Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
MELINDA
Prince Alexander?
My mind was spiralling. So much about him was finally making sense to me. It was hitting me all at once.
The cameras were flashing crazily as Alex tried his hardest to bury me into his chest.
I wanted to run and hide. It was too much. Just like that, all the alcohol I had consumed disappeared. I was sober.
“It’s okay, Ella,” Alex whispered.
I looked up at him, and his face was eerily calm.
I suppose for him this was nothing new.
I heard cars screeching to a stop and looked around Alex to see two black cars, and two police cars pushing the paparazzi away. It was the crowd we had drawn to the side.
“Jones, give me your jacket,” Alex ordered.
Jones did what Alex said and looked at me. “I’m going to put this over your head, ok?”
I nodded.
A second later, it was dark. I held the jacket a few inches away, so I could breathe. I felt an arm hold onto my back as they directed me towards what I was assuming was the car.
“Duck,” Jones said softly.
I did as he said, climbing into the car, but I kept the jacket over my head until I heard the car door shut. I pulled it off, throwing it to the side next to me.
I frowned.
Where was Alex?
The front car door opened, and Jones stepped in. “Where is he?” I asked automatically.
“He’s just telling Jeremy that we’re leaving, ma’am,” Jones said. “He’ll be in the car momentarily. How are you feeling?”
“Well, I’m not drunk anymore,” I grumbled.
The car door opened once more, and Alex got into the car, strapping his seatbelt on. He slammed his hand on the door making me jump. I reached for the door handle to get out of the car. I didn’t want to be around him right now.
“If you open that door, I will spank you Ella,” Alex said sternly.
I raised an eyebrow, really the spanking threat again. As much as the idea seemed appealing right now all I wanted to do was kill him.
Oh shit, I was mad at him.
I glared at him. “Are you serious?”
“It is a circus out there, and you will be trampled,” he said. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m really fucking sorry this happened.” He reached for my hand, and I pulled it away from him. “Ella, please.”
I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
I had no idea why I had the urge to cry. It wasn’t a sad situation. I was angry though.
How could he lie to me?
A cop car pulled out in front with flashing blue lights on and Jones followed.
“To the ranch please, Jones,” Alex said.
“I want to go home,” I told him.
“Ella, I know you’re angry and confused. I know you probably want to be anywhere that isn’t near me, but right now, you are safest with me,” Alex said.
“Does this fancy car have a stash of alcohol?” I asked curiously ignoring his statement.
“Do you think getting drunk is the best idea right now?” He asked.
“Do you think me being sober and angry is the best idea right now?” I counted.
He reached between the seats and pulled out a bottle of vodka, “Fair point. It already has lemonade mixed in with the full bottle,” he said.
I pulled open the cap taking a swig of the bottle, and the vodka burned my throat, but holy fuck it felt so good. I took another swig, leaning back in the car. As I drank the vodka, all I could think about was the promise of sucking it off each other that we had suggested earlier.
I had shared some experiences with a man who hadn’t been truly honest with me. He lied about who he was.
How could I be so fucking stupid?
I took more swigs from the bottle. The signs were all there.
Megan’s reaction.
The people in the diner.
The shock of people we encountered.
I must have had a giant sign above my head that read ‘gullible idiot.’ I took another swig of the vodka bottle. I wondered how long it would take me to feel blackout drunk. Maybe I could just pretend it had all been a dream.
I yawned, lying my head back and closing my eyes. I felt my head falling to rest on Alex’s shoulder. The vodka bottle was removed from my hand, and I felt a blanket being pulled over me.
“Sleep sweetly, Ella. I’m so sorry.”
Igroaned, flinching from the bright light. “Holy fuck.”
I blinked a few times and looked around.
Where was I?
The pounding in my head intensified as the whole world began to spin.
I sat up and gagged, standing up and running to the door. I hoped there was a bathroom behind it.
I pushed it open and relief flooded through me as I dived onto the floor as I threw up into the toilet. I retched as more sickness came up, and I let out a groan.
Was the alcohol worth it? Hell yes, it was.
I leaned my head against the toilet bowl as tears streamed down my face. I know nobody liked being sick, but I fucking hated it. That was for sure.
My stomach stopped churning, so I stood up to reach for a glass from the sink and rinsed my mouth out.
In the mirror, I caught sight of the way I looked and grimaced. Mascara and eyeliner had turned my eyes into panda eyes, and my foundation had turned patchy. I looked around for a flannel and rinsed it under the water, cleaning my face.
After a few minutes, I felt a little fresher and not as rough. I walked out of the bathroom, looking around the room now to figure out where I was. I headed towards the window looking out and smiled.
I was at the ranch.
Was that always the plan to come to the ranch?
I looked around the room for evidence that Alex had been in bed with me, but it was empty. His side of the bed was cold.
I opened the bedroom door and headed down the stairs
Where was he?
I frowned slightly.
Did I embarrass myself in front of him last night?
I tried to rack my brain around what happened last night.
