Forbidden Desire (Maid for the Billionaire Prince) by Artemis Hunt

try to make my voice as impartial as I can. “Claire, this is your family’s money and you can do what you like with it. I’m not going to go out of my way to say anything to your brother, but if he or your mother asks me, I would probably have to tell them the truth.”
    There. She’s going to hate me forever now. But she already hates me, so what the heck.
    Claire’s face is like a rock. She appears stunned, at least momentarily. I take it that no one aside from her mother has ever said no to her before. Anyway, I didn’t really say no. I just put the ball back on her court and maintained my position.
    Her eyes narrow. She puts her fork down on the side table.
    “I see. So that’s your stance.” Her mouth compresses in a flat, ugly line.
    I nod. My heart is thudding hard against my ribs. Confrontation is always so hard for me.
    “I won’t lie to your family, Claire. Not for anyone. Not even for your brother if he asked me to, and I don’t think he ever will.”
    Silence. The women in the room exchange uncomfortable glances with each other and shift on their feet.
    “Fine then.” Claire gets up. She stalks off and heads for the exit. She turns. “But don’t count on me to get your back next time.”
    I don’t say anything.
    As soon as she vanishes, a palpable cloud lifts from the room. The atmosphere lightens considerably.
    Eve says in a low voice, “She’s not a good enemy to make, ma cherie .”
    I sigh. “None of them are, but they already hate my guts anyway.”
    She seems to ponder this, and then she brightens. “Come, let’s pick out something for you. A whole new trousseau, shall we? What do you say we begin with some suitable clothes to be photographed in?”
    This is a cheery prospect. I can’t help smiling again despite everything.
    “OK. But I insist on only one thing.”
    “What is it?”
    I wave my hand at the food spread. “Seeing as I’m not going to be eating all this alone, why don’t we all have a little bit of breakfast?”
    The girls all eye each other in delight. I think they must have been up since five preparing all this for me.
    “Are you sure?” Eva asks me, creasing her brow. “It has never been . . . done .”
    “I’m pretty sure. There’s no one to spy on us anyway.”
    A sprinkling of laughter and chatter now permeates the solemn room. I smile as the girls make a line for the buffet.

8
     
    It’s a good thing I decided to wear one of the two piece suits I bought on Alex’s tab. It’s a cream-colored cashmere number, extremely well cut and a lot like something Kate Middleton would wear at a function (I think), only pricier.
    “You have to find your own style,” Eva advises. “I’m here to guide you.”
    She’s talking as if I’m a princess-in-waiting already.
    I toss a laugh. “It’s too early to find my own style. Besides, I don’t know how this whole thing will pan out. You know . . . with Claire and her mother . . . ”
    Eva nods. “Say no more. I completely understand. The royals may be a handful at times. Some of them are extremely spoilt. I daresay they need a little shakeup in their ranks because they are starting to lose touch with the common people. You are the breath of fresh air they need.”
    “They don’t see it that way.”
    “They should.”
    I need to call Jasper to bring the car around, but I realize I don’t have his number because I wasn’t in the right mind to take it down before Claire sent him away.
    “Don’t worry,” Eva says. “I’ll call him.”
    She whips out her cellphone and dials. I can hear the distant ringing tone that emits from her phone.
    “Mr. Jasper? Yes, she’s ready for her pickup. I’ll help her with the bags. Yes.” She beams at me. “You can go down to where he dropped you.”
    I have bought enough clothes to fit into twelve large bags. Four of the girls – now well-fed and contented – volunteer to accompany Eva and me down the elevator.
    We crowd into the small space. When we reach the