“Cool, I should be home around nine so we can do something then.”
He nodded and I excused myself before something could go wrong. I’d managed not to make a complete fool of myself which was an accomplishment for me so I wanted to end it there.
“I’ll see you then.” The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Bye, Serena.”
Ugh. The way he said my name brought a shiver up my spine. I’d have to ask him to call me something else, like Verminta or Grogda. Anything that didn’t sound so amazing with his accent.
“Night sis,” David called just as I closed the patio door behind me.
I went to the study and occupied myself with reading the book I’d picked up earlier until Vanessa got home. I didn’t want her to freak out and scare Cian away, so I waited to catch her before she saw him.
The moment I heard her car pull in, I jumped up from the desk and went outside to meet her.
“Hi, are you headed out?” She called as she picked up her backpack from the passenger side of her amethyst-colored Porsche and headed toward me. Her long, straight blonde hair curtained her until she stood back up and tossed it back.
“No. I’ve got to talk to you before you head in.”
Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows pulled together. “What’s going on?”
She sounded worried and I felt horrible for making her think the worst.
“It’s nothing bad. I just needed to prepare you before you go in.”
“What is it?” She was eye level with me in her heeled boots and searching my face for clues.
“Remember David’s friend from school was coming to stay with us for a few days?”
She nodded and straighten her backpack on her shoulder. “Yeah, Ken right?”
“Yeah, apparently David’s been saying that wrong all these years, on purpose.”
She seemed even more confused. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s not Ken, it’s Kee-an,” I emphasized.
“Okay?”
“That was his nickname so people wouldn’t know who David and their friends were talking about.”
Vanessa blinked her long lashes. “And your point is…?”
“Cian is not just some guy from Lochland like we thought.” She didn’t say anything so I kept talking. “He’s Cian, crown prince of Lochland.”
Vanessa’s eyes narrowed for a moment then she burst out laughing. “Yeah, okay. Funny joke.”
She pushed past me and opened the door. She dropped her backpack on the bench in the entryway then walked into the kitchen. I followed, waiting for the show to start. She went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water before turning around and leaning against the counter.
“Why are you following me?”
I glanced at her then turned to where David and Cian were still sitting on the patio. I peeked over my shoulder to see Vanessa drop the open bottle as her jaw dropped with it.
She sputtered, “That’s…”
I rushed to grab a dish towel and wiped up the water that had spilled and set the half-empty bottle on the counter. “I told you.”
“He’s…” Her eyes widened like she just saw a sale sign in front of her favorite boutique.
I nodded. “Yup.”
She slowly moved toward the sliding glass door as if in a trance.
“Vanessa. Don’t.” I hurried to her side but the door was already open and the moment her foot touched the stone walkway she gasped.
I tried to pull her back but the guys were already looking at us, Cian a bit afraid and David completely red.
“Vanessa,” David said in a tight voice. “Chill out.”
She gawked at me as her mouth moved but no sound came out. I placed my hands on her shoulders.
“Breathe.”
She took in a deep breath.
“Calm down,” I continued. “He’s just a normal person.”
Her eyes darted over my shoulder and I knew she was staring at him. “Stop it. Pull yourself together.” I shook her a bit and she focused back on me.
“That’s Cian,” she breathed out. “The crown prince of Lochland.”
I led her away from the windows slowly. “I’m aware.”
“He’s in our house.”
“I told you that.”
She swallowed then blinked a few times. “I need to change.”
With that, she spun and ran back inside.
When I turned back around to the guys I smiled, a bit embarrassed. “I tried to tell her but she didn’t believe me.”
David chuckled. “That was honestly better than I expected.”
Cian nodded. “I’ve definitely had worse.”
Of course he had. He probably had women throwing themselves at him every time he stepped out of his palace. I’d seen videos of screaming women chasing his car, making signs asking him to marry them, and even a few arrests of women that trespassed to get closer to him.
It was unlike anything I’d experienced.
“Right, I’ll see you in the morning,” I called before heading back inside at a much more graceful pace than Vanessa.
“Serena.”
I turned at Vanessa saying my name but couldn’t see her. “What?”
“Come. Here.” She whisper-yelled.
I stepped out to the foyer and looked up the stairs to where she was peering over the banister.
“Is he still here?”
I checked the patio. “Yes?”
“Good.” She hurried down the stairs, tugging at the hem of her body-hugging dress. She looked like she was on her way to a nightclub.
“What are you wearing?”
She glanced down and shrugged. “Just a dress.”
I raised my eyebrows.
She finally met my eyes and pouted. “What? Do you hate it?”
“I’m just trying to figure out why you’re wearing it around the house.” I waited for her excuse.
Her eyes wandered around the room, avoiding me. “I just wanted to look good.”
“To do your homework?”
She scoffed, flipping her hair. “Leave me alone.”
