Читать книгу The Dare Collection September 2018 - Stefanie London - Страница 18

CHAPTER NINE

Damien

I COLLAPSE NEXT to her, and we lie for a long while in silence—nothing but the sound of the breeze rustling the leaves. Juliet nestles her head in the crook of my shoulder, and for right now, in our hidden place, I feel like I might know what happiness feels like.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally says.

“What is?”

She traces lazy circles on my chest, this woman who should despise me yet somehow still wants me.

“Edenvale,” she says.

I chuckle. “You’ve barely been beyond the palace walls.”

She pushes me playfully. “I know. But it’s just—different. There is a freedom here that permeates the very molecules in the air.” She props herself up on one arm and looks at me. How could I forget those brown eyes? Her beautiful skin with those cheeks flushed with the afterglow of whatever the hell we just did? “I know I sound ridiculous,” she continues. “But Nightgardin is different—for royalty and for commoners.”

I think about Juliet’s speculation that it is her own royal guard responsible for what was done to me. But then why bring me to Edenvale? Why drop me outside the hospital when they could have left me for dead, and no one would have been the wiser? I would have been another headline. Another mess for my family to clean up. If it was Nightgardin who did this to me, they must have some other motive for which I am some pawn.

“Do you really believe it was your people who almost killed me?”

Her breathing hitches. “I will never forgive myself if it is.”

I skim my fingers along the line of her hair, and she turns to kiss my palm.

“Why?” I ask. “Why after all that has happened do you still want me like this?”

She kisses the scar above my eye, then the one on the side of my face. She brushes her lips gingerly over the bridge of my broken nose.

“Because I know you’re still in there,” she says. “I know the man I spent a magical three days with will find his way back to me.”

“What man is that, Juliet?”

She smiles softly. “A man whose first instinct was to take care of me the moment you saw me. A man who let me choose and put me first.” Her lips sweep across the line of my jaw. “A man who said he’d come for me when my own guards tore me away from you. And I have to believe that if you could have, you would have.”

Something in me sinks. “Even before what happened to me, I never recognized myself as the guy you remember. What if he’s gone for good? What if I can’t ever be who you thought I was? You claim we were intimate like I’ve only ever been with one other person, but we both know how that ended. I am not some knight in shining armor that can save you from the evils that lurk in this world.” Her expression falls, and I know I should stop. She feels something for a version of me that doesn’t exist. “Juliet—I am the evil that lurks in this world. You were a fool to believe I could be anything other than what my true nature is.”

I roll her off of me, pull up my jeans and stand. “We should return to the horses.”

She pulls a small handkerchief from her pocket and walks to the riverbank to clean herself up. Then she rights her own clothing, transforming into a perfect princess at lightning speed.

“When will you stop punishing yourself, Damien?”

I blow out a long breath. “I‘m pretty sure my life in purgatory is permanent.”

I turn to leave the clearing, but she grabs my wrist with a strength and ferocity I cannot ignore.

“You do like a challenge, Damien Lorentz, Prince of Edenvale and future King of Nightgardin, do you not?”

I bark out a laugh. “I married my enemy’s future queen as both our guards readied to take one or both of us down. I’d call that more of a death wish, would you not?”

“Answer me, husband. Do you or do you not love a good challenge?”

Her dark eyes burn with a fierceness that tells me she will make a most excellent queen—if her head isn’t mounted right next to mine.

“Yes,” I relent. She knows that part of me well enough, at least.

She tugs at each side of my leather jacket. “I challenge you to let me show you that your heart is good and true, that you deserve more than you give yourself credit for.”

I raise a brow. “And what’s my end of the bargain?”

She shrugs. “Just believe that this child is yours and swear to protect it with your life. I’ll prove to you and your family that my intentions for coming here are none other than to do the same. Because I know your restraint also comes from a lack of trust.”

I wrap a hand around each of her wrists. “Don’t take it personally, Princess. I don’t trust anyone.”

She rolls her eyes. “Do we have a deal, Your Highness?” Then she yanks her hands free and snakes them under my open jacket and around my waist. “Because I know exactly how we should seal it.”

She is relentless, and I want nothing more than for her to be right. About all of it.

“I will protect this child,” I say. “But you’ll never change my mind about myself. Still, I’d sure as hell like to see you try. It’ll be a good distraction from failing miserably at trying to get back those last three days.”

“Or maybe it will help.” She raises her brows, and I am fucking powerless against her earnestness.

I smile.

“You don’t give up, do you?”

She shakes her head. Then she rises on the toes of her riding boots and kisses me. It is not the hunger-filled need from before but something brand-new. And it’s as if the very air around us shifts.

