Amelia
My heart pounds hard in my chest and the anger at this entire farce, at Nicolas, my brother, the king, and that damn Sarah, only grows stronger. It builds inside me uncontrollably and if I don’t get out of here soon, I’m going to scream.
“Whore.”
“Title-chaser.”
“Behave yourself.”
“Pull yourself together.”
“Smile.”
This endless loop plays over and over in my mind, and I feel like I’m about to explode. The turmoil inside me is so immense that I can’t hold up my facade much longer. I want to scream loudly and tell them all to go fuck themselves.
But I don’t want that.
That’s not who I am.
I hate everything.
Phil, why did you leave me alone?
It was easier with him. We weren’t officially a couple, but rumors circulated, and that’s why so many now despise me. You can hide some things from the press, but not everything. I was seen with Philipp.
“Amelia, where are you going? Shouldn’t you be with your future husband?” The dark, clearly drunk voice of my brother reaches my ear, and I flinch in pain as he roughly grabs my arm, right where a large, swollen bruise already sits.
From him.
“I just need to go to the bathroom, am I still allowed to? Or is that against etiquette too? Does it make you look bad?”
God, I will regret this so much, but my patience has run out. What is he thinking? What is everyone thinking?
I wrench myself free from his grip and have to stifle a gasp because, damn it, it hurts. My arm feels like it’s on fire, but once again, I hold myself together. No one will ever find out. I can’t bear it.
Henry narrows his already glassy eyes into slits and takes a threatening step toward me. I have to fight hard to suppress the reflex to shield my face with my hands.
“You…”
“Amelia, sweetheart, there you are. Nic’s waiting for you.
He wants to introduce you to someone. May I?
” Damien suddenly steps between Henry and me.
Henry glares at Nicolas’s best friend with contempt and anger, but Damien doesn’t care.
He hooks his arm through mine, and I breathe out in relief as Henry steps back, frustrated yet still shooting me a threatening look.
“Of course. My sister and I were done anyway. Take her with you. It’s important that they present themselves together,” he agrees pompously, as if I’m irrelevant and not even present.
But Damien ignores his words, nods, and walks off with me. Taken by surprise, I let him pull me along. At the same time, I’m glad to be away from Henry.
My actions will have consequences. That much is certain. But not now, not here.
“Are you completely crazy to provoke him like that? He’s been drinking,” Damien snaps at me in the now empty foyer, spinning to face me angrily. My stomach does an unpleasant flip and starts to churn.
Why does he ask that?
“I… I don’t know what you mean,” I stammer awkwardly, feeling foolish, and he raises an eyebrow, looking at me knowingly with his bright eyes.
Damien is handsome. In a wicked way, he’s absolutely stunning. His dark hair is slightly tousled today, and he looks a bit disheveled, but I can guess why. Still, I fidget restlessly under his intense gaze, shifting my weight nervously from one foot to the other.
“I know everything, Amelia. I’m not stupid. You were at our place every single day. I’ve seen you in your underwear more than any other woman. Don’t you think I noticed the constant bruises and your strange reactions to sudden movements?”
I feel sick. So unbelievably sick.
All the blood drains from my cheeks, and I stumble sideways.
He knows. Dear God, he knows.
“Hey, slow down, sweetheart. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He reaches for my arm and supports me. I blink at him in shock.
“Don’t tell anyone. Please. You have to keep this to yourself. I… I can’t…”
Damien pulls me into his arms as I start trembling uncontrollably.
“Shhh, Lia, it’s okay. Your secret was safe until now, and I won’t say anything if you promise to deal with it yourself.
It can’t go on like this. One day, he’ll completely lose control when he’s drunk, and then?
Phil isn’t here anymore…” He trails off, his eyes filled with so much pain and grief that my heart tightens painfully.
“Well, look at that, the sissy has switched to the female sex. But isn’t it kind of twisted to want to sleep with the heir’s new girl right off the bat?”
A spiteful, condescending voice reaches my ear, and I look to the right in shock. Four guys I’ve never seen before are standing there, looking down on us. Looking down on Damien. He tenses and subtly pushes me a step behind him.
“What’s it to you, Robins, who I fuck? As far as I know, we don’t share the same tastes.”
A cold shiver runs down my spine as I look at the ominously glittering eyes of these guys. They’re clearly looking for trouble.
“Oh, I’d rather drown myself in the Stufford River than share such a perverted taste as yours. What’s it like being such a disgusting, filthy cocksucker?”
Robins spits at Damien’s feet, steps forward, and shoves him roughly aside. Damien closes his eyes briefly, takes a deep breath, but doesn’t defend himself. He just stands silently, staring at Robins, whose buddies slowly spread around us.
“I asked you a question, sissy. What’s it like being a cock—”
He doesn’t get any further because I see red. All the pent-up rage, frustration, and grief explode all at once. Before I know what I’m doing, I step in front of Damien and slap that asshole hard across the face.
“Lia, damn it,” Damien hisses, trying to pull me away, but I wrench my arm free.
“No ‘Lia, damn it.’ This asshole went too far,” I snap at Damien before glaring furiously at the guy.
“Fuck off, asshole, and leave him alone. What must your tiny dick be like to treat others like this?” I hiss at the stupid idiot, wanting to scratch his eyes out. There’s so much anger in me it could fill two people.
Why is everything so unfair? Why are people so narrow-minded and stupid?
“You’re no better, you stupid slut. First one prince, and now that he’s dead, you just fuck your way to the next heir,” he spits at me, grabs me in a flash, and presses me against him.
And my brain freezes.
I didn’t think that through in my rage.
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
He reeks of alcohol and sweat, his hand grabs my hair, and a sharp pain runs across my scalp as he pulls my head back.
No. No. Please.
I raise my hand protectively, yet I’m frozen. My pulse races unnaturally fast, I can’t breathe. A heavy weight crushes my chest, and I’m powerless to do anything. Fear claws at every inch of my body.
A whimper escapes me, and I vaguely realize it’s me making the sound.
“Please. Please no. No. Don’t touch me. Please.” Again and again, I repeat the words, not noticing that Robins is being pulled away from me. I collapse, but I don’t hit the ground. There are arms holding me.
No. Don’t touch me.
I thrash around, swinging my arms wildly, but the relentless grip and solid body hold me tight.
“Got you, Goldilocks.” Three simple words whispered by a dark voice in my ear, piercing the fog of panic in my head.
“Air. Can’t breathe,” I croak hoarsely, and suddenly hands touch my cheek. They hold me gently but firmly. Two gray eyes look at me, angry and worried at the same time.
“Copy me, Lia, come on. Inhale. Exhale. Yes, exactly. Inhale. Exhale.”
It sounds easy, but it isn’t. Stars dance before my eyes, and I see Nicolas talking.
Is he talking to me? Air. I can’t breathe.
The dots grow stronger, and I clutch at my neck.
It’s tight, so tight. Everything is so tight.
Henry appears before my eyes, looking down at me with an evil smile.
Don’t touch.
Then my world goes dark.