Sleeping With The Billionaire - A Standalone Royal Alpha Billionaire Prince Romance (New York City Billionaires - Book #2)

by Alexa Davis

  But still I couldn’t do it.

  I dropped my phone with a clatter on the nightstand and I twisted round to flop my head back on the pillow while sighing deeply to myself. I decided to only allow myself one more day of wallowing, one more day of sadness, before I would get my life back in order. I’d tackle all the things that I’d been putting off because they were difficult, and I’d also get back to my royal duties.

  There was no point in putting off the inevitable any longer, and maybe Dad was right. Maybe I’d start to love it if I really embraced it. I needed to give it a shot. That’s why I came back, after all.

  One way or another, I needed to get back to being me.

  Chapter 34 – Blair – Saturday

  “Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed your flight!” The much-too-perky air hostess gave me a grin, one that only served to have my heart hammering louder in my chest.

  “Yeah, sure; thank you.”

  My legs were wobbling as I got back onto steady ground. I felt more freaked out than I did when I was up in the air. This was officially the scariest thing that I’d ever had to do, and that was made so much worse by the fact I had no idea what the outcome was going to be. Marcus could send me packing – the very real possibility terrified me. But then again, it would feel much better to have my real answers.

  I shivered a little, finding the brisk English air too cold as I made my way out toward the big wide world outside. My eyes drank in the grayness of London, interrupted occasionally by some very pretty trees. In some ways, it was very similar to New York City, but in others, it was totally different.

  “Looking for a cab, love?” a cockney voice burst through my shock barrier.

  “Oh, yes. The palace, please.”

  “They always want to go to the palace,” he chuckled and shook his head. “You know, there is more to London than that?”

  I didn’t bother to answer him. There was no point in trying to explain that I wasn’t a typical tourist, that I was actually coming to communicate with the prince. He wouldn’t have believed me, anyway. Instead, I climbed silently inside and did what I could to gear myself up.

  It hit me with a sharp shock as we drove through the bustling streets that this wasn’t all strange to Marcus, like it was me. This was his home. The way I viewed all of this was probably how he saw New York.

  Rationally, I knew all of that, but still it felt weird to accept how different our lives were. We’d become so intertwined in one another’s existence over the past few weeks that it was odd to accept that there had been a very long time where we didn’t even know one another.

  “Damn tourists!” the driver suddenly yelled, stunning me to my core. “I’m sorry, Miss, but I don’t think I can get in much further than this. Is this all right?”

  “Sure.” I grabbed one of the crisp bills that I’d acquired at the airport. “Here you go.”

  I set off on foot, with only my carryon luggage for company. I held my head up high and stepped with purpose, just to give off the impression of confidence – but inside, I was a shaky mess. I felt like I was falling apart. I was like a swan, all calm and serene on the surface, but paddling like hell under water.

  The driver was right about one thing: the palace really was a tourist trap. It was absolutely surrounded by crowds and crowds of people. I had to really force my way through them all to get to the front, and I only managed that with sheer determination. The knowledge that Marcus was in there kept me pushing forward.

  It wasn’t until my face was pressed up against the fence surrounding the building that I stopped in my tracks. I was used to seeing Marcus in his apartment overlooking the city. This was a bona fide palace. Marcus was actually a prince.

  “Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step backward,” a very serious guard spoke harshly to me. “It’s for your own safety.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t understand.” I smiled in my best “I’m not insane, honestly” manner. “I am here to see Marcus.”

  “Yep, so is everyone else.” He wasn’t even looking at me; he wasn’t about to give me a chance. “Step back, please.”

  My phone! With a flash of inspiration, I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and flashed him the pictures of us together. “Look, we hung out.”

  “Love, we get this stuff all the time. Just because you met him once doesn’t mean you know him. He’s a public figure; that’s just how it works.”

  “No, I really do. Look, please radio him or whatever. Tell him Blair is here. I promise you if he says he doesn’t want to see me, I’ll turn around and walk away. I won’t cause you any trouble.” I opened my eyes wider and stared pleadingly at him. “I’ve just flown all the way from America, please.”

  He rolled his eyes and grabbed his radio, and while he spoke in hushed tones, I pleaded with the gods above that he wasn’t just humoring me. All I needed was one chance – that was it. I clasped my hands together and everything.

  “Okay, Ma’am,” he said so quietly that only I could hear him, which gave me a powerful surge of hope. “Prince Marcus isn’t here, but he said he’s going to send a car for you. It’ll pick you up on the corner in about five minutes.”

  “Oh, my God,” I gasped, clutching onto my chest. “Thank you so much. Did he sound mad? Or upset? Or...” I trailed off, realizing that I’d pushed my limit with this man. “Never mind, thank you very much.”

  ***

  The minutes waiting for the car were the worst of my life, made even harder by the fact that Marcus wasn’t in it, but it didn’t matter. I was being taken in the right direction. Marcus had at least agreed to see me – that had to mean something... surely? I was trying to convince myself that it did as I bounced up and down on my seat, just so I didn’t weep or something equally as embarrassing.

