“But you came to work for Theo instead?”
He shrugged, setting down his mug. “We saved each other’s lives in different ways.” What does he mean? Saved each other’s lives? “He’s a good mate, which is rare in my life. He offered me a rope at a time I was searching—needing something—”
“Needing what?”
His head twisted to me. My mouth and body didn’t move, trapped in his stare.
“I had no one. Nothing keeping me tethered,” he said quietly. “Do you know the feeling of being trapped, but at the same time, you feel like you have no anchor? Like you’re floating off into oblivion?”
A gasp hitched my lungs, feeling like I had been peeled open and exposed. “Yes,” I whispered.
His eyes tracked mine, searching, digging further into me.
My heart thumped against my chest, my skin tingling with sparks.
“Spencer!” My name rang out through the room, banging and slicing through me like a serrated knife. Jumping around with a jerk, my eyes landed on a figure.
Standing in the doorway, cell in hand, a rolled paper in the other, he stared at me with disbelief.
Hurt.
Oh god…
Theo.
Chapter 20
Guilt and shame crashed down on me, my head shaking in some denial.
“I can’t believe you.” Theo’s head moved back and forth between us.
“Theo—this isn’t—it’s not...” I moved toward him, having no idea what I was saying.
“I rush home, thinking the worst when you didn’t answer your phone, and I find this,” he exclaimed, tossing newspapers onto the counter.
“It’s not what—”
“The tabloids are going crazy! And instead of hearing from you, I have to read about it. Why didn’t you ring me back?”
I blinked at him. “What?”
“It’s my fault.” Lennox stepped up, picking up my thoughts that were scattered on the floor. “I took her mobile so she wouldn’t get caught up in the black hole of social media. You know how harsh the headlines and comments can be.”
I glanced down at the top paper’s headlines.
Prince’s Girlfriend Makes Blaring Gaffe, Causes An Employee To Get Bitten!
Spencer Goes To The Dogs!
The Baroness of Chatstone Manor Turns Shelter Into Mayhem. Asked To Not Come Back!
Oh. The shelter situation. Just a moment ago, that felt so long ago and not at all important. Now the anger and humiliation revved back up my esophagus. They made it sound like I was some silly, ignorant little girl. Like, “Oh sweetie, just go back to shopping.” When that was my life. What I had studied and worked at since I was twelve.
“That’s bullshite.” I flicked the papers away, ire hunching my shoulders. “And they caused an employee to get bitten because they climbed over a fence onto private property for pictures of me. Scaring the already stressed dogs.”
“It doesn’t matter what the truth is. They want a story. And you gave one to them. Why did you even go to the shelter?” Theo folded his arms, his princely arrogance riding his shoulders.
“Because I wanted to help. You know that about me. I’ve always volunteered.”
“Yeah, but that was in school. You weren’t known. You can’t just pop down to a shelter now.” His brows crinkled. “Things are different.”
“You know who I am, Theo.” I stepped back. “I will never stop working with animals or wanting to help the environment.”
“I know. It’s one of the things I love about you. But you can’t do the things you used to.” Theo peered down at the headlines then back to Lennox. “And where the hell where you in this? How did this even happen?”
Lennox’s chin popped up in defense, my ears ready to hear him tell Theo how I ran off without him, but instead, he stated, “I take full blame. I failed at my job. It won’t happen again.”
“No.” My mouth parted, my head shaking. “That’s not true. It’s not his fault. I lef—”
“Yes,” he growled, his eyes burrowing into mine. “It is. It’s my job to protect you.”
“But—” I gaped, turning to Theo.
“I apologize.” Lennox rode over me, speaking to Theo. “If you or the king feel I am not fit for this—”
“Bloody hell, mate,” Theo scuffed. “This is a gaffe, but not the end of the world. And honestly, I don’t want anyone else watching over Spencer. I trust you with my life and even more, hers.”
Trust.
The word hung in the room like an ornament, stringing guilt around me, boiling shame up the back of my neck.
I had no reason to feel guilty, but my stomach still knotted.
Lennox’s head dropped, his gaze on the ground, his brows crunching together, an emotion I could see flashing over his face. Something changed at that moment. As if I could feel him build a wall up between us, his body twisted away from me.
Cold.
Aloof.
Business.
“Sorry.” Theo rubbed his head with a sigh. “I know you texted saying she was fine, but when neither of you answered your cells last night. My mind got the better of me. I got on the first flight this morning. What were you doing anyway?”
“Nothing,” I shot out. “I watched a movie and went to bed.”
All true. But for some reason, it felt like all lies.
Theo’s gaze darted to Lennox’s. “You’re here really early.”
“I stayed here. Thought without you here and after what happened, it would be better.” Lennox’s declaration fell off his tongue with ease, not a hint of untruth to it.
Maybe that was the only reason he stayed. Not for me, but because of his job.
“Yeah.” Theo rubbed his head. “Thank you, mate.”
“Of course,” Lennox replied, the room going quiet. Strained.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, filling the silence. “I feel awful you came all the way home for me.” I stared up at Theo, his handsome face squeezing my heart.
“Don’t be. I should be thanking you.” Theo reached for me, pulling me into his arms. “It was dreadfully boring. Honestly, I think I used it as an excuse to come home.” He brushed his lips over my forehead. Relief eased my prickles, and I let him pull me tighter into his body. Warm and comfortable, I let myself drown in his familiar scent.
“Missed you,” he muttered in my ear.
“Missed you too.”
He tipped my head back, his mouth descending on mine, kissing me.
Aware of Lennox in the room, I couldn’t fully give over to the kiss. Theo broke away, keeping his head tilted into mine.
“I will excuse myself,” Lennox said formally behind me.
“Take the day off, mate,” Theo said to Lennox, his gaze never leaving mine. “Don’t think we’ll be leaving the palace today.”
His innuendo was clear.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Lennox replied firmly. For a second, his gaze slid to me. It was only a second, an unsaid moment between us—agreeing to keep our day together quiet, then he swiveled around, his boots clipping as he walked out of the palace, the door shutting behind him.