Finn sighed. “All right. Do you want a bath? What can I do for you?”
“No bath.” She paused, wondering if what she really wanted made her too needy. She asked anyway. “Would you mind just holding me?”
“For the rest of my life if I can.”
She raised her head to face Finn’s; his eyes were completely serious. “What did you just say?”
His hand cupped her face. “I said I’d hold you for the rest of my life if I can.”
“That’s crazy.”
Now Finn stiffened. “It’s how I feel. I guess you don’t feel the same.”
“It’s not that. Finn, there’s just so much up in the air right now. I can’t commit to anything.” Or anybody.
“I know, Princess.” He brought her lips to his for a soft kiss and she fell pliant against him once more as the tension drained away. “I’m not pressuring you, but I want to be clear how I feel. These last few days have been some of the best of my life, and that’s because of you.”
“Because of the sex, you mean?” Her heart fell a little at the thought.
“No, though I’m not saying I don’t enjoy that immensely with you. I feel that way because of you. I feel like someone really cares about me for the first time in my life. Am I wrong?”
“No. No, you’re not wrong. I do care about you.”
“Well, I sure as hell care about you.”
“Really?”
“Really. I know you’ve had a tough time in the past, but I’m not that asshole you used to date. I’m just Finn. I know I don’t deserve you, but I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying when all of this shit with my brother is done, I want to be with you, if you’ll have me. I love you.”
“Finn.” She almost couldn’t breathe. A memory of another man saying that flashed in her mind, but it wasn’t the same. Older and wiser now, she could tell the difference between true feelings and manufactured ones. At least, she hoped she could.
Finn put a finger over her lips. “Don’t say anything back, not just yet. Just think about it, all right?” She nodded. “Good. Let’s get to bed.”
They stood, Arianna gingerly removing him from her body; she would be sore in the morning but couldn’t bring herself to mind.
Leaving their clothes in shambles, they walked to the suite’s bedroom. As soon as they slipped into bed, they reached for each other, and heat bloomed fast and ripe once more. They spent all night making love, his hands claiming her again and again, her hands showing him what she wasn’t quite ready to admit.
Afterwards, she slipped into an exhausted sleep, unable to even think about what the morning may bring.
Chapter 17
Finn woke to find an empty bed beside him. For a moment, he thought he might have dreamed making love to Arianna all night long. When he tried to move, however, and parts of his body ached as they’d never ached before, he knew it had been real.
He slipped out of bed and walked naked towards the front door of the suite. His tattered clothes were now draped over a chair and her dress was gone. She was gone.
Finn sighed as he made his way back to the bedroom, missing her already. Was it possible to feel so much?
In the bedroom, he kneeled down to an air vent. He carefully removed it, pulled out his ‘in-case’ backpack and removed his burner phone. He quickly messaged her, wishing her a good morning and asked if she’d made it back to her own room. He put everything back without waiting for her reply; it could wait until after his shower.
It was a good thing he waited.
As steam rose around him, suddenly the shower door ripped open. Finn whirled around to find Henry there. He was furious, which wasn’t unusual, but he gripped a newspaper in his hand.
“Your paper’s getting wet,” Finn said and finished washing the soap off of his body.
“Get out of there. I need to speak with you.”
“Clearly.” Finn turned off the shower and stepped out, picking up a towel folded nearby for him.
“What is the meaning of this? Do you even care you’re embarrassing me and your country?”
“What are you on about now?” he asked as he dried off.
“This.” Henry shoved the newspaper in his damp face.
Finn wrapped the towel around his waist and then took what was a local Brazenbourg paper. Splashed across the front were pictures of him with a woman at a dance club.
“What the hell is this? These pictures are at least five years old. Jesus. That club doesn’t even exist anymore.”
“That’s not what the papers are saying. They’re saying you were with that woman two nights ago, along with two of her friends. There’s a long list of woman in there you’ve slept with in the last month and they claim the source to this is you.”
“What?” Finn said with a disbelieving laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me with this? Are you telling me you believe this filth?”
“It doesn’t matter what I believe. It’s what the public believes.”
Years of feeling unloved and unworthy welled inside him. “You’re my damn brother. You should fucking believe me.”
“What I should do is get rid of you, and that’s what I plan on doing.”
“What do you mean?” Finn asked, his voice deceptively mild.
“I finally have a reason to kick you and your lecherous body out of my country.”
“Brazenbourg is my home, too, you ass. Not only that, you can’t banish me just because some newspaper slanders me and calls me a man whore.”
“Oh, it’s not just that, brother dear,” Henry said with a grim smile. “The papers will also find out about your treasonous activities. That will be the headline this afternoon.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Then he recalled the comments Arianna had heard Henry say about him, and realization dawned on him. “You’re spreading these lies. You planted these stories.”
