that weren’t okay, and those who had performed those actions were punished accordingly. It was not the policy, officially or otherwise, of the Royal Army to harm civilians or to torture people in any way, and yet I knew that I had to own up to that.
Still, I wasn’t negotiating with terrorists. I wasn’t going to show a single ounce of weakness, not after this. Maybe before they murdered my brother and bombed civilians, but not anymore. The only thing these rebels understood was strength, and I had to show it to them.
Bryce meant well. I knew she wasn’t directly blaming me for any crimes committed by my army, but I still couldn’t help but feel stung by her.
I sat in meeting after meeting. The generals were planning their maneuvers and the ministers were all arguing over what sort of response was most appropriate. None of it mattered, since it was ultimately my decision, but still. Everything about the ministers and their squabbling drove me insane.
I didn’t have time for any of this. The only thing I knew was that my people had been killed, and I needed to do something about that. I didn’t have time to argue over bullshit minor policy details with some third-rate assholes who only cared about themselves and their own interests. I wanted something to be done, and I wanted it done immediately.
I sat through meeting after pointless meeting, and the day slowly dragged on. I made decisions when I had to, but I mostly sat there and stared off into the distance, distracted by my own anger and distracted by Bryce.
I kept picturing that kiss. I hated that we were interrupted. I wanted more, needed more, but I wasn’t sure if that feeling was mutual anymore. She seemed pretty intent on finding flaws in my country’s very way of life.
Dinner came and went, and we ate only briefly, never leaving the conference rooms. I was exhausted and frustrated, and the only thing I wanted was to see Bryce.
As another minister went into some inane and absurd discussion on some minor point, I felt my phone vibrate.
Ready for any distraction, I pulled it out. There was a text from Bryce.
It was a picture. Curious, I opened it.
And nearly toppled from my fucking chair.
It was a mirror shot. She wore nothing but a thin cotton T-shirt and the black panties I’d sent her as a present.
My cock was hard as fuck almost instantly. Bryce looked incredible in the picture, her long legs lean and gorgeous, a little smile playing on her lips. I got another text a few seconds later.
“Apology accepted?” she asked.
Fucking hell, this girl. One second she was pushing me on my war policy, and the next she was sending me fucking sexy as hell pictures.
Not like I could complain. My heart was hammering in my chest.
“Meet me at the pool in fifteen minutes,” I typed, and then I sent it off.
“OK,” she sent back.
I scooted my seat back. “Gentlemen,” I said, “I’m sorry, but I have an urgent meeting to attend to.”
The ministers looked at me, surprised. “Shall I continue later, Your Majesty?” the minister who was speaking asked.
“No. Please, go on without me. My secretary will give me notes.”
I quickly turned and left the room, not caring what they thought.
This was what I needed. I didn’t want to sit in fucking rooms all night long doing nothing. I’d end up in meetings again soon enough, but I needed a little break.
Ten minutes later, I had my bathing suit on and was in the pool, swimming laps. My security detail didn’t follow me into the room, fortunately, and I felt at peace for the first time since I’d been called back to the castle.
Soon, I finished a lap and looked up. Standing at the side of the pool looking down at me was Bryce.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I said.
“The king summoned me,” she said.
I floated back, getting a look at her. She was wearing a navy blue two piece, and I could barely keep myself under control. The girl had perfect breasts and a beautiful body, though I could tell she was shy about it.
“Come on,” I said. “The water is heated.”
She laughed and sat down at the edge of the pool, dipping her feet in. “I don’t know. I’ve been warned about swimming with strange men.”
“Strange maybe, but not a stranger.” I swam over to her. “Your king commands you to swim.”
“That just makes me want to not swim even more.”
I grinned and hopped up onto the side of the pool next to her. “Fine then. We’ll both sit here.”
“How’s it going out there?”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about out there. I’d rather talk about that picture you sent me.”
She blushed a little bit. “I couldn’t think of a better way to apologize.”
“I don’t think there is a better way.”
“I figured it’s no big deal. It’s like seeing me in a bathing suit, right?”
