“But the King said he wanted them—” The man gaped, nodding back to the office.
“I gave you a direct order.” Dalton nodded at his hands on me. “Release her.”
The young guard huffed but did as he was told, stepping back.
“Return to your post. I can handle it from here.”
The kid’s eyes narrowed.
“Run along, Louis, daddy gave you an order,” Lennox taunted the baby-faced guard. He barely looked old enough to drink.
Louis glared at Lennox before turning around and stomping off.
“Bloody wanker.” Lennox shook his head.
“Yeah, he is, and he’s taking over your spot, so fuck you for that,” Dalton quipped, startling me with his gruff tone and words. I don’t think I ever heard him swear before. He let go of Lennox, taking a step back. “Bloody hell, Lennox.” He shook his head. “What the hell is wrong with you? You couldn’t have kept away from each other, at least been more careful?”
“We didn’t plan on getting caught.” Lennox brushed at the arms of his suit; his shoulders still hunched.
“Yeah, thank your ex-fuck friend for that.” I folded my arms.
“I know, I handled it badly, but I never thought her capable of that.” He peered at me, then at Dalton. “And I don’t need a bloody lecture from you, either.”
“Tough,” Dalton replied. “Because you both need one. Do you get how serious this is? You will be hounded and condemned by the people and media. Your life as you know it is over. And you…” Lennox shifted on his feet, not meeting his gaze. “You have been stripped, Lennox, basically blackballed. You will never be able to serve or even find a job in this country. No one will touch you.”
“I know that.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“There has to be something.” My knuckles pushed into my stomach, trying to settle my insides. “This is my fault. He shouldn’t be discharged because of me.”
“Spencer…” Lennox shook his head, reaching for me.
“No.” I shook my head. “I can’t allow you to lose everything because of me.”
“It wasn’t just you. I knew perfectly well what I was getting into. You can’t take the blame for this.”
“Yes, I can. This is your career, and you are one of the best. You’ve been nothing but faithful to this country and the crown. How many lives have you saved, including the King’s own son?”
“Spencer. Stop.” Lennox pulled me closer, roughly cupping my face. “I told you; all I wanted was what I walked in with tonight. You.”
“How long until you resent me? That I won’t be enough?”
His mouth parted to speak, but a noise down the hall jolted all of us to move again, Dalton rushing us out to the car park.
“You need to go before he sends out more reinforcements.” Dalton’s attention flickered around like he was trying to pick up on a frequency I couldn’t hear. “My first duty is to His Majesty, but whatever I can do...” Dalton accompanied us to Lennox’s SUV.
“Thanks.” Lennox shook his hand. “You’ve been a good mate. I’m sorry for putting you in this position.”
“Let’s just say I can empathize.” Dalton’s jaw clicked, a sadness flicking through his expression.
“I know. You’re a stronger man than me.” Lennox dipped his head, opening the car door. “Just know I will have your back if you ever want to change that.”
Dalton nodded slightly. “One last thing, you wouldn’t want to tell me who you think leaked the video for sure, would you?”
Lennox smiled sadly.
“You’re a good man, Lennox.”
“You too, mate.” Lennox climbed into the car.
“I have a feeling the video is more about jealousy than money.” Dalton sighed, turning to me.
I had the same sad smile.
“That’s what I thought. Makes what I have to do to her harder.”
“I know.” I wrapped my arms around him, my words lost, and I tried to convey all he had meant to me. “Since the beginning, Dalton, you were behind me. Kind, supportive, and someone I trusted. Thank you…for everything.”
He squeezed me in return, jerking back when we heard boots stomping toward us. Uniformed guards holding guns, some riding horses, marched toward us.
The King was making sure we were guided all the way to the main street, symbolically kicking us to the curb.
“Go.” Dalton nodded. “I will see to your family personally, Spencer.”
“Thank you.” I gave him one last look, my hand pressed to my chest with appreciation before I jumped into the SUV.
