Chapter 14
Eva
"Thank you for understanding," I said, smiling over my shoulder at Jo and Brittney as they helped pack up my things.
"That was pretty scary," Brittney answered. She gave me a weak smile. "I really don't blame you for staying somewhere that you'll be safe."
Sighing, I stood up and left my shoes abandoned in the closet to go sit on my bed. "Am I crazy?" They paused what they were doing and focused on me.
"Why would you be crazy?" Jo asked.
"I don't know Idaho, or any of these men. Is it smart to trust them?"
Jo sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"It's hard for me to be objective," she admitted, "because I do know them.
Well, not Idaho, but I know that none of those guys will let anything bad happen to you.
" Her eyes were shining earnestly as she spoke.
"If I didn't know them, I might tell you this was nuts, but if they think someone is after you, then this is for the best. I promise. "
Brittney sat down on my other side. "I agree with her. You're safer there than you are here." She shrugged. "And at least you get to spend Christmas with a hot biker."
I couldn't help but laugh at her logic. Leave it to Brittney to find the positive in the situation.
"You'll have fun," Jo said. "The women are throwing a party tonight and you can meet everyone."
I heard about the party from Jenny earlier, and I was glad Jo and Brittney were going to be there. "What are you two planning to do? Are you staying here?"
"I'll probably sleep over at Paul's for a few nights," Brittney admitted.
"And Brad is going to stay here for a bit," Jo added.
"I'll still pay my portion of the rent," I told them. "That way I'll have somewhere to come back to once this is all over."
"It's just so weird," Jo said with a sigh. "Why would those men be after you?"
The guilt was too thick to not tell them. "I need to tell you the truth."
"Truth?" Brittney asked.
"I'm the daughter of a duke."
The silence stretched out for a solid minute before they started laughing. I didn't hold it against them. Even to my ears it sounded crazy, and I was used to having royals rule over countries. The laughter died down and Jo shook her head, wiping at her eyes.
"I know it sounds unbelievable," I told them, "but I'm serious." I grabbed my laptop from the other side of the bed and pulled up a recent photograph of my family. "This is my father, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg."
They both stared at the picture for a long time.
I was standing by Father's side, smiling at the camera.
I frowned at the photograph, studying my face.
The smile was bright, but my eyes were dull.
Was that what Thomas had been talking about?
I knew I was miserable back home, but I didn't realize it was so obvious to others.
"That's your dad?" Brittney asked.
I nodded and looked at the picture again.
My mother stood on his other side, her arm looped through his.
She was beautiful in her floor length gown.
She was always dressed to perfection. Never a hair out of place.
Her makeup done to hide the flaws on her skin.
Her hair styled to make sure it covered any gray strands that dared show up.
"Wow," Jo breathed. "You're royalty?"
"Unfortunately," I told her with a grim smile. "My father is the king of the Netherland's nephew."
"How did we not know this?" Jo asked, looking at me like she'd never seen me before.
I shrugged again. "It's not something I wanted to advertise, for obvious reasons."
"We won't tell anyone," Brittney promised. Jo nodded in agreement.
"Thank you." I already loved these girls like they were my own sisters.
"So, does this mean you're going to have an arranged marriage to some other royal?" Jo asked.
"No," I replied, with a laugh. "Thankfully. That duty will fall to my brother. My two older sisters are already married and have children. It eases the burden for me and my younger sister."
Brittney frowned at the photograph on my laptop. "Your brother looks like he's...what? Six?"
"He just turned seven last month," I corrected.
"That's so weird," Brittney huffed. "Living your whole life knowing your spouse will be chosen for you."
"He'll have a say in it," I replied, "but yes, he's going to have to marry someone befitting a duke."
"And the rest of you are free to marry who you want?" Jo asked.
Frowning, I shook my head. "Not really. My sisters had a little more say than Charlie will, but they still had to marry well. And so will I."
"So, Idaho is off limits," Brittney teased.
My cheeks burned at the thought of being with Idaho.
He was so handsome and seemed like he would be an attentive lover.
But he was also arrogant and bossy. Something I promised myself I'd never accept in a man.
I had enough of that from my father. I didn't need it from my husband, too.
"I don't know where you're getting the idea that Idaho or I would be interested in one another. "
"Uh, because we have eyes?" Jo answered, with a snort of laughter.
