Chapter 36 #2
“It’s nice to finally meet the woman who’s been busting Patterson’s balls. It’s an absolute honor,” Louis says.
Kendall smiles as my brother reaches for his bourbon and empties it.
“Does everyone know Louis?” I ask, glancing around, ready to make introductions, but it’s not needed.
“They’ve all hung out with Princey before,” Patterson says. “No one is a stranger.”
It temporarily grows tense.
“Addison. Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” Smiley leans forward with that grin he’s famous for. The guy earned his nickname because he’s always wearing that smile, even when he’s dropping gloves on the ice.
“Yeah, I was overseas for the summer,” I explain, not going into detail about the shit show. I’m sure they’ve all been made aware, considering Patterson is being followed by paps at the moment.
“Louis, I heard you put Patterson in a tight headlock,” Callan, the team captain of the Angels, says to Louis.
“Fuck, word travels fast,” Louis says as Wyatt, the rookie, offers us glasses and bourbon.
“We have a group chat.” Callan smirks. “He’s been bitching about it all day.”
“I wasn’t bitching,” Patterson says.
“You sent fourteen messages about how he caught you off guard,” Wyatt adds.
“Seriously?” Patterson shakes his head.
Louis reaches for the bottle of bourbon on the table and pours himself a glass. “To be fair, I did catch him off guard. That’s the point of self-defense, isn’t it?”
“Come on, Princey,” Smiley says. “Cross made it sound like you were about to drop him MMA-style.”
“I was.” Louis takes a sip. “I had been trained to fight from the time I could walk. Kidnapping prevention.”
“That’s fucking insane,” Callan says.
“That’s a Tuesday for me.”
The conversation flows easier after that. Smiley tells a story about Patterson’s rookie year that makes me nearly spit out my drink while Callan and Wyatt argue about a play from last week. Patterson defends himself with creative profanity, but he seems in high spirits. Or maybe he’s drunk.
Kendall catches my eye across the table and mouths, He’s hot, while tilting her head toward Louis.
I mouth back, I know, and she grins.
Louis’s hand finds my thigh under the table, and his fingers press into my skin. To anyone watching, we’re just sitting close, but underneath the table, he’s teasing me.
I shoot him a look.
He takes a sip of his drink with an innocent expression.
“Just wait until later,” I mutter, leaning close so only he can hear.
“I’m counting on it.”
I grab his wrist and hold it still before his fingers can travel any higher. He lets me hold it for a moment before turning his hand over and interlacing his fingers with mine. His brushes across my knuckles, and even that simple touch sends heat through me.
Kendall stands. “Excuse me. I need to visit the ladies’ room. Addison?”
“Oh, sure.”
She’s already pulling me out of the booth. “Excuse us.”
When I glance back, he’s watching me walk away with sparkling eyes.
The bathroom at Diamond is nice with marble counters, cloth hand towels, and lighting designed to make everyone look good. Kendall checks under the stall doors before spinning on me.
“Tell me everything. I know the headlines. I want the real version.” She leans against the counter and grins. “How’s the sex?”
“Incredible. The absolute best. Louis is …” All I can do is shake my head. “I’m convinced he’s the love of my life.”
“Wow.” Her expression softens, and she grabs my hands. “You seem so happy, and that makes me so happy. You deserve this, Addy. I know it hasn’t been easy, but it will be worth it.”
“I hope so. I’m just so scared we’ll be torn apart.”
“No. Louis doesn’t look like he’s going to let you go for anyone or anything. I can see the spark.” She squeezes my hands. “Now let’s get back before your prince sends a search party.”
When we return, Louis is laughing at something Smiley said, and he looks comfortable. When he sees me, his eyes track my movement across the room, and the laughter fades into admiration.
I slide back into the booth, and his arm comes around my shoulders.
“Smiley was telling me about the time Patterson fought a mascot,” he says.
“Please.” Patterson groans. “That was one time.”
“It was a giant bird,” Smiley adds. “And you lost.”
“I didn’t lose. It was a draw.”
