Nine
Adream of being trampled bolted me awake, and I lurched up, my gaze taking in the early dawn.
The sky was barely hinting of light, casting the large room in heavy shadows.
Fear gripped my throat, my cloudy head not understanding where I was.
Chandeliers, tapestries, paintings, wallpaper in delicate flowers, with heavy white adorned furniture.
Over the top, expensive, but greatly outdated in modern times.
Royal Palace. The Queen Anne room.
Every muscle ached, and my head throbbed, reminding me that my dream had been real.
The fight in the club, which had started out as a fun night, turned chilling in moments.
Glancing down at myself, I noticed I had been left in my clothes, which were sticky with blood and other substances from that disgusting floor I didn’t even want to think about.
Lennox had found me. Carried me out like some damsel in distress, which had me livid. I was anything but helpless.
“The wannabe princess already needs her arse saved.” His comment sizzled fury up my spine.
I would be fine with Dalton or any of the other bodyguards getting me out.
Thankful. But not him. He made me feel like it was some weakness I got shoved down and trampled on.
Like I was some feeble little girl who couldn’t handle the “real” world.
Feck him.
Dealing with him was a reality because of Theo, but to me, he would be no more than walking armor in the background.
He’s just another person here who doesn’t think you belong.
I wanted to go home. This place felt cold and empty of comfort and love. Like the queen herself, beautiful but unapproachable and reserved. Even the room didn’t seem to want me here. My eyes slid to the armoire full of clothes, the borrowed boots on the ground, the jacket on the chair.
There was nothing here of mine, making me feel even more lost and alone.
Waking up here the first time would be scary enough, but after the night we had, losing consciousness in the club after almost being trampled to death—it was utterly terrifying.
I wanted to go home.
Theo. This will all be worth it.
A pounding head and aching bones weighed me down in the expensive bedding, and I melted into the fluffy pillows and mattress. My eyes lowered, drifting me back into dreamland.
When I woke again, the room was filled in buttery light.
Groaning, I pushed off the mattress, my bladder moving me quicker than my bones wanted to.
I padded into the bathroom, which was in the same creams, golds, and pastels as my room.
It housed a gold chandelier, small shower, claw tub, toilet, and bidet.
For the palace, it was very simple, which was fine by me.
The ornate decor of this castle could get overwhelming.
Besides the servant quarters, this was probably one of the least décor-ated rooms, suggesting I was low on the guest-to-impress list.
Jumping in the shower, I washed the grime, blood, and smell from my skin and hair, discovering most of my body covered in bruises, including a discoloration on my thigh in the exact shape of a man’s boot.
Cosmetics, toiletries, clothes, shoes… everything had been provided for me.
Covering up a few cuts on my face, I blew out my long hair before finding clothes that were the most like me.
I dressed in dark skinny jeans, a white blouse, and a blue blazer and slid my feet into flats.
All designer. Not my normal style, and I felt like I was dressing for a part. A job interview.
My stomach rumbled as I stepped out into the hallway; the silence at the end of this wing was eerie. My house always creaked, and there were always noises from Nara cleaning or Olivia running up and down the hall.
I started down the corridor and paused. I really had no clue where I was going or where I was allowed. Theo hadn’t given me a tour of the private residence yet, so besides the room I was in and the path to where I met the Queen, I had little understanding of this place.
Setting my feet toward the one room I did know, a figure almost collided into me.
“Oh, mistress.” A dark-haired, petite maid in her later twenties, dropped down in a curtsy. “I am so sorry.”
“It’s fine.” I smiled. “Actually, I’m so glad I bumped into you. Do you know where Theo or Eloise are?”
“The prince and princess are in the breakfast room.” She kept her eyes on the ground. “I was told to let you sleep, my lady.”
“Spencer, please.”
She pinched her lips together. She would never call me by my name; that’s not how it was here. Formal. Traditional.
Nara would wake me up by chucking a pillow at my head or vacuuming my headboard. One time she poured the glass of water by my bed over my head to get me up. The woman’s cruelty knew no bounds.
“The breakfast room would be?”
“Down the corridor, through the green and mural room.” She pointed, bobbed her head, and took off for the room I just left, probably to straighten it up until it looked like I was never there.
