“Why have you bought me here?”
He carried over three plates he’d retrieved from a cupboard and set them down on the island. “You could live here for weeks and not need to leave.”
My flesh chilled. “How do you know this?”
“I’ve stayed here before.”
“I gathered that.”
“Don’t be pissy.”
“I’m a sitting target.”
“He would never hurt me like that. We have too much of a history.”
“Who is this man to you?”
Xavier refused to look at me, and, in that moment…I knew.
“Your friendship with Ballad is the only reason I’m still alive?”
He chose his words carefully. “He hides his kindness.”
“Let’s leave.”
“There’s nowhere you can go he won’t find you.”
“Do you really believe you can protect me?”
“Yes.”
“Just come out and say it.”
He went to say something and paused. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m in the middle of nowhere, Xander.”
“Xavier.”
“How do I even know that’s your real name?”
“It is.”
“What about when we got married. You’d have to tell me then.”
“I was going to deal with it.”
“I can’t stay.”
“Running is futile.” He reached for me. “Come here.”
I refused with a wave and my thoughts returned to my suspicions.
It had been the way Xavier deferred to James, the way they’d swapped glances, the way James had relented to his will and Xavier to his.
Xavier gripped the edge of the island. “I’ve got this.”
“What’s really going on here?”
“I will tell you this much…Ballad always gets what he wants.”
“And he wants you?” My voice trembled as I watched his expression, watched him fail to deny it. “Did you…” Have an affair with him?
A kind smile reached his eyes. “I need you to understand—”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “When we met, I warned you that my life is complicated. Told you not to ask about my past—”
“I didn’t expect your past to include…him.”
“You once told me that seeing two men together was hot.”
I ignored that. “Your past has caught up to you, Xavier.” Rage spiked my adrenaline.
He rounded the counter and came over to embrace me.
My hands pressed his chest to prevent him from pulling me close. “I can’t think straight.”
“I tried to avoid this.”
I peered into his eyes. “Why did you leave him?”
A chill washed over me as my gut told me I was close to the truth.
“I wanted…more.” His fingers touched his mouth as though remembering a kiss—not mine. “I told him I would only come back if…”
My lips trembled. “You’re lovers again?”
“I met you, Em. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love. You came into my life and I fell hard for you.” Xavier shook his head adamantly. “Things have changed out there in the world since I’ve been gone. They need me back. This is not about a relationship. It’s about doing the right thing.”
“Why won’t you tell me what it is you do? It would make all of this easier to understand.”
“I’ll talk to James.”
“Wait. Do you set fires with your mind?”
He burst into laughter. “You’re the only person I know who’d say that. No, no fire starting. Nothing like that.” He was grinning now.
“I want you back.”
“I don’t get to decide that, Em.”
“Ballad does?”
“Let’s eat.”
“I’m not hungry.” I caressed my aching stomach. “How does he have so much power over you?”
“I have power, too. I’m not without my influence.”
“Like how?”
“I’m the one they need.”
“But Ballad has the ultimate power?”
“He knows if anything happened to you, he would lose me.”
Thoughts of them together swept across my vision and played out in real time. I tried to grasp this heartbreaking truth that Xavier belonged to James…like that. I was in a fight of my life for the one I loved.
“We’ve not been intimate since I came back.”
I swallowed back tears. “Tell me about him.”
“Not a good idea.”
I looked around to make my point. “He’s aristocracy.”
“Obviously.”
“Is that where he gets his power?”
“Yes and no.”
“Elaborate.” I needed to understand the man whose wits I had to go one on one with.
“History robbed him of his title.”
“What title?”
Xavier looked surprised. “King.”
“Of England?”
“Great Britain and the sovereign of fifteen countries.” He lowered an accusatory stare on me. “Did you even pay attention in school?”
“Did you ever consider the danger you were putting me in?”
“Yes, that’s why I walked away from you on the London Underground. I tried to lose you. You persisted. And then you let me fuck you up against a brick wall in a tunnel. I was surprised you stuck around.”
I slapped him.
“I deserved that,” he admitted. “I didn’t mean it. This is hard on me, too.”
I shook my head. “Why do you insist on pushing me away?”
“Because I’m not the man you think I am.”
“Who are you then?”
“My ability…is unusual.” He brushed a hand over his cheek. “Once people hear what it is, they’re scared of me.”
“I love you.”
“I don’t want to argue.”
“I’m sorry.” I fell against him and crushed my body to his.
“Do you hate me for Ballad?”
“I didn’t know you were into men.”
“Him…it’s him.”
Breaking his stare, I understood more than I wanted him to know. James had this magnetic way about him, an enticing suaveness and dark sophistication. His stark beauty affected all those around him…his regal features carried a social influence that saw him getting his way.
