Chapter 7
“Nicolas! Why are you looking after that stupid bitch? Be glad she’s finally gone. We need to talk.”
Sarah jabs her finger into my chest, and I slowly turn my head back in her direction, away from Amelia, who disappears into the crowd.
“We don’t need to do anything, Sarah. Are you completely out of your mind? What the hell was that about? You know how damaging this would be if anyone saw.”
I glare down at her, surprised by how calm my voice sounds, considering every woman around me seems hell-bent on driving me insane today.
“Yes, we do need to talk. And I’m not crazy.
I just can’t stand by and watch this agreement destroy you.
What do you even want with that frigid prude?
She can’t make you happy, and she has no idea how to represent you properly to your people.
” She doesn’t let up, her voice insistent, while I exhale sharply.
Cedric chuckles beside me, earning himself a middle finger.
“Oh, she can’t do it, but you can, I suppose?” I laugh mockingly, and Sarah’s eyebrows furrow in fury. Kyle, one of Ced’s buddies, joins him, and the two start talking. But my focus is still locked on the irritating woman in front of me.
“Of course I can. I’d be the better choice in every way. Even a blind man could see that,” she says haughtily, with a confidence so delusional I can’t help but burst out laughing.
Who does she think she is?
“Sarah, we had sex, that’s it. What makes you think—” I don’t get any further, because Cedric interrupts.
“Come with me. Now. There’s trouble.” His expression has turned serious, and I immediately tense.
“What kind of trouble?”
“Paul saw Damien in the front hall. With Amelia. And they weren’t alone. Robins is causing shit.”
Shit.
I force my way through the crowd, Cedric trailing close, the anger flaring up all over again.
What the hell has that woman done this time? Everywhere she goes, there’s drama. And what the hell does she have to do with Damien?
I charge through the foyer into the front hall like a man possessed, then suddenly stop, frozen in place, convinced I’m seeing things.
Cedric bumps into me and starts to complain, but his words catch in his throat as he takes in what I see, hears what those jerks are saying, and watches what that crazy girl is doing.
Is she insane?
Her hand lashes out and lands hard on Robins’ cheek, and everything quickly spirals out of control.
He grabs her and I rush forward to her side.
The security team finally grasps the seriousness of the situation, and before I know it, Amelia is in my arms. She looks at me with wide, terrified eyes, struggling fiercely against me.
“No. Don’t. Don’t touch me,” she pleads again and again, the desperation in her voice and the trembling of her slender body cutting deep into me.
She tries desperately to breathe but cannot; only wheezing gasps escape. For the first time, real fear grips me.
What the hell is going on?
“She’s having a panic attack. Get her to breathe steadily,” Cedric says, while Damien just stares at Amelia in shock.
“She tried to help me. She just went after him, even though I told her to stay behind me,” he stammers, completely shaken. Cedric pats him on the shoulder.
“Come on, bro, let’s get out of here and grab a drink. Nic’s got her.” He pulls the devastated Damien away into the hall, leaving me focused on Amelia.
My hands move to her cheeks, trying to get her to focus on me, but I can’t get through.
Fuck.
Just moments ago her blue eyes were filled with panic, now she is collapsed in my arms.
My gaze turns cold and deadly, landing on the bastards being held by security. A fury unlike anything I’ve ever known surges through me. I want to kill them. All of them. They touched Goldilocks. They scared her.
“Get them out of my sight and make sure they’re blacklisted from every event. I don’t want to see them anywhere,” I command coldly, and Robins scoffs.
“Like I care. My father is a senator. I can go wherever I damn well please,” he sneers arrogantly, clearly high. A dangerous grin spreads across my face.
“Try me. We’ll see what you’re allowed to do, and what not.”
I nod to security to remove them, then turn and carry Amelia away.
“Lia! What happened?” Lizzy suddenly appears out of nowhere like a bolt of lightning—of course she didn’t stay home as instructed—and falls in step beside me, eyes full of concern as she looks at Amelia.
“She tried to protect Damien and ended up going after Robins. Then she suddenly panicked and…”
I nod toward her limp body in my arms, and Lizzy huffs.
“That discriminatory, arrogant asshole has annoyed me for ages. Let him rot in hell for all I care. But we need to get her out of here before the paparazzi catch wind of this and swarm us with cameras. Eric is distracting them. We came in together, and that’s when I saw you.”
Lizzy scans the area, and a wave of relief washes over me because Eric knows exactly how to handle the press. It’s his job, and he’s got it covered.
“We’ll take the staff entrance at the back of the hall. It’s the only way. Come on!”