She returns to the ground, and the spell is broken.

“We should get the horses,” she says. Then she laces her fingers through mine and pulls me from the clearing.

It’s when she mounts Puddin’ that the first flash almost blinds my vision, and the horse’s front legs rise frantically in the air.

The photographer for the photo op.

“Whoa!” Juliet calls out while I still see spots of color. “Whoa, boy. That’s it.”

When my vision clears, she’s already calmed the horse, but that doesn’t stop me from stalking toward the photographer, ripping the camera from his hand and readying to smash it to pieces either on the ground or over his head.

“Damien!” Juliet cries. “Don’t!” Her voice makes me pause. “This isn’t the message we want to send to either of our kingdoms,” she says softly. “If you do something you’ll regret and word gets out...”

I look at the camera in my hand. It’s a good one from what I can tell. Probably cost the guy a small fortune.

When I glance up at him, his eyes are wide with terror.

I step toward him, camera in hand, and he flinches.

“You can’t surprise people like that, especially with large, unpredictable animals.” He nods as I hold the camera out for him to take. “Two pictures and no flash,” I add. “You almost killed my wife.”

I hop onto my own horse and sidle him up next to Juliet. Her eyes are wide and her cheeks pink.

“Can we be on the record now, Your Highness?” the photographer asks.

I nod once. “Write whatever you want to write about the princess and me.” I hold the reins in one hand and cradle Juliet’s still-pink cheek in the other. “You like when I call you wife?” I say softly.

She grins. “I like when you want to burn the world down to protect me.”

I want to tell her I’m not that guy. But instead, I turn toward the photographer and wink.

“Here’s your damn photo,” I say. Then I kiss my stranger-wife long and hard, feeling her skin heat beneath my palm.

If the world wants us on display, then I’m going to give it one hell of a fucking show.

Juliet

I arrive at the royal dining hall at 7:00 p.m. A note from Nikolai arrived not long after I returned from my ride with Damien requesting that I join the Lorentz family for a group meeting at that time. I want to tell them all about the new idea bursting my heart, that I establish an equine therapy program for underserved Edenvale children, but something in the brusque tone of the note has me on edge. This could be nothing but a simple family meal, but that hopefulness extinguishes as I take my seat at the long, mahogany table.

I’m the last to arrive.

The king is at the United Nations attending a diplomatic meeting, so Nikolai is seated in his place at the head of the table and staring daggers into my husband.

“Good evening, everyone,” I murmur, opening my napkin and folding it over my beige sheath. Kate and Evangeline were busy in my absence, because my closet is now well-stocked with a range of elegant yet understated clothing boasting labels from Europe’s top design houses. I don’t have time to thank them before Nikolai snaps.

“I wouldn’t say good.”

Damien slams a hand on the table, the reverberation echoes to the rafters. “That’s your one warning. Take your anger out on me, brother,” he snarls. “Not my wife.”

My brows fly up. “What’s happened?” I ask my husband, my pleasure at the fact he rose to my defense overriding my concern for any misstep I’ve made.

“How do you think Nightgardin is going to react when they see this?” Nikolai lifts a tablet from his lap and taps something on the screen. “Ah, here it is. A Royal Mess: The Banished Prince of Edenvale Corrupts the Nightgardin Heir.” He glances up, nostrils flaring. “It’s from the Rosegate Tattler. What were you two idiots doing feeding the gossip magazines fresh fodder?”

“Wait a second,” Damien says. “That wasn’t someone from the Edenvale press? Juliet told me you all thought we should have a public outing—show the world that Edenvale and Nightgardin were a united front!”

He glances at me, the mistrust in his eyes all too familiar.

“I didn’t lie,” I say firmly.

“No,” Nikolai snaps. “But I would think both of you should know the difference between a palace reporter and a Rosegate paparazzo.”

I clear my throat. “We were—distracted. We didn’t ask for his credentials.” My cheeks flame when I think of Damien’s cock between my legs, my breasts, and I squirm in my chair. “I’m sure the reports are exaggerating.”

“There are pictures!” Nikolai spins the tablet around and there we are, locked in a passionate kiss atop our respective horses.

“Looks like holy matrimony suits you both,” Benedict quips from across the table.

“Don’t you start.” Nikolai lifts a warning finger.

“Darling,” Kate protests, reaching for her husband’s hand.

“I’m sorry.” My hackles are up. I push back my seat and stand up. “We made a mistake, yes. But we went to the stables to do what you all wanted us to do. Just because that Rosegate photographer beat yours to the punch doesn’t mean my husband or I should be held at fault because the story isn’t spun the way you want it. And how dare you judge, Prince Nikolai.” I practically spit his name. “I lived in a veritable cloister in Nightgardin and tales of your womanizing exploits even reached my scandalized ears. You all wanted a united front, and that’s exactly what we gave you, no matter what the article says.”

