CHAPTER TWENTY – HATTIE #3
“Then have it in a private place, not in the hallways of the palace,” Finn retorts without missing a beat, his voice still ice-cold.
“And when you step towards her while raising your hand, that ceases to be a conversation, and it certainly ceases to be private. You are very much mistaken if you believe I’ll ever let you or anyone else lay a hand on her. ”
Ah.
That… that’s never happened before.
“I agree.” The Queen’s voice rings through the hall, and I peer around Finn’s arm to see her gliding almost ethereally towards us. “I think it’s time to end this so-called conversation.”
“I’m sorry,” I say softly, meeting her gaze. “I didn’t mean—”
“You’ve done nothing wrong, my darling girl.” She touches a fingertip to my lips, silencing me, and turns back to my father. “William, I think you should take your wife and youngest daughter and retire for the evening, lest you say or do something you can’t take back.”
I look over at him, and for the briefest of moments, our eyes meet. Anger flickers in his gaze like a flame, and I don’t know what’s upsetting him more. The fact I’ve called him out or that the Royal Family are wholly on my side.
He clears his throat, taking a step back and lowering his gaze. “You are correct, Your Majesty. I’ve let my emotions get the better of me. I apologise.”
“I’m not the one who is owed an apology from you,” she says dryly. “But if you get started on that, I rather fear we’ll be here all night, and I have better things to do than listen to your spiel of insincerity.”
He flinches.
As he should.
That’s the nicest way anyone has ever been told to shut the fuck up and cut the bullshit.
“You will return to the palace tomorrow at eleven-thirty a.m. sharp with your wife and daughter so that we may discuss this turn of events.” She steps up beside Finn, shoulder-to-shoulder, shielding me further.
“It will likely be a rather unpleasant conversation, but it’s one that must be had all the same. ”
I have just enough of a view that I can see him bow his head.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He pauses. “With your permission, I’ll be on my way.”
She nods sharply.
“We will also discuss your actions,” he says to me, catching my eye over their shoulders.
“Leave,” Finn says coldly. “Before I force the matter.”
Nothing happens for a moment, then my father steps back, bows, and turns away from the three of us. Neither the Queen nor Finn move as he trudges down the hallway, running his hand through his hair, and disappears back inside the ballroom.
The doors close slowly behind him, putting a silent end to what just happened.
“Well,” the Queen says. “That was rather tense.”
“I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I didn’t know—I shouldn’t have—”
Finn turns and wraps me in his arms, gently cradling the back of my head. “You’re not at fault, Hattie. He waited until you were alone. He knew what he was doing, and nothing I heard you say to him was wrong.”
“Yes, darling.” Beatrix smiles sadly at me, reaching over and pushing a bit of my hair away from my eyes. “In fact, it is I who must apologise. I had someone watching your family all evening to prevent this very thing from happening, and they didn’t do their job properly. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “It’s not your fault. It’s… Well, exactly what I expected, to be honest. I knew he wasn’t going to take it well, but I at least thought he’d stay the entire night.”
And, really, that’s on me.
I’m a fool.
I should have known that given a choice, he will always pick Jasmine.
Should have?
No. I do know that. I know it without a doubt, but I suppose there’s still a tiny piece of me hoping the man I knew before my kidnapping is still somewhere inside him, still willing to choose me, still willing to put me first.
Fool. Fool.
Foolish little fool.
“Why don’t you call it a night?” Beatrix eyes me, tenderness and worry etching its way into her features. “You’ve greeted everyone you need to.”
I shake my head, pulling back from Finn slightly. “No. I’ll see the night through.”
“Hattie—”
“Very well, if you insist,” she replies, cutting Finn off. “Take a few minutes here to calm yourself down. I’ll return and personally make sure they’re escorted away from the palace. Come back in when you’re ready.”
“Mum—” Finn stops when she gives him a sharp look, sighing instead of finishing whatever protest was presumably about to leave his mouth. “All right.”
Beatrix’s eyes soften as she turns to me and gently touches my shoulder. “You’ve done a wonderful job tonight, my darling. There are an awful lot of people in there who are very impressed with how you’ve conducted yourself. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
There’s another lump in my throat, and I force myself to swallow, desperately trying to dislodge it.
With another warm smile, she leaves us, sweeping back towards the doors that are effortlessly opened for her.
Finn guides me to the nearest door, and we slip inside the dark room. “Here,” he says in a low voice. “Give me your hands.”
“I—” I stop, holding them against my front. “I don’t…”
“Your hands,” he repeats without an ounce of irritation or judgement in his tone.
Just care. Just kindness.
I hold out my still partially clenched fists, and with the most tender of touches, he uncurls my fingers one by one. Heat blooms across my skin as he rubs them, massaging out the tight ache that’s been lingering in each digit for the past several minutes.
Neither of us say a word as he pays equal attention to each finger. It’s strange, standing here in the dark having him touch me so intimately. There’s nothing sexual or heated about it. It’s soft and deep, the kind of touch that reverberates through my whole body with nothing but tenderness.
“Is that better?” He brushes the pad of his thumb across my palm, tracing its movement with his gaze.
“Yes. Thank you.”
He nods slightly. “Does it make you feel better? Doing this?”
Ah.
I… don’t want to answer that.
“You don’t have to answer that. Forgive me. It was insensitive.”
“No. I, um. Yes.” I close my eyes as my heart thumps. “It… grounds me. It’s a control thing, I guess.”
“Okay.”
I open my eyes and look at him. “Okay? That’s it? You’re not going to tell me to stop doing it?”
“I’d wager that if it were that easy, you’d have already found an alternative method to help you.” He raises my hands one by one and presses a warm kiss to each palm. “I do wish you would, but only because I hate the thought of you hurting yourself. Especially because of people like your father.”
“I want to,” I whisper, dropping my chin and focusing my gaze on where the hem of my dress brushes against his shiny shoes. “I hate it. I don’t want to do this. I just… I can’t just stop.”
“I know. I understand.” Another kiss to each palm. “Let’s deal with this issue with your family, then perhaps we can return to this conversation.”
I nod. “That sounds good.”
“Okay. Good.” He drops my hands and cradles my face, kissing my forehead. His lips linger there for a moment, and I lean into his touch, letting his signature warmth flood me with calm. “Do you want to go back out there for a little while, or shall we call it a night?”
“Let’s go.” Regrettably, I pull away from his warm embrace and look up at him. “Do I still look presentable?”
Something twinkles in his eyes, and he smiles crookedly. “The most beautiful woman I’ve kissed tonight.”
“Oh? Are there many women on the receiving end of your kiss, Your Royal Highness?”
“No. Only one.” He slides an arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him, making my cheeks prickle with heat. He lightly touches his lips to mine, still smiling, and says, “Only one who’s ever had one. Only one who ever will.”
“That’s right,” I murmur against his mouth, grabbing the back of his neck to hold him against me. “Don’t forget it, either.”