This conversation
is delving into areas that shouldn’t be overheard,” my mother
says.
“This room, as well
as the surrounding ones, are secure and safe from prying eyes and
ears. Even those belonging to your security team.”
“I’m still
uncomfortable with letting someone have access to our security
systems.”
“No offense, Your
Highness, but I’d have access even if you didn’t let me.”
“Nice,” I tell
Ainsley.
“Yes, well, let’s
eat,” my mother says, clearly uncomfortable with having to answer
to anyone, much less women who are a few decades younger than her.
She’s a good woman,
and she did a great job raising me, even if that hasn’t been too
apparent lately. Navigating all of this without my dad is hard for
her, though. Even though she was a princess before marriage, she
wasn’t prepared to be Queen. I mean, who really is prepared to rule
a country alone? I’m supposed to be, but I have my doubts now and
then. I’ll do it, though, because it’s what I’ve been raised to
do—and to alleviate the pressure from her.
The rest of dinner goes
pretty smoothly, with the women all talking about our home and
catching up with Darcy. I know our “date” is off now that her
friends are here, and I won’t even pretend that I’m not
disappointed. But there will be other nights to play games—video
and otherwise.
“Dinner was
delicious, Faith,” I tell her, honestly.
“Thank you, Brayden.”
“I’m going to go
look over my schedule for tomorrow. I’ll see everyone in the
morning.”
I get up and walk
towards the door, but Darcy steps in front of me. “We had plans
tonight, didn’t we?” she asks, looking a little hurt.
“I thought you’d
want to hang out with your friends instead.”
She shakes her head. “I
don’t. I mean, I love them, but I see them all the time back home.”
“I’ll miss you when
you’re gone,” I blurt out.
It’s not a lie. I’m
not in love with her, but I definitely care for Darcy. I have a
feeling that love is going to come into play before this is all over,
but, for now, I just know the thought of being without her fills me
with a sadness I wasn’t expecting.
“Let’s go take
advantage of the time we have together.”
I reach out and pull on
her little orange ponytail. “Whatever you want, Cat.”
“You may regret
saying that later, Crown, but I’ll take you up on that offer.”
I lean down and kiss
her, before leaning my forehead against hers. “I honestly hope that
neither one of us is going to regret any of this.”
“Darce?”
“I’m fine, Aud.”
“He scared you enough
for us to be here, and now you let him kiss you? That’s not fine.”
She sighs, but doesn’t
move away from me. “I know. You just need to trust me. If I feel
like I’m in danger, you’ll know it.”
“I have eyes
everywhere, and my team back home is monitoring the feeds 24/7,”
Ainsley reminds us.
“Turn off the cameras
in my new game room, please.”
“Game room?” Ellie
asks.
“He built her an
awesome room with every gaming system imaginable,” Ainsley says,
with a hint of admiration in her voice.
“You can borrow it
whenever we’re not using it.”
“Umm…you’re
asking me to turn the cameras off, so I’m not sure I should.”
“Shut up, Ainsley. I
just want some privacy.”
“You’ve got it.”
“I really don’t
like this, and Reina won’t either,” Audrey says.
I have to speak up. “I
know none of you—including Darcy—really trusts me, but I swear on
the memory of my father that Darcy is safe with me. I won’t stop
trying to get the information I need from her, but I will not harm
her physically.”
“Bye,” Darcy yells
behind us as she pulls me out of the room, clearly wanting to be done
with the conversation.
“They’re tough.”
“They are.”
“I meant what I said.
You’re safe.”
“As long as you get
what you want from me.”
“I need that
information.”
“And I don’t have
it to give to
is delving into areas that shouldn’t be overheard,” my mother
says.
“This room, as well
as the surrounding ones, are secure and safe from prying eyes and
ears. Even those belonging to your security team.”
“I’m still
uncomfortable with letting someone have access to our security
systems.”
“No offense, Your
Highness, but I’d have access even if you didn’t let me.”
“Nice,” I tell
Ainsley.
“Yes, well, let’s
eat,” my mother says, clearly uncomfortable with having to answer
to anyone, much less women who are a few decades younger than her.
She’s a good woman,
and she did a great job raising me, even if that hasn’t been too
apparent lately. Navigating all of this without my dad is hard for
her, though. Even though she was a princess before marriage, she
wasn’t prepared to be Queen. I mean, who really is prepared to rule
a country alone? I’m supposed to be, but I have my doubts now and
then. I’ll do it, though, because it’s what I’ve been raised to
do—and to alleviate the pressure from her.
The rest of dinner goes
pretty smoothly, with the women all talking about our home and
catching up with Darcy. I know our “date” is off now that her
friends are here, and I won’t even pretend that I’m not
disappointed. But there will be other nights to play games—video
and otherwise.
“Dinner was
delicious, Faith,” I tell her, honestly.
“Thank you, Brayden.”
“I’m going to go
look over my schedule for tomorrow. I’ll see everyone in the
morning.”
I get up and walk
towards the door, but Darcy steps in front of me. “We had plans
tonight, didn’t we?” she asks, looking a little hurt.
“I thought you’d
want to hang out with your friends instead.”
She shakes her head. “I
don’t. I mean, I love them, but I see them all the time back home.”
“I’ll miss you when
you’re gone,” I blurt out.
It’s not a lie. I’m
not in love with her, but I definitely care for Darcy. I have a
feeling that love is going to come into play before this is all over,
but, for now, I just know the thought of being without her fills me
with a sadness I wasn’t expecting.
“Let’s go take
advantage of the time we have together.”
I reach out and pull on
her little orange ponytail. “Whatever you want, Cat.”
“You may regret
saying that later, Crown, but I’ll take you up on that offer.”
I lean down and kiss
her, before leaning my forehead against hers. “I honestly hope that
neither one of us is going to regret any of this.”
“Darce?”
“I’m fine, Aud.”
“He scared you enough
for us to be here, and now you let him kiss you? That’s not fine.”
She sighs, but doesn’t
move away from me. “I know. You just need to trust me. If I feel
like I’m in danger, you’ll know it.”
“I have eyes
everywhere, and my team back home is monitoring the feeds 24/7,”
Ainsley reminds us.
“Turn off the cameras
in my new game room, please.”
“Game room?” Ellie
asks.
“He built her an
awesome room with every gaming system imaginable,” Ainsley says,
with a hint of admiration in her voice.
“You can borrow it
whenever we’re not using it.”
“Umm…you’re
asking me to turn the cameras off, so I’m not sure I should.”
“Shut up, Ainsley. I
just want some privacy.”
“You’ve got it.”
“I really don’t
like this, and Reina won’t either,” Audrey says.
I have to speak up. “I
know none of you—including Darcy—really trusts me, but I swear on
the memory of my father that Darcy is safe with me. I won’t stop
trying to get the information I need from her, but I will not harm
her physically.”
“Bye,” Darcy yells
behind us as she pulls me out of the room, clearly wanting to be done
with the conversation.
“They’re tough.”
“They are.”
“I meant what I said.
You’re safe.”
“As long as you get
what you want from me.”
“I need that
information.”
“And I don’t have
it to give to
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