18. Nicholas
NICHOLAS
THE SECRET TUNNELS that ran through the palace were more narrow than I remembered them being—but it had been at least fifteen years since I’d used them.
Originally built centuries ago so the king could escape if under threat, they were no longer in use, except by nosy twin boys who wanted to torture their nannies by disappearing.
Although Gabriel had used them well into his twenties to sneak out of the palace grounds.
I, on the other hand, had been much more under the monarchy’s thumb, and wouldn’t have attempted that even if I’d wanted to.
So this, sneaking into a secret passage to get some alone time with Noah, was the most rebellious thing I’d done my entire life, and I didn’t feel bad about it at all.
In fact, I was grinning as I quickly made my way back to the entrance hidden in my bedchambers, already anticipating when I’d see Noah again.
I’d only wanted to steal a moment, maybe even a kiss.
I hadn’t expected it to turn into more so fast, but I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to hold back when I finally had him alone.
That mouth was irresistible, but so was every single part of him, and I didn’t care that it was wrong.
We could keep a secret. At least until I figured out what I could do…
I pushed open the door, surprised that after all these years it still didn’t creak or make a sound. Then I bent down to fit through it and, once I straightened, jolted in surprise at what waited for me.
Or whom.
Gabriel lounged in the velvet chair by the fireplace, one leg thrown over the arm and a smirk on his face.
“Well, well, well. Isn’t this a curious little development,” he said, running his gaze over me like he was assessing every inch to see what story it told.
My shock at seeing him made heat creep up my neck as I turned to shut the door, my mind racing for whatever story I could come up with to satisfy my brother’s piqued curiosity.
“What are you doing in here, Gabriel?”
“We’re having dinner, dear brother—did you forget while traipsing through the palace?” He tapped the corner of his lips, and that smirk only continued to grow.
I ignored the obvious question in his eyes and kept my back to him as I discarded the jacket in my closet before that opened up a whole other can of worms.
“This isn’t the dining room.”
“No, it is not. And that isn’t the door you usually enter your chambers from.” Gabriel looked over to the main doors, then back to me. “What devious deeds have you been getting up to?”
I gave him my drollest look before closing the door behind me. “None that concern you, I assure you.”
Gabriel swung his leg down and got to his feet, crossing the room, stopping in front of me, and sniffing the air.
I reared back. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m smelling you…or should I say, I’m smelling someone else on you.
” Gabriel began to walk around me, like a shark circling its prey.
“Warm, cozy, a little bit woodsy. That’s definitely not your usual choice.
Or Alejandro’s, for that matter. And I should know.
I spent a good five hours or so schmoozing your fiancé.
” He came back around to face me. “So, who have you been canoodling with in the tunnels, brother?”
Damn him and his knowing grin. It would serve him right if I punched it right off his smug face—except for the fact that he was right.
“No one.”
Gabriel cocked his head. “You’re lying.”
“No I’m not.”
I was acting like a petulant teenager. But there was no way in hell I was about to tell Gabriel that I’d just come in the hands of my footman. He’d never let me live it down.
“Okay,” he said much too amiably as he walked around me and headed toward my closet.
That persistent bast—
“What did you throw in here?” he asked, opening the doors, and I quickly moved between him and the closet and aimed my best death glare right between his eyes.
“Drop it.”
“Drop what? A stained jacket? You do know you can’t hide this kind of thing from me, right? I wrote the book on stuffing clothes—and people—in closets and out of the way of prying eyes until I could have them discreetly taken care of.”
God, he was insufferable.
I took a deep, calming breath. “Fine. I was with someone.”
“Oh, I already know that. The question is…who?” Gabriel waggled his brows, then walked back to the seat and slumped down into it. “Is it that cheeky Charlie? He’s quite the little minx.”
My mind instantly went to the episode with the junior footman out by the tennis courts, and Gabriel let out a loud, booming laugh.
“I can tell by the I just sucked a lemon look on your face that that is a no.”
“That is most definitely a no.”
“I see. Then how about that handsome new footman of yours?”
