London Royal

by Nana Malone

  Had we? I didn’t feel like I’d survived. I felt like a storm battered buoy most of the time. “It was a hell of a price to pay.”

  Xander nodded slowly. “Just as long as you understand what that will mean for you.”

  “Yeah, it will mean my freedom.”

  Chapter 9

  Lex…

  Dinner with Xander had gone infinitely better once we stopped talking about our father. Though, I knew next time I’d have to lay off the Scotch. It had been two days and I still hadn’t fully recovered.

  My skin buzzed, my brain was foggy, and my focus was shot to hell. But that could easily be because I knew I was about to see my mystery girl again. My blood rushed just thinking of having her in my arms again.

  When Max had told me to pop ‘round he mentioned Sophie was having some friends around too. I prayed her friend included the American girl. And just like that, the force of the gravitational pull was too strong to ignore. I knew I had it bad. I didn’t even know her name and I was a total sap.

  I tried to focus on what the hell Jasper was saying but my brain could only focus on the sounds of Sophie and her friends as they walked in the door. Sophie bounded in with her usual energy, her friends in tow.

  She greeted me with a hug. “Hey Lex. I wanted you to meet my friends, Abbie and Tamsin.”

  So, at last I had a name. I forced myself to smile and mutter a greeting to Tamsin as I kissed her on both cheeks. When I turned my attention to Abbie, I steeled myself for the current of electricity.

  She met my gaze with a sheepish smile and said, “Actually, Sophie, we've already met. Sort of.”

  I cleared my throat. “Abbie, it's nice to meet you, officially.” I shouldn’t touch her again, but I knew if I didn’t, I’d probably regret it the rest of the night. Stepping forward, I took her hand and kissed her twice on the cheek. I took note of her stiff posture again. Yeah, she was definitely not comfortable with touching. I slowly let out a breath before backing away. Her lemony shampoo made my nose tingle. I ached to keep hold of her. I was in trouble. A shit load of trouble.

  “Earth to Lex, pay attention, mate. This is your birthday, after all. And we’ve got a week to make it epic,” Max muttered.

  I rolled my head and tried to massage my neck. “I'm not sure what you need me for. I told you my criteria. I really don’t want it to be seedy. No surprises and no strippers. I want to know what’s coming.”

  As Sophie chatted with her friends, my gaze kept wandering in Abbie’s direction. The memory of her pressed up against me, melting into my arms, snuck into my frontal lobe. And the memory alone was enough to trigger a kick of lust to my groin.

  Jasper, relentless flirt that he was, lost focus on the birthday plans and hit on the girls instead. Specifically Abbie. I couldn't help the pang of jealousy as Jasper turned a full watt grin on her.

  “You're looking beautiful as always, ladies. Especially you, Abbie.”

  Tamsin just laughed and shook her head. Abbie blinked at Jasper once, then twice, then said, “Do these cheap lines really work on girls?”

  Jasper frowned. “Yes, usually.”

  Abbie shook her head. “I'm not sure why. They could use a dose of sincerity.”

  I grinned. So she wasn’t shy or afraid to call things as she saw them. I liked her even more.

  Jasper clutched both hands over his heart and pretended to die. “You wound me. That’s okay though. I have thick skin, and I’m not giving up.”

  There was no way I was letting Jasper hold too much of her attention. I smiled at Abbie and asked, “Did you girls have fun at the club the other night?”

  Under her flawless dark skin, I noted a shade of pink. Good, maybe I had her thinking about our dance.

  Abbie stuttered, “Y-yeah, it was fun. I had no idea Jasper was such a good DJ.”

  Fantastic. I’d given her the opening to give Jasper a compliment. Moron.

  “What’s this about no strippers?” Sophie asked.

  Max rolled his eyes. “Lex doesn’t want strippers at his party. We're trying to convince him he's got to do it.”

  Abbie met my gaze as she slid into a chair between Tamsin and Jasper. “Why don’t you want strippers? Aren’t you supposed to want strippers?”