  And then I saw him, standing outside a house almost as grand as the palace. My heart leapt, my mind whirred, and my whole body became consumed by some very powerful butterflies. He wasn’t wearing anything particularly special, just a simple white polo shirt and some jeans, but he still looked like the most gorgeous man on the planet. I wanted to jump up onto him, to kiss him, to claim him as my own once more.

  It was going to be very difficult to control myself.

  “H... hi,” I stammered as I tumbled from the car. “How are you?”

  He continued to frown at me, making me feel ill. If he didn’t want to see me, then why did he order a car to pick me up? I hope it wasn’t just to shut me up, to stop me from causing a scene. “What are you doing here?”

  I glanced down at the ground, and from the way the whole world was shaking, I could only deduce that my body was trembling like crazy. I sucked in a few breaths, but they were as ragged as I felt inside. “I wanted to see you, to explain to you properly.”

  “Well, you better come inside then.”

  I wasn’t particularly expecting the warmest welcome, but this was ice cold. Everything about Marcus’ body language was shutting me out. Maybe this was going to be more difficult than I had been anticipating.

  Marcus took me through into what could only be described as a sitting room. He sat upright, his hands clutched in his lap on one couch, leaving me the other. I matched his formal posture, unsure what else I could do with myself.

  “So, please, go ahead...” His eyes wouldn’t even focus on me.

  “Okay, look, it wasn’t me who sent those pictures off to the magazine. I never would’ve done that. I thought we really had something special – there isn’t anything in the universe that would’ve made me ruin that. It was my fault that Maddie found the flash drive. I should’ve been more careful, but even though I knew she was ambitious, I didn’t ever think she’d go that far.”

  “Did she get what she wanted out of it?”

  I could feel the icicles dripping off his tongue.

  “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her since.”

  That seemed to be the key. After I made that statement, his face softened, his arms fell away, and he managed t
o look at me. “You haven’t?”

  “No. Well, only to yell at her, but then she yelled at me and it all got very messy. Anyway, long story short, we’re no longer friends.”

  A pregnant pause filled the air, one that I desperately wanted to fill but I didn’t. I forced myself to remain silent, to give Marcus time to stew. He needed this, and as challenging as it was, I felt determined to give it to him.

  “And, what did Cameron say?”

  I chuckled at that, unable to stop myself. “Surprisingly, after all that, Cameron was okay with it. I think he wants to talk to you to check you’re okay, that’s all.”

  “Well, that makes me feel bad. I’ve been ignoring his calls ever since I got back.”

  We shared a smile, one that brought some of that connection back. We still weren’t at the stage where I could reach out and grab him, but it was something at least. There was still a glimmer of hope there.

  “Look,” Marcus stood up and glanced around the room, “I would offer you a room to stay here, but things with my family are really tricky at the moment...”

  “I’ve already booked a hotel,” I jumped in, wanting to show that I wasn’t being presumptuous. “And I don’t want to be in the way, so I can go now if it helps? But I would love to see you again?”

  He bit down on his lip and gave me an indecipherable look before finally nodding. “Yes, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, if you like.”

  “I still have the same number; give me a call.”

  “I will.”

  ***

  “Come on, Cam, pick up the phone,” I moaned anxiously as I paced the hotel room. Things were weird between me and Marcus. I wasn’t sure where I stood, and I really needed some decent advice. “Oh, thank God, hello?”

  “Blair? Are you okay? Are you in England?”

  “Yes, yes, I landed safe.” I knew that I was being impatient, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself. “Look, I’ve seen Marcus, and it was really weird. He acted all strange around me, and now, I can’t stop freaking out. What if he hates me? What if all of this was for nothing?”

  “Blair, I’ve just spoken to Marcus, and I can assure you that everything will be all right. Yes, it might take a bit of time for you to get back to where you were – after all, a lot has happened – but he believes now that it wasn’t you who sent in the pictures.”

  “Oh, my God, are you serious?” Relief washed over me as I realized that it wasn’t the end, that it was just going to take a bit of time. Time, I could do. “Thank you so much, Cam.”

  “I didn’t really say anything. I didn’t have to. Marcus isn’t an idiot, he just freaked out. I’ve never seen him commit to anyone before, so it makes sense.”

  “And... you’re really okay with this?” Now that there was a chance, I needed to make sure once and for all.

  “I am. You and Marcus deserve one another. I really think you can make each other happy.”

  “Thank you, Cameron. You don’t know what that means coming from you. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, and good luck with making it right.”

  As soon as I hung up the phone, I collapsed onto the bed in a sheer state of bliss. This was a good plan; it would lead to some amazing things, and now I was excited for that to finally happen.

  Chapter 35 – Marcus – Sunday

  Come on, you can do this, you can do it!

  I hopped from foot to foot, motivational thoughts racing through my brain, only to be ignored. I really wanted to be brave and just tackle this head on, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Much as things were on a better standing with me and Dad now, I had no idea how he would tackle this news.

  “What are you doing out there, Marcus? Just come in already!”

  Oh, good, he already sounds irritated by me. That’s a wonderful place to start. “Sorry, Dad, just...” My face heated up, I felt shame wash over my whole body at being caught trying to prepare myself. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.” He shot me a curious look. “How are things with you?”