The room falls silent.

“She has a point,” Kate murmurs, her cheeks as red as her fiery hair. “You’re hardly one to wag your finger.”

“Let Rosegate do their worst,” Damien growls, rising to stand beside me, taking my hand. “I’ll defend me and mine.”

“A laudable sentiment, brother, but forgive me if I remind you that if our theories are correct, the last time you encountered the Nightgardin Black Watch, you came out worse for wear.”

Damien’s laugh is a harsh bark. “You almost sound worried about me.”

“I was,” Nikolai says quietly. His admission doesn’t come easily. “You might drive me halfway to madness, but you are still my brother.”

“Father sent me away, but you disowned me,” Damien says, his voice tight. “Both you and Benedict did.”

Nikolai rakes a hand through his hair. “The days after Victoria died, I wasn’t at my best.”

“It was a hard and confusing time for our family,” Benedict adds quietly. “I’m not proud of my behavior and have tried to make amends.”

“Hard? Confusing? That’s a diplomatic way to say I murdered my brother’s fiancée.”

“Life is full of dark times,” Evangeline finally speaks up. “Our choice lies in how we face the darkness. I’ve found that we can defeat the shadows only with light.”

“Well said, angel.” Benedict takes her hand.

Nikolai’s phone rings. “Yes? Fine. Good. Right now.” When he hangs up he turns to face me. “X wants to debrief you. He’s picking up on Black Watch chatter. They are planning revenge for today’s perceived slight.”

“What will they do?” I ask in a strangled tone, hating to put anyone here in danger.

“It’s Nightgardin.” Nikolai shrugs. “X is hoping you can tell us.”

“But... I don’t know anything about the Black Watch.” Does he think me a spy? Will I forever live under a cloud of mistrust and suspicion?

“You might know more than you realize,” X announces, appearing through a secret door in the paneling. “There may be things you saw. Phrases you heard.”

“If you’re taking my wife for interrogation, then I’m coming, too,” Damien says in a tone that brooks no dissent.

“I expected as much,” X answers mildly. “And made the necessary preparations.”

This man is an enigma. Always so calm. Would anything ever ruffle him?

“Preparations? What preparations?”

“The Eurocopter is waiting on the roof’s helipad.”

“Where are you taking us?” I demand as Kate summons a servant and orders a basket of rolls and cheese packed for our trip.

A small frown creeps into X’s features. “I cannot say. Not here.”

“But we are among family,” Damien protests. “Surely you don’t think Evangeline or Benedict is on the Nightgardin payroll.”

“No,” X says carefully. “But the walls might have ears. We don’t know how the palace might have been infiltrated. We’ve had some—breaches recently. It might be just a precaution, but it’s one I’m prepared to take. Better to think of all outcomes and be unsurprised than the alternative.”

I rest a hand over my stomach. Somewhere deep inside is a tiny spark of life. A hope for a brighter future. The best parts of Damien and I merged into a new human. It seems a miracle. And one I must keep safe at all costs.

“Then let’s go,” I say.

“Don’t forget to eat something,” Kate says. “The rolls are still warm.”

“Thank you,” I answer. I don’t add that I couldn’t muster a bite with my stress. Though the smell is heavenly. That alone gives me comfort.

“Shall we, Highness?” X steps to the side with a deferential gesture.

Damien settles a hand low on my back. “After you.”

His touch grounds me. It’s true we have a mad desire, more chemistry than a laboratory. But is that enough?

We are both broken in our own ways. Perhaps we will end up only hurting one another, but I have to take a leap of faith.

And with that, I step through the door.

I don’t know what I expected to see. Maybe a dank corridor, with moss-covered stones and the sound of distant dripping water. Instead, there is a state-of-the-art elevator. I look where the buttons should be, and there is nothing but a black screen.

“How does this thing work?” I ask.

“Fingerprint activation.” X splays his big hand and a female robotic voice says, “Which floor?”

“The roof.”

The doors shuts and we lurch up. Damien puts his arms around me. “Nothing bad will happen to you. I meant what I said. I will protect you.”

I wish it was because he loved me, but I know it’s because it’s his duty.

“No matter what, swear you will protect our child.” A mama bear instinct rises in me. No matter what dangers might befall us, this child must survive unharmed.

“With my life,” Damien grinds out.

“Yes. Well, that got heavy fast,” X murmurs as the elevator doors open onto the roof of the palace. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”