Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
James
The next afternoon found us at The Royal's exclusive gym, where Frederick was waiting in workout clothes that looked like they'd never seen actual exercise. He greeted Evangeline with a kiss on each cheek that lingered too long, his hands resting on her shoulders as he pulled back.
"You look lovely," he said, his eyes traveling down her form in a way that made my fingers twitch toward the knife in my boot.
I positioned myself against the wall of the private studio, arms crossed, watching as Frederick began showing basic defensive stances. His instruction was surprisingly competent, though his hands—on adjustments to Evangeline's form were unnecessary and lingering.
"The key is using your attacker's weight against them," he explained, moving behind her. "If someone grabs you from behind—"
He demonstrated by wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. I saw her stiffen slightly before forcing herself to relax, to follow his instructions on how to break the hold.
"Good," he praised, his voice dropping lower. "Now, if someone pins you to a wall—"
He guided her backwards until her back hit the mirrored wall, then placed his hands on either side of her head, caging her in.
"First, you want to create space," he continued, his face entirely too close to hers. "Use your forearms to break their posture."
Evangeline followed his instructions, but I could see the discomfort in her eyes now, the way she was trying to edge away from his proximity.
"Perfect," Frederick murmured. "Now, the most vulnerable points are the eyes, throat, and groin. If you can reach any of those—"
He demonstrated a slow-motion strike that brought his body flush against hers, his hand sliding down her arm in a caress that had nothing to do with self-defense.
My breath hitched, my muscles tensed, and the surrounding air crackled with an unspoken threat as their bodies collided.
Frederick’s body pressed against hers, his hands lingering far too long in places that had nothing to do with self-defence.
My vision tunneled, and I exploded, a volcano of fury finally erupting with rage.
"Get your fucking hands off her" I growled, positioning myself between Frederick and Evangeline. The civility I'd been clinging to evaporated completely. "Now."
Frederick turned to me with an infuriating smirk, clearly enjoying my loss of control. "Just teaching the princess some valuable skills, Banks. Surely you don't object to her being able to protect herself?"
"If she needs to learn self-defense, I'll teach her," I stated, my voice deadly quiet.
"Will you?" he challenged, eyes glittering with malice. "Because from where I stand, you seem more interested in keeping your distance. Someone needs to step up."
The implication in his words—that I was failing her, that he was better suited to take care of her—made my vision narrow to a dangerous point. My hands clenched into fists at my sides.
Behind him, Evangeline's eyes widened, not with fear, but with something that looked like satisfaction at seeing my mask finally slip.
"James," she said, but there was no warning in her tone now. Instead, her voice carried a note of challenge. "You told me you were fine with this. You said you'd drive me here."
My blood ran cold. She was deliberately defying me, choosing him over my protection. Every muscle in my body coiled tight, my hands clenching into fists as I watched Frederick's satisfied smirk. The rational part of my mind screamed warnings, but the primitive, possessive part was roaring louder.
"Evangeline," I said, my voice dropping to a deadly quiet that made Frederick take an involuntary step back. "You're making a mistake."
But she lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes flashing with challenge. "The only mistake I'm making is listening to someone who can't make up his mind about what he wants."
"No, Evangeline” I said firmly, stepping away from me and back toward Frederick. "We're not leaving. Frederick, please continue with the lesson."
"It's Your Highness," she corrected icily, "and I asked Frederick to teach me self-defense. You said you were fine with this arrangement. You even drove me here."
Frederick's smug smile widened as he sensed the power shift.
"Of course, Your Highness. Where were we? Ah yes, pressure points." He moved closer to her again, his hands hovering near her waist.
"Now, if an attacker grabs you like this—"
As my restraint frayed further, watching Frederick's hands slid down Evangeline's arms in what was clearly more caress than instruction. I couldn't watch this anymore. I couldn't stand here and witness her letting another man touch her because I'd been too much of a fucking coward to do it myself.
"I'll be right outside," I said through gritted teeth, my voice tight with barely controlled rage.
I walked out of the studio, my breathing carefully controlled, my face a mask of professionalism.