Heat again crept up my neck. Noah’s beautiful face flashed before my eyes.
“You’re blushing.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Your face is scarlet, big brother. What, pray tell, did that lovely Mr. Bennett do to you?”
“Not a thing. Drop it.”
“Oh, come on, since when do we keep secrets from each other?”
He had a point, but it wasn’t only my secret to keep.
“Well, I know it’s not Baxter that has you all riled up,” he said.
“You’re enjoying this far too much.”
“I was forced to be you for an evening and court your future husband while you were apparently having secret tunnel adventures. I think I’ve earned a little enjoyment.”
“You offered.”
“And you accepted. Which means we’re both breaking the rules, but only one of us smells like someone else’s cologne.”
“Gabriel.”
“What?” He spread his hands wide. “Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me—”
The main door to my bedroom opened wide, and we both snapped our head in the direction of—oh, fuck—Noah Bennett.
He carried a full bottle of scotch in newly white-gloved hands, and somehow was looking more put together than I was, considering what we’d been doing only minutes ago.
His eyes landed first on me, then on Gabriel in the chair, and his face paled a little.
“Your Majesty.” He bowed his head. “Your Royal Highness. My apologies, I was told you both had gone to dinner.”
“We were on our way,” I said.
Gabriel leaned back to face our new arrival. “Were we?”
I gave him a sharp look, but he only lifted a brow, far too pleased about the turn of events.
Noah held up the bottle in his hands. “Mr. Baxter asked that I refill the scotch while you were away. I’ll come back.”
“Oh, Noah, you don’t have to leave on our account,” Gabriel said, giving him one of those wide, charming smiles most people couldn’t resist. He gestured toward the almost-empty bottle. “Please. Carry on.”
Noah’s eyes moved back to me. He was clearly wondering if that was a good idea.
It wasn’t, but if I made a scene now, it would only make things worse.
When I inclined my head for him to continue, he nodded.
“Of course, sir,” he said, quickly and efficiently doing what he’d set out to do before walking in on us.
He didn’t have even a hair out of place, which meant he’d at least found a mirror to make himself presentable—unlike myself.
I could still taste him on my lips, and I had to force myself not to look at him, because Gabriel’s eyes were darting between us.
My brother was piecing it all together. He was like a goddamn bloodhound, sniffing out all the evidence until he solved whatever mystery needed unfolding.
“Actually, Noah, would you mind pouring me a glass while you’re here?” he said. “I’m parched.”
“Of course, sir. Would you like one as well, Your Majesty?”
“No,” I said, but my voice came out strained. I cleared my throat and tried again. “No, but thank you, Noah.”
Noah poured the scotch into a glass and handed it to Gabriel. My twin took a deep inhale, making a show of it before humming to himself.
“What is that delicious scent you’re wearing?” he asked, smiling at Noah. “You always smell so good. Warm. Cozy. A little bit woodsy.”
I stilled. If I could’ve strangled him with my bare hands, I would’ve, because he was enjoying this way too much.
Noah, though, didn’t seem to catch on, because why would he? He didn’t know the prince was a royal pain in the ass.
Yet.
“Thank you, sir,” he said.
“You’re quite welcome, but I should be the one thanking you.”
“Sir?”
Gabriel glanced over his shoulder to wink at me before turning back to Noah. “It’s just that my brother is incredibly lucky to be so thoroughly attended to. I can’t imagine our father’s old footman being quite so attuned to Nicholas’s needs.”
Noah’s face gave nothing away, but his shoulders straightened slightly. “It’s a pleasure to serve, Your Highness.”
“Indeed.” Gabriel took a sip of his drink, while I reined in my violent urges—at least until Noah was out of the room.
His gaze shifted to me. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
He was so beautiful, with more color in his cheeks than usual. I could think of a long list of things he could do for and to me, but right now we both needed to play our parts, so I shook my head.
“Thank you, but we’re heading out now,” I said.
Noah bowed his head again. “Have a good dinner, Your Majesty. Your Highness.”
