by Rose, Louise
“So you’re going to blackmail him?” The more I hear, the less I like it.
“Not exactly,” Romy replies with a cheeky grin. “For now, your father’s secret is safe with us. He’s got nothing to give us. It’s not like we need money. But knowing how we outsmarted him means he’ll be a lot more cautious in the future.”
“Or sneaky,” I correct him.
“Of course,” Romy agrees. “But then sneaky is a way of life in King Town. We’re used to dealing with that. Your escape dealt him a devastating blow, but it’s time for you to come back.”
“I don’t think so.” I shake my head. “If my father’s suffering because I’m gone, let him continue to suffer. I never want to see that place again.”
“Don’t be like that,” Katy interjects. “I know he’s done some terrible things, but he’s still your family.”
“No, he’s not.” I grimace in disgust. “As far as I’m concerned, my father died when I was a child, just like my mother always said. I don’t want anything to do with him. There’s no way I’m going back to his house.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Romy tells me. “I’ve spoken to my parents, and you’re welcome to stay with my family for as long as you like. You can even have your own little apartment so you have some privacy. Your father even agreed to pay you an allowance so you don’t have to worry about money.”
“That’s big of him,” I huff. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not taking the risk. I’ve listened to what you had to say, but I’m not changing my mind. I’m never going back to King Town. So if we’re done here, I need to go home, collect my things, and hit the road.”
“Please don’t go.” Romy says the words so quietly, I almost didn’t hear him.
“What?”
“Look, there are so many reasons why I need you to come back, and a lot of them are personal,” he tells me. “I’ve missed you so much, Ivy. We all have. You’re not like the other girls at the Academy. You’re not afraid of anything and I fucking love that about you. You know exactly who you are and who you want to be.
“Ivy, we’ve got plans for King Town, big plans which we need your help with. Archer, Declan, and I all want to drag the place into the 21st century, kicking and screaming if we have to. King Town needs to change and you’re the only one who can make it happen. Thanks to your influence, the heirs are already starting to work together to make things better for everyone. We would never have done that without you to bring us all together. Do you know how much Archer hates my guts? It’s not my fault I’m better looking than he is, but jealousy’s a terrible thing.”
“Romy…” I try to make my tone a warning, but the way Romy bats his eyelids and plays up to me makes me laugh, spoiling the effect.
“Look, I promise you. Things are different now.” He takes my hand between his, holding it against his heart. “You’ll be safe at my home. We can get you an armed guard if it makes you feel better. Heck, we can even arm you if that’s what you want. And if you don’t want to take up the offer of an apartment, there’s always room in my bed for you…”
“I don’t think so.” I smile despite myself. Romy is so terribly charming. I can see why he is the one who’d been sent to persuade me to go back to King Town. I can feel myself warming to him, wondering whether there is some truth to what he says.
“What about the others?” I ask. “How do Declan and Archer feel about your offer?”
“We talked things through before I came down. They agree with me–you’re safest staying at my place. They want you to move in with me. Fuck, they don’t care as long as you come back.”
“Is that so?” I arch an eyebrow. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not quite how they put it?”
“It’s not my fault you have a suspicious mind,” Romy shrugs with a smile. “But if you don’t believe me, there’s one very easy way to find out what Declan and Archer think.”
“What?”
“Come back with me and see for yourself.”
I bite my lip. If I went back with him, my father would be way too close for comfort. It didn’t matter how many promises Romy made me. My father is a psychopath, and I didn’t want anything to do with him.
At the same time, I missed the heirs. The damn Kings of the Academy had made me fall for them, and I don’t see a way of clawing my heart from their hands. And it sounded like they’d thought through every angle.
“Go with him,” Katy urged. “If you don’t like what you see, you can always leave again. Romy’s told me everything, and it sounds like you’ve got unfinished business with your father. If nothing else, look at this as an opportunity to get closure. I really think you should accept Romy’s offer. What’s the worst that could happen?”
A lot, I thought. Whatever Romy told her, there’s no way it’s the full story.
Still, gazing at the hopeful expression on both their faces, I can see how much they both care about me and how they think this is the right thing to do.
“Fine,” I huff against my better judgement. “I guess I’m going back to King Town.”
“Yes!” Romy jumps up and fist pumps the air. “I knew you’d see sense.”
“Don’t get too excited,” I warn. “If I see anything, anything at all, which makes me feel uncomfortable, you won’t see me for dust. I won’t wait for money and I won’t wait for any explanation. I’ll be gone, and it doesn’t matter how good your private investigator is, you’ll never find me again. Okay?”
“Okay.” Romy agrees with a smug grin. Asshole.
Katy gets up and gives me a hug. “You’re doing the right thing, Ivy,” she says. “Now you’ve all had a chance to calm down, I think you’ll find going back to King Town is the best decision you’ve ever made.”
“Maybe.”
The truth is, the moment I was forced into King Town, it took my heart. And it won’t give it back.
