Reluctantly Royal

by Gillian Archer

  “Oh, my god. This is insane. Of course Hannah would be the one to have a freaking prince fall in love with her.” Mrs. Allen murmured to herself before she coughed and clearly addressed me. “Fine. I understand that your plans have changed. But hear me now. You will treat my daughter with the utmost respect. And if at any time Hannah wants to come home, you will be paying for my round-trip ticket to Monaco to go get her. That girl means everything to me and my husband.” Mrs. Allen’s voice hitched as she took a breath. “So you better hope you’re worthy of my daughter because her family won’t settle for anything less. Prince or no we will be grilling you later.”

  Hannah’s eyes filled with tears and she bit her lip. After a moment, she looked away and swiped at her eyes with the sheet.

  “I understand, Mrs. Allen. I look forward to meeting you both. I am sending my security detail to your house. The press will be ravenous dogs at your door for some time, I imagine. Please pack a bag. Your family will be safe if you stay somewhere else for a while. I can put you up in a hotel, or if you’d rather stay with family, I understand. I’ll send Étienne and Nicolas to you. They’re deft hands at handling the media. Hannah will phone when it’s safe to open your door.”

  I ended the call before she could say anything else. “So that’s your mother, huh?”

  “I told you she was crazy.” Hannah laughed as she swiped at her wet eyes one more time. “And protective. I had my doubts that she’d let me go to Monaco with you. I kinda thought she’d try to ground me. I can’t believe she agreed. You should’ve seen what she did when I moved into my own apartment. And that was three whole miles away.”

  “Leave your overprotective parents to me. I can be charming when need be.” I knelt down next to her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Are you okay? You do still want to go home with me, right?”

  “Yes. I do. It’s just scary. My entire life has changed in the blink of an eye. I guess I need a minute to catch my breath.”

  “I know what you mean. When I got that phone call about my brother…” I trailed off as memories crashed over me. The blinding panic. The denial. The tears. It still hurt to think about. I didn’t think that wound would ever totally heal.

  “It’s not even remotely the same.” Hannah rubbed her hand over my arm in a soothing gesture. “This, with us, is exciting and amazing and hopeful. It’s the best of what life is about. It’s just a big change. And I need a second to put it all in focus. I still have a hard time believing this is real.”

  “Oh, it’s real all right, mon chou.” I leaned over and gave her another kiss. “I need to call Nicolas and arrange your parents’ protection. And send someone over to your place to pack a bag and get your passport. I presume you have one?”

  “Mmmm, yes. I got my passport for a Mexican cruise senior year. I think it’s in my top dresser drawer.”

  “Fantastic. You’d better get dressed. We’re leaving in an hour.”

  “I love it when you’re all take-charge and command-y. It gets me so hot.” Hannah exaggerated a shiver as she looked at me with a naughty intent in her eyes.

  “Considering the fact that our plane will be leaving in an hour regardless of what you’re wearing, you might want to put some clothes on. Unless you don’t mind what you look like when the media sees you, because that naughty expression in your eyes is gonna take a hell of a lot longer than thirty minutes to appease.”

  “Fine.” Hannah huffed as she rolled over and stood in a flurry of bedsheet and naked flesh that had me regretting our timeline. “I’ll get ready, but I’m doing it because I want to, not because you told me to.”

  “I know, mon chou. Try to relax. Everything’s going to be fine. I’ll take care of it.”

  Hannah rolled her eyes at my placating tone but still gave me one more kiss before retreating into the bathroom. After the door clicked closed, I grabbed my phone, but before I could call anyone, she shouted, “And one more thing—don’t forget to apologize to Morgan. Oh, and call your brother back!”

  I snorted. Neither one of those things was happening today if I could help it.

  Someone tapped at the door.

  “Oui?”

  Dimitri poked his head through the doorway. “Do you have a moment, monsieur?”

  At this point I wasn’t sure if I had “one more thing” left in me, but what the hell. “Yes?”

