by Ali Parker
“The party is beautiful,” I said to her.
She nodded her head. “Another success.”
“I agree,” I said.
“Speaking of succession—”
“Not you too,” I said with a groan.
“I have not said my piece,” she said.
“You’re the only one aside from Abir who hasn’t,” I said. “Might as well get it over with.”
“What is your hesitation?” she asked. “It’s an honor.”
“It is,” I said, unwilling to argue with her as I had with Father. She knew I didn’t want to be king, but there were plenty of people nearby listening, and I wasn’t going to give away any family discord.
“Then what is bothering you?” she asked.
“Nothing is bothering me,” I returned.
“I know you,” she said softly. “But I won’t pry. You’re old enough to make your own choices. I just hope you make the right ones.”
I knew she wasn’t going to be any help in the situation. Not that I thought she would be. I was indeed on my own, and I hated the feeling.
A group of women walked by, and one of them craned her neck in our direction. Mother bowed her head, and the girl glanced at me before looking back down at her hands.
“Her name is Ghalia,” Mother said.
“Don’t start with this, too,” I warned.
“I want to see you happy,” she said. “You’re thirty-three. Your father and I were married for years at that point.”
“He was also the king,” I said. “Besides, I have no intention of starting a relationship anytime soon. My life is too chaotic as it is.”
“Life isn’t worth living unless you can share it with someone you love,” she said and then walked away, ending the conversation.
I headed in the opposite direction, hoping that I was done with any talks of the future, at least for the rest of the night.
4
Sophia
In the taxi over to the hotel, I flipped through my passport. I tried to keep my cool as the agent at Heathrow placed my very first stamp onto one of the pages in my book. I wanted to commemorate it somehow, but I didn’t want to seem like a naive tourist.
Instead, I clicked a picture and texted it to Matt with a thumbs-up emoji.
With the time difference, I wasn’t sure what time it was in Dallas, or even if he had managed to get a flight back to Seattle.
I had little time the night before to pack, but I was surprised to find that Mr. Fraser had added an international cell phone package for me to use while I was in the UK.
It would make things easier when it came to communication with my boss, but I tried not to overdo it with texts that weren’t work-related.
It was a little sad that at twenty-nine years old, I never made it out of the country before, but after nailing this assignment, that might change.
Who knew? Maybe next year I would have a full book of stamps that I would be able to show off, along with some great stories. Maybe an award or two.
Hey, a girl could dream.
I drank in as much of the city as I could on the ride over to the hotel. I knew I wouldn’t have much time for sightseeing since I would be focused on my work, so I took a few somewhat blurry pictures as we passed some famous landmarks on the way through the city.
It was a little jarring to be riding on the wrong side of the road, and I got a few looks from the driver when I squealed as we took some turns the wrong way into traffic.
Well, it was the right way to everyone else in the city. I was the only one with the problem.
When the taxi pulled in front of the hotel, my jaw dropped. I’d never seen such a beautiful building before. The taxi driver wasn’t as impressed as me and had my suitcase on the curb before I unbuckled my seatbelt.
Grabbing a few quid from my wallet—I hoped it was enough—I stuffed the money into his hand and took my suitcase.
“Thank you,” I said.
He tilted his head and said, “Cheers!” before heading back into the car and driving away.
I stood as close as I could to the street and looked up at the building in front of me. It had so much character, more than I’d ever seen in a building before.
I knew right away I would like this place. And now that I was a world-traveler, it was my number one place to go back to when I wasn’t working.
The check-in process was smooth since Mr. Fraser’s assistant, Chelsea, had taken care of all the details. Now that I had some time to breathe, I thought it was a little odd that every little detail had been taken care of, as if this trip had been planned a while ago. Or maybe she was used to it since the paper sent so many reporters to other places to get stories.
I did wonder why he’d chosen me for the assignment instead of one of the seasoned reporters. I had no idea how to interview an heir to a throne. I supposed it was similar to any other interview.
I tried not to think about it too much. He wouldn’t have sent me if he didn’t think I could handle it.
And handle it, I would.
A bellhop offered to take my suitcase to my room. He was a cute guy, probably a few years younger than me, but his accent was delicious. I could barely speak after he talked. I think I drooled during the entire elevator ride up to my room.
My hands were all thumbs as I sifted through the strange money again to tip him.
With him standing in my room, staring at me with big brown eyes, I could see us getting to know each other better if the circumstances were different.
My thoughts went wild, and my face was hotter than the surface of the sun when he left with probably too much of a tip.
I closed and locked the door, taking in the décor of my room. Drawing several deep breaths, I tried to calm my racing heart.
I never believed in instant attraction, so my dry-spell with sex and relationships must have dragged on too long. A sexy English accent had turned my knees to jelly, and it took me a few moments to get my head straight.
“You’re about to meet a prince for Christ’s sake, Sophia!” I muttered. “Get it together.”