"The way he charged after that guy who was carrying you off-" Brittney sighed.
I could all but see the hearts floating around over her head like in some kind of cartoon. "I'm sure he would have done that for either of you, too."
"Probably," Jo admitted, "but he doesn't look at us the way he watches you." Her tone was teasing and her smile was growing wider as she spoke. "I swear every time he looks at you the fire alarms nearly go off."
Rolling my eyes, I laughed. "I highly doubt that." I nibbled on my lip and debated telling them everything. My sisters were usually the only people I shared things with, but they weren't here. Making a decision, I added, "But he did kiss me."
"What?" they both shouted at the same time.
My cheeks burned hotter as I nodded. "He kissed me this morning."
"How was it?" Brittney asked, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees.
Jo had her hands pressed over her mouth, eyes wide as she waited for my answer.
"It was..." I sighed, unable to find the right words. "Amazing," I admitted.
"Oh my God," Jo squealed, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me in her excitement.
"But it can't happen again."
They both stared at me in stunned silence. "I'm confused," Brittney said, speaking slowly as if I wouldn't understand her. "A drop-dead gorgeous man kisses you and you don't want it to happen again?"
Huffing out a breath, I explained, "He's only helping me because of my father. Which means he's probably only attracted to me because of whatever it is he wants in exchange."
Jo was watching me with a mix of disbelief and confusion. She glanced over at the photograph once again. "Your father doesn't look like the sort of guy who would be happy with some man kissing his daughter."
I cringed. "No. He would... What's the American saying for get really, really angry, and be completely unreasonable?"
"Freak out," Brittney offered.
"Shit a brick," Jo corrected.
I laughed out loud at Jo's phrase. "Oh my. That sounds very uncomfortable." I tilted my head as I considered it. "But apt. Yes. If Father found out some random man was kissing me, he would shit a brick."
They both laughed. "Sorry," Jo said, "it just sounds really funny with your accent.
" She waved her hand, dismissing that subject and getting back to the main topic.
"So, if your father would get pissed knowing that Idaho kissed you, don't you think that his attraction would be detrimental to him 'getting what he wants' from your father? "
"Maybe," I hedged, "but I'm not sure Idaho would care. I don't know much about him, but the similarities I've seen so far between him and my father are numerous."
"Is that a bad thing?" Brittney asked.
"Yeah, don't they say women look for men like their father to marry?"
"Not me," I vowed, lips thinning out into a firm line. "My father can be very kind and caring. I love him very much, but I don't like always being ordered around and told what I can and cannot do."
"Pretty sure that's just parents," Jo said. "My mom does the same thing to me and Seek." She laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "She even does it to Hush now."
My brows rose at that. I remembered Hush. He was very quiet, but huge and intimidating, though not as big as Thomas. There was only one man at Idaho's clubhouse who was as big as my long-time bodyguard, and that was the man they called Hellfire. "She does?"
"Oh yeah, my mom can be a lot," Jo said, with a smirk. "But we all love her."
"How do you handle her?" I asked, curious.
"I listen to what I want and ignore the rest," Jo replied, with a shrug.
I mulled that over. "Is that even an option?"
That had them both laughing again. Their eyes met and they nodded and spoke in unison, "Absolutely."
"You just need to practice," Jo offered. Her eyes glinted with mischievousness. "Idaho would make the perfect practice dummy."
"I don't know," I said in a hesitant tone.
"I'm not very good at standing up to authority.
" My parents didn't allow back talk. Or rebelliousness.
I wasn't sure why none of us kids had tried.
It wasn't like our parents hit us, but they'd perfected the art of manipulation.
They were forever reminding us of our duty to the people, and to them, and the damn family name.
That was how they controlled us. And now we were all, except my brother, adults who still listened to everything they said.
They had complete say over whatever we did.
"That's why you practice," Brittney reminded me.
"I can try."
"We'll help you," Brittney promised.
"What's in it for you?" I asked, with a smile.
"We get to watch you drive Idaho crazy," Jo stated. "It's going to be so much fun. I think we need to start with how you dress."
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I asked, looking down at the jeans and sweater I still had on.
"Nothing," Jo answered, "but it would be fun to dress you up like a princess."