Me.
“I heard you gave Dalton your notice today.”
I couldn’t stop my head from jerking up, feeling like a bullet went through my chest.
“What?” I blurted out. He had mentioned it, but I didn’t think he meant now. Agitation burned up and down my esophagus, making me lose all sense of propriety. “No! You can’t leave me.”
Lennox’s eyes only bounced to me for a moment, but I could feel the depth of them, reaching inside and tugging out my guts.
“I must, my lady,” he replied formally, staring straight ahead. “I have to deal with some family issues.”
Family? They were all dead. My lids lowered on him, but he didn’t look at me.
“We’ll miss you, mate.” Theo’s tone completely lightened as he patted his arm. “But I understand.”
Lennox’s face tightened, his head dropping in acknowledgment.
“You should enjoy yourself tonight, then. Relax. Dalton can watch over us. Nothing will happen here.”
“I can’t do that, sir,” Lennox responded sternly. “She is still my charge until my final day.”
Theo shrugged, his mood totally altered, his hand grabbing mine as he smiled. “Ready, darling? The media awaits.”
Out of the side of my eye, I watched Lennox as we passed. Not one bit of emotion showed on his features. Blank. As if walking away from me was a simple decision, while I shrieked on the inside, gulping back the tears wanting to flood out of me. Agony tore into my lungs as I held the hand of the wrong man.
“Spencer! Spencer!” My name rang out in unrelenting waves, batting against me as cameras clicked and flashed in my face. “How are you feeling? Are you in pain? Have you visited any of the victims still in the hospital? How do you feel about the King ignoring the attack and still doing business with that leader? Are you taking anything? You look beautiful! How are you coping? Are you seeing a therapist?” The questions kept coming, pounding into me until I was dull and numb. I kept a smile on my face as I disappeared into myself, everything becoming distant, a hum in my ears.
“Why don’t we take it easy on her tonight?” Theo smiled, chiding the group in a friendly way.
“I’m fine. Thank you.” I spoke, my head held high. “Everyone in the royal family has been so attentive in helping me through this.” I smiled over at my date. “Especially Theo. Thank you all for your concern, but the focus and help should go to the victims still recovering and the families who lost someone. Not me.”
Theo beamed next to me, pulling me tighter into him.
“Isn’t she amazing?” He shook his head in awe. “She should be in bed recovering from the attack, but here she is.” He kissed my hand, the cameras clicking loudly, capturing the moment. “Now, we just want to put it all in the past and focus on our future together. And of course, my father’s birthday.” He tugged me to start walking, waving at them as we exited the room, walking into the grand ballroom, the rest of the palace off limits to the media.
“That was perfect.” Theo gushed the moment we stepped through the doors. Attendants bowed at us, but Theo didn’t even see them. “Strong. Resilient. Everything this country respects in a person and wants from their royal family, you showed in spades.” Theo squeezed my hand. “There will not be a person who won’t absolutely adore you after this.”
His sentiment brewed in my chest. I didn’t feel strong or resilient. I was a crumbling house on sand, and the more people kept claiming the other, the more I felt like a fraud.
His words kept playing over in my head, twisting the seed that had been growing in my stomach all day.
“Why do you care if they adore me?” I turned to him, knowing whatever they felt about me now would change when I walked out that door and away from the Prince of Great Victoria, deciding against one of the most eligible bachelors in the world, who any girl in her right mind would give up everything for. “You do remember the conversation this morning?”
Annoyance flashed over his face. “Of course I do.”
“I’m here for you tonight, but I can’t—”
“Don’t decide anything until after tonight. You might feel different.” He stepped away, already waving to someone. “There’s Grannie. She hates when I don’t greet her right away.”
Following his attention, my eyes landed on the person standing next to the dowager queen.
Ice punctured my lungs, and I grew unsteady on my feet. Lord William stood next to her, his eyes on me, smugness twitching his mouth as he spoke to her.
With everything that had happened, I completely forgot about my meeting with him. About his threat. He couldn’t possibly still hold me to it. I had been in an ambulance heading to the hospital.
“Grannie.”
“Theodore, you are late,” she sniped, but an approving smile turned up her mouth. “You look handsome. So much like your father.”
“You look stunning as usual, Grandmother.” Theo leaned in, air kissing both her cheeks, disregarding her prickly demeanor.
“Your Grace.” I curtsied, trying to ignore Lord William’s gaze centered on me.
“Spencer.” She said my name like it sat wrong on her tongue. “You are still here.”
“Grandmother,” Theo warned.
She waved him off. She leaned in, allowing me to air kiss her cheeks. “You know I’m teasing.”
William snorted into his glass, drinking down a swig.
We all knew she wasn’t, but I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of knowing I wouldn’t be for much longer—that she won.
“I am. Like a tick in your skin.”
Her eyebrow popped at my response, but she pretended she either didn’t hear or understand what I said.
“What a horrid affair. I’m surprised you are even here.”
“I’m fine. Thank you.” The words were polite, but my tone wasn’t. I had no filter, no fucks left to give.
“She’s made of tough stuff.” Theo’s arm went around me. “She has what it takes, Grannie. Better get used to the idea.”
My gaze went to Theo, wondering what the hell he was talking about after what I said this morning. We were only together for show tonight, but he understood we had broken up, right?
“Highness?” Theo’s assistant, I still couldn’t recall his name, tapped him on the shoulder. “The King and Queen would like to speak with you for a moment. About the…thing,” he said nervously.
“Yes.” Theo moved instantly. “I need to go speak with them.”
“Don’t worry about your girl.” Lord William’s hand clamped down on my arm, nodding his goodbye to Anne, moving us away. “I will watch over her. I’m sure she is about to drop to her knees for a drink.”
Theo eyed him for a moment, then nodded, strolling quickly away.
I wanted to yell for him to come back, but I kept my mouth shut, knowing somewhere in this room, Lennox was watching me.
“How easily he leaves the bunny in the wolf’s den,” Lord William whispered in my ear.
I yanked my arm away from him, glowering at him. He was dressed in a tux, his thinning white hair brushed back, his face a little sweaty and paler than normal.