The sad reality is…I’m not sure I want it back now.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The drive back to King Town is quiet, the only sound is the quiet purr of Romy’s Mercedes. I am torn between questioning whether I am doing the right thing in going with him and being excited at the thought of seeing Declan and Archer again. To his credit, Romy seems to understand I need some time to think, so he doesn’t keep up his usual charm offensive, leaving me to think.
My heartbeat speeds up as we drive into King Town, the glossy and perfect sign not being honest about the sins that lie inside waiting.
“You okay?” Romy glances over, noticing I am getting a little agitated.
“Fine,” I lie.
“It’s me you’re talking to, remember?” Romy gently squeezes my knee. “I know you. You don’t have to be strong around me. If I were you, I’d be nervous right now. But I’m here for you. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Not your father, not the other Houses. You’re under Navarre protection now. You’re safe.”
“Thanks, Romy.”
But what if you’re the one I should be afraid of? What if you break my heart?
I wasn’t ready to talk to him. Not yet. So I turn away, gazing out of the window at the place I had sworn I would never come back to.
“Here we are,” Romy says, as he indicates to turn off the main road. “Home sweet home.”
He waves at the security guard sitting in a booth by the electric gate. The guard nods and opens the gate, as Romy slowly pulls forward to go up the drive. We make our way up the winding drive, going for a few more minutes before we finally catch our first sight of Navarre mansion.
I couldn’t help myself. My jaw drops.
Romy’s house is like something out of Downton Abbey. Large and sprawling. From the outside it looks like I could have an entire wing to myself, let alone an apartment.
As he pulls up outside the steps leading up to the house, a butler comes out to greet us. Well, I guess a butler from his clothing.
“Welcome, Miss Archaic.” He bows as I stand awkwardly, unsure of how to respond to him. “Are your bags in
the car?”
“Ivy will need some overnight things for today, Johnson,” Romy tells him. “She’ll be going shopping tomorrow. We thought it prudent for her to be here sooner rather than later, so didn’t want to go on a detour to collect her stuff. If I am able to find her, it is only a matter of time before her father did, so I wanted to bring her under Navarre protection as quickly as possible.”
“Very wise, Master Romy,” Johnson says. “In that case, Miss Archaic, let me show you to your suite.”
I glance nervously at Romy, who gestures to me to follow Johnson.
“I need to tell my parents you’re here,” he explains. “Once you’ve freshened up, Johnson will bring you to meet us, won’t you Johnson?”
“Of course, Master Romy.”
I don’t have much of a choice. I follow the butler inside to be greeted by a lavishly large reception room. There are a number of doors and corridors leading away from the reception area, no doubt creating a rabbit warren of a house I’d quickly lose myself in. This looks even more complicated than my father’s house.
Stairs wind down either side of the room, leading up to the first floor. Johnson takes the left hand set, turning right at the top. We walk down a long, straight corridor, going past other corridors leading into the depths of the house until we stop outside some double doors. Johnson pulls a key out of his pocket and unlocks the doors. He pushes them open and steps to one side, gesturing to me to go first.
I shake my head, getting flashbacks to being locked in my room by Isabella.
“Oh, of course. My apologies, Miss Archaic.” Johnson hands me the key. “These are your rooms to do with as you will. You are the only person with a key to this door. Master Romy thought you would feel safer if you had control over who can get in. Please, come in.”
After a moment’s hesitation, I walk into the apartment I will be calling home for the foreseeable future.
“Let me talk you through the features of your suite,” Johnson suggests. “If you look on the wall here, you will see an intercom. This will allow you to see outside your room should you have any guests. In addition, you will note that there are a number of locations clearly marked next to different numbers. Simply dial that number and you will be able to speak to someone in those rooms.
“Should you require food to be served in your rooms, call the kitchen and they will prepare whatever you desire, although I should warn you that Mr and Mrs Navarre will expect you to join them for dinner every evening unless you have excused yourself by prior arrangement. In addition, you have your own kitchen, so should you wish to prepare your own food, all you need to do is tell me what supplies you need.”
I follow as he walks to one of the doors in my suite. “Your bathroom is through there. You will find everything you need in the cabinet, but should you prefer different products, simply prepare a list and I will arrange for them to be delivered. Your living area is at the end of this hall with the bedroom through the door on the right. You’ll find everything you need for an overnight stay in your rooms.
“While Master Romy has said you’ll be shopping tomorrow, do please let me know if there’s anything I can do to make your time with us more comfortable. If you dial nine-eight on the intercom, you’ll be diverted straight to me regardless of where I am in the house. Of course, you are also free to come and go as you will. Should you need any assistance while you are out and about, you’ll find intercoms mounted in all the rooms and any member of staff will be more than happy to help you.”
I smile at his kind demeanor, and a little surprised he isn’t out of breath.
“Finally, although the cleaning staff usually maintain the chambers, out of respect for your situation, they will not enter your rooms unless explicitly invited. If you prefer to clean your rooms yourself, we can provide you with appropriate supplies, as well as bedding to change your bed. If you have any laundry you would like us to deal with, place it outside your door and it will be collected and returned to you the next day. Alternatively, if you’d like the staff to attend to you, simply let us know when is convenient and someone will come and freshen up your room for you.”
