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My heart sinks at the thought that the next time he protects me against what he perceives as a threat, he’ll take an innocent life.
Chapter Six
Sophia
Kayne is not there when I wake up. I can still smell the scent of his cologne in the room which meant he took a shower, got dressed and left.
I drag myself out of bed. It’s not even six in the morning yet but I know I’ll have to be up soon anyway. Laying in bed all day is a luxury I took for granted as a princess.
Now I have meetings up to my ears with a plethora of different people with different interests.
My heart cracks a bit. This was not how I imagined being married would be. I keep thinking that there’s this almost corporeal thing between us. I can’t see it but Kayne does. It’s keeping us apart.
I slip into the shower and take a long leisurely one because I’m fucking Queen of Strohamden and if I wanted a long shower I would god damn take one.
I sigh into my crankiness. It’s turning me into something ugly. I’m a fixer. If there’s a problem I want to find the most beneficial solution as soon as possible.
But Kayne shifts me off my axis. He spins me around and makes me dizzy and needy for him. He makes me want to do nothing but look at him and hear him talk, or see that rare moment when he smiles at me.
I know I feel this way because there’s a critical break in our marriage and it’s not even a week old yet.
I’m not sure how Margo is going to spin the Lars Lindberg story. While I might not agree with Kayne’s reaction behind closed doors between him and me, to the world I will stand by my husband.
After turning the water a few degrees hotter, I finally climb out of the shower, towel dry myself, don some underwear then slip into a gown.
I step into the interconnecting door that leads from my bedroom to my boudoir.
Rachelle and Margo are waiting for me.
By their awkward silence, I can tell they’ve been informed of what had happened last night.
“And?” I say before taking a sip of my coffee.
“It’s everywhere I’m afraid. Lars Lindberg didn’t waste a moment to get it out there. Headlines range fromThe Queen’s bodyguard now husband goes off the rails.Another saysHe’ll always be her bodyguard first. Protecting his queen.The Trail and Brush saysLars Lindberg gets his wrist broken for harassing the wrong queen.”
“Stop,” I say quietly. Margo nods.
“For the most part, the majority of the headlines and news clips are in favor of Mr. Langley’s actions, Your Highness,” Rachelle adds. “And thanks to Xavier X’s piece, a slew of comments are coming from women who, I believe the term isdroolingover Mr. Langley.”
“What was the title of Xavier’s piece?” I ask. I know I’m projecting. There will be far deeper repercussions that would stem from this.
“Get you a man like Kayne Langley and live a fairytale life.He goes on to say that Lindberg is adouchebagwho thinks because he is a little good-looking makes him god’s gift to women. That isn’t his first time trying to molest a woman by pretending it was innocent, but this time he had messed with the wrong man’s wife. And that Kayne Langley put him in his place where he belongs.”
I smile despite my woes. I can’t believe how messed up my life is. But then again was it ever going to be straightforward? No. Not since that first moment, my Uncle Neil, presently still in a cell in Strohamden’s prison tried to take the crown for himself.
“It will blow over soon,” Rachelle says sincerely.
“I know. But I can’t be seen as a queen who condones violence… publicly.”
“Unfortunately two international organizations against violence have decided to retract their invitation to you for whatever event they had planned,” Margo says. “The approach is we don’t say anything. We don’t comment on the event itself. It’s business as usual for us. Your popularity has gone up in spite of this and Mr. Langley’s has soared.”
“So it’s business as usual?”
“Indeed, Your Highness.”
I’m told to wear a sea green business suit today. The skirt is slim fitting and reaches mid-calf. The jacket is tailored and the pastel pink silk blouse underneath makes me feel pretty.
“Except Mr. Langley has changed the itinerary for the Strohamden bird club. We won’t be taking a stroll through the sanctuary but Your Highness will be meeting them in the reception area of their offices. In fact, Mr. Langley has strictly forbidden Your Highness from walking through the sanctuary.”
