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Silence stretches out, but it’s a comfortable one. I take her hand in mine, threading our fingers together as we get closer to the grounds I know so well.
“My mother was obsessed with him, and she was one of the historical leaders during the reconstruction of his palace.”
“Why did she like him so much?”
I look over at Evie, wishing so badly my mother could be here for this day. She would have loved it.
“He was one of the first leaders to try to bridge the gap between the wealthy and those less fortunate.”
A soft smile crosses her lips. It is a beautiful thing to see her start to relax as we pull up to the grand palace. The grounds are closed this week for the filming of a new movie, but I plan to use that to our advantage.
Once I park, I take out my phone and shoot a message to the on-site coordinator, letting her know I need some time alone with my girl before filming starts today. Evie looks out her window in amazement as I open my door.
“Want to go inside, Princess?”
“We can go in there?”
I walk around to open her door. Looping her hand through mine once she stands, we approach the entrance. My phone pings with a message informing me that we have the palace to ourselves for the next hour. Sliding it back into my pocket, I guide her up the stairs.
“The outside is as identical to the original as they could have made it based on what my mother helped hunt down for them in the archives. But the inside...”
We enter the building, a coffee shop right at the front.
“Let me guess, it has some modern touches?”
“You could say that.” I squeeze her arm that is looped through mine as memories of me walking these halls with my mother invade my mind. She loved coming here to visit after the construction and Lou, the owner of the coffee shop we just passed, always gave me a hot chocolate when she got her coffee.
My mind is torn between sorrow and joy as I look around and imagine her seeing this. Me. Here with the girl I told her I wanted to marry.
“Alexi?” Evie looks up at me with an odd expression on her face.
I don’t talk about my mother, much less visit places that remind me of her. But this just felt right for today. Plus, I know some of the props they set up for the film, and I want to use them with her.
“Sorry, Princess. This place comes with a lot of memories.”
“Good ones?”
“Great ones.” My voice is dry, the words difficult to utter.
Great memories that end in tragedy. I take my time, walking her through the rooms and telling her about the history my mother loved to share with me. She would have loved teaching Evie these things as she had taught me. My mother would have loved getting to know the woman I love.
As our tour nears the center of the building, I decide to save the best room for last. The room I called the throne room as a kid.
Back then, I was much more conceited than I am now. I remember coming to this room and pretending to sit on the throne as a king, ordering people around. I used to wish so badlyI could rule over the land. Yet, when I got my wish, it looked very different than I had originally assumed.
I would never have touched the historic pieces they set in these rooms, but with the filming going on, they brought in new furniture. It’s quite laughable that the pieces being used are so historically inaccurate that a toddler could point it out. But I did not get my degree in film, so I look past the mistake and onto the throne.
Black wings create the tall back, while red gems line the armrests and edges. The seat is a bright red silk that makes the whole piece look like it belongs in China and not a Russian emperor’s palace. It is gaudy and ostentatious, but a throne nonetheless. Evie glides her fingers over the shining black metal as she inspects it, coming to the same conclusion I did.
“This doesn’t belong here.” She looks to me for confirmation.
“It does not. They are filming here today and set up this room with props.”
Moving in close, I grab her by the hips and guide her to the seat
“But you should see how it feels. This was the emperor's chambers after all. What does it feel like to be a king?”
She sits down with happiness spreading over her face before leaning in and getting comfortable. I take a step back to watch her. Evie crosses her legs and sits up straight. I bite my lip. Seeing her on that throne is making my cock twitch with so many ideas. She wiggles her butt and wrinkles her nose, looking cute as hell.
