Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
ELENA
E lena’s stomach twisted into a knot as she stared at the name lighting up her phone. Her heart thudded against her ribs, and her palms turned sweaty. She’d consistently received more threats about her behavior. Had her father finally had enough?
Her eyes flicked to the Crown Jewels in the case in front of her. Ironic her father, King of Eldoria, would call as she stared at the crown he wore on so many occasions in the past.
She flicked her gaze up to Nate, hoping he couldn’t read her consternation. “Ugh, I need to take this. Will you excuse me?”
He squeezed her shoulder before kissing her cheek. “Of course.”
She stepped away and swiped to answer the call. “Hello, Father.”
“Elena, hello,” her father’s deep voice greeted her. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No, of course not. I’m just…admiring some artwork at the museum.”
“I see. I hope you are faring well there. Mother and I miss you terribly.”
She lowered her gaze to the floor, her back still turned toward Nate. “I miss you both, too.”
“Perhaps we ought to discuss your homecoming.”
“No!” she said, her voice carrying too much emotion. She forced it back to a calmer state. “I mean to say, that isn’t necessary. The entire point of this excursion was for me to experience the world. And despite missing you both, I am having a lovely time here.”
“Well, I suppose that is excellent news.”
“I think so,” she said, holding her breath as she wondered if he had more to say.
“I must confess, I have another reason for my call.”
“Oh?” Elena asked, her heart ramping up.
“Your cousin, Julian, is in Stirling City. I thought it may be nice to see a familiar face. Perhaps you could have tea or lunch.”
Elena’s eyebrow arched at the words. “Is he? And how long is he here for?”
“He’s been for several weeks, I understand. I’ve only just learned of it. I believe he plans to stay for another week or so. If you haven’t the time–”
“Oh, no, no, for family I will make the time. Where is he staying? Do you know?” Everything became clear to her. The pictures of her with Nate, the threats, it all made sense.
“The Grand Arms,” her father reported back.
“Good. I will contact him to make arrangements.”
“Wonderful. I thought you may enjoy a small piece of home. ”
Elena fixed her gaze on the wall, her teeth clenching. “Oh, you have no idea, Father.”
“I am happy to be of service, then. I will not keep you any longer. Go enjoy the museum.”
“Thank you, Father. Speak soon.” She ended the call, sucking in a breath. It hadn’t been her father sending the vague threats and accusations. It had been her meddling cousin, Julian. How typical of his family to resort to such tactics.
A plan hatched in her mind to put an end to the nonsense. She would make a point of seeing her dear cousin at her first opportunity. But for now, she had a date to enjoy with a man she was growing to love more with each passing second.
She shoved her phone into her purse and twisted to find him. Her eyebrows knitted as she spotted him standing with a blonde woman. The tension in his jaw suggested he wasn’t pleased.
She eyed the woman as she closed the distance between them, approaching his side tentatively. With a flick of her gaze at the woman, she shifted her focus to him. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“No,” Nate said, sliding an arm around her shoulders. “Not at all.”
The smirk on the woman’s features faded, her eyes narrowing slightly as they scanned Elena from head to toe. “I didn’t realize you were with someone.”
“I am,” Nate answered, his voice taut. “This is my girlfriend, Ellie.”
Ellie offered the woman a smile, still unclear on who she was as she thrust her hand forward. “Hello.”
“Ellie, this is…Chloe. A former friend.”
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Chloe answered without accepting her hand.
Elena tugged it back, unimpressed by the woman’s lack of manners, but well-versed in maintaining her composure. “Lovely meeting you. If you need a moment–”
“No, I don’t,” Nate interrupted, his grip tightening around her. “Let’s go.”
He led her from the exhibit room, his jaw never loosening as they walked. “Nathan, are you all right?”
He stopped in the hall, facing her as he blew out a shaky breath. “No, I’m not. Do you mind if we get out of here? Get some air?”
“Of course not.” She took his hand in hers, her features pinching with concern for his sudden change in behavior.
He chewed his lower lip as they snaked to the entrance and pushed into the evening air. The lowering sun painted the sky brilliant reds and purples as Nate hurried away from the museum, his pace hard.
“Would you like to go somewhere to talk?” she asked between puffs for breath as she struggled to keep up with him.
He froze on the sidewalk, his fists clenched tightly at his side. His jaw clenched as he slid his eyes closed. “I…I’m sorry.”
“There is nothing to apologize for. But you seem rather upset. I can’t help but think it has to do with that woman. Who was she?”
He flicked his gaze away from her, his posture stiffening.
“Nathan?” she asked softly.
He swallowed hard, snapping his pinched features back toward her. “Let’s go to the park. I’ll explain everything.”
“All right,” she said with a nod. Her stomach knotted as they walked the short distance to the park. What had Nate so tied in knots that he’d nearly run from the museum?
They settled on a bench overlooking the fountain, and she pulled his jacket tighter around her as he blew out a long breath, resting his elbows on his knees as he pressed his hands over his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice shaky.