  Nick guffawed. “See, Abbie speaks sense. You're a man. There should be naked women there.”

  “I prefer any naked women I'm around to be there because they want to be, not because they are allegedly working their way through University or something.”

  Abbie laughed and the sound filled my head. “What are you going to have if not strippers?”

  Wow, someone who actually cared what I wanted. “Maybe a little poker, some music. Something low key.”

  Max tossed a pen at me. “No way, no how, Lex. It's your twenty-fifth birthday. It has to be fun. You can be mellow after this party, but for the meantime, Jasper and Nick and I will plan it.”

  “Any chance I'm going to escape it?”

  “Nope,” Max said with a grin.

  “Fine, I give up.” Through my peripheral vision I watched as the girls headed up to one of the bedrooms. Try as I might, I couldn't keep my mind focused on the conversation. Eventually, the guys stopped including me and just talked football.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I frowned the moment I pulled it out. Dad had been calling all day. If I didn’t answer now, there was no way the old man would stop. “I'll just grab this on the patio.”

  No one paid me any attention as I headed up the stairs to the living room then out onto the patio. “What's the problem?”

  His voice was terse. “Did you speak to your brother?”

  Damn it, could I get fucking peace from the man? My mind went to a point in my life when I'd needed the old man and how he hadn’t made the time for me. But now when I wanted something, it was all I could do to get away from him.

  “Yes, I did. I also thought I made it clear that you'd have a decision after my birthday, not before.”

  “What is there to think about? It’s not as if you'll forgo the money you've gotten so used to. I have a problem I need you to address in Japan in a few days. You’ll need–”

  “No.” I kept my voice controlled, but anger simmered under my skin. I hated how he treated me like a foregone conclusion. “I’m not going to Japan. I'm not going anywhere until my decision is made.” If I told him to shove it up my ass now, the old man would know something was up. My assumption that I wouldn’t give up money was right, at least partly. If the old man got wind of the sale, I would move heaven and earth to stop it, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.

  “You’re walking a tightrope. Your birthday is in a few days.”

  “And you said I had until my birthday to decide, so I’m taking the time.” I hung up before my father could say anything else. Even talking to the old man for five minutes was enough to make my temper bubble over.

  A voice from my left startled me. “Everything okay?”

  Abbie. The anger morphed into something else far more dangerous. “Shit, I didn’t know you were out here.”

  She ducked her head as she stepped out of the shadows. “Yeah, sorry. We both had the same idea.” She held up her phone. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

  I shook my head. “Just family drama.”

  Her smile was rueful as she spoke. “Tell me about it.”

  She shifted toward the balcony door, and my mind searched for something else to say to prolong the conversation. “How’s the camera?”

  Her brows knotted together then rose as she tilted her head.

  “Your camera? I figure since I was its knight in shining armor, I should ask after it. After all, I nearly died performing its rescue.”

  She laughed, and I felt like I’d been lit up from the inside.

  “Yeah, it’s good. You know, it was a tough ordeal. But with a little therapy and some new filters for medication, she’ll be all right.”

  “Gl
ad to hear it.” My fingers itched to touch her again, but I knew better even if she did welcome the touch, I needed to stay very far away from her. A girl like her would tear me up inside. I knew what I was. And once she found out the same, she’d run for the hills. I was better off staying away. “Next you’re going to tell me she has a name.”

  Abbie grinned and took two steps toward me. Hell, if she came any closer, I’d forget about my damned don’t touch her rule.

  “I call her the badass money maker.”

  I laughed. “Are you serious?”

  “Of course. I’ve taken all my best photos with her. I have another two cameras, but they don’t seem to do it the same way she does.”

  I held up my hands. “Okay, okay. Fair enough. Bad ass money maker it is.” I rubbed my jaw. “My brother’s a photographer, and I don’t think he names his cameras. His other appendages yeah, but never his cameras.” The moment I’d let it slip abut Xander I wanted to bite my tongue off. I prayed she didn’t ask if she might have seen his work. I didn’t need her going all starry-eyed once she knew about the infamous half of the Chase brothers.