The room that Chelsea had booked wasn’t a suite, but it was big enough for me. The four-poster bed looked as comfortable and fluffy as a cloud.
Checking the time on the nightstand, I knew my internal clock was going to be off for at least a few days. I couldn’t remember if it was good to sleep when you changed time zones or to stay up. I slept a little on the plane, so I hoped I’d be okay.
Regardless, I was too excited to sleep. So, I pulled out my laptop and set it up on the small desk by the window.
There was a bottle of wine and two glasses on a small tray, and I briefly considered popping it open. However, it would most likely get charged to the room, and I didn’t want to disappoint Mr. Fraser by him thinking I was taking advantage. If I was going to drink, it wasn’t going to be in the hotel on the Post’s dime.
Flipping open my computer, I typed “Luke Walters” into the search bar. I found several articles, mostly the same ones I’d bookmarked the night before when I’d gotten some history on the project, outside of what Chelsea had already sent me.
It took a little digging to find the address of the oil company’s business address. It wasn’t open to anyone who wasn’t an employee, but I was sure I’d be able to find a way in.
I thought about calling ahead, but it would be too easy for him to hang up the phone on me. So visiting him in person was a must.
Since no business hours were listed, I decided to use my energy while I had it to go over there and see if I could surprise Luke. He’d have no time to prepare for an interview, which gave me the possibility of getting some dirt on what was going down with him succeeding his father.
I grabbed my handbag and shoved my notebook inside. Even though I preferred to use the recording app on my phone, I found that taking notes during travel to my location helped me prepare for an interview.
The concierge was helpful in getting me a car, and before I knew it
, I was back on the road. This time, I didn’t look at the sights. The sun had started to set in the distance, and I hoped that I wasn’t too late to speak with Mr. Walters. I wasn’t sure what the schedule for an oil tycoon was, but I needed to nail this story to show Mr. Fraser that I deserved the promotion.
When the taxi stopped, I looked up at the massive building next to the vehicle.
“This is it?”
“Yes, mum,” the older gentleman said.
Stepping out of the car, I stared at the structure. It looked like a box, all sharp angles and several stories high.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and lifted my chin, acting as if I belonged there.
Walking up to the building, I noticed a small gray box next to the door. A red light shone from the top corner. It looked like a swipe card reader, and I didn’t have any way to access it.
The front doors looked pretty heavy, and I peered through the small window, which was high enough that I had to get on my tiptoes to see through it. I was just in time to notice someone coming toward the door.
I skittered back just as the door opened, and I dropped my chin to my chest, trying to look inconspicuous. The two men in suits walked past me, and I grabbed the handle of the door before it could shut. Neither of them looked at me as I slipped in through the doorway.
My insides fluttered as I tried to appear as if I worked there.
I doubted I’d be able to get up to Mr. Walter’s office without getting noticed, so I decided to be somewhat truthful, and instead of going over to the elevator bank, I walked right up to the front desk to announce myself.
The woman sitting at the desk had black hair tied back into a bun at the nape of her neck. Her bright red lipstick clashed with the paleness of her skin as she pursed her lips when she caught my eye.
“Do you have an appointment?” she asked.
“I’m here to see Luke Walters.” I didn’t precisely answer her question, but I also wasn’t lying.
“Mr. Walters isn’t here,” she said.
“Can I speak with his partner, then?” I asked, grasping for the name I’d read a few times in my research. “Maddox Greene.”
“What is this in regard to?” she asked.
“I’m an American reporter. I’m here to do a piece on the business.”
Her eyes narrowed. Any model would die for her cheekbones, but to me, they looked as if they could cut me at any moment. “I’ll see if Mr. Greene is available. Take a seat, please.”
She opened her hand in the direction of the chairs across the way.
I walked over, straightening my blouse. It sucked that Mr. Walters wasn’t available, but I needed to keep up my story. If I were able to speak with Mr. Greene about Mr. Walters, maybe I’d be able to find out when he was in the office and I could come back.
At the very least, I had my foot in the door.
Even though the seats were plush and looked very comfortable, I couldn’t sit still. Energy bubbled through me like the champagne from the New Year’s Eve party at the Post. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but it was only one day. With the time change, it was probably two days.
If I was going to become a world-traveler, I’d have to get that right eventually.
One of the elevators opened, and I sat up. I gripped one of the chairs to balance myself as a tall man strode over to me. He had slicked back brown hair and a full beard. One hand was in his pants pocket while the other swung casually at his side. I bet he had a lot of money. His smile gave that away just as much as his cocky walk.
“Hello, there,” he said, reaching out his hand to me.
Of course, he had an accent. Everyone here did, but only the bellhop and Maddox Greene had made my toes curl so deliciously in my heels.
“I’m Sophia Holmes,” I said. “I’m a reporter from the Dallas Post.”
“Dallas, Texas?” he asked with an impersonation of a Southern lilt. It was a severe fail, but it broke the ice a little. “I’m sorry. I can never nail that American accent. What can I do for you?”
