“I prefer you in my shirt… and nothing else.” His deep voice raked across my skin, firing down my nerves. He nipped at my bottom lip before stepping away with a smile. “Come on, my lady, your fiancé awaits.”
“You really are an insufferable bastard.” I huffed dramatically, glaring at him as I stomped to the door. My body on was fire, wanting to be naked and alone with his.
“You’re welcome.” He bowed, opening the door for me to exit.
A chuckle bubbled from my throat as I touched his cheek, then stepped out.
“What the bloody hell?” A voice stalled me in my place, my gaze snapping to the figure in the hallway.
Horror and disbelief etched her face, taking us both in, realization sharpening her eyes.
“What. Is. Going. On?” My friend crossed her arms, rage and shock warring on her beautiful face.
The blood drained from my face.
“Eloise…”
“Please tell me this is not what I think it is?” She peered at me like she was begging me to refute the unspoken claim laid at our feet. There was no point, and I couldn’t lie to her.
I took a step toward her as she stepped away from me, her head shaking. “Eloise, please. It’s not—”
“Have you completely lost the plot? Spencer, how could you? Behind my brother’s back?” Her hands rolled into fists. Her chest filled, her head rising, becoming the poised princess everyone knew, not the girl I did. “I thought you were different. I liked you. I was excited to have you for a sister-in-law…but cheating on my brother? The Princess of Great Victoria with the bodyguard? How common.” She carted the last word through the mud, her nose wrinkling with disgust.
Emotion choked me, everything she said punching me in the chest. Eloise was my olive branch here. The reason I probably stayed as long as I did. Her friendship kept my feet on the ground when it all became too much.
“You don’t understand.” The statement came out quieter than I wanted, sounding unsure and timid.
“You’re right; I don’t.” She pounced on my hesitation, stomping up to me, using her sky-high heels to loom over, peering down her nose at me. She looked exactly like her mother and grandmother. I think I forgot at the end of the day they were royals through and through—bred and raised in a world completely separate from others. “Whatever I once felt about our friendship, my brother comes first. Because at the end of the day, you’re just an outsider…and I protect my family.”
My mouth parted to speak, but she spoke again. “I will not sit back and let you degrade this family, your role here, and especially him. He is in love with you. He wants to marry you, make you part of this family, a future queen! And this is how you repay him?” she hissed, getting more into my face. Lennox inched closer, but I shook my head. This was my battle to fight. “So, you tell him, Spencer…or I will.”
“He already knows.” Theo’s voice came from behind his sister, causing her to spin around, her mouth dropping.
“Wha-what?” She blinked at him in puzzlement.
Theo’s tucked his hands into his trousers, strolling up to us, his face impassive. “I already know,” he repeated to her.
“I—I don’t understand.” Her wide eyes turned to each one of us, searching for the answer, probably hoping to find this was some horrible misunderstanding on her part.
“It means I already know my fiancée is shagging the help.”
Lennox shifted on his feet, his chin rising.
“Oh, sorry, mate, was that a bit boorish?” Theo glowered at him. “I mean, how terribly rude of me.” He dug in, the insinuation clear.
“Theo.” My lids lowered on him. I understood he was hurt, but I also wasn’t going to let him walk all over us. I had been honest. He simply didn’t want to hear it. “Stop.”
“Stop?” He chuckled derisively. “Yes, because I’m the one who went too far.”
“Bloody hell!” I moved up to Theo. “I told you. I have been honest. I ended it, but you were the one to push it, to ignore me like I was of little consequence. I am sorry you are hurt, but stop making us the absolute villains here.”
“Sorry, did I cheat on you with a maid?”
“Bugger off,” I seethed.
“Wait, wait!” Eloise held up her hand. “You guys broke up? When?”
“We didn’t exactly break up.”
“Yes. We. Did.” I growled in frustration.
“When?” Eloise asked.
“Officially? The morning he proposed to me.” I gritted through my teeth. “Surprising me in front of everyone, leaving me with no choice.”
“It was already planned! I couldn’t stop it.” He flung back at me.
“Stop what?” Another woman’s voice came down the hall, making me groan.
“Oh, you’re going to have a laugh right now.” I tipped my head back.
“What?” Hazel stepped up in her creamy white sequined dress, looking every bit the runway model. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, just that Spencer here has been shagging the man you did while engaged to my brother, behind all our backs.” Eloise stared at me boldly, letting the truth fall with a splat to the ground.
“What?” Hazel’s body jerked, her head snapping to me then Lennox, a slice of hurt and disbelief ghosting her features.
“Blimey, El, that was a bit rough.” Theo gaped at his sister.
Eloise shrugged one shoulder. “Is anything I said not true?”
“Wait.” Theo shook his head, spinning back to his friend. “You slept with him too?” He held out his arms, glancing at Lennox briefly. “What the hell? Seriously, Haz? What is it about him? Is he that bloody good?”
Fuck yes.
Hazel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her blush screaming out her answer, but she disregarded Theo’s queries. She stared at Lennox, her jaw locking, ire filling her eyes.
“I knew it.” She squared her shoulders, glowering at him. “I saw it happening. I tried to warn you, but you couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Her nose twitched like she was trying not to cry, her head turning to the side. “And I really liked you. I thought you liked me too.”
“Hazel.” Lennox’s voice was strained. “I’m sorry. You are a great girl—”
“Don’t.” She swiped at him. “Obviously, I wasn’t that great of a girl, or you’d be with me. Was I just a distraction before you got what you really wanted?”
“You were the one who said we could use each other,” he exclaimed. “I never lied to you. You knew what you were walking into.”
She blinked rapidly, glancing away again. She may have said it, but I don’t think she meant it.
“You never lied? So you told them all before you screwed them that you were married?” Theo tilted his head smugly.
“WHAT?” both Hazel and Eloise bellowed, all attention on Lennox.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” I palmed my face.
“You are married?” Hazel’s hand dug into her hipbones, her cry echoing off the walls. “You lying, cheating—”
“There you all are.” A pretentious accent cut through us like a sword, freezing everyone in place. “How incredibly rude you all are being. Unacceptable. You were brought up better.”