But inside, a storm was building. The hallway felt like a trap as I took measured steps, my mind replaying every moment of Frederick's hands on her skin.
This was my fault. I'd rejected her, pushed her away, maintained a professional distance when every fiber of my being wanted to claim her.
The rage built with each step, each echo of their voices from behind the closed door. My jaw clenched so tight it ached, my hands forming fists at my sides as I fought to maintain the control that had kept me alive through three tours in Iraq.
But this wasn't a battlefield. This was watching the woman I — fuck. The woman I craved let another man touch her because I'd been too much of a coward to cross the line myself.
Now she was in there with him, allowing him to touch her in ways I'd denied myself. Because of being a professional? Having boundaries? No because I was a fucking idiot!.
I could hear their voices through the door—his smooth instructions, her soft responses. It was excruciating, unrelenting torture.
That's when I saw it. The fire alarm on the wall, red and gleaming like salvation. An idea formed, desperate and reckless and completely beneath my professional standards.
But I was past caring about standards.
I pulled the alarm without hesitation. The shrill screech immediately filled the hallway as emergency lights began flashing throughout the building.
Despite the mayhem I had caused, I re-entered the studio with a facade of professional composure.
"Fire alarm," I announced, my voice carrying over the noise. "We need to evacuate. Now."
Surprise flashed across Evangeline's face before her eyes narrowed, revealing her suspicion. Frederick stepped away from her, looking around in confusion.
"Is there actually a fire?" he asked, but I was already crossing the room, taking Evangeline firmly by the elbow.
"Standard protocol. We evacuate immediately," I said, guiding her toward the door with unmistakable authority.
Despite a moment of resistance, her eyes showed she understood and was getting angry, but her royal training then took control. One didn't cause scenes in public, especially during potential emergencies.
"We'll continue another time," Frederick called after us, but I was already ushering Evangeline down the hallway toward the emergency stairwell, ignoring the curious glances of hotel staff and guests beginning to gather in the corridor.
Neither of us spoke as we descended the stairs and made our way through the lobby. I kept my hand at the small of her back, propelling her forward through the growing crowd toward the exit. Only when we reached the car and I'd closed her door did I allow myself to breathe.
The moment I slid into the driver's seat, she — well, she exploded.
I started the engine, pulling away from the hotel just as security personnel emerged from the front doors.
"What the hell was that!" she demanded, her voice shaking with fury. "You pulled a fire alarm! Do you have any idea how dangerous and irresponsible that is?"
I kept my expression neutral, my voice professionally detached. "I followed standard protocol when the alarm sounded. Immediate evacuation of the premises is protocol."
"Don't you dare!" she said, her voice rising. "Don't you dare pretend you didn't pull that alarm yourself?"
I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the road. "I'm not sure what you're implying, Your Highness."
"I'm not implying anything—I'm making a fucking statement! You couldn't stand watching Frederick teach me, so you sabotaged the entire session."
"The alarm sounded. I evacuated you. That's my job." My voice remained maddeningly calm even as my knuckles whitened on the steering wheel.
"Your job?" she repeated incredulously. “Fabricating a false emergency that potentially endangers individuals? The firedepartment...they will fine the hotel.”
"I responded to an emergency situation," I cut in, my voice still flat. "Nothing more."
She stared at me, her eyes blazing with fury and disbelief. "You're actually going to lie to my face about this!"
I didn't answer, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel a muscle jumping. Admitting what I'd done felt dangerous, like stepping off a cliff into the unknown.
"You had no right!," she continued, her voice rising. "No right to interfere like that. I can decide who teaches me self-defense. Who touches me. Who—"
"He wasn't teaching you self-defense," I growled. My voice, sounding more confrontational than I realised, my professional mask was cracking. "He used it as an excuse to feel you up while I had to stand there and watch."
"And that bothers you, does it?" she challenged me. "Seeing another man touch me? A man I actually asked to help me, unlike you, who keeps pushing me away only to pull me back whenever someone else shows interest?"
The accusation struck home. "That's not what I'm doing."