by Nana Malone
“Oh, it's real princess.”
I whirled around. "Roone. I didn't think anyone was in here."
He chuckled low. "I came to check on you since you vanished from the ballroom. I was looking for my dance partner."
"It was all so overwhelming. You know, everybody was staring at me and watching me as the prodigal daughter returned. Except I never even knew that this was a thing or a place I could be. It was just a bit, I don't know… much. So I came to hide." I shrugged. "Also, I really had to see myself in this tiara."
He laughed again and stepped forward. "You look like you were born to wear it. And you were. Own it."
I grinned up at him. I stood on tiptoes and kissed him gently. "What have I done to deserve you?"
"Oh, you know, just being gorgeous, and beautiful, and smart, and pretty badass, if I must say. My girl can throw a punch."
"Yeah, and don't you forget it."
He shifted on his feet, rocking back and forth slightly. “Jessa, there was actually something I wanted to ask you. I tried to do it the day of the attack, but you know, someone tried to kill us so that thwarted my plans.”
“What’s wrong? You’ve suddenly gone very serious.”
His smile lightly played over his lips. “Well when you want to tell the most beautiful girl on the planet how much you love her, you should be serious.”
I grinned up at him. “I love you too.”
Roone cleared his throat, and started to bend…on one knee and I reached for him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m telling the woman who fills my soul with light that I would die with out her.”
Oh shit. Oh shit. This was happening.
“Princess. I know I don’t always say the right thing. I know, we don’t always agree. But I hope you know that I would happily hand you the sword to slay your own dragon, every day for the rest of my life. I will lay my life down to protect you, not because you are the princess, but because you are my queen. I will be your partner. I will be your friend. I will be the one you want to occasionally punch. I would be honored if you would call my your husband. Will you marry me.”
In that moment, I want completely ineloquent. My mouth open and closed like a guppy and I couldn’t find the words. It took several moments for me to manage the nod, then the string of nonsense after. “Oh—Roone—What? How? I—Yes. Oh, my God, yes!”
His hands shook as he pulled the marquis cut diamond ring out of its velvet bed and took my hand. The ring slid on easily and I stared at my left hand. The rose gold band hugging my finger, bringing out the russet tones in my skin. When he stood, he pulled me to him and whirled me around.
Holy shit, I’d just agreed to marry Roone.
He drew me to him, sliding his hands down over my ass, and I could still feel the heat radiating from him even through all the layers of tulle. I was so used to the heat of him. So much so that I needed it to breath.
“I love you, Princess.”
“I love you, Roone. Also, you need to stop calling me princess.”
“You’re right. I’m going to graduate to calling you my queen.”
I did like the sound of that one. “You’re impossible.”
“It’s strange. My wife to be has told me that before.”
“Wife to be does have a certain ring to it.”
Roone kissed my deep. With his lips on mine, I completely lost track of where I was or what I was meant to be doing. It was just be and Roone. Everything else in my life might be crazy, but he would forever by my rock.
We heard the chiming of the church bells and he pulled back with a groan. “You have to get back.”
“Nope. I refuse. I’m staying here with my fiancé.
“I love how that sounds. But you really do have to go. It’s time for you and your brothers to do the royal family portrait. It’s tradition.”
Tradition be damned. I was getting bloody married. But then there was a buzzing between us.
"Um, I'm pretty sure your dick is not supposed to do that."
He tapped me on the bottom with both of his hands. "Scamp. You need to get back and I'll need to take this. I’m right behind you."
"Fine. I'm going to head back. I'll see you back in the ballroom." I stopped. “This is all real right?”
“You better believe it.”
I was Princess Jessa of the Winston Isles. And the love of my life had just put a ring on it. I had once been very, very lost, but Roone had found me. Seen me. Loved me.
I took a deep breath. Then I stepped out into the larger room. But I wasn’t alone.
"Well, isn't this a sight? I always knew you were a princess. But for you to be a real one, that's even better. We will make such beautiful children."
I froze, heels planted into the carpet. "Evan. What are you doing here?"
"What? You thought you could escape to a tropical island, and I wouldn't follow you?" He slammed his hand on the desk in the outer office. "There is nowhere you go that I don't follow."
"Okay, alright." Think, think, think. "Evan, I'm just surprised you didn't tell me you were coming. We could have had them prepare a room."
His brows narrowed. "Prepare a room?"
"Of course. I mean obviously, I know that we should be together, so of course I would want you with me. I was very upset about how we left things.”
He shook his head. “No. You chose that bumbling asshole Ainsley. I know you’ve been fucking him.”
Shit. Hurry up and get off the goddamn phone. Think Jessa." I lowered my voice, using the same tone I would use to speak to my father when he was ranting. "Look, we all make mistakes. I thought I wanted him, but after being with him, I realized that you were the one I wanted. You are the only one who truly understands me. You’re the one who gets me. He doesn’t understand. He’s a boy. You, you are a man.”
Flatter. Don’t lay it on too thick. Be self-deprecating.
He frowned. "You chose him."
His hand was in his pocket. What was he holding? Or worse, a gun?
