by Roxie Ray
Then as quickly as it happened, his eyes returned to normal. I would have thought I imagined it if it didn’t look like Niall was trying to collect himself and remain calm.
He cleared his throat, then pierced me with his gaze. “You are no one’s slave.” He ground the words out through gritted teeth. “You are here to work, just as you would on Earth. You do your job, and you are paid. I am your boss—and that is all—and your only job is to take care of my home.”
I swallowed hard, off balance now and stunned by the impassioned way he spoke.
“You are free to live your life, Brittany. As long as you are on my planet, you may live any way you please, so long as you follow the laws of Hollander. Your free time will be your own.” He narrowed his eyes and a muscle in his jaw ticked as he stared me down. “We may be alien to you, but we aren’t barbarians. Now strap in because we’ll be landing soon.”
He strode to the door and exited without another word, leaving me staring after him with my mouth agape. Well, that went well.
It was safe to say I’d upset him, likely offended him. But that wasn’t my problem, was it? No, it wasn’t. I wasn’t here of my own accord, after all. What did he expect, for me to fall at his royal feet and thank him for bringing me here? I snorted at the thought.
Squaring my shoulders, I marched out of the cabin, hoping he hadn’t gone too far because I wasn’t sure I remembered the way back to the main cabin, and I could definitely feel the ship moving into position to land.
There he was, just ahead. I followed him from what felt like a safe distance, then made sure to take a seat on the opposite side of the main passenger cabin from his hulking frame. Just as well. I wasn’t here to make friends with him anyway.
Re-entry and landing were faster and much less jarring than I’d expected, and before I knew it, the crew was opening the hatch and lowering the gangway.
I took a deep breath as I stood atop it, looking down at the dock. This was it. My first steps onto an alien planet. Even though it wasn’t where I wanted to go, I couldn’t suppress the feeling of excitement that washed over me as I made my way forward, disembarking down the gangway. What would my parents say if they could see me now, venturing out into the universe?
Niall strode on ahead of me, and I had to move quickly to keep up with his long gait. He walked with purpose but surprised me when he stopped every so often to speak with some of the citizens that greeted him. I hung back, unsure what to do. He didn’t bother introducing me, but it gave me a chance to observe him unnoticed.
Every person who came across our path had smiles that were wide and genuine, full of delight as they greeted their prince. Niall was as well-mannered as they came, speaking kindly with each and every one, oozing politeness and decorum. I wasn’t fooled, though. I knew rich assholes were nothing if not excellent at putting up a facade, a persona they presented to the public. I wasn’t sure if his “good prince” act was for my benefit or not, but I wasn’t buying it.
As we continued, some of them greeted me as well, genuine smiles lighting up their golden-yellow faces. There was nothing remotely unfriendly in their expressions. Well, that was good, I supposed. At least they weren’t hostile toward humans. In fact… I glanced around, realizing there were plenty of other humans walking around as well. I wasn’t a novelty in the slightest.
Men and women were on the docks with fishing poles and baskets of seafood, some carrying shipping crates, others working to keep the docks clean, all as if it were just another day. All smiling and cheerful and looking happy to be there. I wondered if they noticed the surprise on my face because this certainly wasn’t what I had in mind when I thought of the word servitude.
As we left the docks behind, Niall led me toward what looked like a parking lot, but the vehicles were unlike anything I’d ever seen before. Row upon row of shining silver pods were lined up, and Niall headed to one of the larger ones.
“This is my personal transport pod. It will take us into the city, then beyond to the hill upon which my home is located.” Niall gestured to the north, and I followed the movement with my eyes, stopping in my tracks when my gaze landed on a freaking palace.
“That’s your home?”
He huffed out a laugh. “No, that is my family’s home. I have my own place on the land, though.”
I took it all in, stunned. I mean, I knew he was royalty, but the idea of an actual palace was something I hadn’t been prepared for.
It was magnificent. Tall, silver spires stretched toward the sky, jutting out from the small mountain itself. The palace was made up of many domes rising higher and higher, all glowing with an otherworldly aura, different from that which radiated from Niall himself. It was elegant and ancient, yet also far advanced beyond any type of architecture I’d ever seen.
“Come,” Niall said, gesturing to the transport pod. “It’s even better up close.”
As we drove into the city—or floated, rather. Hovered? Niall pointed out different landmarks and shops and buildings, saying I should familiarize myself with the place. “You’re free to use my driver to go anywhere you’d like, whenever you like, as long as your work gets done. And if you so desire, I can teach you to operate a transport pod yourself.”
I laughed at that, imagining myself operating one of these things, but inside I was unsettled by the kindness he was showing me. What was his motive for this behavior? I was his housekeeper, and that was it.
“You can stop, you know,” I told him.
He frowned. “Stop what?”
“Being so nice to me. I know I’m just here to do a job. You don’t have to pretend to be such a nice guy.”
His eyes flashed again, just as they had on the ship, that bright blue fire making me sink deeper into my seat.