Then he left with a swiftness that told me he’d felt the weird tension in the room. As the door clicked shut behind him, I cursed.
Gabriel relaxed back in the chair and sipped on his drink, his blue eyes sparkling. I fought the urge to murder him and spun on my heel to grab a fresh jacket out of my closet.
“You call him Noah now,” he said as I slid into the jacket.
Shit. So I did.
I didn’t look at him, just straightened my collar. “So do you.”
“Yes, but I’m on a first-name basis with most of the staff. You’re not.”
When I turned around, Gabriel had moved, standing only a few feet away. He cocked his head as he studied me.
It was no use hiding, not when my twin knew me better than I knew myself most of the time, and it was the first time I wished we weren’t tethered in such a way. I really couldn’t keep secrets, not even from him.
Could I?
“Nicholas,” he said, his voice quieter now, “are you falling for him?”
“No. No, of course not.”
“Yet.”
I dragged a hand over my face, suddenly exhausted. “You can’t say anything.”
His expression changed, from teasing and amiable to concerned in a flash. “Do you think I would?”
“No.” The answer came quickly because it was true. For all his mischief, Gabriel loved me and protected me in every way he knew how. He had my back and I had his. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Gabriel set his glass aside and moved toward me, reaching for my neck and forcing me to look at him.
Whatever he saw in my face was enough for him to say, “Christ, Nicholas.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Because this isn’t sneaking out through the tunnels or switching places at dinner. This is…” He glanced toward the door Noah had left through. “This is someone who can get hurt.”
My chest tightened. “I know.”
He looked at me like he wished he had the solution to my problem, but there was only one answer, and I wasn’t ready for that.
“I’d say be careful with him,” he said, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “But truth be told, I kind of like this ‘sneaking around, letting his hair down’ version of you. You’ve never let yourself set one foot out of line, so I have to admit, I’m impressed.”
I rolled my eyes as he grinned at me.
“You and the hot new footman,” he said, pushing against my chest. “I knew it. I can’t believe you weren’t going to tell me.”
“You didn’t know anything until he walked in here.”
“Oh, Nicholas. Who do you think gave him the job? His face alone was enough to seal the deal, but when he opened his mouth and spoke? You’re welcome.”
“God, you’re such an instigator.”
“Yes, but in this case, in a good way, right?”
I groaned and ran my hand through my hair. “I have the tour starting tomorrow.”
“And now you don’t want to leave?”
“Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice.” Gabriel opened his mouth, but I held up my hand. “And no, you can’t take my place.”
“I wasn’t about to offer. One night is one thing—two weeks, you’re on your own, brother. Or are you?”
I frowned as he drained his scotch and placed the glass on the side table.
“Take him with you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Noah. Take him with you.”
“He’s already coming with me as part of my staff—”
“No. No. In your car. With you.”
My mind instantly rejected the idea, merely because it wasn’t the way of things. But who was to say that couldn’t change? Just because the staff usually traveled separately to the king, that didn’t mean it had to stay that way.
I could make something up. Hell, I could demand it. I was the king, for God’s sake.
“Ah, yes. Now the idea is forming, isn’t it?”
I arched a brow at my annoyingly perceptive brother. “Are you going to be this irritating all night?”
Gabriel got to his feet and smoothed down his jacket. “I plan to have a couple more drinks, so probably?”
I shook my head as I walked toward the door, but Gabriel quickly moved in front of it to block it.
“Just tell me so I don’t die of curiosity—are you going to invite him into your car?”
“I guess you’ll have to go and have a chat with the staff after I leave to find out,” I said, and shoved him aside. “You know, the ones you’re on a first-name basis with?”
“No need to get snarky, brother. Let’s go get some food into you. You have a big day tomorrow.”
I shook my head and opened the door, and as we stepped out into the hall and the guard there straightened his shoulders, we once again became the King and Prince of Valoria. Not twin brothers cooking up a scheme.
But I couldn’t help my smile as I thought about what tomorrow—and even the next two weeks—might bring.