“Something like that,” I murmured.
She bit her lip. “Did you like it?”
“Trip—”
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s swim.”
I reached out and grabbed her hips, pulling her onto my lap.
“Trip!” she protested, but it was too late. I had her. I plunged us both into the pool.
She came up next to me and splashed.
“You asshole,” she said.
“Didn’t want to get your hair wet?” I asked.
“Yeah, but I also didn’t want to get dragged into the water.”
“Too bad. It’s already done.”
She swam at me, smiling, and tried to dunk me under. I didn’t budge.
“Are you made of stone?”
“If I were, I’d sink. I’m just a good swimmer.”
I dove under and grabbed at her ankles. She kicked and swam away. I came up and she was laughing, splashing at me.
“Are you attacking the king?” I asked her.
“Damn right. Not the first time either.”
“You foreign temptress,” I said. “You’re corrupting the king.”
She giggled as I came at her. She splashed and swam away. I chased her but let her stay just ahead of me.
Finally, I grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. I took her hips and pulled her ass and back against me. She struggled, but I held us both up above water, kicking my feet.
“Let me go,” she said, laughing.
“I don’t think so. You’re mine now. You’ve tempted me long enough.”
“I don’t think I’m anyone’s,” she said, and then she tried dropping underwater.
She went straight down, but in the process her bikini top caught on the front of my swimsuit, yanking them both off. I dove underwater and managed to grab my trunks and her top before she even realized it was off.
She surfaced a few feet away, and a second later she figured it out.
“Trip!” she said.
I held her top up, grinning. “Is this what you’re looking for?”
She instantly covered her perfect breasts with her arms. I couldn’t get a good look, since the water was covering them, but I could tell she was gorgeous. I was hard as hell, my heart hammering.
“Trip, give it to me.”
“Come and get it,” I said, swimming away.
“Not funny. Come on, Trip!”
I laughed as she started swimming toward me, covering herself with one hand.
Just as she neared me, a motion toward the door pulled my attention away. Al was standing in the doorway, frowning down at me. “Your Highness,” he called.
Bryce caught up with me and snatched her top from my hand.
“Asshole,” she mumbled as she turned away and got it back on.
“Your Highness, they need you back in the situation room. General Dune is calling.”
I sighed. “Fun’s over, I guess,” I said to Bryce.
“Who was having fun?”
“You were. We both know it.”
“I was too busy having my top stolen to have fun.”
“Pretend you didn’t like it all you want, but we both know where this was going.” I swam over to her, close behind her. “You want me to fuck you rough up against the edge of the pool. You want me to fuck that wet pussy until you can’t stand it anymore.”
“No,” she whispered, but I knew she meant yes.
I swam away, pulling my trunks back on. Al had already left, so I got out and toweled myself off.
“Stay as long as you want,” I said to her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good luck being the king,” she answered.
I laughed. “I don’t need luck for that. I just need to be myself.”
I waved and then headed out, back toward my apartment.
That girl could drive me crazy so easily. I could barely control myself around her, even in these difficult and complicated times. There was just simply something alluring and intense about Bryce.
The girl was a distraction, but the best fucking kind of distraction.
15
Bryce
The next morning, I couldn’t believe I had sent the king a nude selfie.
Well, it wasn’t completely nude. I had a shirt and panties on, actually, so it wasn’t really nude at all. Still, it was a sext for sure, and there was no other way to read that message.
I didn’t know what I had been thinking. I guess I had wanted to rile him up, but I’d also wanted him to know that I was sorry. It had felt right at the time, and I didn’t regret it, but it was outside my character.
I was a good girl. I didn’t do things like flirt with kings in swimming pools. Except now apparently I was that kind of person.
And I still was worried about his whole dictatorship thing. I didn’t know how I felt about flirting with a man who was possibly telling people to commit war crimes. Trip was a good person, but he was right: War was more complicated than I realized, and that meant maybe he wasn’t as good as he thought he was.
