Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Margot
Iwake so early that dawn has yet to break. I’m still not used to sleeping beside Stellan, especially not here in the palace. His bedroom here is beyond ridiculous, featuring a massive four poster bed and floor length windows wrapped in gauzy white.
I settle on my side and watch him in his sleep. Without his piercing ice blue gaze he seems softer, though his body is still every bit as rugged. My fingers itch to reach out and touch him.
I love him so, so much. My heart twists in my chest. I shouldn’t wake him, but it is hard.
Rolling onto my back, I repress a sigh. My mind goes back to yesterday evening, to the all but proposal he sprung on me in the backseat of the car.
Honestly, I haven’t really thought of much else since he asked me.
When I ask, will you say yes?
I thought I had died then and there when he asked, and I wasn’t sure if I was in heaven or hell.
I mean, on one hand… Stellan and I have just fallen in love. It feels real… but there is so much more that’s yet to be seen. Why rush into things?
And then on the other hand… he just basically asked me to be his princess.
Never in a million years did I ever actually think that someone as hot as Stellan would ever look at me like he does. Like we’re in the desert, and I’m the only glass of cool water for a hundred miles around.
I’ve never felt that kind of connection with anyone else. And I never expected to, either. I think that what Stellan and I have is so special.
But the whole royal thing really ratchets up our mutual expectations like a million degrees.
I’m not just agreeing to be his girlfriend. I’m agreeing to be the future queen.
And that thought terrifies me to the depths of my soul.
Heaving a silent sigh, I realize that there’s no way I’m going to go back to sleep. I get up, moving stealthily to grab my pink silk robe from where it’s hanging by the door. Then I pad out of the bedroom and into the adjoining living room.
A footman is just pulling back the drapes on the windows, revealing the new dawn just now breaking. I see the table, on which he has already laid out an assortment of waters and juices with fresh croissants and jam.
He bows to me and leaves without saying a word. Something I’m trying to get used to still.
I suck in a breath and wander over to the table, pausing when I see the newspapers spread out beside our breakfast. My own young face stares back at me, shell-shocked.
My mugshot.
Oh fuck.
PRINCE STELLAN’S LOVER HAS DARK PAST
My heart starts hammering in my ears. I snatch the paper up with trembling fingers and unfold it. I only have to scan the first few lines to realize that my own mother ratted me out.
Not only that, but she somehow dug up this old photo of me and gave it to the newspaper.
Fuck!
I stare at the picture. At sixteen years old, I was nothing but trouble. My hair is dark brown, I’m wearing oversized men’s clothes, and worst of all… I hold my hand down low, but you can clearly tell that I am flipping off the camera.
I ball up the paper in my hands and release a scream. “Fuck! Where is my phone?”
“What’s going on?”
I whirl and find a sleepy Stellan standing in the doorway, completely unashamed of his nudity. My eyes widen and my heart seizes. I can feel myself turning red.
I wasn’t even thinking about him yet… What will he think about my teenage lawbreaking?
“I… I…”
He walks over to where I dropped the crumpled piece of newspaper, smoothing it out. His eyes widen and he looks up at me expectantly.
“What the fuck is this?”
The boom of his voice makes me jump out of my skin. I can’t even look at him when I answer.
“I had two arrests when I was only sixteen. One for criminal trespassing and one for shoplifting. I guess… I guess that The New York Post must have paid my mother a lot for this story, because they have pictures and everything.”
He points to a chair next to the table, his voice shaking. “Sit. Tell me everything that happened.” His eyes pin me in place. “Do not leave anything out this time, Margot.”
I scurry over to the chair, taking a seat. Stellan sits across from me, folding his arms across his chest and scowling at me in a way that makes my stomach do flips.
“Um. So…” I blow out a breath. “When I was sixteen, I ran with a bad crowd. There were a bunch of us, guys and girls, all about the same age. All homeless or in-between homes at the time. All angry. I didn’t actually think my mom remembered any of this because she was on a bender at the time…”
“Margot!” he growls. “What happened?”
I suck in a breath. “Right. Sorry. I got arrested twice, like I said. Once for criminal trespass, because a bunch of us were squatting in a house together. And then I got busted like three weeks later for trying to shoplift stuff to eat.”
I’m so humiliated at saying it out loud. My face is red, my ears are ringing, and I can’t sit still.
“Why didn’t you think to tell me about this when I asked about your background?” he asks, seeming mystified.
