ROME
It was at the tip of my tongue. But something was holding me. Maybe it was Carly. She wasn’t ready to hear me confessing my professed love to her.
Yes. I fell in love with her.
I may not have told her yet, but I was more of an action-speaks-louder-than-words kind of guy. I acted it than saying it out loud.
I checked the time. It had been more than an hour since she left, and she was supposed to be here by now. I couldn’t wait as I watched her walk into my office door and throw herself into me, saying she enjoyed her time with her aunt.
I blew a deep breath. I considered breaking our weekend agreement and inviting Carly to my house after work. My wondering as I stared at the skyline was cut off short by a knock. I knew it was Zee judging by its distinctive tap.
“Come in, Zee.” I didn’t even bother looking at him.
“Mr. Langston.” Mr. Langston? That caught my attention.
I turned to him.
“Zee, what is it?”
“You have a visitor, sir.”
“I’m not expecting anyone at this moment. And Storm might be stuck in traffic.”
“Sir, it’s a prince.”
A what now?
Then a well-built blond in a black suit walked in. “May I present, His Royal Highness, Prince Camren Thayer Aleksei Keoni Gattewarde Braynburd of Triberis Capria.”
“That’s a mouthful, Lud,” That must be the Prince in a well-tailored blue suit and light purple tie dismissing the blond, his protective detail.
I expected to meet a prince with a little dramatic entrance, wearing a royal mantle. But I can see it now. He had that aura of a leader, and how he talked, walked, and smiled. The accent caught my attention. Reminded me of Carly’s.
“Should I bow?” I asked the Lud guy politely.
“No, Mr. Langston,” The Prince replied. “Call me Thayer.” He then offered his hand.
“Nice to meet a real prince.” I shook his hand firmly. But I was still wondering what the unexpected visit from a royal prince was all about.
He gave a slight nod to Lud and the other guy. “That’s Zak Ash.”
“Pleasure to meet you, sir.” He was calmer than Lud, who seemed to hold a grudge against me. And I wondered if I had met him before.
“It’s Rome. Pleasure is all mine.”
I was about to invite him for a seat when he joined me. “I once visited my aunt, Aunt Alessia. I loved the view of the skyscrapers-that’s how I first met my wife. We had that defying cosmic connection if that made sense. At that time, I came to see my sick grandfather, the King. He was treated at a private tertiary hospital while I was also looking for a wife. To be a prince apparent, I needed to be married.”
“That must be hard for you to have an ultimatum. What if you won’t find the woman you want? Are you going to marry someone you don’t love for the sake of the title?”
His forest green eyes locked into mine. And for a man who had an ultimate role in the monarch, he looked happy.
I guessed I could look him directly in the eye since he was at my office, my building, and my country.
Green eyes.
Dark blonde.
I swallowed hard.
His eyes. His jaw.
The accent.
I could be wrong.
“I would, for the sake of my people.”
“You will disregard your own happiness? Good thing I’m not a royal.” I smiled sadly. I ignored the pang in my chest.
“For the sake of your happiness, are you willing to give up this seat to the member of your boards?” He pointed at the chair my father used to sit there.
I clenched my teeth hard, and my jaw nearly cracked.
“There’s always another way. There’s always a choice.”
Then it hit me hard.
Fuck.
“Thay,” I muttered. Thayer. He’s the Thay.
Before he could reply, the door opened wide and caught our attention. I knew Zee was behind that door. But who would enter might just confirm my suspicion?
From the corner of my eye, his bodyguards straightened up. Then my suspicions became more clear. It made sense now.
Carly appeared and just recognized the man beside me. She froze at first before excitement and longing filled her green eyes. “Thay?”
Yes. He’s the fucking Thay. The brother. He once visited his aunt, the same person Carly had seen earlier.
Then what did Carly make? A fucking royal princess?
“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath.
Carly just launched into her brother, and he lifted her off the floor, hugging her so tight the scene almost made me weep.
“Oh, my God, Thay. What are you doing here?” she finally spoke a long sentence when they pulled apart.
“Good to see you, too, sister.” He kissed her on her forehead. “You look happy.” Prince Thayer smiled.
“Thay.” Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears as she drew a deep breath and looked up to hold her tears. “I’m sorry.”
“No. Don’t be.” He pulled her sister into his arms again. “It seemed that you are well taken care of. For a runaway, you look happy. Aren’t you going to introduce me to-”
“Oh, my God.” She wiped off the tears that finally fell on her cheeks.