  “It’s about Morgan, er, Miss Lemire…” Dimitri rubbed the back of his neck until I wondered if he was in danger of his head falling off.

  “What is it, Dimitri? Has she broken protocol? Talked to the press? What?”

  “Non, monsieur. Nothing like that. I was wondering if she was interviewing for a permanent position with your staff.”

  “I don’t believe so. Her contract is only for our time here in the States.”

  “I am aware of that, monsieur. I guess…I was hoping, wondering, really, if you’d give her a chance to interview for the permanent position.”

  “Is this request coming from you, or did she ask you to ask me? Because if she is not comfortable even making the request herself, I’m afraid she’s not the right employee for the job. I need someone self-sufficient who is not afraid of me.”

  “Oh, no, monsieur. She doesn’t even know that I’m asking you. We’ve just been talking, and…”

  I smiled slightly. “I see.”

  Dimitri flushed as I held his gaze. “An interview, monsieur. That is all I’m asking.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.” Truthfully I was just yanking his chain. So far, Morgan had proven to be a capable and discreet assistant. If she was truly interested in the job, I’d hire her in a minute. “You know, we never got around to those lessons we’d discussed. I’m sure I can carve out some time later today if you’re still interested?”

  Dimitri laughed and shook his head. “No longer required, monsieur.”

  “Found a cure for your rash, I take it?”

  “Oui, monsieur.”

  “Good man.” I jerked my chin up in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Dimitri.”

  “Bonne chance, monsieur,” Dimitri murmured just before the door closed behind him.

  I had the feeling I was going to need all the good luck on this trip that I could muster.

  Chapter 17

  Two hours later, we were in the air, Hannah snuggled up to my side in the oversized seats on the palace’s private plane. Although we’d left Vegas behind, I couldn’t help but reminisce.

  “Would you believe that was my first ‘meet the parents’ moment?”

  “No. I never would’ve guessed.” Hannah gasped with faux amazement. “It might not be a bad idea to brush up on your skills. You know, for the next time.”

  I had every intention of making sure there wouldn’t be a “next time,” but it felt too soon to say as much. Instead I nodded. “Still, I really liked your mom.”

  “Okay, now I know you’re lying. There’s no way that’s true. She shrieked in your ear, then yelled at you. How could you like her?”

  “True. But that was because she cares about you. Even though it was over the phone, I could tell there was no way she’d let you leave with me if she really didn’t want you to. And I respect that.”

  “And that makes you like her? What the hell kinda dysfunctional family do you have? What kinda insanity am I walking into?”

  I laughed cynically. “Nothing as dysfunctional as you’re picturing. My family is nonfunctional, really. My mum is practically catatonic, and my brother, Bastien, is an uptight prick who’d rather everyone just do as they’re told and fall into line. He’s a lot like mon Père was, but Bastien actually lives and breathes for the people of Monaco, whereas with mon Père everything was lip service.”

  I stared off into space as I remembered the endless lectures at the dining table from mon Père on duty and country, and then the moment when I realized just who mon Père was—when I found Julien reading that tabloid one of the boys had smuggled into school. They wanted to look at the topless woma
n on page three, but Julien and I couldn’t look away from the headline: “Prince Pantsless and His Harem of Hotties.” The typeset was emblazoned on my brain. As were the blurry pictures of mon Père cavorting on his yacht. Mum had been in England that week visiting family. I could still see her stoic expression when she arrived at the school for her surprise visit.

  “That’s why I like your mother, you know. I could tell she loves her family. She’d die for you. And from what you’ve said, your father is the same. That’s something not everyone has. I never had it. I mean, my mum is great, or was great before the crash. Now she’s…” I broke off and shook my head. “Anyway, I just liked her is all.”

  Hannah snuggled up to my side and made some comforting sounds. “I’m sorry. I know I complain about my family a lot, but I do appreciate them. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to meet my dad or my brother. He would’ve offered to help my dad bury your body, if that makes you feel any better.”

