Читать книгу Prince Ever After - A.C. Arthur - Страница 12

Chapter 4

Two days later Roland stood in front of the windows that stretched the entire side of the house, rubbing a finger over his lips. He didn’t know how many hours he’d spent in this very spot, thinking the same thought since he’d come in out of the rain that night.

Why had he kissed Valora Harrington?

Because she’d looked...how had she looked?

He didn’t even need to close his eyes to recall, the vision was still so clear in his mind. The black pants and white shirt that made up the museum staff uniform was ordinary on everyone else who worked there. But the way the pants fit the curves of Val’s hips and bottom was not ordinary at all. Extraordinary would be more like it, he thought, as he recalled seeing her walking with her guests. He didn’t need to look at the top half of her body again; he’d seen that pretty clearly Friday night at her father’s house, so he knew she had full breasts. He also figured those breasts would fit nicely in the palms of his hands. Actually, he thought with a twitching in his pants, they might overflow his palms.

His mouth watered at that moment. Not because he was thinking about palming her breasts or even rubbing his hand over her plump backside. This reaction was solely a result of the kiss. The memory was never far from his mind, no matter what task Roland might be doing. She’d tasted sweet, even though they’d just had the spicy pasta. Her lips had been warm, even as they’d stood outside in the chilly rain. And when she’d leaned in to him, Roland had felt the strangest thing. He’d felt needed.

Now, there was no doubt in Roland’s mind that each time he’d been with a woman, that woman had needed something from him. Sex was the top need and want in his dealings with women because that was all Roland had ever intended to give any of them. Did Val need sex? Roland shook his head. That thought didn’t sit well with him, even though it had his erection hardening almost to the point of distraction.

The doorbell ringing pulled him from his thoughts, and Roland dropped his arms to his sides and walked through the living room toward the front door. He hadn’t been expecting anyone. Then again, he never expected anyone to visit him, because nobody knew about his private home except his family.

“I thought I’d find you here,” Kris said the moment Roland opened the door.

“I live here,” Roland replied as he stepped aside while his brother walked in.

At the end of the driveway was a white Mercedes. Roland lifted a hand to wave at Tajeo, Kris’s driver. The man honked the horn in response and Roland smiled as he closed the door behind himself.

“What brings you here, brother dear?” Roland asked as he followed Kris into the living room.

Roland avoided the windows and took a seat on the ultrasoft leather couch. It was a deep burgundy color, almost like a red wine, and melded to his body each and every time he sat on it. The amount he’d paid the designer in Milan meant nothing compared to the comfort.

“You haven’t been at dinner the last couple of nights, and Sam was certain you hadn’t left the island, so I figured this was where you were,” Kris stated solemnly.

Actually, it wasn’t really solemn, it was Kris’s usual tone. His older brother was a serious man. An important man, a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. It may have only the weight of the people of Grand Serenity, but still, Roland imagined that had to feel like the whole world. He didn’t really know, since he was the second born. The only way Roland would ever rule this island would be if his father and brother died. A thought he never in all his life had entertained. Not simply because he did not want to rule the island, but because he didn’t know how he would live without either man in his life.

“What’s going on?” he asked Kris. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind.

Kris unbuttoned his suit jacket and gathered his pants slightly before taking a seat on the matching love seat across from where Roland sat.

“More like having too many somethings on my mind,” Kris replied, and released a sigh.

His brother sat back and let his shoulders relax. They had oftentimes been as close as twins. It was like that with all three of them. As royal children, finding sincere and trustworthy friends wasn’t always easy. As such, the DeSaunters siblings had opted to depend on and confide in each other.

“Wife, father, work or mom-to-be?” Roland asked with a raised brow.

“All of the above, except Malayka will never be my mother. I don’t care how many rings Dad puts on her finger,” Kris said, and ran his hands over his thighs.

Roland watched Kris’s motions. Tension surrounded him like a dark cloud. On another man, worry might have furrowed his brow, but not Kris. His facial features were set, so that he looked just as he did in a photograph taken months ago in the paper, or even years ago in their last family photo. There was no change. Ever. There couldn’t be.

As for Roland, he could clench his teeth and give a quick shake of his head at the monotony of it all. Being a prince wasn’t as glamorous as he was sure some thought. How many times had he said those words? How many days had he realized that same fact over and over again?

“Do you think he’s in love with her?” Roland asked Kris.

“Yes,” Kris answered without hesitation. “I know he is, and so do Sam and Landry. We can all see that he loves her and that he’s never loved any other woman since Mom. That’s the hardest part of this situation.”

“I agree,” Roland said.

It was hard to accept that his father was in love with someone other than his mother. Sure, years had passed since her death, but that didn’t mean Roland was ready to see another woman standing beside his father wearing that crown.

“He comes first,” Kris continued. “Dad’s safety, his happiness, it all comes before any feelings we have toward her or this marriage.”

“I know that,” Roland agreed. “Any word on Amari Taylor’s escape?”

“Gary hasn’t found him yet,” Kris said as he clasped his fingers together. “At the jail, his cell door was simply unlocked and the guy just walked out. We’re sure that means someone on the inside helped him, and since nobody confessed to being the culprit, every officer that was working the night of the escape has been fired.”