“He’s a prince, Vanessa. Have some class.”
“Yeah, like I’m going to take advice from you.” She huffed. “You’ve been single since high school.”
Vanessa moved out to the patio, swaying her hips as she walked past Cian before sitting across the table from him. I gave up and went upstairs so I didn't have to witness my sister crash and burn.
Unlike me, Vanessa thrived off using the family name. Being a Rothschild came with its own set of challenges and expectations, but nothing like what Cian faced. I could use a fake name and go unnoticed. I might get recognized at events with a more uppity crowd, mostly due to my parents. They’d been prominent in the community for decades. Most people wanted to get close to us for one of two reasons: our money or our influence. I’d learned as early as junior high that people didn’t want to be friends with me, they wanted to join me on trips, shopping sprees, or sports games.
That’s why I chose to go by Jones, my mother’s maiden name and switched to a private all-girls school from ninth grade on. I wanted privacy and anonymity. I wanted people to like me for me, not what they could get from me.
My parents made sure my siblings and I were well-traveled and appreciated other cultures. They didn’t want us to end up spoiled brats that lived in a bubble. They were the reason I majored in community organization and advocacy. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to use the resources I had available to create sustainable solutions for people in need. I helped build orphanages and trained the staff on how to run it and care for the children. I funded them through loans so locals could run the orphanage without the worry of money.
While David continued to grow the family business and name, I traveled to less developed countries helping others start their own businesses. I was obsessed with helping others find success like my family had. I’d found that most people I met had the ideas and work ethic to be su
ccessful, but they were missing the means to get started.
Plus, I liked helping children. And animals.
I was fortunate to be in a position to chase my passion. I knew it was luck I was born into a family with wealth and privilege. I received very little pay from my two volunteer positions but it was enough to get by since I lived at home, and didn’t have a desire to spend money on clothes or make-up. I only dipped into my trust fund for emergencies.
But Cian might be interested in a girl like Vanessa. She was beautiful, smart, and looked like she belonged next to him.
Not that I cared.
He was a prince. And David’s friend.
Offering to show him around was just a favor for David.
Nothing.
Else.
4
Cian
If anyone walked through the kitchen, they would have assumed I was working. I was focused on my laptop, staring at the screen. The screen that hadn’t changed in over an hour. There were emails piling up in my inbox that I should have reviewed, instead, I was watching the clock counting down the minutes until Serena returned home from the animal shelter. I’d been up and ready for hours.
I shouldn’t be this excited.
I shouldn’t be looking forward to seeing her. She’s my best friend’s little sister. She lived on a different continent. Any long-distance relationship would be doomed to failure. She’d also given no sign of interest.
So why were my palms sweating?
I hadn’t been this nervous about a girl since Violet Christensen, a girl I met my second year at university. I thought I loved her. I thought we’d end up together. I thought she felt the same. It turned out after two years of dating that she was just after the fame and fortune.
I should have known.
She was the type of girl that came from a family that groomed her to marry for a title. I knew the signs and I should have realized sooner, but I was blinded.
I hadn’t let myself make that mistake again.
I was smarter now. I protected myself, mostly by avoiding relationships. Women were trouble. A distraction from what I should be doing. I was taking over more responsibilities from my father each year. I was preparing to run a country. I didn't have time for risks or heartbreak.
I blew out a breath and looked at the clock. It was ten past nine. She would be home at any moment.
Not that it mattered. I needed to repeat that to myself. We could only be friends. Maybe just acquaintances. That was safer. I’d been used for my name and title before. I was used to treading carefully. I wasn’t in a position to give of myself freely. I had to be logical.
My phone buzzed on the counter and I picked it up to see my assistant, Lewis, calling.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, sir. We’ve just received a request from the California governor’s office for a meeting. She only has time open at eleven today. I confirmed.”
I let out a deep breath to keep from groaning. I didn’t want to play diplomat today. I wanted to go sightseeing with Serena.
“Of course. Send the car.”
“Yes, sir. It will be there in twenty minutes.”
We hung up and I closed my computer. There was no point in waiting around now. I needed to change into a suit and mentally prepare myself to meet with Governor Dias. We’d met at the last inaugural ball. She was a lovely woman and was doing tremendous work in California, but I’d been prepared for a day off.
I walked to the stairs but froze when the front door opened. I turned to see Serena drop her bag on the entry table. She gazed up and staggered when our eyes connected.
“Oh. Hi.”
“Hello.”
She seemed frazzled as she smoothed her dirty t-shirt. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got held up at the shelter, but I’m done and free for the rest of the day.”
“Well, now that you’re free it looks like I’m busy.”
Her eyebrows pulled together in question.
“I got a call that the governor wants to meet with me.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Oh.”
“I’d love for you to come.”
She tucked a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear, staring at the ground. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why? You’d be going as my guest.”