I walked through the house, not finding him. I exited out of the kitchen and went onto the back patio.
As my eyes landed on him riding his horse, it all came flooding back to me.
The paparazzi.
The prince.
The lie.
The deceit.
I stumbled back like I had been punched in the stomach. I had trusted him, and he had lied to me. I blinked seeing him in front of me off the horse. He looked at me hesitantly.
I shook my head, not finding the right words. “How could you?” I whispered.
“I’m sorry, Ella—”
“No!” I snapped. “You don’t get to…no.”
I needed to escape, but I was trapped.
“You’ve put me in a place I can’t even run home.
I don’t know what to say to you!” I began to wave my hands in front of me.
“I don’t know how to act around you. Alex?
Prince Alexander? Prince Alex? What do I call you?
You’re a Prince, and you lied about it!” He grabbed my waving hands. “This isn’t—”
His lips touched mine, kissing me and silencing me.
I froze.
He pulled away hesitantly to see if I was going to punch him for kissing me.
I shook my head out of my trance and slapped him.
“Don’t kiss me!” I yelled. “You don’t have the right to do that.
You don’t get to drop a bombshell…” I shook my head.
“No, you didn’t even drop that bombshell because you weren't being honest with me. The paparazzi dropped that bombshell for you! You’re a fucking Prince.
” He stepped closer, and I shot him a dirty look.
“Don’t even think about kissing me again. ”
Alex stepped back like I had physically hit him again. I ran past him, heading for the lake where he had our picnic and ignoring the fact I was only in his T-shirt and wearing no shoes. I sat down in front of the lake as I felt a tear slide down my cheek.
How did everything get so messed up? How had I been so dumb to miss all the signs?
I looked out at the water as my thoughts raced around my head.
Where did that leave us? Was there even an us?
If I could slap past me, I would.
How many times did I ignore people trying to tell me?
I would be a millionaire probably with the amount of time I had ignored all the signs.
“Melinda.”
I flinched from the use of my full name. It sounded weird coming from him now, especially as I had come to love the nickname Ella. Although, I suppose I told him he didn’t get to do anything anymore.
“If I sit next to you will you hit me again?”
“If you deserve it.” I sniffled.
He sat down to the side of me but so I could see his face. “Melinda, I am sorry you found out the way you did,” he said.
“You’re not sorry you lied?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shook his head, “Would you have given me the time of day if you knew I was a Prince?”
I looked at the floor. I suppose he had a point there.
“Would you have shouted at me the way you did?” He asked.
My eyes widened. “I shouted at a Prince!”
“You just also slapped him now.” Alex added helpfully.
I looked at him deadpanned.
“Melinda—”
“I don’t like it when you call me that,” I whispered.
Alex smiled a little, and a look of hope shined in his eyes.
“Ella, at first I was surprised you would even talk to me that way. I wanted to know more and I wanted to know you. I started hanging around Daisy’s, the library, and sitting near you in lecturers and seminars, hoping you’d give me a chance.
Hoping that I could wear you down to at least go on a date with me.
I figured if I could make you like me the rest wouldn’t matter. ”
“The fact you’re a Prince wouldn’t matter, Alex?” I questioned. “You can’t be that delusional.”
“Delusional? No.” He shook his head. “Hopeful? Yes.”
I looked back out at the lake. I had no idea what to do.
The shock of finding out the way I did and then it all came flooding back today. I was confused.
“Why me? Was I just some game? Play the girl that had no idea you were a Prince?”
“Never,” Alex said. “Everything I said to you and about you and my feelings for you was the truth. I may have lied about my title and lineage, but I never lied when you asked me a question.”
I thought back to all of our conversations when he was saying that his story was already written. He was right. he technically hadn’t lied when I asked him questions. “Where do we go from here?”
“Ella, be my girlfriend,” he said.
My eyes widened. “Alex I…” I trailed off. I had no idea what I was going to say. I liked him. A lot. Could I deal with all the extra parts of him?
He sighed. “It’s okay. I get it.” He stood up. “I’ll order a car to take you home.”
I reached for his hand. “Alex.”
He stopped, looking down at me.
“I can’t give you an answer right now. I need time.”
“Everything I said is the truth, Melinda. I care about you. I don’t want this to destroy us before we even have a chance to start,” Alex said. “I’ll order you a car to take you home.”
“Can I stay here?” I asked. “I’m not ready to face life just yet.”
“Of course, Ella,” Alex said. “I’ll be with the horses if you need me.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. I turned my head and stared back at the lake.
I could ignore all of the problems I was facing right now.
I liked him. A lot.
Could I deal with all the extra parts of him? It wouldn’t just be him as a person. It was all the extra.
The breeze felt so good and it helped settle my stomach a little. Dealing with all this whilst suffering from drinking so much was making it worse.
God, he had wormed his way into my life and heart. I had no clue what life with Alex would look like. I didn’t know anything about his world or the expectations that came with his world.
I wondered if I could just stare into the lake and stay here forever.