Chapter 19
KYLE
My stomach clenched as I stared down at Nattie. Her features were pinched with fear and concern, and now I understood why. She was afraid for her life. So, she hadn’t actually lied to me–not really.
She was abused…just by her brother not a spouse or significant other. Was I justifying her behavior? I wondered if Ava would call me out on that the moment she left. But I didn’t think I was.
I wanted to believe her. Maybe I was being stupid, maybe I was leading too much with my heart, but I was falling for her more and more with every second that passed.
Every time we were together, our connection seemed stronger. Was I reaching? Was I desperate?
Maybe.
Anything that threatened our relationship scared me—terrified me, actually. I wanted nothing standing in our way, but right now, it looked like just about everything was.
Not only was Nattie’s life in danger, but she was royalty. And I seriously doubted I had what it took to pass whatever test came with being her official partner.
The background check hanging over my head was enough to make me sweat. At this rate, we’d probably be escorted off the premises first thing tomorrow—and I doubted they’d even offer us breakfast on the way out.
Still, I was here now, and I wanted to offer her my support, so I pulled her closer to me, kissing the top of her head. “Nattie, I’m so sorry. How can we help?”
I shot Ava a warning glance, not wanting a full-court press about the gory details. She’d share them when she was ready.
She craned her neck to glance up at me, her eyes hopeful. “There is something, but…I cannot explain more until tomorrow.”
“After the background checks are finished?” Ava asked.
“Yes,” Nattie said with a bob of her head. “My sister wants to be very careful. You could be working for my brother.”
“We’re not,” I assured her. “And we’ll do whatever it takes to prove that.”
She flicked her gaze back to me, a mixture of concern and fear floating in her eyes. “Thank you. I don’t believe you are, but…well, our chance meeting does lead to some ambiguity on that point.”
“I have no idea who your brother even is,” I answered, desperately trying to convince her she could trust me. “If I tripped over him, I wouldn’t know.”
“And if you were working for him, you would say exactly that,” Alex said.
All eyes turned to him, and he shrugged. “Sorry, but it’s true. That’s why she’s being cautious.”
“Good point, Ace. But I have one, too,” Ava said. “We don’t know your brother. So, if he were to show up here…”
“You wouldn’t know that you shouldn’t believe him,” Nattie finished as she nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket. “Here is a picture of Nikolai.”
She swiped to another photo. “And here is a picture of my mother. Neither are to be trusted, though I doubt Nikolai would stoop low enough to bother with you.”
The words stung. Not because she was suggesting that I was unimportant, but because it reinforced my assumption that I’d never hack it in her world.
“That said, trust no one except, me, Nadia, or Stefan.”
Ava’s eyebrows arched high on her head. “Wow, all right.”
“After tomorrow, things will be clearer, and then you can make your own call about whether or not you’d like to stay.”
“Assuming we’re allowed to,” Ava shot back.
Nattie’s eyes lingered on me. “If you have had no dealing with my brother, there would be no reason for you to leave.”
“We haven’t,” I promised. I hadn’t recognized either picture as anyone I’d ever met in my life, so I hoped there would be no evidence produced to say otherwise.
“Right,” she answered. “I should be getting back before Stefan realizes I am gone. But can we speak privately for a moment?”
“Yeah, of course,” I said almost too eagerly.
Her hand slipped into mine, and she led me to my bedroom, pushing the doors closed behind us. My stomach twisted into a tight knot as I wondered if she was about to tell me the new set of rules. Hands off, no relationship, I was only here as a courtesy.
“So,” I said as I shoved my trembling hands into my pockets, “what’s up?”
Nattie twisted around to face me, leaning forward to cup my cheeks in her hands and kiss me. Warmth shot through me at the surprise lip lock.
I wanted to melt into her touch, to wrap my arms around her and hold her close—but panic locked up my muscles. When we pulled apart, I sucked in a breath, my brows drawing together.
“Wait… can we do that? It feels like we shouldn’t be kissing.”
Her nose wrinkled, and disappointment flickered across her face. “Why not?”
Her lips parted as her expression shifted. “Oh. You no longer have feelings for me.”
“No!” I said, eyes going wide as I gently grabbed her arms. “No, that’s not it at all.”
“Then what is it?”
I hesitated. The words felt stupid the second they formed. “You’re the queen.”
“Queen Regent, and what has that to do with anything?”
I licked my lips, my eyes narrowing a little. “I feel like someone’s going to arrest me for kissing the queen…Queen Regent. Whatever. It feels illegal.”
“It isn’t,” she answered. “That’s rather…ridiculous.”
I straightened a little as the realization set in. “Oh. Okay, uhh, well…”
I pressed my lips against hers in another kiss, and she wrapped her arms around my neck as we gave in to the moment.
“Wait, wait,” I said as I pulled back, swallowing hard.
“What is it now?”
“Uhh, I don’t know how to say this but…”
Her eyes searched mine, waiting for me to spit out my latest objection.
“I don’t want to just be…some guy for you, you know? I feel this connection between us, but…can this actually go anywhere?”
