London Royal (London Royal Duet Book 1)

by Nana Malone

“Hey, Faith.”

  Faith bounded from my bedroom through to the kitchen. “Wow, you look wretched. Are you okay?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Yeah, thanks for that.”

  “Sorry. But you do. What’s the matter?”

  “Well, given Easton’s stalking, I need to give him a call, and I also need to give my sister Akos a call, because I have a feeling that Easton’s calling about our apartment in DC, or rather, my apartment.”

  Faith had the good sense to wince. “Ouch. Sorry. Do you need moral support? I could stand by with vodka shots or something. You know for fortification.”

  “I've already had two Guinness tonight. When your professor is buying, you don’t say no.”

  “Especially if he's sinfully hot.” Faith wiggled her eyebrows.

  I rolled my eyes. “You'd think with all your interest in Xander you didn’t have a man. How is Liam anyway? You head to Dublin soon, right?”

  “Just one more week, then it's an all weekend shagfest.”

  I scrunched up my face. “Okay then. Don’t get pregnant, okay? That would sort of ruin our girl power vibe we have going on here.”

  “Noted. I think I’d rather die. Looking after Sophie is difficult enough. Imagine if I had to change nappies too.”

  “Rough.” I then noticed the pile of manuscripts on the counter. “Still bringing work home, I see.”

  “I know, can you imagine? The horror.” She sighed. “I'm convinced I'm actually being punished. I mean most of the other assistant coordinators get an ereader device, and the books that come in are loaded on there, and we go through them that way. But oh no. My client is published by Tristar Publishers, who prefer paperbacks. I mean how archaic is that?”

  “At least be happy you’re working for a client in a genre you like and read a lot of. It could be worse. They could have you coordinating a press tour or whatever for a new textbook or something.”

  “You're right. Glass half full, I suppose.” Faith yawned. “Don’t you have a phone call to make?”

  I threw my head back. Who was I going to fall victim to first, Akos or Easton?

  I chose to deal with the most difficult conversation first. I slogged to my room then tossed my laptop on the bed and immediately opened up Skype. My finger hovered over the Start Call button to my sister for several seconds before I hit it.

  When Akos answered, she wasted no time. “Shit, Abbie, we have all been worried sick about you. Do you know how many messages we’ve left? Mom and Dad have been beside themselves.”

  And so it began. “I'm not sure why. I called and left Mom a message, and I tried to Skype Dad yesterday, but he didn’t answer.”

  Akosua blew out an exasperated sigh. “Well, that's not the point. You know full well your taking off like this isn't good for them. I mean they're old, for Christ’s sake.” My sister gesticulated wildly, waving her arms about as she tried to make her point. “Abbie, you can’t just take off on the family.”

  “Well, if you remember, I didn’t exactly ‘just take off.’ I’m at school.”

  “Look, the point is that you said you would put it on hold for at least a year to wait for Easton, then you turn around and decide to suddenly go. With no word as to why. I mean, can you imagine how Easton feels?”

  No, but I could imagine how it would feel to dole out some of the same bullshit he’d force fed me for years. I forced myself to take a breath. And they all wondered why I ran away and didn’t call. I tried to get my sister back to her point. “Akos, you have been calling me urgently, and you've sent no less than four emails about my apartment, so what's the matter?”

  “Well, we need to have paperwork signed for a new renter. But Easton says he wants to just stay there.”

  I frowned. “He cannot stay there.” My stomach rolled. I couldn’t tolerate the idea of him in that place.

  “Look, okay, you guys broke up or whatever, but he’s still a guaranteed renter, and I don’t have time to play property landlord till you get back. What’s so bad about him staying there for now? He’s your boyfriend.”

  “Ex.” I corrected automatically. I wondered how my sister would feel if she found out how Easton really was. How he’d treated me. What I’d put up with for far too long. But Akos had never been the one I could confide in. She was nearly ten years older and too similar to our mother.

  “Whatever. I started interviewing renters, and out of the pool of ten, four were promising. I've pulled their credit checks. I need you to sign and scan one of the agreements back to me. I just think it would be better if—”

  I didn’t let my sister finish. “Not Easton. I’m done talking about him.”