Roland shook his head. “You fired all of them?”

“Yes,” Kris stated. “I’m not going to play games with my family’s lives. If there’s no allegiance to the monarch or to justice, then they do not belong on the police force.”

He heard his brother’s words and, to an extent, understood them perfectly. Still, a part of Roland thought about innocent officers who may now be out of work because of this incident. On the other hand, his father could have lost his life in a car crash and Sam could have been killed when Kendon Arnold, the man they suspected of working for Amari, took shots at her. That was in addition to how many lives could have been lost during that explosion at the palace. In the end, Roland knew Kris was right, there was no more time to play or second-guess. This situation was dire.

“Sam says she misses her husband and longs for a normal life,” Kris continued.

“Don’t we all,” Roland quipped.

“No. We don’t.”

His brother’s response was quick and curt.

“This is my life,” Kris continued. “Now, with Landry by my side, I feel like it’s finally complete. Like she was meant to be there to help me through this journey. I have no doubt that I was meant to rule Grand Serenity one day and that Landry will help me with that. We’ll have a family and we’ll be happy here. One day.”

“Wow,” Roland replied with a sigh. “I wish my future was that clear.”

It was the truth, he thought, as he sat back in his chair. He did wish that he knew what he wanted for his future. He wished there was a plan for him, a goal, a woman...

“Brunson said you played poker with the casino owner a few nights ago.”

Kris’s words were a cool statement, one filled with judgment. But Roland wasn’t offended. He was used to being judged by people, even his family. They’d done so all his life.

“It was an interesting game,” he replied.

Interesting seemed like a good word for what had happened that night. As for how Roland had spent the next evening, well, he was still trying to figure out how to describe that. Luckily, he didn’t have to, not to Kris, anyway.

“You won,” Kris said, a semblance of a smile forming. “That’s my brother.”

Roland grinned. “Winning is always preferred.”

Kris chuckled then. “Dad said Grandpa always told him that.”

“Really? Dad never mentioned that to me.”

“Maybe because you don’t talk to him as much as Sam and I do.”

“I don’t please him as much as you and Sam do,” Roland quickly corrected. “But that’s not what I want to talk about. Let’s try going over why you have one of the guards reporting my every move to you. Am I a suspect in what’s been going on now?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Kris countered. “Of course you’re not a suspect. But you are a part of this mess. If they’re gunning for one of us, all of us are affected. The guards are there to protect you and the rest of the family.”

“Are they reporting on what Sam does? Who she sees? How long she stays out?”

“Sam isn’t playing poker with people who do business within our country. And she’s not at the museum telling tourists that there may be buried treasure in the castle.”

So he knew that Roland had gone to the museum, as well. Roland wondered when, or if, Kris was going to ask the million-dollar question.

“Sam is living her life. She married the man of her dreams. She’s continuing her work with the children here, and now in the United States, which will soon be her second home. Everything she does is rooted in who she is and what she’s always wanted to become. Me, I’m doing the same thing.”

Kris shook his head.

“You’re stalling,” Kris told him. “That’s what you’ve always done. But one of these days, Ro, you’re going to have to grow up. When you do, you’ll have to decide who the adult Roland DeSaunters is going to be. A professional poker player? A womanizer? Whatever it is, you’ll have to decide for yourself and stand by it. Are you ready to do that?”

“I don’t have to answer that,” Roland countered.

He was slowly becoming agitated. He did not like that feeling, so he stood. Moving cleared his mind. It reminded him that not only was he alive, but that he was in control. He could decide where he went, what he did, how he did it. Everything was his decision and no one else’s.

Kris stood as well. “You’re right, Ro. You don’t have to answer to me. Or to Dad or to any one of those reporters that love to write stories about you and your frequent escapades. There’s only one person you’ll ever have to answer to, and that’s yourself. Just make sure that when you do, you can be honest about everything you’re doing. Everything you’re saying or promising.”

Roland stared at his brother and waited, because he knew it was coming.

“I was never engaged to marry Valora Harrington,” Kris said. “We both know that. She knows that. Her father believes differently. And you kissing her on the side of the road will only confuse matters for her and for the people of Grand Serenity.”

“I’m an adult and so is she,” Roland instantly countered. “It’s nobody’s business what we do or where we do it. Nobody’s!”

Kris shook his head. “You’re wrong about that, Ro. Because, whether you like it or not, you’re a prince. That’s not just a title, it’s a responsibility. Even for the Reckless Royal.”

Roland turned away then because he wanted to curse. He actually wanted to throw something. But not at Kris. He knew his brother was just doing his job. As always. He had to come and say something to his younger brother. He had to correct the wrongs before they could affect the country. Roland knew that. He hated it, but he knew it.

“She’s been through enough, man. Just leave her alone. We’ve got enough going on to keep us occupied. Don’t start unnecessary rumors or make her another notch in your belt. It’s not fair to her. None of this has ever been fair to her.”

Roland didn’t move, not even when he heard his front door open and close. He stood there staring out at his mountain, wondering how soon he could be packed and get off this island.