  I chuckled. “It does, actually. I like that they care about you. All of your family. You’re lucky. Doubly lucky. A prince for a boyfriend and a kick-ass, overprotective family.”

  “That about sums it up. They’re crazy, but I love them. Tell me about your brother.”

  “Bastien? Why do you want—”

  “No, your twin. Julien.”

  I blinked. “I—It’s been a while since anyone wanted to talk about Julien.”

  “If you’d rather not—”

  “No. It’s just…It’s not easy to talk about him. He’s like this big, gaping hole in my soul. He was such a huge part of my life, and now he’s gone.” I threaded my fingers through Hannah’s and looked at the differences in our hands. How small hers was. How pretty and manicured her nails were. I ran my thumb over the side of her hand and thought about Julien. “I never was a romantic kind of guy—never believed in soulmates or whatever—but Julien was mine. We were inseparable growing up. Literally. None of the staff could tell us apart. I’m pretty sure only my mum knew for sure, and even with her there were times she’d let us get away with the ruse. And it was all my idea, of course. I was always the one with the plots to get us out of class or to go on an adventure. Julien was the one who’d inevitably come up with a way to get us out of trouble. That’s what he was best at—being the peacekeeper. He’d excelled at keeping Bastien and notre Père pacified whenever one of our hijinks was discovered. Everyone loved him. He was a born diplomat. The perfect spare. The very opposite of me.”

  “He sounds like a wonderful man.”

  “He is.” I shook my head. “Was. It’s still hard for me to think of him in past tense. He’s gone, my whole life has changed, but I still expect to see him when I walk into the palace. But he’s not there. And he won’t ever be again. I miss him.”

  “I’m so sorry, Luc.” Hannah unbuckled her lap belt and climbed into my seat with me. She rested her head on my shoulder as she hugged me tight. “I’m so, so sorry.”

  My scalp heated and I fought the tears burning at the back of my eyes. “He deserved so much more. It should’ve been me on that plane.”

  “No! Don’t say that. I never want to hear you say that.”

  “It’s true. The only reason Julien wasn’t on the same plane as me is because of royal protocol. Two heirs cannot fly together, so we had to take two planes. It could’ve just as easily been mine to have the mechanical failure and go down over the Atlantic. But notre Père was late to the airport, and Bastien wanted to leave. I wanted to get back to the base, too. So Julien, ever the peacekeeper, agreed to wait for notre Père. I should’ve been the one to stay behind. I should’ve been the one to die that night. Not Julien.”

  “So you were supposed to fly with your father? That was the plan all along?”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “But you should’ve been able to see the future and know that your brother was going to die that night?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not saying—”

  “That’s exactly what you’re saying. You believe you should’ve known that you were going to lose half your family that night and should’ve done something. That’s ridiculous. Of course you miss your brother. It was a horrific accident. But there’s no point in playing coulda shoulda woulda. You’re tearing yourself up over something you had no control over.”

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “And I’m not saying that it should be. Do you know how much I wished that I’d never gotten into that car accident? I was a teenager who didn’t get to go to my prom. I was going through physical therapy because I couldn’t walk. I hated every day of it—the pain, the nausea, the fear of never walking again. It got to the point where I started making deals with God. If he’d just make me whole again, I’d never say another swear word again. Or I’d give up masturbating. But you can’t—”

  “Wait, you promised to give up masturbating? Are you crazy?”

  “I was. And I really hope he knew I didn’t mean it because I’ve broken that promise like a thousand times since.”

  I had to laugh at that.

  “And that’s what I’m talking about, Luc. It’s one of the stages of grief. It’s natural. You just gotta look past it. You can’t stop living because Julien did. He wouldn’t want you to. Besides, if you had been the one to go down on that plane, I never would’ve met you, and what a tragedy that would’ve been.”