  While she talked, I tried to work my brain around the fact that Easton thought I’d let him stay there. Was he that clueless? Had he not seen how close I was to snapping?

  “Okay, sure. Fine, Akos, send over the agreements. I'll pick one and send it back to you. Listen, I have to go. I need to call Easton.”

  Akosua paused and studied me. “You look tired, Abbie. When are you going to give up this bullshit dream and just come home already where we can take care of you?”

  “I don’t need taking care of.”

  “Look, so you weren’t happy. It's fine. We all need a change sometimes. But why not get that change in a new city here? Maybe you and Easton can—”

  “Let it go.” I had to get off with my sister before I lost the fight for civility and control. “Sorry, Akos. I hear Faith calling. Check you later.” I hung up on her mid-stream.

  Cracking my neck, I moaned. I'd need a whole lot more liquor if I was to have more conversations with my family.

  Faith popped her head into my room, brandishing my cell phone. “It's rung twice since you've been in here.”

  “Who was it?”

  “Just a number showed on the display. UK mobile, if that makes you feel any better.”

  I frowned, then realized it must be Lex. “Um, thanks. Maybe one of my classmates.”

  “Uh-huh.” Faith raised an eyebrow and hovered in the doorway. “You sure about that? Because just now you had a look of elation about you. Is it a bloke?”

  “Faith, when would I have had time for a guy?”

  “You do spend quite a few hours at school and on your little jaunts about London. You could be having some secret tryst I don’t know about. Are you dating Daniel Craig, and you didn’t tell me? I mean, I can understand why you wouldn’t tell me, because, let’s face it, I might kill you for him, but honestly, Abena, you should learn to share.” She grinned.

  “I'm not having secret trysts. I've been too busy working and avoiding my family and Easton. No secret boys to speak of.” I lied smoothly. It wasn’t like I could claim Alexi as my boyfriend or anything.

  “Come on. I've been man deprived for weeks. Just tell me who it is. Is it Xander? I knew you were going to try to sleep with him. I just knew it. Now you two are carrying on some secret love affair.”

  I giggled. “You're crazy. I'm not shagging my teacher. I promise. I get my A’s the old-fashioned way.”

  “Sure, sure. But can you do me a favor and bring him by one of these nights so I can ogle him?”

  I threw a pillow at her. “I'm not stupid enough to do that. I mean, sleeping with my professor, no matter how spectacularly good-looking, is so not my style. Besides, I still have some unresolved Easton business. I’m not just going to sleep with some guy.” No matter how much Lex tempted me.

  Faith waggled her eyebrows. “So, you do think he's nice to look at.”

  “Yes, well, I'm not immune to the good looks, for the love of God. I mean he's very pretty. But honestly, he doesn’t do it for me. Besides, I’m here to learn from him.”

  Faith leaned in conspiratorially. “Just what is he teaching you? Has he got some fabulous technique or something? Come on, give a lonely girl a thrill.”

  I giggled. “You’re incorrigible, Faith.”

  She grinned. “Wait till I tell Sophie. She'll get to the truth of the matter.”
>
  Sophie. I hadn’t thought about that. Sophie was friends with Alexi. What if she knew everything? There’s nothing to know. Besides, Lex hadn’t been so keen on everyone knowing his business either.

  “You two are ridiculous.” Then in an attempt to change the subject, I asked. “Are the three of us still meeting for lunch tomorrow?”

  “Yeah, I think I'm open, and honestly, Sophie lives one of those fabulous lifestyles where I can never seem to pin her down on what she's doing. So who knows if she'll be there. Abbie?”

  I glanced up at my friend. “Yeah, Faith?”

  “You know you’re not doing anything wrong, right? If you were to start seeing someone. I know we tease you a little bit, but at the end of the day, you’re a free agent.”

  I exhaled. “You’re right. I know you’re right. I just wish my past wasn’t intruding on my present.”

  Faith chewed her bottom lip. “Well, you won’t know until you talk to him, but don’t let him push you into a corner that doesn’t give you what you want. That's just my two pence.”