“When did he last kiss you?” I had to know.
“The night before you and I first met at Piccadilly.”
“Nothing since?”
“No.”
“Who beat you up the night I met you?”
“We had a scuffle. I left.” Xavier stepped forward and wrapped me in his arms. “What can I tell you to make you feel safe?”
“How do we leave?”
He held me at arm’s length. “We have to see this through.”
“How do we survive him?”
“I need to earn your trust back.”
Easing away, I let him know it was too late.
“Did you see my favorite tree?”
Blinking up at him, I realized what he was saying. “In Great Missenden?”
He nodded.
“I thought of you in that garden,” I admitted.
“I’d hide in that tree-house with novels I’d found in my dad’s library. He had a thing for sci-fi. I wanted to be just like him. Anything he read I wanted to read.”
I gave a shrug. Him letting me in now felt like a wasted effort.
“What about you?” He kissed the top of my head. “Tell me something I don’t know about you. That if we’d spent more time together, I’d have found out.”
“What’s the point?”
“There’s a chance for us.”
My gaze met his, tendrils of happiness trying to ensnare me. “Promise.”
“I promise.”
The room swirled and I replayed his words while holding onto t
his chance he was offering.
“I have a thing for dinosaurs,” I whispered.
“Impress me with something I don’t know about the world two hundred and forty-five million years ago.”
“No.”
“Humor me.”
“The chicken is the closet known modern relative to the T-Rex.” I pointed to the eggs. “You’re about to tuck into a dinosaur’s relative.”
He broke into a smile. “I love you so much, Em.”
“Love you, too,” I said, blushing. “You knew that about dinosaurs already, didn’t you?”
He grinned, and said, “Congrats, by the way.”
I peered up at him. “You heard I got through the first audition at the London Symphony?”
He looked full of regret. “I wish I could have been there.”
Outside the window I heard the sound of blades slicing through the air—a helicopter was landing close by.
I felt a chill of terror. “What have you done?”
“I don’t expect you to understand my reasoning.”
A cold sweat snaked down my back. “Is that him?”
“The only way to survive this is for him to fall for you like I did.”
“What?”
“Win him over, Em.”
I shoved him away. “I hate him.”
“Fighting him is dangerous.”
“I will not have that man anywhere near me.”
“It’s not your decision.”
“Well, it’s definitely not yours.”
“You asked why I brought you here.”
“You’ll get me killed,” I stuttered.
“Em, listen to me—”
I bolted out and down the hallway, veering left, recalling every piece of décor that served as a landmark—all the way to the front door.
The handle refused to turn.
I spun round and jolted at the sight of James strolling toward us through the east hallway, his long coat flapping behind him. He came into the foyer looking even more vicious.
From the west hallway, Xavier appeared at a run and stopped abruptly when he saw him.
James glared at him. “I failed to make it to the dinner, Xander. Apparently, someone hijacked my helicopter.”
“Ah.”
“Want to tell me why that seemed like a good idea?” he seethed.
“I brought her here.”
“I can see that.” James stepped closer. “I had a flight to catch.”
“You shouldn’t be meeting with Iv—” He caught himself before saying the man’s name. “Send someone else.”
“He didn’t know I was coming. Or so I thought.” James ripped at his bowtie to undo it. “It should have been me.”
“Bad idea.”
“Did I ask for your opinion?”
“Not this time, no.” Xavier ambled over to him. “What happened?”
James closed his eyes and seemed to be steadying himself. “We’ll discuss it later.”
“Something happened?”
“Later,” snapped James.
“You forced my hand with Em.”
“You think this helps her?”
“The alternative?”
“She’s to be questioned here then?” James didn’t hide his disapproval. “By me. This is what you want?”
“If that’s what it takes, yes.”
“Your order was simple. Clear. Unfuckable.” Ballad’s eyes narrowed on him. “Protocols are there for a reason.”
“There’s always another way. You taught me that.”
“Want to join us, Xander? See the consequences of your actions?”
Icicles surged through my veins.
“Ms. Rampling.” James pivoted to face me. “If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear.”
My legs wobbled beneath me. “What’s happening?”
“Who did you speak with about us?” asked James.
Oh, shit. I’d mentioned him to Xavier’s mum. “No one.”
James gestured for me to follow. “Sure about that?”
“Where are you taking me?”
“We’re going to explore how willing you are to obey.”
“I’m not hiding anything,” I said.
Ballad reached out for my hand and took it, squeezing with a firm grip as he wove his fingers through mine. “You’ve been up to no good, Em. Let’s crack that secret open.”
Outraged, I said, “I know his real name.”
“Yeah, might not want to piss me off any more than I already am,” James warned.
My eyes adjusted to the room.