  “I’m okay...” I sighed deeply and decided to just get the words out before I completely fell apart. “Look, the girl... the one from America. She’s here. We’ve...” Stop panicking, you fool! “We’ve spoken about things and sorted them out now.”

  “It must be a pretty big deal if she’s flown half way across the world for you. This one must be very serious.”

  “Yes,” I admitted while my head bobbed along, agreeing with me. “Things are very serious. I really like her. More than I’ve ever liked anyone before.” God, it felt so good to just be honest about myself. Why had I never done this before? “And I know she might not be the sort of woman I should be with, given my birth line and all that, but...”

  “You can’t help who you fall in love with?”

  “Exactly.” He got it. I could see it in his eyes. One day, I would have to ask him about his own story.

  “I would like to meet her.” He stood up from behind his desk and moved around to face me. “Will you bring her here for dinner tonight, so I can have a formal introduction?”

  “Of course,” I gasped noisily, gratitude seeping from my pores. This was the closest I’d ever felt to my dad in my life. He was actually giving me and the way that I wanted to live my life a chance. “Thank you, I’ll go and see her today and invite her over.”

  “Son, if she’s the one, then please... never let her go.”

  I grinned and nodded before racing from the room with a skip in my step. Admittedly, it had been a shock to learn that Blair was here just when I’d decided to move past the whole incident, but now I was over the moon that she’d taken that brave step. It couldn’t have been easy for her, but it gave us the chance that we so desperately needed.

  Her story about Maddie added up. Of course, Maddie would want revenge on us, plus a boost in her career. Cameron had confirmed everything when I spoke to him, too.

  I was starting to learn a lesson from this: communication was definitely key to a happy life.

  Ring, ring...

  “Hello?” Blair answered right away, proving that she was right by the phone. “Marcus? Is everything okay?”

  “Would you like me to take you out today? See the sights of London?” It was going to be my first time out and about since I got back, and it was bound to be a media shit storm, but with Blair by my side, I found that I didn’t care as much as I thought I would. It might be a lot of fun.

  “Fine.” I could tell that she was smiling, just from that one word, which of course made me grin, too. “But I want to see all the tourist stuff: Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge...”

  “Well, we might not have time to do all that, but I’ll see what I can do. Get ready and I’ll be there in an hour or so.”

  “I’m looking forward to it already.”

  As I hung up the phone, I realized with an absolute certainty that I was, too...

  ***

  “That has to be everything, surely,” I teased. “There honestly can’t be anywhere else that you want to go.”

  Blair looked ever the tourist in her gaudy I ♥ London t-shirt and her large Union Jack hat. She was having a lot of fun, and I adored seeing it, but all it did was draw more attention to us.

  I’d been through endless rounds of selfies, I’d been asked my opinion on endless political matters that I didn’t totally understand, and I’d spent hours listening to Blair talk about America and how she met me.

  Honestly, it wasn’t easy to get used to again. My life had always been that way, but having the break had reminded me of just how hard it was.

  “I don’t know, I’m sure more of your fans must be hanging around in Covent Gardens. Let’s go there.”

  “No, no, no,” I groaned with mock dramatic flair. “No more people, please. Let’s get back. You know we have this family dinner to look forward to, anyway.”

  “Oh, God.” Blair’s face fell, and I could see the worry etching into it. “I don’t want
to do this. Please don’t make me. What if your dad hates me?”

  “My dad won’t hate you,” I reassured her through gritted teeth. I wasn’t sure how he was going to react to be honest, but there was no point in adding more fear to the situation. “He’ll love you. Who wouldn’t?”

  I did. It was obvious to me now, not that I’d found a way to say that aloud. We’d been through so much, Blair and I, and somehow, we’d made it out the other side. If that didn’t show that we had what it took to make it, then I didn’t know what would. I loved her. She was perfect for me.

  “Well what should I wear? I’m only in this t-shirt and jeans. I can’t meet your dad, the king, like this.”

  “You’re going to have to,” I chuckled loudly. “I’m going like this. He’ll be casual, too, trust me. He puts on a good show for the rest of the world because he must, but when we’re at home, we’re a normal family... Well, semi-normal.” There was no point in outright lying. “So, come on, let’s get a cab. We wouldn’t want to be late as well as scruffy.”

  Blair hit me with her bag, which made me laugh louder. I’d missed this, the easy going, teasing fun we had. She was like a best friend, as well as someone I was severely attracted to, and that made her so easy to love. All I wanted was to be around her, every second of every day. I couldn’t see that ever changing.

  ***

  “This is going well,” I mouthed honestly to Blair. “Stop worrying.”

  Dad was utterly charmed by her, just as I knew that he would be. He laughed at her jokes, admired her anecdotes, took a great interest in her photography. If we ever were to make a serious go of things, like a long-term, marriage type of thing then I knew she’d fit in just fine.

  “Are you sure?” Despite her getting on so well with Dad, her eyebrows hadn’t yet unknotted; she was freaking herself out unnecessarily.

  “Oh, hello, I didn’t know you guys were having dinner!” Paul wandered into the room with a sweeping lie. I’d told him this was going to happen. “And who might you be?”