Page 19 of Take My Throne

Chapter Seven

Now that Declan and I are on good terms again, no, amazing terms, I feel much happier being at the Academy. Starting the day with mind blowing sex is definitely the best. I breeze through my classes, a faraway smile permanently etched on my face.

Lucas isn’t stupid. He must have noticed something was up. My hair is all tousled and my makeup is messy even though I’d touched it up in the cloakroom. But he doesn’t say anything other than to comment on being happy that Declan and I are friends again.

After school, I’m surprised to not see our usual car rolling up to meet us. Instead, one of the drivers pulls up in a vintage convertible MG.

He gets out and leaves the driver’s door open, stepping aside for Lucas to take his place.

I frown. “What’s going on?”

“I’m taking you for a drive, Ivy,” Lucas explains. “Think of it like your own private magical mystery tour.”

The driver comes round and opens the passenger door for me. Then he salutes us both and walks off to another car that is waiting to take him back to my father’s estate.

Lucas fires up the engine and revs it a few times, the powerful V8 engine sending a very loud signal to everyone in the Academy that Lucas is a man to be reckoned with.

“Wait,” I say as Lucas starts to pull away. He takes his foot off the gas and waits for me to rummage around in my bag.

At last I find my sunglasses. Putting them on, I lean back in the seat, luxuriating in the feel of the sun against my skin. “Okay, you can go now.”

Lucas grins and pulls out. When he reaches the gates of the Academy, he turns in the opposite direction to home. Soon we’re driving down winding country lanes, the wind running through my hair as Lucas takes the scenic route to wherever it is we are going.

“So, you sorted everything with Declan?” he asks.

“Yes.” That’s one way of putting it. I’m glad Lucas has to focus on the road because I’m sure I look guilty as hell.

“I’m glad. I want you to be happy, Ivy,” Lucas says. “I wish you would believe me about that.”

“I’m starting to,” I tell him. “But it’s going to take time. I mean, we barely know each other. Trust is something which comes through experience and you’ve been sending me mixed signals. I mean, someone who really wanted me to be happy wouldn’t have forced me to marry them, but at the same time, you can be so sweet and thoughtful. I don’t really know what to think, if I’m honest.”

“That’s fair.” Lucas nods. “I’m doing my best to make it up to you, Ivy. I really am. That’s why I arranged for you to meet up with Declan this morning and why we’re going on this little drive.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Lucas smiles enigmatically, but refuses to reveal anything else about our destination, simply telling me to wait until we get there.

All I can do is sit back and enjoy the views. The countryside around King Town really is pretty, and it gives me something to look at while I try to figure out where my head’s at. Lucas seems to be making a huge effort to get into my good books, but the cynical part of me wonders whether this is just a ploy to get me on his side while whatever it is he had going on in the background comes to fruition.

In the end, I give up. My life’s way too complicated right now even for me to figure out.

“Hang on.” I sit up in my seat as I realise I’m very familiar with where we are headed. “Are we going where I think we’re going?”

“I don’t know.” Lucas grins. “Where do you think we’re going?”

He indicates and turns into the road where Archer’s family has their estate.

“Are you taking me to see Archer?”

“Declan isn’t the only one who’s been worried about you. Archer asked if I would be okay with you visiting him without me. Since I’m your husband, not your jailer, I thought the easiest way of making it happen was to tell Solomon I wanted to take you out for a picnic in the countryside after school. That should buy you a few hours of time.

“I’ll take the car for a drive. Solomon had Cook prepare us a picnic hamper, so I have plenty of food to have a picnic by myself. If you’re happy grabbing a snack on the way back home, I’m happy to let you hang out with Archer for a while. Whatever he wanted to talk to you about, it seemed important. If you want to fill me in later, I’d love to know what you talk about, but if you don’t want to tell me, that’s totally fine as well. I just hope that one day you’ll trust me enough to include me in your plans.”

He pulls up outside Archer’s house, leaving the engine running. Impulsively, I kiss him on the cheek before getting out and running over to knock on Archer’s door.

Lucas revs the engine. He raises one arm to say goodbye, and I wave back at him as he drives off on his solitary picnic. I feel a little sorry for him that he’s eating alone, but those feelings evaporate as soon as the door opens.

Seeing Archer standing in front of me, away from the stress of school, marriage, House politics, is just the tonic I need. First Declan made love to me this morning and now I’m getting some alone time with another man who holds a piece of my heart.

---