I had two dueling sides in my mind. On the one hand, I wanted Trip the man. I wanted him to kiss me again, to let me get inside his defenses, to find out what made him do the things he did. But on the other, I was afraid of Trip the king. I was afraid of the person I would become if I got involved in his world, and I was afraid of the person the crown made him.
He had so much power. He ruled over an entire country. You didn’t get much more powerful than that. And they always said that absolute power corrupted absolutely.
Trip didn’t seem corrupt. Trip seemed like a cocky asshole, but he wasn’t corrupt.
Or maybe I didn’t know him.
I sighed, lounging on the couch. I was waiting for my dad to come get me so we could go for a walk, and my mind was moving a mile a minute.
After ten minutes of agonized waiting, he finally knocked. I got up and answered. Dad smiled at me. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
I stepped out into the hall.
“Do you know where you’re going?” he asked.
“No clue. Do you?”
“Nope,” he said, laughing. “Let’s get lost.”
As we began to walk, I reflected on how supportive my father had always been of me. He was always there no matter what. In fact, as far as I could tell, this was the first time he wasn’t doing exactly what I wanted him to do. Instead, he insisted that we stay.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
“Sure.”
“Why did you want me to stay? I don’t think you actually want me to marry the king.”
He laughed. “No, I don’t.”
“So why did you want us to stay?”
“Honestly, honey, this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. This castle, these people, we’ll never have any of this again. I wanted you to experience it before we went back home.”
I nodded. “I get that. But still, what if I did marry him?”
He laughed, shrugging. “Well, I guess then you’d be the queen.”
“You’d be okay with that?”
“I’d be okay with anything you wanted to do, Bryce,” he said.
I believed him, but still I couldn’t imagine he didn’t have any reservations about entering into the royal family of a country we knew nothing about.
We walked through the twisting hallways, looking around at all the expensive paintings and sculptures. Dad pointed out some paintings he recognized, which were apparently pretty famous.
I couldn’t help but have a sudden sense of vertigo in that hallway. There I was, a completely normal, regular girl, walking through a castle full of famous paintings. It was so incredibly strange that I could barely stand it.
“Dad,” I said after a while of wandering, “how do you feel about this monarchy thing?”
“It’s different,” he said.
“Yeah, but, wasn’t the whole point of America to get rid of the British monarchy?”
He laughed. “Basically, but I think
it was more about being annoyed over taxation without representation.”
“But aren’t people in a democracy freer?”
“Maybe,” he said, “and maybe not. People have been debating this for thousands of years, honey. This country has been very stable for a very long time under the monarchy. Who’s to say that’s a bad thing?”
I nodded. That made sense to me, but still. I had been conditioned to love democracy; the whole idea of a king seemed so totally off to me.
“I don’t know,” I said finally. “I can’t imagine being the queen.”
“Then don’t be,” Dad said. “Or, just imagine being Trip’s wife. That’s more important. If you like the guy, maybe it’s worth pursuing. If you don’t, well, that’s okay. At least we got an awesome vacation out of all this.”
I sighed, shaking my head. He wasn’t helping all that much. “At least Lucy would love it if I married him.”
“Look, forget about Lucy and forget about politics.” Dad stopped and faced me. He put on his serious face, the expression he saved for only important conversations. “This is about your future, kid. This is about you and Trip and nothing else. Forget about monarchies and democracies and all that stuff; it just doesn’t matter. Focus on you and Trip.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay. That makes sense.”
He gave me a stupid grin. “Does it feel weird taking love advice from your father?”
“Oh, shut up,” I said, laughing, as we began to walk again. “There’s no love here.”
“Whatever you say.”
As we went along the hallways, I had to admit that I did feel a little better. Dad was right. In the end, whatever I decided to do was between me and Trip. It wasn’t about politics. It was about love.
We finally finished our walk after having to ask directions a few times. Dad went back to his room and I slipped back into mine, feeling tired but better. It was still early and I had most of the day ahead of me.
As I walked into my room, I stopped and noticed something. The servants must have come in and cleaned, because everything had been tidied up. There was also a black box on the bedspread.
I walked over and opened it. Inside was a brand new bikini plus a note.