"I made a mistake. I know that now. Do you see him with me? No."
"I saw him here, in that ballroom along with the others, wearing crowns and things. They can't have you. You are mine."
"I know. I am yours. I know this. I wouldn't have it any other way. The men with the crowns, those are my brothers. And if you'll let me introduce you, they'd be more than happy to welcome you. But, you didn't tell me. I didn't know you were coming. So now I have to scramble. I'll get a room made up. And then you and I can spend some time together down on the beach by the ocean."
"You want to spend time with me?"
"Of course."
He stepped forward.
It was a knife in his pocket. He pulled it out slowly. The sunlight that poured in through the windows gleamed on the metallic blade.
"Easy does it. You don't need that."
"I'm not going to hurt you. I’m just going to take this off."
He was pointing the knife at my dress.
Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around my belly. "But it's such a beautiful dress, though."
And then I saw he held something else. A white sweater dress? I had one like it.
"What's that?"
"It's your dress. You were wearing it the first time I saw you. I'm sorry, I stole it from your apartment, but I'd like you to wear it now. Take that off."
The last thing I wanted to do was be naked in front of this man. "I just—I’m feeling shy."
The frown was back. Deeper than before. "There's no need to be shy. I'm yours, and you are mine, so we are going to be together now. You have to learn to get used to it."
"Evan, you're not going to force me, are you? I know that's not who you are. You love me."
The hand holding the knife wavered, but he still held out the dress. "Start unbuttoning. You're going to wear this."
I tried desperately to think of all the ways I could stall this, when unexpectedly, I saw movement behind Evan. Was the bookcas
e moving? A center panel that looked like a shelf started to recede. Holy shit. Were there secret passages in this place?
"Okay, Evan. There's no need for the knife. I'll unbutton. It will just take a second."
"I am tired of being patient. You put this on, we'll get on a plane, and we'll go back to London. Enough of this princess nonsense. We're going to live together."
The shadow moved slowly, efficiently. And then he stepped into the light, and I saw who it was. Roone. How the hell had he gotten from the ballroom to here without Evan seeing him? Was the whole palace connected with a series of tunnels?
He put his finger to his lips and indicated I should keep Evan talking.
"Okay. See, I'm unbuttoning."
I reached for my side and pulled down the zipper. Wincing as the fabric started to part. Then I started on the tiny pearl buttons on the ice blue gossamer fabric. It was so delicate, I didn’t want it to rip it. I knew that Sebastian would have me a million dresses made, but I wanted this one. The moment I had put it on, I'd known that I belonged. I belonged to a family. I had people who cared about me, cared about my well-being, loved me. Just because. And to ruin the first real symbol of that would break my heart.
I moved as slowly as I could. Gently, I undid the buttons, but Evan’s impatience grew as he shifted on his feet. "Goddammit, I told you to hurry." He stepped forward, reaching for me with the knife, and I squeaked and jumped back. And as he lunged for me, the knife inches from my belly, he suddenly jerked back.
Roone had an arm around his neck, his other arm behind Evan's head, and he was pulling him backwards. His gaze met mine in a flat, blank stare. Oh, this was soldier Roone, and he was not fucking around. Not when it came to my safety. He would, in fact, do anything to protect me.
Evan flopped, slashing the knife in the air. He tried to bring his arm back, aiming for Roone, but no way would I let that happen. I yanked up the skirt of my dress and kicked out my foot, connecting with Evan's wrist and sending the knife flying.
Roone blinked then, his gaze meeting mine properly, suddenly going hot. Full of emotion. He jerked tighter.
I saw it in his eyes. He was going to kill him.
"Roone. No. You're not killing him. Not for me. Incapacitate only."
He narrowed his gaze at me. I thought he might resist, but then he didn't. I watched him inhale deeply and then release Evan's body. Evan fell to the floor, passed out cold.
Roone tapped his ear mic. "I need a clean-up in Queen Mother Alexa's office. We had an uninvited guest."
He checked Evan's pulse, and then he stood, slowly moving toward me, hands up as if to show that he was no threat. "Jessa, it's okay. I'm here. I have you. You're safe."
As if the gravity of what had just happened finally sunk in, my hands started to shake. Uncontrollable tremors shook my whole body, and I just stood there.
Roone wrapped his arms around me. Pulling me tight. "I have you. You're gonna be okay. I have you. You're going to be fine."
"He, he got into the palace."
"I know. We had lots of guests. He could have come in as anyone's driver. It's okay. You're safe. He's smarter than most, but now he's on our turf. He's never going to hurt you again. Me, Sebastian and Lucas, we will all see to it."
"God, part of me wishes that you'd killed him."
I couldn't see him because my face was pressed into his chest, but I could feel the movement of his head on top of mine. "No. You were right. I wouldn't want you ever not being able to look at me. I'm not sure I would have known to stop if you hadn't said something."
"Now I wish I hadn't told you to stop."
His chuckle was low. "You're just mad. And you have a right to be. This man has terrorized you. But it's over now. I have you. In my arms, you are always safe."
And I knew it to be absolutely true.
