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I nod, pinching my lips together as I swallow through the lump in my throat.
It doesn’t mean anything. Creed just lost his brother. Visiting me probably isn’t high on his list of priorities, especially after the things I said to him the last time we saw each other.
“Thank you, Thomas.”
“Of course, ma’am.”
He opens the door, stepping to the side to allow my grandmother to enter before closing it behind him.
“Esme,” she greets, striding purposefully toward the hospital bed, a look of disgust on her expression as she takes in my appearance.
My hair’s disheveled from spending the past four days in the hospital. My face is devoid of makeup, not to mention sports a few bruises and burns I sustained in the crash. And I’m donning the latest fashion I like to refer to as hospital chic — a blue dotted gown.
Upon seeing a loved one in the hospital, most people would show signs of compassion, worry. Not my grandmother. Hell, I’ve been here four days now and neither she nor my father have come to visit.
“Your Majesty,” I say, briefly lowering my eyes.
“How are you feeling?”
“Getting better every day.”
“I see.” She looks around the room, the walls crisp white, the only décor a framed print of an ocean scene. “Then I believe it’s time to discuss what happened Saturday night so we can make sure your story is correct.”
I lift my brows. “My story is correct? Why? Were you there?”
“We simply need to ensure your version is in line with—”
“Let me guess. In line with the version of events the palace PR team already released in a statement.”
“Yes. Mainly that when Captain Lawson left your apartment and turned in the opposite direction of the palace, it was because you asked to visit your mother’s final resting place. Since King’s Day is a holiday in which we celebrate our monarchy, you wanted to pay your respects to the former wife of our current monarch. As well as the mother of our future monarch.”
“So you want me to lie?”
“The path Captain Lawson took is on the way to your mother’s final resting place. In fact, the attack occurred a short distance away from her gravesite. It’s not a lie.”
“It’s not the truth, either.”
“All things considered, this is the best course of action. You are supposed to be in a relationship with Jameson Gates.”
“What if I don’t want to be anymore?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Esme. Did you honestly think anything could come of your dalliance with that man?”
“That man is my brother’s best friend. And the brother of my chief protection officer.”
Her eyes light on fire. “Was the brother of your chief protection officer. The chief protection officer who’s now dead because of your selfishness. Did you ever stop to think about that? That if you’d just done as you were supposed to, you never would have exposed yourselves to such a gruesome attack? But all you care about is yourself. Because of you, Captain Lawson is dead. And his killer is on the loose.”
“I know that!” I shout, but my voice won’t cooperate, struggling to even get the words out.
I clutch my throat, a sharp pinch of pain hitting me before subsiding. Grabbing my water from the bedside table, I take a sip, then refocus my attention on my grandmother.
“Of course I know that,” I say, quieter this time. “That’s all I’ve thought about since I woke up here. That still doesn’t change things. I don’t want to get married right now. Not to Jameson anyway.”
“Because you think you’re in love with Adam’s brother?”
“And if I am?” I square my shoulders, indignant.
“You can’t be with him, Esme.”