“Thank you, Johnson.”
“I will leave you to get settled in,” Johnson says. “When you are ready to meet Mr and Mrs Navarre, I will be waiting right outside to escort you.”He backs out of the apartment, closing the doors behind him.
I step forward and immediately lock them. Much as Johnson seemed a sweetheart, he is still in the employ of the Navarres, which means I’ll never be able to trust him completely. The same is true for anyone else I encounter while I am living here–including Romy. Until I have a chance to assess what is really going on, I am going to be on my guard at all times.
Happy the doors are secure behind me, I walk down the corridor and into the sitting room.
Wow. This is so much nicer than the rooms my father had given me. For a start, there are no bars on the windows, which are large, letting plenty of sunlight stream through. There is a large couch and a few beanbags strewn around the room. A large flatscreen TV is hung on the wall opposite the couch. To one side is a large cabinet. Opening it up, I find a state-of-the-art digital sound system. There is a remote control sitting on top of it along with a note which reads I’ve programmed in some of your favourite bands. Feel free to download anything else you want to listen to. R x
I smile at the thoughtful gesture before going to take a look at my new bedroom.
It. Is. Stunning!
There is a large four-poster bed made up like a posh hotel. Lying across it is…
“My guitar!”
I run across the room and pick up my baby. Cradling her in my arms, I strum a few chords. She sounds as good as when I’d first played her. I didn’t know who was responsible for bringing her here from my father’s, but whoever it was they were clearly the best person in the whole wide world. The one thing I’d missed while I was working at the rest home is having a decent guitar to play. I had so many songs to write. Now I might finally get the chance to get them out of my head and down on paper.
Opposite the bed is a set of double doors which open out to a balcony. Carefully putting my guitar down, I go over to take a closer look. The key is in the lock, so I open up the doors and step out to see more of where I am staying.
The Navarre gardens seem to go on forever. I can see gardeners working and when one of them spot me standing on the balcony, he waves. I wave back before turning and going inside again. If I need to make my escape, it would be easy to get away from here.
This is a breath of fresh air compared to the first time I’d come to King Town. Maybe Romy is right. Maybe things are different here.
Now that I’ve seen my new living quarters, I decide the time has come to meet my hosts. It is getting late, and I’m tired. The sooner I thank Mr and Mrs Navarre for their hospitality, the sooner I can shower and go to bed.
Locking up the balcony doors, I head back out of the suite. Johnson is patiently waiting by the doors for me, just as he says he’d be.
“Is everything to your satisfaction, Miss Archaic?”
“It’s lovely, thanks,” I nod. “But please. Call me Ivy.” I hate any reminder of my relationship to my father.
“I’m afraid that would not be appropriate. But I could call you Miss Ivy if you would prefer?”
“That would work,” I smile.
“Then, Miss Ivy, I must ask: are you ready to meet Mr and Mrs Navarre?” Johnson asked.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Also, could you find some bells and string and have them sent to my room?”
“Of course, they will be there when you return,” he replies and waves a hand down the corridor. “This way.”
Swallowing the nervousness I feel, I make my way to meet one of the Kings of this little town I just tried to escape.
Chapter Thirty-Four
I was right. The Navarre mansion is a veritable rabbit hole. There is no way I was going to be able to find my way around without a ma
p. But, unlike when I was at my father’s, Johnson seems keen to help me learn where things are, and he takes the time while we’re walking to meet Romy’s parents to tell me where corridors lead, what is behind closed doors, and how I could figure out where I was if I got lost.
At last, we come to a halt in front of a solid oak door. Johnson raps smartly on the door before pushing it open.
“Miss Ivy Archaic,” he announces, bowing and gesturing for me to go in. As I walk past, he closes the door behind me, going off to do whatever it is butlers do about the house.
I am in what must be the library, going by all the books lining the walls. In the middle of the room is a large coffee table, with a couple of leather sofas and a reclining leather chair around it. Romy and a woman are sitting on one of the sofas. I assume she is his mother.
There is no doubt that the man sitting on the recliner is Romy’s father. He looks just like Romy, only older.
“Ivy! How wonderful to meet you at last.”Mr Navarre stands up and comes over to shake my hand, as does the woman.“I’m Ben Navarre and this is my wife, Kate.”
“Pleased to meet you Mr Navarre… Mrs Navarre.”
“Oh, let’s not be so formal. You must call us Ben and Kate.”
“Okay… Ben.”
Ben sits back down, Kate taking her place next to Romy, who smiles encouragingly at me.“Take a seat, Ivy. Make yourself comfortable. This is your home now.”
I sit on the empty sofa so I can see all the Navarres. Maybe I am being paranoid, but it is going to be a long time before I am going to be able to relax. I’m on high alert for anything which doesn’t seem right. In my experience, if anything is too good to be true, there is no probably about it. It definitely is.
