Page 62

She blinked. ‘Is someone trying to take it down?’

His gaze slid to the side of her. ‘That’s standard protocol within the palace whenever there’s been a privacy intrusion.’

Of course Alex would know that. Maybe if it were only the video to contend with, she’d be able to shrug it off as he said. But it was the King who’d stunned her.

‘What did you expect Erik to do about it?’ Alex’s voice hardened.

Tilly ran her tongue across her dry lips, unwilling to tell Alex the full conversation she’d had with his father. Their relationship was fraught, and even though she knew Alex didn’t give a damn about her she had the feeling this wouldn’t help how he interacted with his father in private.

His nostrils thinned. ‘I knew you’d come running to him.’

Well, of course she’d consult Erik. Erik was her friend. An ally in the palace isolation, whereas Alex was as approachable as a cactus, what with all the pointed comments.

‘You do know he just got engaged,’ Alex said flatly.

‘Oh, yes.’ The reminder of that recent news momentarily distracted her. ‘Do you think he’s happy about that? I mean, they don’t know each other particularly well, do you—?’

‘Back off, Matilde,’ Alex warned icily. ‘I’m not letting you ruin it for him.’

Ruin what—and how? Tilly gaped. ‘I would never—’

‘Come to him all big eyes and lip-trembling distress?’ he sneered. ‘You know he’ll drop everything to come riding to your rescue just as he has every time you’ve blinked in the last seven years.’

What?

‘You click your fingers, he jumps. You have it down to perfection.’ Alex moved close enough to tower over her. ‘Not this time.’

She’d never once clicked her fingers at Erik. Ever. She wouldn’t dream of it. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘I’m saying you’re not getting between him and his fiancée.’

‘I wouldn’t want to!’ she snapped. ‘I love Erik. I want him to be happy.’

Alex stiffened. ‘You love him?’

‘Of course,’ she confirmed, maxing out her own sarcastic drawl because the man was an imbecile. ‘He’s my brother.’

Alex’s eyes narrowed. ‘And what am I?’

‘You?’ A hot and fierce wave of fury stormed through her. ‘You are repellent.’

For a split second his sudden smile wasn’t filled with sarcastic mockery. It was almost, almost genuine. As such, it was shocking.

‘Good.’ He took advantage of her paralysis to stroll even closer. ‘I feel the same.’

Great. Just great to have that sorted, as if it wasn’t already.

‘But here’s the thing, Matilde. We’re not family. There’s nothing we share. The only thing connecting us is that your mother was married to my father for little more than a year before she—’

He broke off, those eyes glittering like steel blades. He knew. He kept that secret too. Alex had hated Tilly for every second of that ill-timed, ill-fated marriage and for every second since. To him she was as unwelcome as ever and now he was stopping her from contacting Erik. It was unbelievably insulting. But it also meant she was utterly on her own again and she was so tired of struggling along alone.

‘You don’t understand.’ She choked as her breathing shortened. ‘That video—’

‘Will die eventually.’

Of course he cut her off. Of course he didn’t stop to bloody listen. Story of her life.

Alex’s frown deepened as he watched her. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong.’