Lennox tore out of the lot, heading down the road.
Every guard who used to wave to us now lined the drive, weapons over their shoulders, ready to use them, their expression like stone—unfriendly and threatening.
Understandably so, many of the friends we thought we had would be turning on us. We would be outcasts. Pariahs. I knew this was just the beginning of what happens to an ‘almost’ princess when she falls from grace because of a sex scandal with her bodyguard.
That wasn’t in the fairytale…
Chapter 23
“Here.” A glass was placed in my hand, and the rich but harsh aroma of scotch permeated my nose, tickling the back of my throat. My feet kept moving, pacing Lennox’s small flat. “Might take the edge off.”
I snorted. Edge off…right. I downed it without hesitation, my muscles so tight and twisted, I could barely breathe. My heart fluttered and screeched as if I was having a heart attack.
Buzzz.
The nonstop hum of people trying to contact me was astounding since very few had this number. Flipping it over in my hand, I recognized the name, hitting the on button.
“Landen!” I cried. “I’ve been texting and calling you over and over.” Along with my parent’s numbers and my aunt and uncle’s, but no one was picking up.
“Sorry, cuz…we were a little busy being chucked out of the palace.” His voice was clipped and low like he was trying not to let anyone else hear. “What the hell, Spencer? What happened? We had guards come up to us and escort us out like we were stealing the china. Is that…is the video real?”
“I’m so sorry.” I broke, walking up to the large windows, the city below quiet and unaware of the scandal about to crash through the country—the calm before the storm.
“So…it’s true.”
“Yes.” I swallowed. His opinion meant more to me than anyone. To have him ashamed or disappointed in me would be a weight I’m not sure I could stand.
“Bloody fuckin’ hell, Spencer,” he hissed into my ear. “What were you thinking? This is bad.”
“I know.” I couldn’t even say I hadn’t been thinking, because I had been. That’s why we both tried to fight it for so long. Though I didn’t think this was how it would come out.
“Right now your mother is sobbing and throwing a fit, while your dad is trying to calm her down. And my mom…feck…it’s like she has shut off. She keeps staring at me with this strange faraway look like she’s either actually seeing me or looking right through me. It’s creeping me out. She hasn’t said a word, and you know that is not like her.”
I knew exactly why she was staring at him. I wondered if she ever let herself truly see the similarity between him and William. But once you knew the truth, there was no denying it.
“Where are you?”
“Waiting for the car to pick us up,” he replied, his tone making me gulp. “The guards are here.”
“God, Landen.” I palmed my face, feeling fresh tears slide down my cheeks. “I’m so, so sorry.”
“Hey, I don’t need your apology. I don’t give a shite what those nobles think of us. I care about you and how you are doing. I mean, how did this happen? I thought you were engaged to Theo, though let me say, I thought that was bullshite too.”
“What?”
“I know you. You didn’t want to get married, wear heels
and dresses, or attend galas and shake hands of the so-called commoners waiting all day in hopes of seeing you. You are the girl who wants to get into the dirt, wear Chucks, be covered in animal hair and feces and smell like a barnyard, but at the same time have the biggest smile knowing you were helping or saving animals. That was the girl I knew…not a prince’s wife.”
A sob crammed in my throat like a stuffed turkey. “It wasn’t supposed to go this way. Theo and I were going to quietly break up after the holiday. This is going to get so bad. Not just for me, but for you guys.”
“More of an audience for me to give my infamous Freedom monologue to.”
A hiccupped laugh came out of my mouth. I knew he was trying to get me to laugh. That’s what we did for each other. Hysterical wails sounded behind him, instantly dropping guilt on my chest.
My mother.
“The car’s here. I have to go.”
“I will come home tomorrow. I know there is a lot to talk about and handle.”
Landen paused; the silence pregnant with tension.
