Page 23 of Crown of Thorns
And every night he makes love to me.
He keeps asking me if I’m ready to learn the truth about my family. He claims there’s more to know than what was in the dossier that Saoirse left for me when she tried to chase me out the last time. Part of me feels like I should leave again, I know I don’t belong here and so does everyone else except for Rhys. I’m sure he knows it, too, but as the heir to the throne turnedmonarch, he’s used to getting his own way. I’m just not sure why what he thinks he wants is me. I’m just a nerdy girl from a small town in New England. I like books more than people.
The other part of me wants to go back to the affair we had in my little apartment in New England. Back to a time when I loved Rhys unconditionally and without qualifications and what-ifs, with no threats hanging over my head. A time when he was a man I could love unconditionally with none of this extra drama and static.
But if Paul or Fran were here—or God willing, both—I wouldn’t dream of squandering the opportunity.
I don’t even bother to change my clothes as I jump up from the cozy chair where I was reading one of the novels Rhys had bought me on our trip to the village. It seems like it was so long ago but in actuality was only a few weeks. My uncles won’t mind a pair of pink, wide legged yoga pants with a fold over waistband and a cream-colored, soft knit sweater over a matching tank. They’ve seen me in torn jeans and university sweatshirts. My bare feet won’t even make them bat an eye when they’ve bought me tampons and taught me about the birds and the bees.
I throw open the door of my rooms and race down the hallway. Leo pops out and calls to me to stop. “Your highness, wait!”
But I don’t stop or even slow down. I just waveover my shoulder. “Can’t!” I call out. “My uncle is here!”
“I know,” he shouts after me. “But wait—”
I don’t wait. Instead, I plow full steam ahead around the corner into another corridor of the residential wings and fling open the door of the formal parlor, barreling in with my arms pinwheeling like a cartoon character only to come up short when I stop—rather ungracefully—in front of a man of moderate height and build. He has jet black hair that’s graying at the temples and a thick mustache and beard of the same. His dark eyes bore into my own and his crisp suit is a stark contrast to the loungewear I have on, even if it is designer.
But what stands out the most is that I have never seen this man before in my life.
“Pardon me,” he says in accented English.
“No, please,” I say softly. “Excuse me.”
“That is quite all right, although I hope you do not make a habit of racing about like that,” he says. “It is most unseemly.”
“No, I usually don’t,” I reply with a rueful smile. “I was told that my uncle is here, and I haven’t seen him in a long time so if you’ll excuse me—”
Leo stumbles into the room behind me and interrupts, “Your highness, please.”
“You were right as always, Leo,” I whisper to him. “I was in the wrong room. I hope I haven’t messed anything up for Rhys or, God forbid, the queen. She’ll never let it go.”
The strange man clears his throat. “Now, I believe there is some kind of mishap—a misunderstanding, if you will.”
“You are correct,” I agree, nodding my head profusely. “There was a mishap—a misunderstanding. I thought my uncle was in here but as I can see, he’s not. So, I’ll just be going to find out where he might be. You see I’ve been here for a long time, and I haven’t seen him in months and I miss him very much…”
“Do you always ramble on so?” he asks in what I think is quite a rude manner since we don’t know each other at all. “It is most impolite.”
“Well, I don’t see how that’s any of your business, actually,” I reply waspishly which is very unlike me, but I have no idea why he keeps judging me so much. I don’t know him at all.
“You are my business,” the man snaps and I look to Leo just in time to catch him closing his eyes in a way that suggests I’m in much bigger trouble than I thought I was. “And if I were you, I’d watch my tone.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking back at the man. “There’s no need to be rude. I don’t know you at all.”
“You are wrong, madam,” he spits out. “Because I know you very well.”
“I think not. Now if you’ll excuse me—” I’m trying my best to get out of this sticky situation and I don’t know how. I’m not sure Leo can get us out of it either. This is just another reason why I don’t belong here. I’m bound to cause some kind of global incidentif I don’t get murdered by someone first.
“I will not excuse you,” he shouts. “I am here to see you.”
“I’m so sorry about that,” I tell him. “You’ll have to make an appointment with the office. I’m off to see my uncle now.”
“I am your uncle, you idiot!” he shouts, and I freeze as ice fills my veins. “I am a king, and you owe me the respect of your home nation.”
“I’m not sure I’m who you think I am,” I tell him. “I’m American. We have a president. Some like him, some don’t but that’s why he only gets so many years at bat, you know?”
“No, I don’t know because you are not from America, you were born in a small South American country. My country.”
“That can’t be because I grew up in New England.”