I glance at Stellan, biting my lip. “I didn’t realize that you were looking for anything in particular.
I was just… trying to tell you about my life,” I say, growing defensive.
“I didn’t realize that you were asking for a full background check.
I usually don’t tell people I date about it for the first six months, if ever. ”
He looks so confused and angry. “Why not?”
“Because it isn’t really anyone’s business!
” I shout. I shake my head. “When I got arrested the second time, I did a diversion program. When I turned eighteen without getting arrested again, my record was expunged. And I happen to think that my being a reformed bad girl isn’t really the most interesting thing about me, if we’re being perfectly honest.”
Stellan shakes his head slowly, exhaling as he scrubs a hand over his face. “This is fucked up, Margot.” He glances at me. “I mean, I won’t lie. I was attracted to your rebellious streak. I love it sometimes, but other times… like now for example…”
I take a deep breath. “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you Stellan. Honestly, I wasn’t. It just didn’t occur to me.”
He studies me for a long moment, then nods. “I believe you.”
My heart starts thrashing around in my chest. “You do?”
His face creases. “Ja. I don’t think you are a dishonest person, Margot.”
I launch myself on top on him, surprising him with a hug. Burrowing my head down against his chest, I let out a joyful sound. His arms close around me. He brushes my hair back, kissing the top of my head.
I’ve never been loved like this. Not ever.
My tiny brain gets totally overloaded and my eyes tear up. I hug him hard, blinking back tears.
“I’m sorry, Stellan.” My voice breaks.
“Oh, skatter,” he murmurs. “What am I going to do with you, huh?”
Wiping at my face, I lean back and look at him. “Will we have to tell your family?”
He looks at me like I might be simple. “Yes. My grandmother will have heart palpitations.”
Ducking my head, I hide against the solid wall of his chest. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Mm. Not only that, but you have to tell me everything else. Any dirt, any secrets you have… spill them right now. It’s better just to know where you might be vulnerable.”
I frown. There isn’t anything… is there?
“Well… I don’t think that I have any other secrets…” I say.
“Really? Nothing else the press will get their hands on? Nothing that would make them salivate? Because I’m basically going to introduce you to the world as my better half. Soon to be a princess, one day to be queen.”
That thought makes me heart seize. “Hearing you say that… it seems unreal.”
Stellan pushes me back a couple of inches, his ice blue eyes pinning me. “I’m sorry to bring this back around to the point, but… what is the press going to find, Margot?”
An image swims up from deep down. “The only thing I can think of…” I wince. “There may be some footage of me protesting.”
He frowns deeply. “Protesting what?”
My face heats. Occupy Wall Street. The Dakota Access Pipeline. The Red-Green party had a demonstration…”
Stellan makes a displeased noise. “Tell me you didn’t sneak off and protest with the Red-Green party while you were here. Please, Margot.”
I put a calming hand on his chest. “I didn’t. They might be an actual political force over here, but in New York they are just people making noise. I went to one of their protests originally because a band I liked was going to be there.”
He squints at me. “Has anyone ever told you that you are lucky you’re beautiful, Margot?”
My blush depends. “I’ve heard that before, yes.”
He cups my jaw and pulls me in for a deep kiss. When we break apart again, he sighs. “You are trouble, you know.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I know. I don’t want to be troublesome to you, though.”
He cracks his knuckles. “I know, skatter. I really do.”
I bite my lower lip. “Is there any way to contain this news story? Like… do you have any pull with the royal press office?”
He glances off at the window, through which the dawn has finally broken. “Some. It kind of depends.” He hesitates. “You’re probably going to have to apologize to someone about something.”
My eyes widen. “To who? About what?”
Stellan shrugs. “I have no idea. But as soon as I tell the press office, I can bet you that they are going to tell you to apologize to everyone for everything.” He scrunches up his face. “It’s their advice about every scandal.”
I make a face. “Do I have to?”
He smirks. “No. But it will make things easier if you intend to eventually make this your home and make me your husband.”
I wince. “I love you so much, Stellan. I really do. That’s the only reason that I’m okay with this.”
He pulls me close for one last kiss, then sighs. “I had better get dressed. I’m going to have to try to get out in front of this.”
I get up, biting my lip. “I’m just going to tell you this one more time. I’m sorry, Stellan.”
The ghost of a smile crosses his face. “I know, skatter.”
Then he leaves the living room, heading into the bedroom to get dressed. And I’m left standing in my silken robe, hugging myself and feeling bereft.