“Uh…maybe you should wait a day. Let them calm down. And who knows, maybe this won’t be as bad as we think.” He tried to sound light and hopeful. “Though I suggest not going on the internet right now. Bye, cuz.” The cell clicked right as another pitched cry echoed from the background, full of grief.
Like a siren’s call, my fingers shakily tapped at my screen anyway, the news popping up instantly.
“Spencer. Don’t.” Lennox marched to me, still dressed in his suit, his shiny shoes clipping the wood floor.
The headlines inundated my feed.
“Breaking News! Sex Video of Spencer and Bodyguard! Theo Heartbroken!”
“Video: Spencer and Hot Bodyguard Are Caught Together!”
“Spencer Sutton Cheats on Theo!”
“The Future Princess’s Sex Video.”
“Prince Theo, Spencer Sutton, and Royal Guard In Sex Scandal!”
#SlapperSpencer #ScrubberSpencer #CheatingBitch #IHateYou #GVHatesYou #DieSpencer #YoureAWhore
My lungs cinched together, my vision blurring as I read a few of the thousands of tweets already consoling Theo and shredding me into pieces. Vile and hateful, threatening death while very little was said about Lennox, except he’s hot and I certainly must have been the one to pursue him. Because I’m the slut. The whore. The bitch. Woman shaming coming mostly from other women.
“Spencer…” Lennox reached for my hand as I hit the play button, the video of Lennox and me popping up. The horses somewhat blocked us, the video far away and grainy. You could claim it wasn’t us, but it didn’t matter anymore. People don’t care if it is or not. They want the scandal, the juicy gossip that makes their lives a little less boring.
And the truth was…it was us.
They just didn’t know the full truth. But again, they didn’t care; people loved to judge and condemn.
Another video popped up in my feed right after, this one of a teenage girl.
“You’re a fucking slapper, Spencer Sutton! You are the biggest piece of shite in this entire world! How could you cheat on the best man alive? So handsome and sweet. A bloody prince! Fuck you. God, I hate you. We all hate you, actually. I’m glad Theo found out about your skanky arse before he married you. Saw the truth, like we all did. We never thought you were good enough. Not even that pretty. You should do us all a favor and go and die!” She flipped me off on the camera. “Die, you worthless bitch!”
A hand yanked the cell from my fingers, turning it off and chucking it across the room.
Silence echoed off the walls; footsteps from the residents living above cracked in my eardrum.
“Spencer,” Lennox said my name softly.
Hearing his voice broke something inside me, buckling my knees, and I crashed to the floor. Suddenly the weight of my actions crushed the air from my lungs, smothering me under the ocean of grief, guilt, and blame. A sob wrenched up through my body, quaking me in the strength of its sorrow. Folding over my legs, the pain consumed me, clawing and tearing at what was left of my heart.
Arms circled me as he pulled me into his chest, holding me as I sobbed. The posts and messages hurt, but more than anything, it was the idea I would put Lennox and my family through this as well. And there was no stopping it now. The dam had broken, and the rush of hate was coming full speed at us.
“It’s okay,” he muttered into my ear. “We’ll get through this.”
“Will we?” I leaned back, choking through anguish.
“Yes.” His thumbs slid under my eyes, wiping the tears away. “They don’t know you, me, Theo, or the real story. Who cares what they think or say?”
“You make it sound so easy. There is only so long before being a pariah in your own country will break even you.”
“Then we leave.”
“What?” I sat back on my heels.
“There’s nothing holding us here. Hell, the only way I can probably work is to leave this country.”
“I-I can’t just leave my family. What about Gracie? Arthur and Mary?”
“What about them?” He frowned, leaning back. “Leaving doesn’t mean we cut them out of our lives.”
“So easy for you.” A burst of anger came out of nowhere, shooting up my spine as I stood. “You are the hot one, the one I lured in. Both you and Theo. I’m the slut, the temptress who seduced you both unknowingly into my bed. Poor things, the evil woman took advantage of you.”
