Chapter 26 #2
“Damn,” Kaiden muttered beside me. “The way he looks at you... That's a man in love. Like, stupid in love.”
I couldn’t speak, my throat tightening with emotion. I just nodded, clutching the strap of my duffel bag like a lifeline.
“Go get him, tiger,” Carter encouraged, giving me a gentle push toward the doors. “And don’t forget to send us a postcard from your fancy European castle.”
I turned to them, these two men who had become such important parts of my life in a short time. “I can’t thank you enough—”
“Nope, no more thank-yous,” Kaiden interrupted, shooing me away with his hands. “Just promise you'll stay in touch and let us know you're okay. And send pictures of hot European men. For research purposes.”
“I promise,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being. Then, impulsively, I pulled them both into one last hug. “Take care of yourselves.”
“You too, Cinderella,” Carter replied, his voice gruff with suppressed emotion. “Now go, before your carriage turns back into a pumpkin. Or before Ibrahim realizes what's happening and has a conniption.”
With a final nod, I pushed through the doors into the lobby. Ricard broke off his conversation with Vincent as I approached, his entire being seeming to orient itself toward me like a compass finding north.
“Theo,” he said, but my name in his mouth felt like a prayer, like a promise.
“Hi,” I replied, suddenly shy despite everything we'd shared. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“I'd wait forever if necessary,” he said with such earnestness that my cheeks flushed. God, he was so extra sometimes. So sincere it was almost embarrassing, in the best possible way.
Vincent cleared his throat, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Well, Mr. Bennett, it seems congratulations are in order.”
I shifted uncomfortably under his perceptive gaze. “Mr. Stone, I—”
“Please, call me Vincent. We're well past formalities at this point.” He extended his hand, which I shook. “I want to assure you that The Ranch takes the privacy and discretion of both our clients and our staff seriously.”
The implication was clear, and a weight I hadn't realized I'd been carrying lifted from my shoulders. “So, there won't be any... evidence of my time here? Online or otherwise?” I pictured some tabloid running a story about Ricard's escort boyfriend, and my stomach clenched.
“None whatsoever,” Vincent confirmed. “All employees sign strict NDAs, as do our clients. Your employment records are encrypted and sealed, and your full paycheck for this season has already been deposited into your account.”
A wave of relief washed over me. Not that I was ashamed of what I'd done here.
I'd made peace with my choices, but I didn't want my brief career as a companion to complicate Ricard's already complicated life.
And knowing I had funds to help with Casey's transition without one hundred percent depending on Ricard eased a major worry.
“Thank you. For everything,” I said to Vincent.
“I know my time here was brief, but I... learned a lot.”
Vincent's smile widened. “I believe you did. And it seems the education was mutual.” He glanced at Ricard with an amused expression. “His Grace has certainly learned a thing or two about what he wants from life.”
“That I have,” Ricard agreed, his hand finding the small of my back, a casual touch that somehow felt both protective and proud.
“One last thing,” Vincent added, reaching into his jacket to pull out a small card. “Should you ever find yourself in need of assistance, of any kind, please don't hesitate to call. The Ranch takes care of its own, former employees included.”
I took the card, surprised by the gesture. For all its weird rules and pretensions, there was something strangely familial about this place.
Like the world's most dysfunctional, sex-positive family.
Ricard turned toward me. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded, eager to embrace this next chapter of our story. “Ready.”
Vincent offered his hand to Ricard, who shook it firmly. “It’s been a pleasure, Your Grace. The Ranch will always welcome you back if you ever wish to return.”
“Thank you, Vincent. For everything.” Ricard’s voice held genuine gratitude. “Your discretion and understanding have been invaluable.”
With final goodbyes exchanged, Ricard guided me toward the main entrance where a sleek black sedan waited, its engine purring in the morning sun.
He opened the passenger door for me, still princely even in this small gesture, and I slid into the luxurious leather seat.
As the door closed beside me, the reality of what I was doing hit me anew.
I was leaving The Ranch, leaving behind the life I'd tentatively built here to follow a man I'd known for just a few weeks to a country I'd never visited.
It was completely insane by any normal standard.
And yet, as Ricard settled into the driver's seat and adjusted his mirrors with practiced ease, I didn't feel scared at all. Just this weird sense that somehow this was right, like all the random, chaotic crap in my life had been pushing me toward this exact moment, toward him.
I turned to look out the window as The Ranch receded into the distance.
This place had been a turning point in my life, a crucible that had transformed me in ways I was only beginning to understand, simultaneously heaven and hell for me.
A solution to my financial problems but a challenge to my sense of self.
The security gates opened automatically as we approached, then closed behind us with a finality that made my stomach do a little flip.
Just like that, my career as a high-end companion was over.
Three weeks that had somehow stretched and compressed time, making it feel both like I'd been here forever and like I'd only just arrived.
Ricard steered onto the main road with confident hands, leaving behind the discreet "Dove Canyon Ranch & Resort" sign with its understated logo.
Nothing about that fancy wooden sign hinted at what really happened behind those walls.
The Texas hill country stretched out around us, scrubby trees and rocky hills all lit up in golden morning light.
Just regular life going on outside the bizarre bubble I'd been living in.
"Having second thoughts?" Ricard's voice broke into my thoughts, his eyes briefly meeting mine before returning to the road.
"Not even for a second," I said, reaching across the center console for his free hand and threading my fingers through his. "I'm exactly where I want to be."
The tension in his face eased, replaced by a smile that made my heart stutter. "As am I," he said, giving my hand a gentle squeeze before returning his grip to the wheel.
We fell into a comfortable silence as he navigated the winding roads leading away from The Ranch.
The Texas landscape rolled by outside the windows, and I found myself watching his profile—the concentration in his eyes, the way he bit his lower lip slightly when taking a curve.
I was still somewhat amazed that this was real, that he was real.
That somehow in the middle of the weirdest job I'd ever had, I'd found someone who saw me, really saw me, and wanted me anyway.
At a straight stretch of road, he reached over and took my hand again, his thumb tracing patterns on the back of it, the touch both soothing and electric. "Are you sure you're ready for this? For all of it?"
The question was loaded with all these unspoken implications.
He wasn't just asking about travel plans.
He was asking if I was ready for what being with him meant: the media attention, the responsibilities, the whole royal package deal.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But I'm ready to figure it out. With you."
He nodded, a glimmer of hope in his gaze as he glanced at me. "It won't be easy, you know. My family, the press, the expectations... it's a lot to take on."
"I know," I said, squeezing his hand. "But you're worth it."
Something flickered in his eyes, surprise or perhaps gratitude, before he had to focus back on the road. "You continue to amaze me, Theo Bennett."
"Good," I replied with a grin, settling deeper into my seat and watching him drive. "I plan to keep doing that for a long time."