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I don’t say anything right away. Instead, I glower at him, debating how I should play this. Thankfully, I’ve prepared for something like this happening. We both have.
“You want the truth?” I seethe, unsure if I’m more upset at myself for not locking the door or at Adam for being the one to catch us. “The truth is Esme’s been helping me plan a shower for Rory. Considering she doesn’t have much family, and it didn’t appear any of her friends were willing to step up and organize something, I took it upon myself to do it. But since I know fuckall about planning something like this, I asked Esme to help. That’s what we were doing. Discussing some last-minute details that just came up and couldn’t wait since the shower’s tomorrow. That’s why I asked you both to lunch. We’d hoped it would be a surprise, but I guess that’s ruined now.”
He stares at me for several long moments, his expression unreadable. Then he asks, “Why Esme?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why ask Esme for help? You could have hired an event planner. Asked someone else who doesn’t have a million other things on her plate. So why her?”
“Considering you risk your life for her every day, she wanted to do something nice for you. Plus, she’s a friend.”
The instant those words leave my mouth, I regret them.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Creed.” Adam’s expression darkening even more, he leans into me. “The Princess Royal is not your friend. I told you that in the beginning of the summer. And I’m going to tell you again. You can’t be her friend. Or Prince Gabriel’s. Not when you’re mere weeks away from swearing an oath to protect them. You can’t allow any sort of friendship to cloud your duty to protect the royal family at all costs. You’ll soon learn that will often mean protecting them from themselves. You can’t do that if you’re their friend. Do you understand?”
“Perfectly,” I reply through clenched teeth, both of us glowering at each other for what feels like an eternity.
Suddenly, the sound of a door opening echoes, and Adam and I snap our heads up to see Esme slip into the hallway, everything about the way she carries herself regal and poised.
As if my brother didn’t walk in on her mere seconds away from sucking my cock.
“Are you ready, ma’am?” Adam straightens, expression lacking the suspicion it held moments ago.
“Yes.” She smiles politely. “Thank you.”
He nods, turning his gaze to meet mine. I try to get a read on him, determine if he bought the same excuse everyone else has.
But everyone else isn’t my brother.
I worried if anyone figured out the truth, it would be him.
And when he catches Esme looking at me with those soulful doe eyes, I fear he didn’t believe a word I just said.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Esme
I do my best to keep my eyes trained forward as I follow Adam through my apartment and out to the waiting SUV. With every step I take past my staff, I can’t shake the feeling they all know my secret. That I’m wearing a giant scarlet A. Even the portraits of this country’s past monarchs and their families seem to know the truth I thought Creed and I had hidden so well under the auspices of planning a shower.
I should have known our luck would eventually run out.
To make matters worse, Adam doesn’t even look at me. Says no more than a few words throughout the duration of the drive to the art gallery for this evening’s event, an auction benefiting one of Jameson’s charities, an organization that attempts to find missing people as well as fights against human trafficking. Sadly, as Jameson has informed me, many missing people, especially girls, become trafficking victims.
He wants to put a stop to it.
Another reminder of what a good and noble person Jameson Gates is.
Another reminder that he doesn’t deserve what I’m doing to him.
But do I deserve being forced to marry someone I didn’t choose?
Does he?
Will that ever matter?
Or will the cycle simply continue for generations to come?
As the SUV slows to a stop in front of the museum, I peer out the window, cameras flashing, reporters shouting questions. Despite all the commotion, Jameson stands at the top of a short flight of steps, smile lighting up his face as he waits for me to make my entrance.