She rubbed a hand across his shoulders. “It’s all right. If you don’t want to talk–”
“No, I do. I…do. I just…this isn’t going to be easy.”
“Take your time.”
His features crinkled as he faced her. “That woman in the museum…she was my ex-fiancée.”
Elena’s eyebrows raised at the words. She couldn’t help but make a comparison to her boyfriend’s former flame. She was dark to the woman’s light. Their styles were entirely different. They didn’t seem to share the same taste in anything, except perhaps, men.
“I assume it did not end well,” Elena said, wondering if she was the rebound. Did Nate pine for the woman?
“It didn’t,” he said. “She…umm…she wasn’t interested in me for me. She…cheated. With my brother.”
“Oh,” Elena said, her voice filled with a rueful concern. “I am sorry.”
His features flinched as he gave a slight shake of his head. His fingers tapped out a nervous rhythm against his thigh. “Seeing Chloe…it brought a lot of bad stuff back, but…”
He shifted his gaze to her for the first time as he reached for her, cupping her cheek in his hand. “I need you to know, Ellie, that I’m not sorry things ended with her. Because if they hadn’t, I never would have met you. And you have…brought a light into my life that I didn’t think was possible after all that darkness.”
Elena offered him a reassuring smile. “I am quite pleased we met, too.”
The smile on his features faded quickly, his eyebrows pinching again. “There is something else, though.”
She braced herself for what revelation may come .
He licked his lips before continuing. “After everything ended with Chloe, I didn’t handle it well.” His voice faltered, betraying his deep upset. “I…started drinking. A lot. It was a really dark time for me. I’ve been working to move past it, but…it’s part of my history. Part of me. I thought you should know.”
He offered her a tentative glance, his eyes filled with remorse and vulnerability.
She wrapped her hand in his. “And have you? Moved past it?”
His fingers tightened around hers as he bobbed his head. “Yes, and no. I’m sober. I’ve been sober for months. Every day is…a battle, but it’s one that’s been far easier to win with you in my life.”
She smiled at him again. “Months? Well, that is a big step. When did this happen?”
“A little over a year ago. I…we actually met on the anniversary of my break-up with Chloe.” He huffed out a laugh at the irony.
“And you had already been sober for months then?”
He nodded. “Yes, yes. I haven’t touched a drop in months. And I’ve never been drunk since I’ve known you. I…I’m working really hard to put the past behind me. It’s easier when there’s hope that I have a future.” He squeezed her hand. “Do I? Have a future with you? Or have I ruined it with my past stupidity?”
Her features melted into a genuine smile at his words. “Nothing could ruin our future if we are both committed to each other. What happened…it’s a part of you, Nathan, but it’s not all of you.”
His questioning gaze melted into an expression of relief as he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “Ellie, I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”
“I will support you in any way I can. Just let me know what I can do.”
He pulled back, his thumb rubbing her cheek. “You already do it every single day. Honestly, Ellie, the day we met went from the darkest day to the brightest spot in my life.”
“I’m afraid you may be giving me too much credit. Your darkest days were far behind you when you picked yourself up and decided to move on with your life.”
“Well, I have a lot of people to thank for that, too.”
“I’m certain, but the biggest one to thank is you. No one can stop us from behaving how we choose, no matter how much they want to. You took that step yourself. And I’m proud of you for that.”
He beamed at her. “Thank you, Ellie, you, as always, have been amazing about this. It’s been weighing on me.”
“Whatever for?”
He crinkled his brow. “Ellie…you’re amazing. I just…imagined telling you I was a drunk after being engaged to that…woman, and you ending things.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you deserve way better than some former drunk who until recently had the worst taste in women, apparently.”
“She did have fairly bad taste in clothing, I will say that. But men never seem to care. But what are you on about with this nonsense of me deserving better?”
He chuckled at her statement as he pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Oh, Ellie. You do. You’re amazing. You deserve the world.”
“You deserve wonderful things, too. You didn’t deserve what she did to you.”
Nate sucked in a breath. “I think the luckiest day of my life was meeting you.”
“Funny, I think the same thing,” she said before she leapt off the bench. “Now, if you’re quite finished with all the dire news, perhaps we can take a spin on that carousel.”
His grin grew wider as he rose. “Let’s do that.”
They spent the rest of the evening enjoying each other’s company, the tension from earlier in the evening melting away. He dropped her at her apartment, ending the evening with a kiss.
“Hey, I have that work thing tomorrow night, so I will have the worst night ever without being able to see you.”
“Yes, I remember. I’ll miss you, too, but I’m only a text away.”
He smiled at her before he gave her another kiss. “I know. I’ll be texting you all night.”
“I look forward to it,” she said with a kiss on his cheek. “Good night.”
His fingers lingered on her hand before he finally let go and strode down the street. She pushed into her building and climbed to her apartment.