Heading in the direction she pointed, I crept through some of the vast history of our small country. Kings, queens, lords, wars, murders. Precious items you’d find in a museum. Things you’d read about in history books. And all this in the place Eloise and Theo grew up.
“This is unacceptable!” A voice boomed down the hall. Sneaking up to the room, I peered in, oxygen halting in my throat. I froze, seeing the man who ruled this kingdom.
King Alexander stood tall behind a desk, his normally stern expression lined with anger, his blue eyes blazing.
He wore dark trousers, a pinstripe dress shirt, shiny shoes, and a yellow tie.
His perfectly styled short brown hair was combed back, a touch of gray around his temples and sideburns.
He was handsome in that untouchable way.
I could never imagine him showing passion, an emotion he’d probably think of as weak.
Theo had more of his mother’s coloring and eyes but was otherwise a duplicate of his father.
Same height and physique. But where Theo was easy to smile and joke, the king was stern, aloof, and curt.
The press feared and respected him, not daring to try to dig up dirt on him.
Though the rumor he had loved another woman a long time ago never dissipated.
Fury pulsed from him, his knuckles turning white around the paper in his hand, his focus on the two sitting in the chairs on the other side of the desk.
Theo and Eloise sat quietly, not appearing fazed by their father’s ire. Both dressed impeccably, appearing fresh, like they went to a spa last night instead of drinking in a club.
“Do you two understand everything you do is watched? Judged. You are role models. Royals! You cannot be careless or stupid like others your age can. We are held to different standards than others!” He smacked the newspaper in his hand down on the desk, shoving it at his children. My focus darted down to the front page.
Fuck.
“Royals caught in club brawl. Princess carried out by mystery man!” The headline was boldly splashed across the front of the paper, the image underneath a dark, blurry picture of figures getting into a black SUV.
You’d never know if it was us, but the outline of a man looking to be carrying a girl in his arms was circled, drawing your eye there.
Bloody hell. That was me.
Theo shoved it away. “It’s not even Eloise being carried out.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s actually Eloise. They don’t need facts to write headlines.”
“No one can even see that it’s us.”
“Oh, I’m sorry… Did you not see the picture inside?” The king’s voice was taut and filled with condescension. His fingers flipped open the page, stabbing at another picture.
Theo and El leaned forward, their throats bobbing in unison as they took in the picture. I couldn’t see it, but clearly, the media had a better picture to prove it was them.
“What were you even doing in a club like this?” Alexander peered between his kids.
“We were there because—” Eloise started.
“Ben and Charlie,” Theo finished for her, tossing his buddies under the bus to protect her. “It was a welcome home for me.”
The king took a deep breath, his head shaking. He didn’t seem surprised by this; I guess he was no stranger to their antics.
His head lifted, blue eyes landing on me. His intensity was a punch to the lungs.
“Ms. Sutton.” He said my name like a lash of cold wind, whipping Theo’s head to me. “Do come join us. You can eavesdrop from here better.”
Fuckityfuck.
“Your Majesty.” I curtsied, sweat instantly dotting my hairline and back. “I-I apologize.”
“No better time to meet my son’s girlfriend, I guess. You were part of this debacle as well?” He motioned me to enter. My armpits and neck were already sticky and coated in terror.
I stepped into the room, noticing Lennox and Dalton standing against the wall behind me, both wearing dark suits with gray ties.
Silent and so still they could have been statues.
Dalton’s head dipped in the shallowest nod, recognizing my existence in the room while Lennox stared straight ahead.
But bugger that guy was so hot it made me angry.
His personality had to ruin the eye candy.
“Your Highness. It’s an honor to meet you.” My voice shook, my legs rattling as they dipped again. My father told me I had met the king before, running right up to him at an event. Bold as brass, and only three. Fair to say I didn’t remember this prior meeting.
“Baron Andrew Sutton’s daughter.” He said it more like he was reading it from my CV. “I’m not sure I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your father. But I’ve heard about your family.”
There was no compliment in there. He said it so evenly, with not one facial twitch, yet I had no doubt he found my family… less than.
“Majesty.” I dipped my head in answer.
“Father…” Theo rolled his eyes, standing up next to me. “Can we have one thing in this family that’s normal… like meeting my girlfriend? Not drilling her as if she is interviewing for a position here.”