  I gave her a soft smile. “Thank you for looking out for me.”

  “What are mates for? Now I'll leave you to either deal with your boyfriend or your hot teacher. Maybe I'll call Liam. All this talk of you getting some has made me miss him even more.”

  After Faith left, I stared at my mobile, my fingers itching to call Lex back. Instead of placing the call I wanted to, I shifted back to my laptop and Skyped Easton as I braced myself.

  His response was instant. “Jesus, Abbie. I've been trying to get a hold of you.”

  Instead of fear or anger when I looked at his almost too handsome features, numbness surrounded me. “Yeah, I heard. I've been a bit tied up with school.”

  His brows drew down, making his handsome face seem harsher. “You can’t just vanish like that, Abbie. I was worried.”

  He was worried? Hadn’t he been the one to make me run? How had I not seen it sooner? For years I’d been blind to who he was. “As you can see, I’m fine, Easton. What do you need?”

  He rubbed the end of his nose. “Yeah, I can see you’re fine. Is something wrong with your phone? I tried calling it, but it just goes straight to voicemail.”

  “Yeah, I’m not really using that one right now. I only keep it on for emergencies. I have a local phone.”

  There was a beat of silence. “Oh, well, are you going to give me the number?”

  “No, Easton, I’m not.”

  He sighed. “You're still mad about what happened?” He sighed. “Fuck, Abbie, I said I was sorry.”

  He was sorry? “Easton, do you remember the time I did that all-girls night with my sisters for the bachelorette party? Do you remember the lesson you taught me about not answering your calls quickly enough?” The numbness spread as I spoke. “It was the first time you put your hands on me. It should have been the last. Or what about the time I told you I didn’t want your poker buddies at the house because I had to study? You broke my tooth. I was dumb enough to listen to your pathetic apologies then. I’m not interested in hearing them now.”

  His brows furrowed. “Okay, I have a temper. I know. Sometimes, I just… you just… I never meant for it to get out of hand. I’m sorry. We can go to couple’s therapy. I’ll even go to anger management classes. Anything you want. Just come home. I’m tired of us being separated.”

  I shook my head. “We’re not separated, Easton. We’re over. I’m not the same girl I was a couple of months ago. I know better. Not to mention, you seem to forget you lied to me.”

  Now he clasped his hands over his face. “Abbie, I’m serious. I’ll do whatever it takes to show you I can change. Just don’t give up on me. I’ll… I’ll come to London.”

  Time slowed as I registered what he’d just said. My skin grew clammy at the thought of him in my sanctuary. There was no way I was going to let that happen. “I don’t want you here. I think I was pretty clear about never wanting to see you again.”

  He frowned. “What? You can’t mean that. You just need some time to cool off.”

  In that moment, I saw the truth. I’d been lucky to escape with my life. “No, I don’t. I meant what I said. We’re over. I never want to see you again. Don’t call me.”

  I hung up and immediately rolled onto my side, bringing my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as shudders wracked my body. I’d let this happen. The first time he’d touched me, I should have run fast and far and reported it. Instead, I’d been so desperate to be loved that I’d stayed.

  Now I could see the desperation for what it had been. But I was a different person now. There was no way I was going to let him ruin everything. I didn’t want him in the same country as me, let alone the same city.

  23

  Lex…

  She hadn’t called me back. Nor had she texted. Not like I was keeping track or stalking her… exactly. Max had invited me to the monthly movie night in celebration of her arrival. I’d been coming to these things off and on for years, but that night it was going to be strictly American iconic movies. Since it was in Abbie’s honor, I knew she would be here. Yeah, it was official... I was a stalker.

  Jasper eyed me from across the kitchen. “What's the matter with you, Lex? You look jumpy.”

  “Nothing.” I crossed my arms and tried for nonchalance. Abbie had wanted some time to figure everything out, and Lord knew I needed time to sort out Gemma before our friends clocked onto the fact that we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.

  Or rather that I couldn’t keep my hands off her.

  Jas narrowed his eyes, and I wondered if he could smell the anticipation on me. “Things okay with you and Gem?”