My sister gives me a pointed look, and I nod. She’s right. No one has really noticed what’s happened yet, but that won’t last long.
“Let’s move.” I motion for Lizzy to lead the way, pressing Amelia tightly against my chest. Her head rests beneath my chin, and having her close again somehow soothes me, even though part of me still wants to strangle her, even though I also want her as far away from me as possible.
We slip outside and into the waiting limo almost unnoticed, which then takes us back to the palace while Lizzy deals with our parents and the guests.
As quickly as possible, I carry Amelia into our apartment and lay her gently on the bed, gazing down at her. She’s incredibly pale, yet still stunning. Her curls have come loose from her updo, now falling wildly around her head. The sight of her cuts into me like shards of glass.
Why her? Why not someone else?
“Thank you,” she whispers softly, and my gaze settles on her eyes, filled with endless sadness and shame.
I instantly feel the urge to hold her again and keep her safe.
The urge overwhelms me, and I sit down beside her on the edge of the bed.
My fingers move on their own, gently brushing her curls away from her face.
So soft. So delicate.
Amelia briefly closes her eyes, and I see her swallow before she looks back at me. And fuck, I’m definitely not unaffected by those eyes.
“You surprise me again and again, Goldilocks. I never thought you’d be stupid enough to pick a fight with Robins. But, obviously, I was wrong.” My voice sounds smooth and gentle, yet my words are anything but, and I’m fully aware of that.
Amelia’s eyes reveal her feelings as they lock onto me, clearly shaken.
“I… Damien. They insulted Damien.” She looks at me helplessly, drilling her blue into my gray. Like a magnet, I lean down to her, letting my nose brush against hers.
Touch. I want to touch her.
“I know. Still, it was stupid. Stupid and dangerous. And that’s not really you, is it?” Once more, I can’t resist and my lips lightly and gently brush against hers, filled with an intense feeling. They’re soft, and damn it, I know how she tastes. I want to taste her again.
My nose sweeps across her cheek as I breathe in the soothing scent of lavender she gives off.
“Hmmm…” Nothing more passes her lovely, slightly parted lips, as I feel her breath against mine.
Her pulse is racing, visible at her neck, and my thumb glides over it softly, barely noticeable, making her shiver.
Fuck. She’s driving me crazy.
“Hmmm is not an answer, Goldilocks,” I whisper, gently nibbling her lower lip, making her gasp.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
With one hand above her head and the other on her neck, I’m about to throw myself on her, ready to devour her completely.
“He… he was important to Phil… he… I…” she stammers, desperately trying to regain control, but her words hit me like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head.
Philipp. She was Phil’s wife. Not mine. She never should have been. She doesn’t want me. It’s just an arranged thing.
These thoughts bother me, piss me off, and again this rage rises inside me.
I don’t want her. She doesn’t want me. It’s all just an illusion.
“Just try to think next time before you mess things up.”
I admit it. I sound like an asshole. The words come out hard and cold as I put space between us, get up, and turn away. But I can still see how much I hurt her, and that pisses me off. I piss myself off.
“Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll just watch as people you care about get discriminated against. Sorry for trying to do the right thing.” She sounds hurt, and the disgusting feeling of being a complete jerk grows stronger. Along with my anger.
“If you want to get it right next time, then follow through and don’t let fear hold you back. Don’t wait around for someone else to come save you,” I snap at her before I can stop myself, and she flinches as if I struck her. In a way, I guess I did.
Shit, what am I doing here?
Feeling the tension, I drag a hand down my face as my stomach churns more and more.
Fuck, that hit hard.
“Amelia, I…”
“Out.” She’s sitting up now, staring at me with blazing eyes. But it’s not hate that shines back at me. She looks like a deeply wounded animal, and suddenly I feel really sick.
Shit, I didn’t mean that at all.
“Lia…”
“I said out. Get lost. Leave me alone. OUT!” Her chest rises and falls quickly, her hands clenched into fists as she yells the last word. This time I respect her wish and walk away. I need to just get away.
Blindly, I hurry through the castle until I reach the royal garages. But I don’t go inside. Instead, I head to the adjacent shed where my bike is. Without thinking, I tear off my jacket, put on my motorcycle jacket, strap on my helmet, and push my bike outside.
I need to clear my head, and I can only do that by riding.
And indeed, as soon as I leave behind this suffocating castle, this confusing woman, and the streets of Harlington City, my chest feels lighter. The pressure fades, and I am speeding up.
Freedom. That’s the only place in the world where I feel it. Because most of the time, I’m trapped. Trapped between power, traditions, and the crushing feeling of never being good enough.