Lennox pushed onto his feet, his scowl deepening along his forehead. “Why are you mad at me?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.”
“I hate how it’s always on the woman. Society blames us and judges us for everything. They criticize what we wear, say, and do, while the man can do ten times worse, and everyone shrugs their shoulders, saying boys will be boys.” The room suddenly felt small, the walls closing in.
“I’m not arguing that women are held to an unattainable standard.” He touched my arm, trying to draw me to him.
“No.” I backed away, my chest rising and collapsing, and still, it felt like I couldn’t breathe. “I-I can’t…” The words stuck on my tongue. “I need to get out of here.” I moved to the door.
“It’s the middle of the night.” He darted for me, his arms pressing my spine into his chest, his arms circling me. “Stop.”
“Let me go.” I leaned forward, gasping for air. “Please. I can’t breathe.”
“I’m not letting you go.” He held me tighter, flattening me into his frame, his warmth seeping into the exposed skin, the ballgown still hanging heavily off my frame. “Breathe, Spencer. It will be all right. I’m here.”
A noise curled up from my chest, sounding like a dying animal. My head fell forward, my body going limp in his arms, exhausted and drained.
“You’d be better off without me,” I whispered. “You should run while you can. I’m toxic…”
“No.” He growled in my ear. “Never.”
“I will destroy you.”
“You already have.” His voice was low and husky, nipping at my ear. “I knew the moment I saw you. But when we were in the cupboard together…the bomb may not have obliterated me, but you certainly did. I told you I’m not good at vocalizing my emotions, but know this, Duchess… I’m in love with you.”
A sharp gasp came from me, the deep rumble in my ears sliding over my skin and piercing my heart like a javelin.
“So, if you’re toxic, then I’m toxic with you. Fuck the world. We lived through a terrorist attack. Who gives a shite what they think about us? You really only like animals anyway, right?” His hand slid to my chest, his palm feeling the air heave from me, his declaration shocking my system in a completely different way, cracking a bit of happiness in the dark. “What do you say, Duchess? Fuck the world with me?”
I swiveled around, my gaze going to his, losing myself in his heated stare. Blimey, I was so deeply in love with this guy, there was only one answer to give. “Fuck the world.”
A hungry smile tugged on his mouth, his hand lacing with mine. “Let’s start in the shower and go from there.”
Walking next to him, a smile I never imagined I could possess tonight spread over my face. And I let the rest of the world and their opinion fall away like the dress I was wearing.
Chapter 24
A honk from a car below dragged me out of a shallow slumber. Opening my eyes to the dull morning light, snow clouds painted the room in greys and muted blues. I snuggled deeper into the warmth of the naked body curled around mine. His arm curled over my hip, the soft flutter of his breath skating against the back of my neck in a steady rhythm.
There was a moment of pure bliss, of feeling safe, happy, and in love, before reality came up and spanked me like the bad girl I was. The evil, slutty bitch the world was waking up to.
My gut twisted as I rubbed at my burning eyes. Lennox made sure he exhausted me enough to pass out right away, but my conscience wouldn’t let me sleep for long intervals, bolting my eyes open with a surge of panic. He would soothe me until the rapid beating of my heart ebbed, and I would drift off for a bit.
Rinse and repeat.
I stared out the huge windows. The sky looked the same. The flats and shops were no different. The bustle of people moving down the streets was familiar.
But everything was different. My life had been completely flipped upside down. This wasn’t a private matter between the parties involved. No, this was on the world stage, and everyone was going to have a say on what I did and how I responded to it. There was no winning, no right choice. Whatever I did, it would be the wrong reaction to someone.
My bones aching to move, I slowly tried to move away from the large frame behind me.
“No,” he grumbled, his arms pulling me back against him, curling around my stomach, his mouth snuggling against my ear. “Not yet. It’s only six a.m.”
Royal Command (Royal Watch Book 2) Page 26