“Well, you caught on quicker than I thought you would.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because I hate you, that’s why.” Just as Finn had been holding back all these years, so, apparently, had Henry. Years of his dislike for Finn burst forth in a quick torrent of words. “I’ve put up with you for years since our parents died and I’m sick of it. Now, you dare threaten my marriage with Arianna and threaten my plans for Valleria? I won’t stand for it, I tell you. I simply won’t stand for it.”
Plans for Valleria? What did that mean? “If Arianna wants to marry you, she’ll marry you. It’s that simple.”
Henry pushed him and Finn staggered back, his damp feet skidding mildly on the tiled floor. “She even defended you, of all things, when I mentioned how completely useless you were to Brazenbourg. Then, I saw the two of you dancing last night; I saw the way you were looking at each other. She’s mine, not yours.”
A wave of possession fueled Finn’s anger. “Arianna doesn’t belong to you, you dickless bastard. You can’t marry her against her will or the will of her father.”
Henry laughed, clearly amused. “What I can and cannot do has nothing to do with Gabriel. I’ll do whatever it takes and Arianna is my stepping stone to greatness.”
Before Finn could respond, Henry spoke again. “You’re not to enter my country ever again. You will leave Valleria today as well; I’ll speak to Alex and ensure it happens. I don’t care where you go or what you do. I don’t care about you. You are, in fact, dead to me.”
Henry’s words left a bloodless slash across his heart. It was one thing to know your own brother cared so little for you, but it was another thing to hear him say it.
“If you come near me or Brazenbourg again, I will kill you. Goodbye, brother.”
As Henry turned to leave, Finn spoke up. “Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?”
“You were born. You exist. You threaten to take what’s mine.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Th
e crown! I am the ruler of Brazenbourg, not you.”
“I know you are. You’re the eldest son, for Christ’s sake. How can I threaten your position?”
“You think I don’t know that the people love you more than me? Well, after they read these articles, they won’t give a shit about you, and that’s just how I like it. No more will I have to hear whispers about my younger brother being a better leader than me. No more will I have to smile politely when people ask about you before they bother to ask about me. After your ‘treason’ comes out, no one will dare mention you to me again.”
Holy fucking Christ. “Jesus, Henry. Did you ever care about me? We’re the same flesh and blood. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“You have been a thorn in my side since you were born. So, no; the fact we are related means nothing. We’re done. Do you understand me?”
Finn wondered how he could still be standing after such vitriol, how he was still managing to breathe with his world crumbling around him. “Yes, I understand. Goodbye, brother.” Finn swallowed and blinked back the tears threatening to pool in his eyes.
Without another word, Henry strode out. When Finn heard him slam the suite’s door, he collapsed to his knees. Wrenching sobs broke free, something that had not even happened when his parents had died. He had been too numb then. He wasn’t numb now.
Arianna had opened his heart, and every feeling and crushing blow was felt acutely. He’d lost his brother and his country in one fell swoop. He had friends, but would they stand in a battle between him and the ruler of their country? He couldn’t say.
As his sobs abated, he realized he still gripped the newspaper in his hand. As he let go, another thought came to him. If Henry thought Finn was a threat to Arianna, he would make sure she saw this.
Finn stood and began running at the same time, slightly slipping against the floor. He rushed to the air vent and pulled out his phone. Arianna hadn’t messaged him yet, but he tried again anyway, letting her know that a false story about him had been planted in the paper, and pleaded with her not to believe it.
Next, he messaged Alex, asking him to meet him as soon as possible, and as discreetly as possible. Would Alex listen? Would he help him? He wasn’t sure.
He just wasn’t sure.
***
Just as Finn had exited his shower abruptly, Arianna had been exiting hers routinely. She had slipped away from Finn just as dawn had broken, not wanting either of them to be discovered. It had been difficult to leave him. Even in his sleep, he’d held tight to her when she’d tried to slip away, until she gave him a soft kiss and his hold loosened. It was as though he needed reassurance, even in his sleep, that she was still there. She liked being needed and wanted by Finn.
She sat down at her vanity and began to brush her long hair in steady, even strokes. She was so lost in thought, that she didn’t hear the secret passage creak open in the outer foyer of her apartments. It was only when she caught the movement of someone in her mirror that she spun around on her stool and gasped.
When she saw who it was, she let out a sigh of relief. “Sarah, Carolina, Cat - what are you doing here, besides scaring me half to death?”
Her sisters arranged themselves on her bed. “Why did you make your own bed?” Sarah asked as she laid across the bed on her stomach and rested her chin on her linked fingers. “Or has the maid already come?”