“You got ejected,” Callan says. “That’s losing.”
Patterson flips him off, but he’s grinning. It makes me relax.
The night continues with easy conversation. It’s full of laughter and shit-talking, and Louis never stops touching me. His arm is either around my shoulders, his fingers are on my thigh, or his lips brush my ear.
Kendall eventually drags me to the dance floor, and we lose ourselves in the music. When I glance back at the booth, Louis is watching me move.
I hook my finger at him, and he’s out of the booth before I can blink. Patterson says something as he passes that makes Callan laugh, but Louis ignores him and crosses the dance floor until he’s standing in front of me.
“I missed you,” I say.
“Fuck, me too.” He takes my hand and pulls me close.
He’s trained in ballroom dancing, and he’s attended more state dinners and galas than I could probably count.
The song shifts to something slower, and his hand settles on my lower back while the other holds mine in proper form. We move together, and he leads with confidence.
“You’re good at this,” I say.
“Lots of practice.” His lips brush my ear. “You smell so good.”
He pulls me closer so that our bodies press together. I turn in his arms and wrap my hands around his neck while everything else fades away to nothing.
“Thank you for tonight,” I say.
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“I know. But I want to.” My fingers play with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’ve had fun. Laughed a lot. You fit so easily into my world. I want to fit in yours.”
“You do.” His hands tighten on my hips.
I kiss him right there on the dance floor with my brother watching from twenty feet away because I’m done hiding and done pretending this isn’t exactly what it is. Louis kisses me back with one hand traveling up my spine to cradle the back of my head.
When we break apart, our breathing is uneven.
“Take me home,” I say.
“Home. I like the sound of that.”
The song ends, and we move back to the group.
“I think we’re going to head out,” I tell everyone. “Thanks so much for the invite.”
Kendall stands and wraps me in a tight hug. “Thank you for joining us.”
We say our goodbyes quickly. Patterson hugs me hard and gives Louis a firm handshake. My brother suggests we have dinner, and the two of us agree. Smiley slaps Louis on the back and tells him he’d better show up to a game soon.
Then we slip out the front, where Nolan is waiting. Handfuls of paparazzi catch us as we leave with flashes popping and questions flying, but we wave and keep moving. Nolan opens the door, and I slide in with Louis right behind me before the door shuts and seals us in silence.
“Home?” Nolan asks.
“Please.”
Louis pulls me against his side as we merge into traffic, and I tuck my head against his shoulder while watching the streets move past with their neon lights and late-night crowds.
“Did you have a good time?” he asks.
“Incredible.”
He tilts my chin up and kisses me, soft at first and then deeper. His fingers thread into my hair, and I grip his jacket as the city blurs outside the windows.
“I love you,” he says against my mouth.
“I love you too.”
Nolan eventually turns onto my street, and I let my eyes close, feeling happier than I’ve been in a long time. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.
When the car slows and comes to a stop, I notice a black SUV parked at the curb.
Two men in dark suits stand beside it, both of them built like linebackers with broad shoulders and thick necks.
They have the same haircut, posture, and blank expression.
Earpieces curl behind their ears, and their eyes scan the street.
I sit up, suddenly alert even though I’ve had too much to drink. “Louis, look at those men. They look like Secret Service.”
His whole body goes rigid beside me. His hand finds mine and squeezes.
“Fuck,” he says. “You stay close to me.”
We don’t get out of the car because one of the men approaches the door. The guy stands close to the window, and Nolan lowers the window a crack.
“Can I help you?”
“Miss Cross. Your Highness. You both need to come with us,” the man says.
Louis shakes his head. “Explain immediately.”
“There’s a plane waiting at the airport. You’re required to return to Montclaire.”
Louis’s voice drops low. “By whose authority?”
“The king. His Majesty wants to see you.” The man steps back. “This isn’t a request, Your Highness. You need to come with us.”
Louis glances at me, and for the first time since being in New York, I see fear in his eyes.
His father sent for us.
This feels very wrong.