I offered my handkerchief, and so did the guy named Lud, which made Carly stiffen.
Fuck me. Don’t tell me this guy, her brother’s detail was the ex? The asshole, the dumb fucking ass ex.
“Stellan?”
I was right. Damn fucking right. Well, this is getting more awkward.
“Wait a sec. Storm, is that the asshole who dumped you?”
“Storm?” Stellan asked, seemingly shocked. Don’t tell me he called her Storm, too. Well, could this day be anymore strange and full of surprises?
Prince Thayer chuckled in amusement.
“Langston,” she warned me.
Before I even thought of punching the asshole in his nose, my fist already had a mind of its own. It fucking hurt and that guy had a face of a stone.
Carly gasped between us.
“Don’t.” The other guy Ash rushed toward us to hold Stellan in place and stop him from throwing a punch at me. Well, if I was being honest, he could break my nose in a single punch. I mean, this guy was huge.
“You’re lucky you are in your office.”
“In my building and my country.” I glared back as he was glaring at me.
Prince Thayer seemed to have seen this coming. He was more amused than getting pissed off for the misbehavior of his detail.
“I’m one of His Royal Highness’ security details, so I have diplomatic immunity even if I will kill you right now.”
“Unless you can run your ass toward your diplomatic car and to your embassy, you won’t. And you just threatened a decorated soldier, asshole.”
“You, two, stop!” Carly came in between us, pushing us apart. “Either you both behave, or I swear to God.” She took a deep breath before she glared at that asshole. “You shouldn’t have come here, considering you and I may have crossed paths, Stellan.” Then she turned to me. “And you, you shouldn’t have punched him. For God’s sake, it was years ago, and he is my ex.” She spelled the last words out loud.
“Then you should have mentioned who you are, Princess.” my sarcasm made her cringe.
“I left that title a long time ago.” Her chin trembled.
“Have you? Then why in the-” I clenched my jaw hard, running my fingers through my hair. I realized I had just made a bad impression on the Prince. Even though my relationship with his sister couldn’t get any more complicated, I still should respect his presence than act like a neanderthal before my visitor. “My apology, Your Royal Highness.”
“None necessary. I came here without any courtesy. You have every right to be mad. Accept my apology.”
“It’s fine. It’s good to finally meet the brother of my-” I looked down before I asked Prince Thayer. “Is Carlott even her real name?”
“It’s my real name,” Carly answered and rolled her eyes. “Sort of.”
“Sort of? What’s that even mean?”
“Well, my name is Carlott Laylin Jemaine Storm Gattewarde Braynburd, Princess royal.”
“Princess Royal, huh?” I chuckled, shaking my head, but it came out like a mock. I just mocked Princess Royal.
“Well, considering she is the only female-”
“I know what does mean.” I glared at Stellan, and I stepped away. “Should I address you, too, Your Royal Highness?”
“Oh, for God’s sake, it’s just me.” She shrugged off.
I burst into laughter. I laughed so hard she started to cry. “You are a princess. A real royal walking princess. We are not in a fairy tale movie, Carly, that I am the ordinary guy, and you are a princess in disguise. Am I even allowed to call you Carly?” I shook my head both in amusement and disappointment. I was ready to tell her how I felt, and now this. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you, Princess? And don’t ever say it’s just me to me.”
“I left my life years ago and have no intention of returning.”
“Don’t ever say that.” I pointed the finger at her, and her brother’s detail stiffened. I pulled my hand down. “You can’t just run away from who you are. You can’t just abandon your title because of how people looked and judged you and because an asshole broke your heart. That privilege runs in your blood, Carly. It’s who you are. It’s what you are. It’s embedded in your heart. Whether you like it or not or however you deny and decline that you are not a royal anymore, deep inside, deep in your heart, you are who you are. You are Princess Carlott.”
Prince Thayer cleared his throat. “Sis, I have bad news.”
“Is it about the King, His Majesty?” Fucking great. Now they were talking about the King.
Her brother nodded. “I’m so sorry, Carlott. I was tasked at a request of the King.”
“So, this is a courtesy visit then.”
“I’m afraid yes. I also want to see you, as well. I missed you, and I’m sorry that I have to break that promise.”
“What if I won’t come?”
“Don’t.” I stopped her. “It’s your Grandfather. Accept the invitation as his granddaughter. If I were given a chance, I would do anything to meet my father, even for a minute. Don’t make that mistake.”
She then came to me. “We need to talk.”