“I made it myself. I didn’t really think about it, I just did it when I woke up,” Arianna covered. She swung back around to face the mirror and continued brushing. “Now, why are you here?”
“Someone might think you don’t like your sisters with that attitude,” Carolina said from her perch against the headboard.
Arianna put down her brush and faced her sisters again. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just exhausted. It was quite a party last night.”
“Wasn’t it?” Sarah said, a dreamy look in her eyes.
“How many times did you dance with that Italian businessman?” Cat teased Sarah.
“Only two or three times,” Sarah said defensively.
“Uh-huh. And how many times did you dance with that Greek businessman?” Cat asked, a cheeky smile on her face.
“About the same,” Sarah evaded. “What’s it to you?”
“You, little sister, are boy crazy, and don’t think Papa didn’t notice,” Cat said.
“I’m not boy crazy,” Sarah said as she sat up. “Boys are dumb. I’m man crazy.” Everyone laughed. “I’m just having fun, not getting married. Didn’t you find anyone interesting? You’re the one with the clock ticking on her ring finger.”
“Tell me about it,” Cat grumbled. “I danced with a lot of men. I mean, they were all nice, but I didn’t feel that spark, you know?” Arianna knew, but didn’t say anything.
“How about you, Arianna?” Carolina asked. “You danced with those dishy princes from Brazenbourg. How were they?”
“Very nice,” Arianna said and returned to brushing her hair.
“Mmm-hmm,” Carolina said and crossed her arms over her chest with a smug smile.
“What does that mean?” Arianna asked.
“It means you like one of them. A tall one of them with dark brown hair and intense green eyes.”
“What are you talking about?” As if she didn’t know.
“We saw you when you danced with Prince Finn,” Cat said in a sing-songy voice. “That wasn’t a friendly dance.”
“But we are friends.” That much, at least, was true. “It would have been rude not to dance with him when we spent time together in Brazenbourg.”
“I’m sure it would have,” Cat said. “But the look on your face when you danced with Prince Henry versus Prince Finn were entirely different.”
“If you’re not keen on Prince Finn, can I have a go at him? He’s so dreamy,” Sarah said, with a far-off look in her eye. Why Arianna wanted to murder Sarah for encroaching on Finn was beyond her, but she managed to keep an even face.
“I think Prince Henry likes you, if that makes a difference,” Carolina said as she adjusted one of her many necklaces. “He was mostly all smiles dancing with you, but then later he was nothing but dour and grumpy.” Arianna wondered at that; had something happened? Finn hadn’t mentioned anything last night. Was Henry upset at her for defending Finn?
“Why are we dissecting my love life?” Arianna said, avoiding their gaze.
“Ah-ha,” Cat cried. “So you admit you have a love life.”
God help her from nosy sisters. “Look, what’s really going on here?” Arianna put down her brush and faced her sisters head on; she saw them exchanges worried glances with each other. “Just spit it out.”
“Prince Finn was in the news this morning.” Carolina’s soft words echoed through the room.
“Oh? For what?”
“For being, shall we say, promiscuous.”
“What?” Arianna’s eyes were wide and her mouth open in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
After a nod from Cat, Carolina pulled out her phone and brought up the website for a newspaper from Brazenbourg. There, in crisp, vivid color, were pictures and a headline that couldn’t be missed: Prince Finn’s Women.
Her chest constricted and her eyes widened as she skimmed the article. Two nights ago? He was with some woman two nights ago? It was their one night apart, really, since they’d met. It could be true, couldn’t it? But was it?
All of her fears and doubts bloomed to the surface again. Was she making another mistake? Had she misjudged another man who’d told her he loved her?
“What do you think?” Cat asked.
“Is it true?”
Her sisters glanced at each other. “Well, he does have a reputation, doesn’t he?” Cat asked. “I mean, the article could be wrong. The press often blow things out of proportion, just like they did with Rebecca and Alex.” A video of Alex and Rebecca had circulated just before they’d become an official couple; though the video had been innocent, the press had
made it out to be much more.
Arianna simply kept staring at the photo of Finn dancing with another woman. She was beautiful, no denying it. She had small hips and a slim, toned body - things Arianna would never have. Maybe he didn’t really love her, as he’d said last night. Maybe he just wanted sex, not forever, despite what he’d said. Maybe he was even in league with Henry, and this was all just part of his plan.
Pain slashed through her, hot and fast. She had begun to open her heart again, only to have it broken once more. Perhaps she was fooling herself where Finn was concerned. It wouldn’t be the first time she had made a fool of herself, but it would be the last. Never again.
Arianna & Finn (Royals of Valleria #3) Page 19