No, not just a room…a dark chamber with torture devices—like the ones on display in the London Tower. This was James reminding me of his threat against my life.
Still, he couldn’t know what I’d done. Unless he’d gone to Lloyds bank and checked out my safety deposit box. And I had the only key.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” I said with false bravado.
“We’ve kept many of the rooms the same to preserve our history,” James told me with a cold smile.
Walking past Xavier, I headed for the door. “Show me what else you’ve got in the way of medieval paraphernalia. Love those tapestries. How do you ever leave this place?”
“Emily.” James shrugged out of his jacket. “Shut the door.”
Despite my doubt and apprehension, I closed it, leaning back against the wood. This man was the reason I’d lost Xavier. Whatever he needed my boyfriend for could be done by someone else. He’d manipulated him back into his life with some contrived story and Xavier had believed it.
I was going to fight for him.
So, I stayed put. “Xavier told me you have royal blood?”
James shot him a quelling look.
“It was important to establish trust,” Xavier explained. “Share a bit about you.”
“What else did you tell her?”
“Apparently you could have been king?” I answered for him.
“I imagine my ancestors are more upset than I am.”
“Your ancestor, Richard of York, was entitled to the throne,” added Xavier, as he leaned against the frame of a rack.
“What happened,” I asked.
“You’ve heard of the two princes who disappeared in the confines of the Tower of London?” said Xavier.
“Yes.”
“What do you remember about them?”
I recalled my shaky history lessons. “Two Princes were held in the Tower as prisoners. Was it in the fourteenth century?”
James gave a nod. “They were there to be protected.”
“They were brothers?”
“Yes. Edward V, King of England, and Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York,” said James. “Ages nine and twelve. They were lodged at the tower for their protection so Edward’s coronation as King could go unhindered.”
I remembered. “But they died before he was crowned king—under suspicious circumstances.”
“They disappeared,” added Xavier.
“I thought their bones were discovered in the late seventeenth century,” I said. “Two workmen found them under the stairs of the Tower? Didn’t Charles II have them buried in Westminster Abby?”
“She does know her history,” said Xavier. “But what you couldn’t know was animal bones were mixed with adult bones.”
“To make it look like they died?” I realized.
“The false bones were placed in the box to protect the boys.” James sat on the edge of the rack…an intimidating move on his part.
I ignored it. “I thought the boys were murdered?”
“The princes survived,” said Xavier.
The weight of this revelation had me staring at James. “They lived?”
Xavier pointed to him. “You’re looking at Edward V’s direct descendant.”
“So they went into hiding.” I studied James’ regal features. “What does this mean? You’ll challenge the crown?”
James laughed. “Not on the agenda.”
I glanced from him back to Xavier.
This could work—us being civil and clearing the air, having a rational conversation even if James was using this place to intimidate me.
A window let in just enough light to throw shadows over the faces of these two gorgeous men. The mood was changing…sinister undertones bubbling to the surface.
I wondered if anyone had died in here.
James pushed to his feet. “I have shared something deeply personal with you, Em. A secret kept over centuries. I’m giving you the same chance to be honest.”
My mouth went dry with nervousness. “How do you mean?”
James patted the rack. “Let’s talk about the note.”
All the air left my lungs.
James motioned to the rack. “Or we can chat here, sweetheart.”
“You took me to number 10 Downing Street,” I said breathlessly. “I didn’t ask to go there.”
James lifted his hands, palms up, in a gesture that didn’t seem sincere. “To prove I trusted you to be reasonable.”
I reached behind me for the door handle.
“Don’t try it,” ordered James.
I licked my lips nervously, trying to swallow my panic. “I admit reporting Xavier missing at the police station was a mistake. I’m sorry.”
James gave me a severe look. “The inspector whispered something to you before we left. What was it?”
“I already told you…she told me I could return to the station if I wanted to talk with her.”
James came closer. “The truth.”
If I ran, I’d be confessing my guilt for hiding the truth of what the inspector really told me. If I ran, I’d never make it out.
I moved close to Xavier and wrapped my arms around him. “I don’t like this.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead. “You know how much I love you.”
James folded his arms across his chest. “Em, how was your trip to Great Missenden?”
Fear welled inside me. “You would have done the same.”
“I’m flattered you expressed such an interest in me to Xavier’s mum,” said Ballad. “Let that be the last time you use my name in public.”
The way Xavier’s expression filled with concern sent a slither of terror up my spine.
I let go of him and backed away. “I didn’t speak to anyone else.”
“That note,” asked James. “Who was it intended for?”
Xavier stepped toward me. “Just tell us, Em.”
“There was nothing about you in the note. I left it in the safety deposit box. I’m the only one with a key.”
The Pervade Duet Page 14