Chapter 4 #2
“Oh, d-don’t be like that.”
Fucking hell.
He cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Pardon me for interrupting, Miss Ruffin.” He turned to the idiot next to her. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced yet, Mister….?”
Her lips pursed and a blush stained her cheek as she curtsied. “Your Highness.”
When the jackass next to her just stared at Gabriel with his mouth open, Genevieve elbowed him.
“Ow! Why did you do that? I didn’t—”
“Gabriel, there you are.”
He turned to see his sister round the same corner, then stop as she took in the scene. As always, she was quick to understand the situation.
The drunk bastard gave Agnes a lopsided smile and started towards her. “Well, hello.”
“No,” Gabriel said forcefully. He took the few steps towards the man, grabbed him by the arm, and escorted him—almost dragged him, really—towards the front door. “I believe you could use some fresh air.”
As he opened the door, the RPS agents quickly took hold. “Sir, do you and Her Highness need further assistance?”
He shook his head as he tugged at his sleeves and straightened his tie. “Check if he has a driver. If not, find him a ride home. And find out who he is. He was too drunk to properly introduce himself.”
The agents nodded and Gabriel turned back to the house. Framed through the door, with the lights of the house behind them, highlighting the sparkles in their outfits, he saw Agnes with one hand on Genevieve’s arm. Genevieve was nodding but didn’t seem to be crying.
If that asshole had hurt her…
As he approached the house, Genevieve sneezed and he smiled. Not at the thought of her sick, but that such a massive sneeze could come from such a small woman.
Oh fuck. He even found her sneezes adorable. What was happening to him?
As he approached, Agnes’s arm fell away and she smiled softly at him. “Gabriel, I think we ought to take Miss Ruffin home. I’ll just let her mother know.”
For once, he was thankful for how nosy his sister was. “Of course.”
As Genevieve turned to him, she missed Agnes winking at him as she walked away. His sister clearly saw too much.
He checked her arms and face for any injuries but saw none. “Are you hurt?”
She didn’t look upset, only annoyed. “No. I was handling him. I didn’t need your help.”
He simply raised an eyebrow. “Well, sorry for being a gentleman.”
She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t need a ‘gentleman’. I was dealing with it.”
He took a step closer and spoke quietly and calmly.
“There’s nothing wrong with accepting help, Genevieve.
I get the feeling you’ve had to do quite a lot on your own, for a very long time, and so you’re used to dealing with everything yourself.
I’m sure you could have managed him, but that doesn’t mean you needed to. ”
Her brows crinkled—another adorable look on her—just as Agnes returned.
Agnes looked between the two of them and smiled brightly. “Your mother will be returning in the family car later, Miss Ruffin. She was very happy to allow you a ride with us. Shall we go, then?”
GENEVIEVE
It took a few minutes to say the goodbyes, but they made it to the car is a surprisingly short amount of time considering there was a prince and princess involved.
The royal security agents held open the door while Princess Agnes entered first, then Gen (at Gabriel’s insistence), and him last. As she stepped in, she realized the back of the car had two bench seats facing each other, and a privacy screen up.
Seeing the princess on one side that faced forward, she took the other side that would face backward.
When the prince settled beside his sister, she suddenly had two people staring directly at her and she felt as if she were on display, an oddity to be observed and examined.
The princess smiled at her as the car began moving. “It was a lovely dinner, was it not, Miss Ruffin?”
Gen nodded and cleared her throat. “It was, Your Highness. I always enjoy coming here.”
“Have you known Miss Kaur a long time? You seem good friends.”
Gen shifted on the seat slightly. Why was she so nervous?
“Yes, Your Highness. We’ve known each other since we were very young.
Our fathers both worked on the Council together, and our families were close.
” At that time anyway. Since her father’s death, the Kaurs invited Gen’s mother for form’s sake (and for Gen’s sake, since she and Sam were friends), but they didn’t care for who her mother had become.
Neither did Gen, actually.
“Miss Ruffin,” Gabriel started, then paused. He glanced at his sister, who now sported a sort of devious smile.
When he glanced back at Gen, his face seemed more determined. “Let’s drop the formalities, shall we?”