She waited for a beat before meeting my eyes. “I dated her son for a few months in college. It didn’t end well.”
I narrowed my eyes, waiting for more.
“It turned out I wasn’t the only girl he was dating.”
I cringed. “No.”
She frowned. “I surprised him at one of his mother’s campaign events. At the last minute, I was able to make it with my parents and that's when I saw him kissing and dancing with a very beautiful brunette. Once I heard him introducing her around as his girlfriend I confronted him. I tried not to make a scene, but he started yelling at me. I guess he wasn’t too happy about being caught.”
I didn’t bother asking for more details. I knew how that felt. “Was his mother mad at you?”
She shook her head. “No, she was mad at him for the public confrontation, but she was more embarrassed by him.”
“Then why don’t you want to meet with her?”
“Because her son works in her office.”
I understood. “Maybe we can see each other tonight?”
She glanced down at the floor for a moment before nodding. “Of course.”
The front door swung open again as Vanessa entered.
“Hi guys.” She looked between us with a curious expression. She was much calmer about this morning and I if the shock wore off. “What’s going on?”
I glanced at Serena before answering. “I have a meeting with Governor Dias this morning.”
“Oh.” She pursed her lips before turning to Serena. “And you?”
“Nothing.” Serena shrugged. I felt guilty for changing plans with so little notice after she’d invited me to spend the day with her. I’d much rather spend time with her than at another meeting that was just a photo-op for the governor.
“You’re not going with him?” Vanessa appeared confused.
Serena shook her head and met my eyes.
“She can’t make it,” I answered for her. I would have thought Vanessa knew about the drama with the son, but it didn’t seem like it.
Vanessa’s eyes flashed. “But you wanted her to go with you?”
“I did ask,” I answered cautiously, waiting to see where she was going with this.
“Well, I can take her place.” Her smile was so hopeful, I couldn’t find it in me to turn her down. I had no reason to.
Without looking to her sister, I nodded. “I would enjoy the company.”
She hesitated before her smile widened. “Perfect. I’ll go change.” She hurried past me up the stairs.
My eyes drifted back to Serena. When she realized I was watching her a smile appeared, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You two have fun.”
She turned and walked toward the kitchen.
“Serena.”
She paused and glanced over her shoulder to me.
“Tonight?”
She nodded once and turned away without a word.
I reached out and grabbed her hand. My skin zinged where it touched hers. She faced me, meeting my eyes. “I am sorry I had to change our plans.”
A small smile appeared. “It’s okay.”
“I’ll make it up to you,” I promised and knew I would keep my word.
She smiled then tugged away. I dropped her hand and instantly regretted giving up her touch as she walked up the stairs.
* * *
Vanessa wouldn’t stop fidgeting with her dress, jewelry, and hair the entire drive to the hotel where we were meeting with the governor.
“Are you okay?” I finally asked when Justin, my driver, announced we were a few minutes away.
She blushed and folded her hands in her lap. “Yeah, sorry. I’m just a bit
nervous.”
“Haven’t you met her before?” I’d assumed since David knew her well from working together, and Serena had dated her son that Vanessa would be used to these situations.
“I’ve seen her at a few fundraisers, but I’m always there with my parents or David. This is the first time…”
“You’ve shown up with a prince,” I guessed with a smirk. I knew that would change the dynamic of things.
“Well, yes obviously. But it’s the first time without someone from my family.” She smirked. “It’s…I guess it’s the first time I’ve done something on my own.”
She was studying her hands when I turned to face her. I’d assumed incorrectly. She was nervous about being on her own. Not having the support of her family. That was something I could relate to all too well.
“The first time I met with Parliament without my father there was the most terrifying day of my life. I knew each of them personally, I’d spoken in front of them and argued with most, I should have been fine. But there was something about knowing my father wasn’t there that messed with my head.”
“How did it go?”
I chuckled. “It wasn’t a complete disaster, but I wasn’t the most poised I’d ever been either. I survived and each time after that got easier and easier.”
She sighed. “So, you’re saying it’s time I grow up and do things on my own?”
I shrugged. “It has to happen at some point.”
She smiled and nodded. “Serena is such an idiot,” she whispered.
I was shocked by the sudden change of topic. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes widened like she hadn’t expected me to hear her words. “I…uh...”
I waited with patience. We would be arriving at any moment but we weren’t getting out until she clarified. “Vanessa?”
Her shoulders dropped. “She’s a moron. Serena turned you down because she’s a big fat hypocrite.”
Justin stopped the car in with the hotel in view, but I didn't move. “Why is she a hypocrite?”
“Because she acts like she’s this fearless activist that is out to change the world. She pretends she’s above trivial things like relationships, but she’s scared. She was too scared to come with you today.”
His Royal Regret: Royals of Lochland Book 2 Page 3