“I don’t understand where this hostility is coming from, Ms. Stone.” His voice was like ice. “I’ve done nothing but offer you kindness and an extraordinary opportunity. Perhaps you need to reevaluate yourself and question why you’re so quick to judge others before you’ve given them half a chance. Are you truly so prejudiced against other species? Or is it just Hollanders? One might wonder why you chose this path in the first place.”
I blinked. How dare he say such things to me? But before I could come up with a retort, the transport pod slowed on the lower foothills of the palatial mountain and slid into a dock attached to a rather large residence made of white wood, stone and that strange silvery glowing material the palace was made from.
It was just as gorgeous and over the top as I’d expected. Nothing less than perfect for a prince, I assumed. Niall exited the pod, and I followed behind him. The inside of his home was just as extravagant as the outside. No surprise there. It was pretty messy, though, which was where I came in.
I glanced around the tall, open space, taking it all in. It was luxurious, but there weren’t many personal touches. Nothing that gave me any clues about the kind of man this prince actually was.
“Should I get to work, uh…” What was I supposed to call him? “Prince Niall?” He glanced sharply at me. “I mean, Your Highness?”
He grimaced. “Just Niall will do.”
“Oh. Okay… Would you like me to go ahead and get started right away?”
Niall shook his head. “No. You have the day off to explore the house, to get acquainted with your surroundings, and to settle in. Your belongings should be delivered shortly. Come, I’ll show you to your room.”
Well, okay then. I followed him down a long hallway that was carved from stone, perhaps from the mountain itself, its glassless windows open to the elements. The view from this part of the mountain was absolutely stunning. Flowers in impossible colors painted the mountainside, all the way down to a black sand beach and turquoise ocean that didn’t even look real. I wouldn’t have believed such beauty could exist had I not seen it with my own eyes.
“Here we are.” Niall stopped in front of a door.
“The servants’ quarters,” I muttered.
Niall
frowned and stiffened his spine. “Make yourself comfortable. Explore the house, the mountain, the city. Whatever you’d like. I’d offer to show you myself, but it’s clear my presence is bothersome, so I’ll just be on my way.” His words were clipped, his posture tense, and he barely made an effort to look my way, but then he sighed. “Perhaps you will eventually come to enjoy your time on Hollander.”
Then he was gone, striding back down the hallway and leaving me alone once more. I stared at his retreating back, wondering for the first time if maybe I’d been too harsh with him. He was trying to show me kindness, and I was throwing it in his face.
I only felt worse when I opened the door to my room and found it wasn’t like any servants’ quarters I’d ever seen. The room was massive, more than twice the size of my entire apartment on Earth. There was a huge four-poster bed made of carved white wood—the same kind of wood the house was constructed of, if I wasn’t mistaken. A large wardrobe sat on the far side. There was even room for a sofa and chairs around a table and a bookcase on the wall. On the other side of the room was a doorway that looked as if it led into my very own private bath, and the view… Well, I didn’t quite know what to make of it. Sure, Niall was rich, and a prince, but I hadn’t expected my room to be anything like this.
Once again, I wondered if I was being too hard on him, judging him like he’d said.
For good reason, a little voice reminded me. I knew better than to trust people like him, even if he did an excellent job of putting up a good façade. It was all too easy to be swayed and convinced by a man. To give too much to someone who turned out to be a total ass. Oh, how I knew that all too well. My ex-boyfriend was a prime example of someone who pretended to be a good guy, but in the end was just like all the other rich bastards out there.
Nope, I couldn’t let myself be fooled by Niall’s good guy act. I had to remember why I was here and not let myself get softened up by him because that would only lead to trouble. I refused to be swayed by his supposed kindness.
But for now, I would at least enjoy the comforts that came along with it. Starting with a nice, long, luxurious bath.
5
Niall
I stood on my private bedroom terrace and looked down the hill toward the ocean, watching as the sun rose higher in the sky. The weather was warming up every day and it wouldn’t be long before it was nice enough to go for a swim.
A cool spring breeze wafted through the trees, causing the leaves and flowers to sway and dance. But I couldn’t enjoy any of it. Not with Brittany on the other side of my house. I hadn’t seen her since yesterday, but I’d felt her. I still didn’t know what to make of it other than I didn’t like it.
She was so hostile. So judgmental. I hadn’t expected that. I’d done absolutely nothing to warrant such an attitude from her, and I didn’t understand where it was coming from. Purchasing her contract and bringing her to Hollander was something she should be grateful for. I’d taken the liberty last night of looking into her original contract requests and seen the planets she’d listed as her preferred choices. Hollander blew them all away by a long shot.
Yet she acted as if I’d wronged her, somehow. If it weren’t for that damned feeling in my gut making me want to be near her, which I still didn’t understand, I would have turned my ship right around on the flight here and taken her back to Novis Station to be reauctioned. Perhaps I still would if she didn’t change her tune.
The image of her flashing eyes as she unleashed that sharp tongue on me in the hallway outside her room yesterday still lingered, though. She was gorgeous, there was no denying it. And the gravitational pull I felt toward her made me more than a little curious. But her nasty attitude was definitely a turnoff.
