Chapter 6
Faxon grabbed both of our arms and we ran, following the balcony across the side of the penthouse and around the corner.
“I have Whitesnake and companion. We’re outside of the master suite. Defense is up,” Faxon spoke sharply into his earpiece as he positioned himself in front of us, the wall at the end of the balcony behind us.
As a royal, I grew up with security protocols being drilled into me.
Some of my earliest memories were of being quizzed on what to do in an emergency.
While my parents and Xavier—as the heir—were considered the top priority, my baby sister Rosalind and I had still been taught that we were to never place ourselves between anyone else and a threat to our safety.
Those lessons flew out of my head as I tucked Adelaide behind me. Whoever or whatever was causing the commotion would have to go through me before they got to her.
Adelaide’s breath was ragged; I didn’t know if it was from running or nerves or a combination of the two, but I needed to comfort her.
I reached behind me, feeling for her hand and giving it a squeeze.
Every instinct told me to turn around and hold her, but I’d be damned if I lost my view of whatever was going on.
“We’ve got you, beautiful,” I murmured over my shoulder.
The door to our left unlocked and opened a sliver. I stiffened and pivoted to continue shielding Adelaide. “Faxon, on your left!”
“It’s just Steffan, Your Highness,” Faxon reassured and slowly lowered his weapon.
Steffan stuck his head out of the door. “Suite is all clear.”
Faxon nodded sharply. “Sir, we’re going to have you wait in the master bathroom while we clear the party.”
I gripped Adelaide’s hand and made sure she stayed close by my side as we hurried through Chauncey’s bedroom to the ensuite on the opposite side of the room.
“I’ll stand guard here. Steffan, you and Jenson take point at each entrance while Carlz finishes his sweep.
” Though Faxon was speaking to Steffan, I knew he was intentionally giving me a peek into their plan.
He shut the bathroom door and I locked it behind him as an extra precaution. No one was going to hurt Adelaide.
Turning toward her, I skimmed my eyes over her body to make sure she was okay. My blood went cold when I spotted blood running down her fingers. I rushed to her, reaching for her hand.
“Adelaide, you’re bleeding!”
“Huh?” She looked down, eyes wide, at the hand I cradled.
“Come here.” I guided her to the marble vanity on the far wall by the shower. I turned the tap to warm, making sure the water was the perfect temperature before I rinsed the blood off. She flinched slightly when the stream ran over the top of her hand.
“I must have scraped it on something as we were running.”
I reached for one of the black towels hanging by the vanity and gently patted the wound dry.
“Adelaide, I am so sorry.” I knew the security team carried a basic first aid kit but didn’t want to interrupt them right now.
Instead, I searched the cabinet under the sink for one.
Having no luck, I opened a few drawers and found a box of bandages.
“It’s not your fault, Oliver.” She waved her free hand in the air in a “forget about it” gesture. “I’m fine. I’ve had worse scrapes while jogging around my neighborhood.”
“Yes, it is. All of this is my fault. I just wanted to have a fun night with you and be normal twenty-somethings at a party.” I opened the largest of the bandages and placed it over the shallow cut.
“Hey.” She reached up to smooth her palm over my jaw. “I’m okay, really. But are you? Your breathing is crazy right now. That had to be scary for you.”
I shrugged. “It’s nothing new. Faxon always figures it all out,” I said, my voice just above a whisper, as I held her bandaged hand in mine.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” She ran her thumb back and forth over my cheek.
“Honestly, the only thing that scared me was the idea that you could get hurt. And here we are.”
“Pssh. This little thing isn’t a big deal.” She smiled. “And look at it, you fixed me up perfectly.” She squeezed my hand. “Now breathe. Slowly in and then out, please.”
I took my first real inhale in what felt like hours.
“Better?” she asked.
“A little. I’m still pissed. We were meant to celebrate tonight. You know: dance, drink too much, be loud and obnoxious. All the typical debauchery.”
“Hmm.” She thought for a moment. “Well, if anything, we’ve got the perfect opportunity for some archetypal debauchery right here. What’s more classic than sneaking into bathrooms and making out?”
My heart raced and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. Be cool. “True…we’re not making out, though.” I lifted one eyebrow.