  Abbie cocked her head. “You can’t mock her name. I like it. Besides, your name is Lex. Please tell me your parents had a sick sense of humor and your last name is Luther. That would be perfect.”

  “A Superman lover, I see.” Well, wasn’t she full of surprises? “And Mum and Dad do not have a sense of humor, thank God. It’s Chase, actually. Alexi Chase.”

  Abbie frowned “Is Chase a common surname?”

  He inclined my head. “Common enough. I suppose it’s like the surname Smith. Why?”

  She shook her head. “No reason.” She studied me carefully. “Anyway, I like it. Alexi sounds Russian.”

  “My maternal grandparents were Nomean actually. This little island off the coast of France. The rest of me is basic Brit I suppose.” I cleared my throat and watched her carefully. She tucked one of her braids behind her ear and I longed to touch her. Who was I kidding? I couldn’t be casual with her, and I couldn’t let her get too close and see me for who I really was, so my only option was to stay away from her. I could try to be good.

  “I think I prefer Alexi.”

  “And is Abbie short for Abigail?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “No. It’s Abena. Abena Nartey.”

  I cocked my head. “Beautiful, like its owner.”

  She ducked her head. “Uhm, thanks. I guess I should be grateful I wasn’t born on a less attractive sounding day.”

  I furrowed my brow. “I don’t understand.”

  “Like Sophie, I’m from Ghana. My name means born on Tuesday.”

  I grinned, laying it on thick. “What a coincidence, Tuesday is my favorite day of the week.”

  She laughed. “You’re almost as bad as Jasper now.”

  “Oh, ouch. I like to think I bring my own flair.” I liked her. Enough to ignore the warning bells clanging in my skull. When she was relaxed, she was funny and sarcastic and kept me on my toes. Want.

  “Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re probably a better dancer.”

  “Hell, yes. I can give you another demonstration anytime you like.”

  Her gaze snapped to mine, and a smile tugged at her lips. “I uhm, thought I already repaid my debt.”

  “You did. This dance would just be because it’s fun.” Maybe I was pushing my luck. Maybe she’d scurry away again at a moment’s notice.

  But she didn’t. I lost track of how long they stayed outside talking about nothing in particular. But I sure as hell didn’t plan on leaving before she did.

  It wasn’t until Tamsin called her name from somewhere inside the house that she excused herself.

  “Duty calls. I guess I’ll see you around, Alexi.”

  Oh, hell.

  The way she said my name held me transfixed. Abena Nartey was going to be a problem.

  Chapter 10

  Lex…

  When I opened the door to the barge on the morning of my official birthday, I stood stunned for several seconds.

  “Don’t look so surprised, it’s not like you’ve never seen me before,” Dad said.

  I didn’t move aside to let him in. “Well, I’ve just never seen you here before. Is everything okay with Mum?”

  The older man sneered. “Your mother is fine, last I heard from her shopping detail. Now step aside, and let me in.”

  I didn’t see any way around it. If the old man wanted in, I wouldn’t stop him, but I’d sure as hell have exterminators come through afterward and clear out the bad energy. “What’s up, Dad? I still have a day to tell you my decision.”

  “I do know it’s your birthday tomorrow. I was there for the big event after all. I’m not totally oblivious.”

  I frowned. “Considering that you’ve only been around for a couple of birthdays that I can remember, and given that you usually have your secretary pick my present, I’m pretty sure you’re not here because of my birthday.”

  He squared his shoulders. “Well, you would be wrong. Tomorrow, once you’ve properly turned twenty-five, I want you in the office. But for today, I’m here to give you something.”

  I worked hard to keep my expression neutral. “Yeah okay, Dad, but you could have had someone bring whatever it is over.” I hovered near the door. “I’m actually late for an appointment.”

  Dad scoffed. “I think your friends can wait. After all, it’s only a party. You’re busy talking to your father.”