Gen blinked. “Pardon?”
He leaned forward and took her hand. She tried to pull back but he wouldn’t let her. “Genevieve, are you truly all right? You seem…unlike yourself.”
She frowned, trying to figure out what he meant when the princess spoke up.
“That man seemed awful. Have we met him before, brother?”
Gabriel shook his head, but said, “In a way, yes.” Then he switched seats to sit beside Gen.
Gen glanced between him and the princess but, based on her smile, the princess didn’t seem to mind the change or what it could mean. In fact, she seemed delighted by it.
Gen turned to Gabriel, and tried again to pull her hand away. “Your Highness.”
“Call me Gabriel, please. I think we’re beyond formality in private, don’t you think?”
As the princess laughed, Gen’s mouth fell open in shock. “That’s not—we’re not—he doesn’t mean that like it sounds, Your Highness!”
“Agnes, please. I agree with dropping the formality.”
After a few more futile tugs of her hand, Gen sighed and gave up. If the man wanted to hold her hand, she’d let him. This time anyway.
Besides, she didn’t want to admit that she liked the way his hand felt. During their dance days ago, they’d both worn gloves, but now she could truly feel the way his broad hand enveloped hers. Was it odd that it made her feel safe?
Perhaps Gabriel had been right with his comments earlier. She did find it hard to reach out for help or comfort. Not surprising considering.
Had she become too ‘independent’ though? Mama had once told her that men don’t like a woman who was too independent, but she called bullshit on that. It was her mother’s behaviour in the first place that made Gen realize she could rely on no one but herself.
Gen wanted a husband, but that didn’t mean she’d find one who could actually give her what she needs and be someone she could rely on. Given his role and status, she didn’t think Gabriel was that man, either.
Gabriel glanced at Agnes. “Our security said that man was part of the Solari family. It was the heir, Thomas.”
“Ah. That explains it.”
Gen glanced between the siblings but they didn’t elaborate further. “Explains what?”
Gabriel brushed it off. “Rumours, that’s all.”
“Tell me.” When he stayed silent, she squeezed their joined hands. “Gabriel?”
Agnes smiled wider but Gabriel sighed. “The Solari family is known to be quite…ruthless, shall we say. And while that may have given them success in business for a time, it’s certainly not the case anymore under Thomas’s reign.”
“They’re not rich anymore?”
“Not for a long time,” Agnes said as she adjusted her dress slightly. “Though we’ve never been formally introduced to Thomas before tonight, I can say that I’ve heard from more than one lady in society about his light pockets, roaming hands, and drunk anger. I was surprised to see him tonight.”
Gen shook her head, still wrapping her head around everything she’d learned.
She hadn’t really considered Thomas a viable candidate, but he’d been in the running (albeit at a very low rank).
“The Solaris live just down the road from the Kaurs. I imagine that’s why they were invited.
Though I doubt Mr. Kaur knows his true personality; I don’t think he would invite him if he thought he might act like this, especially in front of either of you. ”
Gabriel shrugged. “Only he could confirm that.”
Gen made a mental note to ask Sam about it.
Sam! She hadn’t even said goodbye to her best friend before leaving. Actually, she hadn’t seen Sam at all towards the end of the evening. She’d give her a call tomorrow.
As the car pulled to a stop, Gen looked through the car window, surprised to see the gate to her house already. Though Gen didn’t live that far from the Kaurs, she still thought they’d arrived at her home fairly quickly.
After they pulled through the gate and parked at the front of the house, Gabriel stepped out of the car, and Agnes leaned forward. “Close the door, please.”
As the agent moved to close it, Gabriel tried to step back inside, but Agnes wasn’t having it. “Uh-uh. You stay outside. I want a private word with Genevieve.”
As the door shut on Gabriel’s exasperated face, Agnes turned to her. “You don’t mind if I call you ‘Genevieve’ do you?”
Gen shook her head, surprised at this turn of events.
What could the princess want to say? Would she warn her off Gabriel?
Warn her away from the royal family and society altogether?
It wouldn’t surprise her; Agnes had met her mother this evening, after all.