30
Ariel
I wasn't even nervous when I knocked on Sebastian's door. I knew what had to happen. I knew the Council had met yesterday. It didn't change the fact that I didn't want to go in, but I knew what I had to do. If I let Sebastian walk in and save me, the council would never respect him. Ever. And I knew that what he was trying to do was far more important than me and my career. I wished to God I could just let him see my fear. I wished to God, I could let myself walk in and have him save me. But I knew better.
That wasn't what was right for my home. And it wasn't what was right for my friends, either of them, Penny or Sebastian. I couldn't be that selfish. I couldn't make that request. I knew that he would see it as something that he was doing completely voluntarily, but still, I couldn't let him do it. That just wasn't who I was. He would save me without my asking. He would make that choice, that sacrifice, for me and for Penny too. That's the kind of man and the kind of king he was.
But no. I was a big girl. I'd made my bed, and I was going to lie in it and take the punishment as it was to be doled out.
"Come in."
I pushed the door open and gave him a smile. "Your Majesty."
He sighed. "Ariel, I swear to God, if you're walking in here to quit on me, I just won't accept.”
I loved him a little bit when he said that, but I still had to do the right thing. "I'm sorry, Sebastian, you know I need to."
"For fuck's sake, Ariel." He slammed his hands on his desk, and I jumped a little. "Do not fucking do this. I will talk to the members of the council. They know what you've done. You were on the team that brought me back."
"I know. And I know what you’re willing to do for me, and I'm grateful, I am. But I need to do this for you. After everything that's happened in the past two years, your father’s death, the assignation attempts, finding your siblings and having them legitimized, you need peace. And defending me to the council will be the thing that sets everyone off. This is a choice you don't have to make. I know you would do it, you’d take that hit for me. And God help me if I don't love you a little for it myself, but I can't let you do that."
I pulled out the letter from my jacket. "I'm just going to leave this right here. Please don't do me the disservice of refusing to accept it, because I've already dropped one off with Ethan. I did that first, so he would have to at least start the process and you couldn't refuse me."
"You're tying my fucking hands. And what about Penny? She’ll never understand your insistence that this is the best for everyone either. I know it's hard. I feel terrible. I don't want do this."
"I knew you’d feel that way, but it's the best choice for this family."
"There has to be something else we can do. I refuse to just accept this."
"Look, I can get another job. Private security or something. But let's face it, even if you don't look at me any differently, there will always be those who will question my loyalty because of my father. And that's not what we're about. We are a team. We do what needs to be done. We make it work. I'm willing to do my part, and you need to let me. Be my king. Be the one to stand forward and lead."
Sebastian ran his hands through his hair. "Okay look, what if you consult? What if I change your status so you're no longer a full-time employee, but you're a special attaché? I thought of it all."
I shook my head. God, I could see why Penny loved him. Hell, I loved him a little bit now. “Your Majesty, thank you, but no.”
I turned in my resignation along with my ID. My hands shook a little as I did it.
"Your Majesty, thank you for allowing me to serve you." I turned to leave.
"Ariel."
I glanced over my shoulder at him. God, why couldn't he see that I was about to fucking cry? My eyes were stinging, and the tears were brimming. I wanted to run out of there before I completely humiliated myself. Why was he insisting? "Yes, Your Majesty?”
" We have one other option. At least hear me out. Maybe this doesn’t have to be how your service ends."
“Your Majesty, I’ve made my decision. You're just making it harder.” As I turned to face him, there was something in his eyes that told me that this mi
ght be worth listening to. "Fine, I'll listen, but I can't be an employee of the palace. You know it, and I know it."
He shook his head. "No, this is something different, a new possibility. Are you willing to hear me out?"
"I am, absolutely." It was weak, but at least there was a chance I wouldn't have to leave my family. I sat down in the chair across from him and prayed for a miracle.
31
Jessa
So, this is what family was. Roone, Lucas, and Jinx were in an epic, trash-talking battle about who was going to win at Rummy 500. They were all clutching their cards, getting in each other's faces, and talking serious smack.
At one point I actually thought that Roone and Lucas were going to get into a fist fight. Lord knew that Penny and Sebastian had almost gone at it, and not in the fun kind of way, when they had a disagreement on how many points the ace was going to count for.
Ariel was uncharacteristically quiet. I knew what was happening, and I couldn't believe it. Sebastian said everything was going to stay the same. I couldn't see how, though. She was leaving the guard. She was leaving this place.
She was one of the one's who knew me best. She and Roone. And she wasn't going to be in the palace every day. Everyone else was awesome and great, and Penny and I were getting close, but no Ariel? I couldn't believe it. All because of things her father had done? That hardly seemed fair.
The Queen Mother just watched the shenanigans from her seat by the window. When it was her turn at cards though, she stepped forward to the coffee table, picked up her cards, and then proceeded to kill everyone.
No lie. She completely slayed, making pairings and trios and quattro’s left and right. Dropping cards for Rummy against everyone seated. Every single one of us.
My mouth hung open. "How in the world?"
She shrugged. "I can almost guarantee the boys will fight with each other. One of the girls will start trash talking, and I can quietly sit here and pick up cards that I need."