I held my breath, waiting for the answer. I expected to hear that we could never officially be a couple, that anything between us would be kept to back corridors and clandestine meetings. I couldn’t accept that. Could I?
A part of my heart wanted to accept anything Nattie would give me, but the other part knew I’d always want more. I didn’t think I was ready to say goodbye to her yet.
Nattie cocked her head, her features pinching with confusion. “Why couldn’t it?”
The question surprised me. Was she serious? Things didn’t usually work out for me. I was still reeling from the idea that this woman was into me.
I huffed out a chuckle, confusion twisting my expression. “Well…you’re Queen Regent–still not sure what that even is, but…there has to be some sort of rules about who you can…cavort with.”
“Cavort with? What are you saying?” She giggled.
“I don’t have the cleanest past. All that stuff I said to your sister is true. That whole revenge thing with my dad brought a lot of bad press, and I’m sure that sort of scandal would probably be frowned upon by your family.”
I hated having to tell her all of this. I didn’t want her to look at me in a different light, but it was too late for that. Soon enough, she’d see all the dirty details splashed in front of her by that beefy bodyguard and her sister.
I didn’t want to see the disappointed look on her face when she came with the background check and asked me to explain myself. Instead, I’d just get letdown now.
She stared up at me, but I couldn’t read the expression on her face. Was it upset? Sadness? Pity?
“Oh, darling,” she purred as she cupped my cheek in her palm, “I don’t think you have a clear view of what life is really like for Belvarian royalty.”
“Uhhh,” I murmured, uncertain how I was supposed to take that.
“I’ll explain everything tomorrow. I really need to be getting back. But until then, don’t worry about whatever has happened in your past. My family has been carrying out revenge plots since the twelfth century. Whatever happened with Grant can’t possibly top our family drama.”
My lips parted as I tried to unpack that statement. She pecked me on the lips, patting my cheek before she disappeared through an open panel in the wall, pulling it shut behind her.
“Wait…” I called, but the panel slid shut before I could stop her.
I rushed to the wall, my hands fumbling over the smooth surface for a latch, a lever, anything—but it was like the secret door had never existed. My fingers curled into fists as frustration surged. How was I supposed to keep up with someone who could disappear behind walls?
With a huff, I gave up and slogged back to the sitting room.
Ava paced behind the couch as Alex slouched on it, his leg bobbed. Both of them stiffened the moment they spotted me.
Ava skirted the couch and headed toward me, her arms spread. “Well?”
I chuckled, a grin spreading across my face. “She kissed me.”
Ava crossed her arms. “That’s all? I thought maybe you’d get some information. Tell us everything that happened.”
“Maybe not everything. Like if it’s private, we don’t need to know.”
I recounted the tale, ending with the cryptic remark she’d made about her family. As I finished, I leaned forward, balancing my elbows on my knees. “So, this is good, right?”
Ava shot a glance at Alex. “Carrying out revenge plots since the twelfth century? That doesn’t sound good.”
“Oh, uh, yeah. I don’t really know what she meant by that, but the other stuff is good, right? Like the kissing, and the whole bit about how being Queen Regent wouldn’t change anything between us or stop us from being together. That’s good, right?”
“Doc, I’m a little concerned about the things she’s been saying. I mean, not just the weird revenge plot comment, but the whole thing with her brother trying to kill her.”
Alex rose and crossed to our bags that now sat by the door. He rummaged through it. “Yesssss,” he hissed as he held his phone up. “Let’s see if we can find out anything about Goldie.”
We spent an hour digging around on the internet and behind the scenes.
Outside of the surface information and some lovely photographs of Nattie looking very royal, we discovered that her sister, Nadia, seemed to have diplomatic immunity in a variety of countries with records sealed so tight not even Alex could crack them–at least not on his phone.
The mystery seemed to deepen around her, but I still couldn’t shake the connection I had with her. I desperately wanted to continue our relationship–no matter the murky circumstances that surrounded her.
By the time we went to bed, I longed to see her again, counting the hours until morning. I hoped we’d get word first thing that we’d been cleared by the security team, and I’d be able to discuss our situation more.
As I laid in bed, the sheets feeling even more luxurious than the ones in my father’s overdone mansion, I went over every detail of what had happened between us.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what Nadia—or worse, Stefan—might find in my past. What if they decided I wasn’t worth the trouble? What if they sent me packing before I even got a chance to fight for Nattie?
And what was the deal with her hostile brother and the cryptic statement about her family acting on grudges for centuries? Too many questions swirled in my mind.
I switched gears, recalling our kisses, and fell asleep with the hope that things would work out at the forefront of my mind.
When I woke the following morning, finding it well after the time I’d set on my alarm, I shifted, a strange pressure tugging at the covers around my legs.
I twisted, startling as I spotted a leather-clad Nadia perched on the edge of the bed.
“Whoa, what the hell?” I shouted, kicking away from her as I tugged the covers higher around my bare chest.
“Good morning, doctor,” she said with a menacing grin. “We need to have a talk.”
I swallowed hard. Nattie has seemed to think I’d pass my background check with flying colors, but I wondered if things weren’t as clear cut with the rest of the family.
What had I done to deserve this early morning visit? And would I ever see Nattie again?