“Your Majesty.” I dipped into a small curtsy, my eyes darting over to Theo. He had yet to look at me, sawing into his bacon and eggs from the middle of the long table, his shoulders stiff. It was only the two of them, making it even more tense. “I apologize.”
“I understand you are still learning our ways here, but don’t ever do that again. Eloise doing it is bad enough, though she would be forgiven. But if the media had found out you had walked out on Theo…” He wiped his mouth with a serviette, pushing back the chair. “No matter what the truth is, the press will twist it to fit what they want. And with the mishaps before and the public not responding to you like we hoped…”
The implication drilled right through my chest. I had been kept away from social media as much as they could, but no one could escape it entirely. And I seemed to be front and center… mainly being criticized and torn apart. It added more pressure down on me. Like if I was hated enough, Theo would relent and choose again, like this was some reality TV game. Even the most spirited person would be broken after a while.
Alexander fixed his cuffs as a footman helped him put on his jacket.
“Don’t mistake your popularity in being covered with actual approval.”
Ouch.
Alexander’s brows turned down. “I’m sorry. That might come across harsh and cruel. I do not mean to be. I want you to understand perfectly what you are getting into. What your position will entail. What people will expect of you. You will need a thick skin to endure this. The focus on you will only get worse.” Alexander’s gaze slipped to Theo like he was looking to him for an answer. Theo gradually dipped his head in response. Alexander turned away, looking between us. “I will see both of you later. The event is at three.”
Without waiting for a response, Alexander strode out of the room. His assistant, footman, secretary, and guard suddenly right next to him, handing him paperwork and items to look over as they strolled down the hall.
Theo continued to eat, not looking up at me.
“Theo…” I took a step to him. The clatter of silverware crashing onto the china plate caused my feet to stumble.
“How could you do that to me?” He shoved the plate away, rising.
“Do what?”
“Leave me like that! Not a word.” Anger streaked over his face. “I had no explanation as to where my girlfriend went. Why she wasn’t answering her phone. It was humiliating.”
“Humiliating?” I blinked, stunned by his response. He didn’t say he was hurt, but humiliated. “Maybe it was rude to leave without letting you know, I’m sorry, but El—”
“Don’t put this on my sister,” he lashed out, his lids narrowing. “She’s young and needed you to be the adult, not her.” She wasn’t even a year and a half younger than us. “But you are supposed to be my fian—girlfriend,” he corrected himself. “You can’t be rebellious and stupid. You are at my side.”
“What?” I sputtered. “I am not a dog, Theo.”
“You know what I mean.”
“No. For once, explain it to me. You have been saying that a lot after insulting me lately.”
He exhaled, his shoulders lowering. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that… I’m just stressed.” He rubbed his forehead. “Do you realize how much pressure is on me lately? That’s why I need you to help me, not add to it.”
I had no doubt he held a lot of responsibility, but he seemed to think he was the only one.
“I’m not a prop. Some girl who smiles and waves like a robot.”
“I know that,” he snapped, then took in another deep breath. “Just ever since coming back from the RAF, everything’s been different. Everyone demanding something from me.” Vulnerability watered his eyes. “It’s just… a lot.”
I moved to him, my hand touching his arm.
“I need you to be by my side, Spencer. Have your unyielding support. We have to be a unified front, no matter what. Because they will try to topple us. So we have to be together on everything. Strong.” He swung to me, clutching my hands. “We can make it through this. No matter whatever my father, the media, or the polls say about us.”
“What are the polls saying about us?”
He glanced away.
“Theo?”
“There was a poll in The Post about you being right for me, right for this country.” The Post wasn’t some flippant little puff newspaper. It was the main one people went to for news. Even they decided to jump in and decide my worth.
“What did it say?”
“That’s not important.”
“That bad, huh?” I flinched.
“It doesn’t matter.” He squeezed my hands, pulling me into a hug. “I love you.” The three little words sounded rehearsed, like he was trying to remind himself as well as me.
He pulled back, gazing down at me. “My father and I are attending a summit meeting being held today at the Seymour Hotel.” Hazel’s family owned one of the most prestigious hotels in Great Victoria, and it soon would be going global. Yeah, they weren’t hurting in the slightest. “I guess there have been some protesters out front, so we will have extra guards on us.”
“Protests?”
“A few of the leaders attending are known for their brutal regimes and are not well liked.” He scanned my face, his lips frowning. “As a leader, I will have to interact with rulers who go against every fundamental belief I have. That’s just how it is, Spencer. We can’t pick and choose who we deal with.”
“I didn’t say anything.” My forehead lined.
“You were thinking it.” He cupped my face. “I know you.”
In fact, I wasn’t. I was not naïve. Of course leaders had to meet and engage with other countries whether or not you liked them.
“Actually, I wasn’t.”
He snorted as if I was lying, pecking me on the lips, the feeling we had been married for twenty years and were not young and virile, dumped down my body. We should constantly be wanting to tear each other’s clothes off, sneaking into a cupboard.
When was the last time we had sex? A week ago? Two?
“The event starts at three p.m. I’m sure your assistant will have an outfit ready for you. See you later.” He kissed me quickly again, turning away, heading out, his assistant appearing out of nowhere, handing him some papers as he moved out of the room.
Identical to his father.
A shiver darted down my spine.
“Spencer! Spencer!” My name bounced under the awning, booming off the pavement, shredding my eardrums the moment the back door of the SUV opened. I hesitated to get out. Cameras flashed, the commotion raking at my already frazzled nerves. The rain only pressed more people in closer to the guardrails keeping them technically off the hotel property, but creating a claustrophobic atmosphere.
The chants and drums from the protest in front of the hotel seeped from all around, unsettling me.
When we drove up, there were a lot more protestors than I figured filling up the pavement and the park across the way, holding posters, banners, and pictures of dead children, tortured men, and raped women. It twisted my stomach to imagine a government doing that to their own people because they didn’t want to follow the same religious practices. It was vile and despicable. And Theo and Alexander had to make nice with them. Be silent to their abominable dictatorship.