“And how was the date?” Caroline asked as Elena pushed into the apartment.
“Lovely, as always…for the most part.”
“For the most part? Are there cracks in the foundation?”
“No,” Elena said as she sank onto the couch next to her ladies’ maid. “Although a few things happened.”
Caroline arched an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
“Nathan confessed that he’s struggled in the past with some things. It doesn’t affect how I feel. But there’s something else.” Elena grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl on the coffee table. “I think I know who has been sending those threatening notes with the pictures.”
“Really?”
“Father called whilst I was at the museum with Nathan. Apparently, Julian is in town. Unsurprising since the Crown Jewels of Eldoria are being displayed at the museum.”
“Prince Julian is here with the Crown Jewels?”
“Likely not with them, though he’ll shove himself in as though he is. I’d bet my life he is the one creating the problems.”
“It’s a likely bet. You and he have a difficult relationship.”
Ellie munched on another piece of popcorn, her mind recalling their many battles. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“Confront him. Tomorrow. I’m going to put a stop to this.”
Silence stretched between them before Caroline said, “Did you see the Crown Jewels?”
Elena rolled her eyes. “Yes. Nathan insisted.”
“Was he duly impressed?”
“No,” she said with a sigh, “he remarked about how royalty was nonsense.”
“Won’t he be surprised if he finds out.”
The words made her stomach twist into a knot. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Hiding this from him–”
“Is a recipe for disaster?” Caroline asked, snagging a handful of popcorn.
Elena snapped her gaze to her ladies’ maid. “No. I was going to say difficult and emotionally taxing, not disastrous. But…now you’ve ruined it and struck fear into my heart.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, my dear.” Caroline said as she patted Elena’s cheek. “But it is a possibility you must face. If you plan to continue this relationship, you must tell him eventually.”
“I suppose you are correct. But I do not need to tell him yet. I still…want to make certain he loves me for me.” She dusted her hands after eating her last piece of popcorn. “And now I’m off to bed. I plan to deal with my dear cousin, Julian, as soon as I can.”
Caroline pushed herself up from her slouched position .
“No, no. I can manage to change myself. Watch your film.”
“I am still your ladies’ maid, no matter what you’d like to pretend. I will ready you for bed same as I have every other evening since you were eight years old.”
After her nightly routine, she settled in her bed, stretching out and forcing her mind to recall their carousel ride earlier rather than her wayward cousin. When she awoke the next morning, she stretched and firmed her resolve to stop Julian’s antics.
She spent her morning distracted until she finally hit the sidewalk, her feet pushing her toward the Royal Arms. Her heart thudded harder with every step.
When she arrived at the ritzy hotel and pushed into its opulent lobby, she was ready for the fight. She scanned the space, hoping to find her cousin in the lobby but she didn’t spot him. She approached the desk, requesting his room number.
“I am sorry, miss, but I cannot give out that information. I could call and leave a message.”
Elena gritted her teeth, her fingers curling into fists. “Please. Tell him his cousin has arrived to see him.”
“Of course, miss.” The front desk attendant dialed a number and waited a moment. “Hello, this is the front desk. I have Prince Julian’s cousin waiting for him…Yes, I understand. I will pass that along. Thank you.”
The attendant replaced the receiver and flicked his gaze to Elena. “He will be right down.”
“Excellent. I shall wait.”
Elena stormed to one of the armchairs and plopped into it, crossing her arms as she stared at the bank of elevators. Within minutes, one slid open and her oily cousin oozed from within the car.
She narrowed her eyes at him as he scanned the lobby before his thin lips curled into a smirk.
He strode to her and eased into the seat next to her. “Elena. How lovely to see you.”
“Sir? Tea?”
“No,” Elena said, her eyes never leaving Julian’s sharp features.
Julian waved the staff member away before he settled back in the chair. “In a hurry?”
“I would very much like to end this encounter, yes,” Elena retorted.
He tented his fingers, studying her with his dark eyes. “Really? How unfortunate. It’s so lovely to see my cousin.”
“Stuff it, Julian. I don’t believe it. If you had your way, I wouldn’t exist.”
He shrugged. “It would put me one step closer to the throne, but here you are.”
She poked a finger at him. “You have been spying on me.”
“Me?” His eyes widened as he offered her an incredulous stare. “Whatever are you saying, cousin?”
“I’m saying your little game stops now. You have been taking pictures of me and sending them with threats.”
“Threats? Pictures?” He leaned forward, his tone serious. “Are you in trouble, dear Elena?”
“No. I am not. But you will be if you do not stop this nonsense. I know it’s you. It has your fingerprints all over it.” She rose from her seat, poking the corner of her clutch toward him, her voice rising. “Leave me alone, Julian!”
She twisted on a heel and took a step toward the lobby when her eyes went wide. “Nathan!”
Her stomach dropped, wondering if he’d heard any part of the conversation or spotted her with her royal cousin. Had her secret just been outed?