  I gnashed my teeth. I didn’t have time for this bullshit. If I didn’t hurry, I’d be late for my meeting with Toshino. But the hell I was going to tell the old man any of that. I just prayed the old man wouldn’t take it out on my mother.

  “I really do have an appointment, Dad.”

  He shoved his hands into his pockets as he shook his head. “Fine, we’ll continue with our conversation tomorrow. Do you at least want to see your present?”

  No, I didn’t. “Sure. What is it?”

  He pulled out a set of car keys and tossed them to me. The BMW key fob matched the one I already had for my car. “You bought me a car?”

  He nodded. “I asked my secretary to go and pick up something a young man in his twenties would want. She came back with this. A BMW 6 Series convertible. I don’t know what you’re driving these days, but I’m sure this is better.”

  No. Not better. Exact replica was more accurate. Was my father that clueless that he didn’t even know what I drove or that I’d bought the car for myself? Hurt chased annoyance as I took the keys. “Yeah thanks, Dad.” I’d find a charity in the morning to see if they’d come pick up the car. At least I could do something useful with it. “If that’s it I need to get going.”

  He eyed me up and down once more. I held his father’s gaze directly and wished I knew why my father had stopped loving me.

  I didn’t have long to wallow, Mum called as soon as he left. “How is one of my favorite sons?”

  “You know that doesn’t actually mean anything unless you designate one of us your favorite, right?”

  She sniffed. “You know I can’t choose. You and Xander are both so dear and darling to me.”

  “Right. So, what’s up?”

  “I know your father just left.”

  Ahh, so the old man had called to complain. “Really, Mum. I don’t want to fight about him today.”

  “And we won’t.” She placated me. “I was just going to say, I have the perfect charity to drop the car off with.”

  “You can relax, Mum, I’m not even that pissed. It’s not a surprise after all. Of course, he wouldn’t be paying attention.”

  She laughed, and it made me smile. Her laugh was one of my favorite things. “Well, that’s a change. There was a time not so long ago that you would have both deteriorated into an all-out shouting match.”

  “Yes, I like to call that period last week.” I sniggered.

  “My, how you’ve matured sin
ce then.”

  “Well, having it out with him would have ruined my birthday, and I’m not willing to do that.”

  She was quiet for a moment. “You sound different.”

  I had to roll my eyes. She was constantly trying to slink into mother hen mode. “No, I’m not sick. I’m eating, and I’m not working too hard.”

  “Oh, stop. Let an old woman worry.”

  “I doubt anyone would have the courage to call you old.”

  She laughed. “They’d better not. But no.” She paused. “It’s something else. You sound lighter, somehow. Happy, almost.”

  Yeah. Almost. “I don’t know what you mean.” Except I did. I’d be seeing Abbie again tonight. Except tonight, I was going to content myself with seeing her from afar. If I got too close, I’d do something stupid.

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you met someone.”

  I coughed. “Mum, stop. Have you forgotten, I’m with Gemma?”

  She sighed. “No. I haven’t forgotten. I’m just saying as much as I adore Gemma, I don’t think you’re particularly passionate about her. I don’t think she inspires this kind of levity in you. Everyone deserves passion, Lex.”

  “Uhm, Mum, this is fast becoming a very awkward conversation.” I shoved a hand into my pocket as I said a silent prayer that she didn’t expound on everyone needing passion.

  She sighed. “Fair enough. I mostly just called to wish you a happy early birthday and tell you that your present will be delivered to the Brixton Youth Center tomorrow. I figure you’ll want to be on site for it. I’ve arranged for that basketball player Thai Curry to visit.”

  I frowned. “Uhm, do you mean Steph?”

  “Oh, yes, that’s the one.”

  I laughed. “Thank you, Mum. That is a brilliant gift. Just send me the details. The kids will be so excited. I can’t wait to see their faces.”

  “I’m glad you like it. After all, what does a mother get for the son who has everything?”

  “It’s brilliant, Mum. Honest.”

  “Good. But Lex?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I meant what I said about passion. I’d hate for you to let the past stop you from finding someone you can really love. No matter who that might be.”