Everyone wanted to keep their distance from her.
“Don’t give up on him.”
Gen blinked, then her eyes widened as Agnes grabbed her hands.
“Gabriel, I mean. Don’t give up on him.”
“It’s not like that, Your-Agnes. We’re not romantically involved.”
“Not yet, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be. He likes you, I can tell.”
Gen shook her head, trying to come up with the words to explain she wasn’t interested without being harsh about it, but Agnes was one step ahead of her.
Agnes squeezed her hands. “I know it’s a lot to think about. You’re not just getting involved with a man, you’re getting involved with a whole fucking country.”
Was it wrong to say Gen liked Agnes even more because she cursed?
Agnes nodded towards the door, where Gabriel stood just outside.
“The men, they don’t know what it’s like to be a woman and a royal.
They are scrutinized, but in a very different way than us.
People are always looking for a way to bring down a woman, especially a princess, and that can feel daunting and exasperating and offputting. ”
“I…You’re being very, er, forthcoming, Agnes.”
She chuckled. “I don’t have much time and I wasn’t sure when we’d meet again. Gabriel mentioned earlier that you weren’t acting like yourself, but he’s the one who’s changed most of all. I doubt he even realizes how much, but a sister knows.”
She gave Gen’s hand another squeeze. “Give Gabriel a chance. He won’t let you down.”
Gen nodded, though inside her heart sank. He would let her down though. Everybody did, in the end. “I can’t promise anything, but I appreciate your candor.”
Agnes knocked on the window and the door opened. Gabriel bent down and sent his sister an irritated glance, then shifted to a softer look for Gen and held out his hand.
Gen took it and eased her way out of the car, adjusting her long dress as she stood.
When she looked at her door, though, she suddenly realized she didn’t have a key.
Since she’d been riding with her mother, she hadn’t brought hers, but she could sneak around to the back and into her bedroom once the royals left.
Gen cleared her throat. “Thank you for the ride home and…for your assistance earlier.”
Gabriel smiled and leaned over to kiss the back of her hand. “Anytime. I’ll walk you to the door.”
“No! No, that’s all right.”
His eyes narrowed. “This is your house, is it not?”
She glanced at it, then back to him. “Yes.”
“Is there a reason you don’t want to go inside?”
“Technically no.”
Gabriel moved a step closer and she tilted her head back further to see him. She had a fleeting thought that it might be difficult to kiss him, then got annoyed at herself for thinking it.
“Genevieve, what is going on?”
She already knew he was the stubborn type and all she wanted was for him to leave so she could get inside and go to bed, so she told him. “My mother has the key the front door, but I can get into the house from the back. Once you leave, I can break into my own house with some dignity.”
He looked shocked for a second, then burst out laughing. “Do you know, I’ve never thought about that before.”
“What?”
“House keys.”
“There aren’t any locked doors at the palace?”
“Of course there are, but that doesn’t mean I’m the one with the keys. Besides, we have guards and security everywhere. They’re better than keys. How will you get in?”
“My bedroom window is unlocked and there’s a very sturdy tree near it. I’ll climb it and get in easily. I’ve done it before.”
He smiled, his teeth flashing under his mustache. “Have you? Are you sure you don’t need a hand? I can’t imagine it would be easy in that dress.”
“I’ll manage.” She set off for the path that led to the backyard. Paused, curtsied to him, and resumed walking.
He chuckled. “I’m going to wait until I know you’re inside.”
She lost sight of him a moment later, but heard two car doors shutting. When she went back to peek and make sure they weren’t nearby, she saw both him and his security had sat inside the car again.
Once she got to the tree in question, she looked around again in case someone else was nearby but didn’t see anyone.
She slipped her dress and heels off, climbed up, and into her room.
She slipped the dress back on, but not the shoes, and hurried down the stairs.
When she flipped the foyer light on, she peeked out the window.
Though the car windows were dark—and made even darker by the night—she thought she saw a wave before the car drove off.
She left the light on for her mother, then made her way back up the stairs.
“Achoo! Achoo!”
She groaned. She really hoped she wasn’t getting sick.