  “You’d have had no one to take to the Erotic History Museum.”

  Hannah nuzzled the side of my neck. “No one to finger me in the Neon Graveyard.”

  “No one to make fun of oysters with.”

  “No one to screw me in front of that huge mirror.”

  “No one to fly over the Grand Canyon with.”

  Hannah pushed away from me with a frown. “Wait, I don’t remember that part. We flew over the Grand Canyon?”

  “Part of it, yeah. You don’t remember?”

  “No, I think my endorphins were too high. All I remember was mountains and trees and then blowing you in the middle of that field.”

  A huge smile stretched across my face. “Ah, yes. Good times.”

  “In fact, if memory serves, you still owe me for not reciprocating that day.”

  Technically I had made it up the next day, but if she wanted me to go down on her, I wasn’t going to argue the point. Instead I stood up, hoisted her over my shoulder, and made for the bedroom at the rear of the plane.

  We had more than eight hours in our tiny bedroom and I wanted to make the most of every minute.

  Chapter 18

  I really should’ve planned this trip better. Between the flight time and the difference in time zones, we landed at the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport at seven in the morning. Not very stealth or covert of me. And thanks to the American news coverage of our relationship, the press was waiting for us when we walked down the tarmac.

  Fortunately, security as well as the chain-link fence kept the press away from us, but I could still hear the telltale click, click, click of countless shutters documenting our arrival. Despite the near darkness, both Hannah and I wore our sunglasses as we walked down the small staircase. The requisite sedan with tinted windows was waiting at the bottom of the stairs to take us home since we’d already gone through the Customs and Immigration checks on the plane—one of the perks of being a royal.

  Hannah gave a heavy sigh as the car pulled away. “Is it always like that?”

  “No, that’s the special we-know-you’re-hiding-something welcome. This time courtesy of the American media. Usually my comings and goings don’t register with the local press, but given all the air time the Americans devoted to our relationship, they wanted to get a picture of us together.”

  “Yay. I feel so special.” Hannah’s expression contradicted her words and I laughed. Hannah laughed with me, then pulled on her dress, caught underneath her. “But thank you for urging me to change clothes. I guess showing up in wrinkled yoga pants isn’t acceptable when you’re traveling with royalty.”

 
“I just wanted you to make the best impression. Things like that matter to some people. Me, I couldn’t care less what you wear. Personally I prefer you with much, much less clothing.”

  Hannah’s eyes darted to the back of our driver’s head. “Luc, please.”

  “Relax. He’s not listening. He’s paid not to listen.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t exactly comfort me. I’d rather not hear about all the girls your staff has been paid not to notice.”

  I threaded my fingers with Hannah’s and tugged until she fell against my shoulder. “You are the first and only girl I have ever brought home.”

  “Oh.”

  “You’re different. You’ve made me different.”

  Hannah buried her face in my shoulder, muffling her voice. “Luc. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say thank you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Now give me a kiss.”

  Hannah leaned up and gave me the sweetest, softest kiss.

  I pulled back and rested my forehead against hers. “Now take all your clothes off.”

  “Luc! No.” Hannah pushed away from me with a huff, then rolled her eyes.

  I laughed. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “Yes, yes I can. And I do.” Hannah sat back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. “ ‘You’ve made me different.’ Phffffffbt. Once a bad-boy prince, always a bad-boy prince.”

  “Only with you, mon chou. Only with you.”

  —

  Once we got closer to Monaco and Le Rocher, I stopped kissing Hannah and started pointing out some landmarks to her.

  “…and way down there is the port. The cliffside is covered in small, windy medieval lanes. I can’t wait to show you—” I broke off as I noticed that we’d missed the turn to my house. “Étienne? You missed the turnoff.”

  “Non, monsieur.” Étienne’s eyes flicked to mine in the rearview mirror, then he continued in French. “His Highness wanted you to report straight to the palace when you arrived.”