There was a mischievous glimmer in Adelaide’s eyes. “Not yet,” she whispered. She reached up to lace her arms around my neck and gently pulled my head down until our lips collided.
I ran my tongue along her lower lip; she tasted divine. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed her perfect hourglass figure. She moaned into my mouth as she tugged on the hair at the back of my head with her uninjured hand.
That sound was my undoing. I grabbed her ass and lifted her up onto the counter, driving my tongue into her mouth like an addict getting his first hit.
Wrapping her ponytail in my fist, I broke our kiss and pulled until her neck was exposed.
I peppered kisses from her mouth, over her jaw, down her neck, and back up.
“Oliver,” she sighed as she ran her hand down my abs and cupped my stiff cock.
“Fuck...”
I hadn’t come in my pants since I was thirteen, but if she kept murmuring my name and rubbing me like that, I was going to ruin that streak.
Our mouths collided again as I ran my hands over the tight red dress, her pert nipples showing through the thin material. I played with one breast over her dress while I swallowed each and every sexy sound she made.
Crash.
We jerked away from each other, out of breath.
“What do you think that was?” Adelaide whispered, eyes wide.
I shook my head, my head still hazy from our kiss. “I’m not sure.”
Hysterical shouts floated to us under the door.
“I just need to talk to him. I love him! We’re meant to be together.
He knows me, just ask him!” The voice sounded feminine; I wondered if it was the same woman from a few minutes ago.
I could hear the security team cajoling her, the sounds getting quieter as they led her away.
Adelaide must have been thinking the same thing. “Do you know that girl who was banging against the window?” She crooked an eyebrow at me.
“I’ve never seen her before in my life,” I assured her.
“Hmm. Comforting.” Sarcasm laced her tone.
Adelaide hopped down from the counter and smoothed out the front of her dress. The heat of a few moments ago had simmered, though the taste of her still lingered on my tongue. I wanted more.
She tipped her head, eyes narrowed as she listened. “I think the music is still playing.” She walked over and circled her arms around my neck. I wrapped my hands around her waist and began to sway us slowly across the floor.
“Another cliché to mark off the list,” she noted with a smirk. “I wish I could tell what song this is so I could remember this.”
I closed my eyes and focused on the beat of the music. I knew that piano melody, but I just couldn’t place it yet.
I pulled Adelaide closer to me. Her fingers trailed up to play with the hair at the nape of my neck.
“‘It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,’” I finally said.
She paused, giving me a quizzical look. “What’s coming back to you?”
I let out a soft laugh and began moving us again in time to the beat. “The song. It's ‘It's All Coming Back to Me Now’ by Céline Dion.”
“Wow, I can’t believe you figured that out just by the piano.”
“Mum loves Céline Dion. She has a whole collection of her vinyls that she used to play on Gram’s record player on Saturday mornings.” Adelaide made a face. “What?”
“Your family really is just like a normal family, huh?” she remarked, sounding surprised.
I snorted. “I mean, once you look past the whole ‘running the country for hundreds of years’ thing and all of that, yeah, we are.”
She let out a soft little giggle. “I enjoyed tonight,” she said, looking up into my eyes.
I raised an eyebrow. “Even being shuttled around by my security team and locked in a bathroom with me?”
“Especially being locked in a bathroom with you.”
We stopped dancing. Adelaide stood up to her fullest height and placed her mouth against mine again.
The kiss started softly, with our lips brushing against each other until the ember sparked into a flame of passion.
Sliding my tongue against hers, I ravished her mouth and pulled her to me until I could feel her breath meld with mine.
I slid my hand around her waist and down to her ass, drawing her even closer.
She pulled the hairs at my nape, and it was my turn to moan.
I wanted Adelaide. I had wanted her for months, and now that she was here in my arms, kissing me, on the cusp of more, this was euphoria.
There was a knock on the bathroom door.
“Your Highness, we’re clear and ready to go,” Faxon called from the other side of the door.
“Yeah, just a second.” My voice dripped with annoyance at being interrupted.
I cleared my throat and met her eyes before grabbing her by the chin and bringing her mouth to mine once more. “Let’s get you home.”