Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
James
It was late September, and three weeks had passed since we'd arrived in Luxembourg.
I was slowly falling into a new routine, though I was looking forward to returning to London in November.
Jake, who was supposed to handle this assignment before his climbing accident that left him with a broken leg and hip in three places, was slowly healing.
The doctors said he'd need at least another month of recovery before he could return to active duty, which meant I was stuck here until then—assuming nothing went wrong.
I was looking forward to it as I followed the princess through the university campus in Luxembourg.
Her final year was demanding—veterinary medicine required long hours in labs and clinical rotations—but she never complained, even when I had to accompany her to every lecture and practical session.
People, mostly other female students, were noticing me even when I was trying to stay in the shadows.
The weather wasn't as warm anymore, but Evangeline was still wearing the long dresses that amplified her figure.
Just over a week ago, that evening on the sofa left me questioning my resolve.
Things were still awkward between us. It was better and easier this way.
I'd already told her she shouldn't get used to me, as I was ready to leave as soon as I could.
Princess Evangeline was a bad distraction.
She made me admit I wanted her, that there was an intense attraction between us, and it bloody killed me that I couldn't touch her.
The cold showers weren't helping anymore.
Her scent lingered in my mind, how she'd looked at me that night on the sofa.
I imagined what it would be like to cross that line, to forget my training and give in to what we both wanted.
The memory of her body pressed against mine during the film, the way she'd tested my resolve, haunted me.
I could still feel the phantom weight of her in my arms, still hear the hitch in her breathing when I'd pinned her wrists above her head.
We'd crossed a line that night, even if we'd pulled back at the last second.
She didn't realise that I was ready to shut her up with my mouth, but things had already escalated.
I knew if I tasted her, there was no going back from this—ever, so I had to act like I felt nothing, because being empty felt better than being lost in her forever.
She went to the cafeteria in the middle of the day and met Octavia and Gabriela there.
Whispering and glancing in my direction, they were likely told by Evangeline about our movie night tension.
I monitored them, eating a stale sandwich and making sure that none of those incompetent idiots got too close.
I'd already seen how every man looked at her, with lustful hunger permeating the atmosphere.
But in my opinion, she was the most beautiful of anyone who could draw breath.
Every time she looked at me, my body responded in ways that had nothing to do with professional duty.
I kept my distance because I knew that there would be no going back once that barrier fell.
Her two friends were glancing at me and smiling whilst they were talking.
I didn't need to be a mind reader to know what they were talking about.
The stunt she pulled on me on Saturday night was probably planned.
She was looking for a reaction. I could feel her hard nipples when she started taking popcorn out of my hair.
Bloody hell, this woman was something else.
I pulled out my mobile and read the text from Spencer, my brother, the Prime Minister.
“How's babysitting duty? I heard there was some drama with a Russian diplomat's son. Please tell me you didn't start an international incident”
I almost smiled despite myself. Trust Spencer to hear about it through diplomatic channels before I'd even filed my official report.
I glanced back at the princess. It seemed that the lunch was over, and she had another class to go to, so I slid my mobile back into my pocket and decided to message Spencer later.
I also needed to check with Dara about the Queen's latest directives.
Sophia had been surprisingly quiet since the incident with Vlad Proshkov, which made me more nervous than her usual dramatic demands.
Quiet royalty meant political manoeuvring was happening behind the scenes.
I had to ring Mum too; she was probably worried about me.
Later that evening, when she got inside the car, she made a point of still riding in the back like she had this morning. The distance felt deliberate—a return to formality after the intimacy of Saturday night. I couldn't decide whether she was protecting herself or punishing me for my restraint.
"Mr. Banks," Evangeline said as I started the car, "I have a charity gala this weekend. I'm letting you know because the invitation came this morning." She was scrolling through her mobile, seemingly trying to avoid looking at me.
"Please forward me the email, Princess," I said, then started the car. Nothing else was said, and I was fine with that. I liked the silence, but I hated the unspoken tension that kept lingering in the air.
Once back at the penthouse, I had a few things that I had to do, so I stayed in my room to make some phone calls.
I needed to follow up on those threatening calls she'd received—the security threat was still very real.
The charity gala was in the centre of Luxembourg, and all the crème de la crème of society were going to attend.
This was a security nightmare—too many variables, too many potential threats.
The recent calls had been getting more specific, more personal.
Someone knew her routines, her preferences, even her yoga schedule.
My instincts told me to cancel and keep her locked away until someone neutralized the threats.
But cancelling would raise questions, create diplomatic issues that could compromise her long-term safety.
This would have to work, even with all my favours.
I'd spent hours reviewing the guest list, cross-referencing names with known associates of hostile foreign governments.
I memorized the venue layout, planned escape routes, and coordinated with Dara's team to increase security presence, even though I still didn't trust anyone else to be close to Evangeline.
Tonight's threat level was higher than usual—too many unknowns, too many opportunities for someone to get close.
Most of the agents I knew had already moved on to do something else, but plenty of youngsters thought they were the new hot shots in our circle.
Later that evening, when I finally emerged from my room, I found the living room empty. Evangeline was probably hiding away from me in her bedroom, and there was a note on the table.
Here is your favourite meal, Mr Banks. Enjoy!
Ribeye steak with some potatoes. My mouth watered instantly, and my stomach rumbled.
I'd been so busy checking the security intel that I'd forgotten about supper.
She must have eaten alone. Now I felt like a total arsehole.
We'd fallen into a routine of sharing breakfast most mornings, her chattering about her classes whilst I reviewed security reports.
Missing dinner together felt like a step backwards, a return to the professional distance I'd been trying to maintain.
She must have cooked for both of us and probably waited for me to join her despite everything that had happened a few days ago, whilst I was busy in there.
I warmed up my food and ate alone, feeling guilty that I should have said something.
I'd never hooked up with a client. My self-control was slowly slipping away when I considered Princess Evangeline, even though this was in my code.
It was easier this way. If I were lucky enough, she would ignore me for the rest of the assignment.
Once I finished my dinner and rinsed off the plate, I realised that this was wishful thinking.
Later that night, the nightmares returned with a vengeance.
The same wolves, the same forest, the same feeling of being hunted.
I woke drenched in sweat, my heart hammering against my ribs.
The stress of being around Evangeline, of wanting what I couldn't have, was making everything worse.
I kept the flashbacks away during the day, but my subconscious was not as disciplined.
"We are ready, Mr. Banks," Evangeline said, finally stepping out of her bedroom. "It took me a little longer to get ready, so I'd appreciate it if you could drive a little faster."
I turned around to assure her I was going to get her to the gala on time, but then I completely lost my words.
She looked breathtaking, wearing a long gold dress that left nothing to the imagination.
Her dress had a slit on her thigh, and my mouth suddenly became a desert.
For a long moment I couldn't bloody take my eyes off her, and in my head I had an image of all the men checking her out at the party.
I didn't think I could take it, because I wanted to kill them for just staring at her.
She had put her normally long hair in a nice bun, and maybe for the first time in my life, I was speechless.
She turned around to face the mirror and was trying to put on earrings. My whole body went rigid as I continued to stare, suddenly hearing voices in my head that told me she was mine and I could never part with her.