I peered around him to make sure that the front desk woman wasn’t lying about Mr. Walters not being around. It was a possibility that Maddox was the first line of defense against unwanted reporters. So, I used the easiest trick in the book. Stroking the ego.
“My editor is very interested in the success of your company. He sent me out here to do a story on you and Mr. Walters for our paper.”
“Really?” Maddox asked, rubbing one hand down the side of his beard. “We’ve had reporters here now and again but never from America.”
“Well, your success is something to be admired. I’d love to pick your boss’s brain. And yours, of course. Is he away for lunch? I can wait.”
Maddox clicked his tongue. “Luke’s visiting with family at the moment.”
I ground my teeth together but quickly recovered. The “family” was in Qatar, as far as I knew. Did Mr. Fraser expect me to get on another plane to go there? I doubted I had enough money or the appropriate clothes to visit that country.
“I’d be happy to arrange something with Luke,” Maddox said. “We’re always looking for new places to drum up business.”
I smiled, but I tried not to appear too proud of myself.
“When may I speak with Mr. Walters?”
“I’m sure he’ll be back tomorrow. Between you and me, he wasn’t too happy to get home.”
“How come?” I asked.
He opened his mouth to speak, and then he shook his head. “How long are you here for?”
My reporter senses tingled. I wasn’t sure what story I wanted to tell, but digging into a rift between Mr. Walters and his family was juicy stuff. And Mr. Fraser loved a good scoop. “I’ll still be here tomorrow.”
“Great,” he said. “I’ll have Victoria set something up for tomorrow. If something changes, she’ll give you a call.” He snapped his fingers, getting Victoria’s attention, and then pointed at me. I cringed at the fact that he treated her like that instead of walking over and speaking with her.
“Have a nice day, Sophia,” he said and turned on his heel toward the elevators.
I walked over to Victoria and gave her my information. The sour taste in my mouth about Maddox’s manners quickly evaporated as I knew that I was one step closer to getting this interview. If Mr. Walters was anything like Maddox, I’d have this story in the bag before the end of the week.
5
Luke
It was good to see my family again, but the unrelenting pressure of taking over the kingdom had turned my little vacation into a tension-inducing trip that had me more wound up when I left than when I’d arrived.
I kept it all inside, as I always did. It was one of the ways that Abir and I were different. My dear brother wore his heart on his sleeve while I closed off all emotion when I could, especially when it came to the public eye.
From the airport, I didn’t even bother going back to my flat. I had a lot to do at work since I’d missed two days already. I knew Maddox would want to know what happened since I was sure the news of Father stepping down was already known throughout the company, if not the public as a whole.
Promising him dinner would help defeat his curiosity. I had a lot to make up for, and I wasn’t going to let this company suffer because my mind was distracted by the decision about becoming king.
I arrived around the time that the rest of the employees did, so I melted into the crowd and hurried my way to the elevator banks. I didn’t have time to wait around in the lobby before getting to work.
When the next elevator arrived, I stepped in and pressed my back against the corner. I opened my phone and started reading through some new messages in my inbox.
Other than the polite greetings and wishes for a happy new year from some of the senior people at the company, I was left alone. There was a lot to do at the beginning of each month, and I’d curated a lot of top-notch workers to build my empire. There was little time for socialization, which maximized output.
As the last person left the elevator, I hung behind, finishing up the last sentence of an email. I stepped out just as the doors were closing.
“Just the man I wanted to see,” Maddox said.
Glancing up, I saw he was a ways down the hall, but I had a feeling he had been waiting for me.
“Happy New Year,” I said to him and continued to my office. If he wanted to talk, then he could do it on the way.
“You too, mate,” he said, keeping up with my stride. “What was with your pops dragging you home by the ear?”
I pulled a face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on, you can talk to me about it,” Maddox said, following me into my office and closing the door. “You were going to spend the holiday working, and the moment he arrived, you were whisked off. Did you get into trouble?”
I knew he was teasing, but it hit a nerve, one that I’d been hiding since Father showed up.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said.
“All right,” he said, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m just asking as a friend.”
“Are you?” I asked.
Maddox pressed his lips together. “Is something going on? Is the company in trouble? I thought with the two new accounts—”
“The company is fine,” I said a little too sharply. All I wanted was to work in peace. “It was a personal issue more than anything.”
I guessed the news about Father leaving the throne to me hadn’t traveled this far. I supposed that was a good thing. Maddox wouldn’t be able to hold himself back if he did find out. I imagined finding plastic crowns on my desk or him giving me a scepter for my birthday. I knew it was all in good fun, but to me, this was a change in my entire life. No one other than my Father or other royal families understood what I was about to go through.
“Well, when you get over your jet lag, we can talk,” he muttered.
I gritted my teeth. “Let’s have dinner tonight. I have a lot of work to do, and you know how I get. I’m sorry. I don’t like interruptions.”