With a sigh, I pushed off the railing I’d been leaning against and strode back into my room to get dressed for the day. Once I was presentable, I went to my home office to make a call.
Dina, my family’s personal housekeeper who worked in the main home, answered right away.
“Good morning, Prince Niall.” I could hear the smile in her voice, and I couldn’t help smiling back. Dina had been working for the royal family for the past twenty years, and I had a soft spot for her, as she did for me. She was almost like a grandmother to me—if my grandmother were human, that was.
“Morning, Dina. How are you today?”
“Same as every day. Happy to be here and at your service. What can I do for you?”
I laughed. Once Dina had arrived, she’d never wanted to go back. She claimed she adored working for the royal family. We certainly adored her.
“I’d like you to come down to my house when you have a moment. I’ve hired a personal housekeeper to take care of things here. I thought perhaps you would be able to show her the ropes? Train her and show her how things work on Hollander.”
“She’s not from here then?” Dina asked, her tone turning curious.
“From Earth. Part of the IEP.”
“You know you could have asked me to add your home to my list of duties,” she said. “What made you search for a housekeeper through the IEP?”
How was I supposed to answer that? Oh, I didn’t mean to go through them. I just saw her and felt an undeniable urge to take her and keep her near me. Yeah, right.
I settled on something much simpler. “I just thought you probably needed a break.”
Dina made a sound that was far too knowing for my liking. But then again, Dina had been around long enough that she knew me as well as my family. Maybe better.
“If you say so. I can come over right now, if that works.”
“Perfect.”
Less than ten minutes later, while I made myself a coffee, she was standing in the main living area of my home.
“So what is the young lady’s name?” Dina’s eyes sparkled with mischief.
“What makes you so sure I hired a woman? Or a young one for that matter?”
Dina simply laughed. “I’ve been around too long to think otherwise.”
I wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, but I shrugged it off. “Her name is Brittany.”
Dina smiled knowingly but at least she didn’t say I told you so.
“Are you sure you don’t mind showing her the ropes? Giving her a little training session?”
“Not at all, my sweet boy,” Dina replied, reaching up to pat me on the cheek like I was still the teenager I’d been when she first came to work for my family.
Just then, I felt that strange pull in my chest I was beginning to recognize. I glanced over my shoulder to find Brittany standing just inside the hallway watching the two of us with a strange expression. I didn’t bother trying to figure out why she was looking at me that way, certain she was making more snap judgments.
“Brittany,” I called out to her, turning slightly. “This is Dina, my family’s housekeeper. She’s here to show you around and familiarize you with my home.”
I glanced back at Dina, who was now studying Brittany with no small amount of interest. “Dina, this is Brittany.”
“Lovely to meet you,” Dina said with a friendly smile.
Brittany gave her a tiny smile in return as she came into the room, and I realized I hadn’t seen her truly smile yet. While it wasn’t a full-on smile, it did soften her features and make her even more beautiful. I couldn’t decide if I liked that or not.
“Likewise,” Brittany replied, but she didn’t sound entirely convinced of it.
“Dina has been around a long time and knows just about everything there is to know about running the royal household. In addition to showing you around, she can train you in her cleaning methods, familiarize you with where everything goes, and teach you how to operate Hollander household machinery—as I’m sure the technology is quite different from what you’re used to.”
Brittany nodded, and I turned back to Dina. “Does that work for you?”
“Consider it done.”
“Great. If that’s all settled, then I’ll be on my way.” I turned to
take another look at Brittany. “Today is officially the first day of your contract. I’ll check in with you later to see how things are going.”
For now, I needed to get out of there because that weird feeling was getting stronger by the moment. I turned and headed toward the door, calling out my thanks to Dina once more for giving us her time, then I was gone.
I sucked in a deep breath full of the fresh spring air, expecting to feel relief, or at least for the tightness in my chest to loosen now that I was out of the house. Shockingly, the farther away I walked, the stronger the feeling became. My chest and stomach were clenched, practically pulsing with energy. The desire to turn around hit me out of nowhere. What the hell was going on?
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to continue walking. I had to figure this shit out, that much was clear, so I headed toward the path that led up to the main palace, not even taking the time to enjoy the flowers blooming all along the way.
Perhaps I could find answers to my questions in the library. There were stacks upon stacks of old books dating back for centuries, if not millennia. Surely something could explain what I was feeling. I’d spent hours last night searching the Hollander servers for information, but it had been fruitless. It might be the same with the library, but it was definitely worth a shot.
Several hours later, I was starting to doubt I’d ever find the information I was looking for. I was about to give up when I heard the door to the library slide open then footsteps on the marble floor.
“Niall? Are you in here?”
Father.
“I’m here,” I called out.
More footsteps, then my father appeared at the end of the row, his eyebrows rising when his gaze landed on me.
“What in the galaxies are you doing?”
I must have been quite the sight. Sitting on the floor of the library, dusty stacks of books piled on the floor around me. Definitely not looking very princely, unlike my father who was the epitome of regal command. He stood in his royal robes, the ones he wore when he was conducting official business, his long yellow hair—several shades darker than my own—tied back from his ageless face.