  I gnashed my teeth. Sometimes I hated having such a close-knit group of friends. One of them couldn’t sneeze without everyone knowing that person had a cold.

  “Yeah, fine. Why do you ask?”

  Jasper cocked his head with a slightly evil gleam in his eyes. “Oh, you know. Just that we don’t normally see you around so often. I just assumed that with Gemma planning the annual Aids Foundation Benefit, you'd be helping her out.”

  And I had helped her out. But as we weren’t really dating, I wasn’t obligated to shadow her at every turn. “What can I say? I love Top Gun.”

  “Yeah, mate. As if you're here for Top Gun. I have a feeling a certain blonde is the reason you’re hanging around more. Let’s face it. You weren’t exactly undercover when you called and asked for her flat address.”

  Wait, what? Jasper thought I had a thing for Faith? Fine with me. Until Abbie and I figured things out, let Jasper believe whatever the hell he wanted.

  When Max signaled us all to the screening room and Abbie still hadn’t shown up, I started to worry she wasn’t coming. I checked my phone, but still nothing. Just in case, I left the seat on my right open. Unfortunately, Jasper sat on the other side of that open seat.

  The constant edginess was starting to drive me slowly mad. But when I heard the trudging of feet on the stairs and the feminine voices, I started to relax.

  Sophie took the short stairs to join Max at the back, and I made a mental note not to look toward the back of the room for the rest of the movie. I wouldn’t want to have to wash my eyes out with bleach.

  Faith bounded up to the middle row to sit between one of Max’s best friends and model buds, Angel, and the newest model staying in the house, Tony. Jasper leaned over and whispered, “Tough break, mate.”

  I reminded myself that hitting my friend would not be a good call. Since Nick sat on the other end of their row, that left the only vacant seat between me and Jasper.

  Abbie's steps halted when she looked around, and her gaze met mine. Her tentative smile turned rueful when she spotted her other neighbor.

  “Hi, Alexi.” Her voice was low, seductive. “It's nice to see you again.”

  I almost groaned. Last time I'd heard that voice, she'd been standing on the precipice of an orgasm. To Jasper she said
only, “I trust you can keep your hands to yourself.”

  Jasper’s laugh was rich and mellow. “Now what fun would that be?”

  I clenched and unclenched my hands. Maybe hitting Jasper wouldn’t be a bad idea after all.

  “Jasper, behave please, or I'll make Faith switch places with me.”

  He whispered back, “I bet that would make someone happy.”

  She glanced at me questioningly, but then sat between the two of us. Immediately, Jasper placed his hand on the arm rest palm up.

  Amateur.

  I had already shoved up the arm rest between our seats, so I had no need for conspicuous declarations. At the same time, it meant accidental touching was entirely possible. Sadly though, if I took her hand, Jasper would definitely see, and our little secret would be out.

  It was the best I could do. I had no choice but to sit there with less than two inches separating us and not touch her. As the movie played, electricity crackled around between us. I almost worried that any shift in the air would light a spark that would incinerate us both.

  Unable to do much else but will her to touch me, I sat perfectly still, breathing evenly, only occasionally sliding my glance toward her. The muscle over her jaw worked like she was grinding her teeth, and her body was tight and rigid.

  I wasn’t sure it could get worse until the love scene started. I had to shake off the wave of lust as Kelly McGillis hovered over Tom Cruise. Beside me, Abbie shifted in her seat, rubbing her legs together then angling her body toward me slightly.

  Good. At least you’re not suffering alone.

  Even still, nothing compared to the moment when I shifted in my seat and knocked her knee with mine. The subtle motion had me holding my breath. And her soft sexy gasp was enough to make the blood rush in my skull.

  If I'd been watching the movie and not her, I'd have missed her mouthing my name as the actors onscreen hit their climax.

  Abbie…

  Hell. I was in hell. I slid a glance at Jasper, who resolutely kept his hand on the arm rest. Then there was Lex. Not that he was doing anything to be precise. Hell, he’d barely even looked at me. But every cell in my body focused on him like he had an unseen gravitational pull.