Royal Pain in the Ass (12 page)

“
No, you didn
’
t.  We
’
ve been watching you.
 
Get out of there this instant.
”

I hung my head and pulled myself out, and Ian helped me up as he got out too.
  “We
’
re terribly sorry about this, gentlemen.
”
Ian smoothed over.
 

I kept quiet and tried to look as innocent as possible and let Ian do all the talking.
 
Twenty minutes later we were laughing in the Garden Caf
é
waiting for the rain to pass.

“You
’
re going to get in trouble if you aren
’
t careful.”
Ian warned.
  “
You could have been arrested.
 
I hope you know that.
”

I nodded.
  “I
’
m not known for the best judgment calls.
 
I have fun ideas, no doubt of that, they
’
re just not always smart.
”

“
That I believe.
”

“
You had fun,
”

“I
’
m soaked to my skin seven miles from home and no one knows where I am.
  I
’
m in so much trouble when I get back I don
’
t even want to think about it.
”

“So don
’
t.”

“I
’
m pretty sure Lana is either having a brain aneurism or plotting my death.
  She
’
s going to be very angry.
”

“
When was the last time you had fun though,
”

“
In my line of work, fun isn
’
t exactly top priority.
”

“You don
’
t have fun in life?
”

Ian shook his head.
  “
I didn
’
t say that, but business has to come first.
”
He leaned in close and whispered.
  “
Comes with the family and all.
”

Ian ran a hand through his hair and shook it off onto me.
  He
’
d lost his hat somewhere in the pond.
 
Our sunglasses were sitting on the table and we were just enjoying it until the rain stopped.
  “
I guess we should get going.
”

“
Probably.
”
Ian agree,
“I
’
ll call us a car . . . actually, my phone got thrown in a pond.
 
I wonder how that happened?
”
Ian gave me a scowl.
 

“
Why don
’
t we call a taxi?
  We
’
re still incognito, right Silver Duck?
  We
’
ll just play tourist.
”  Ian
’
s eyes widened and he paled slightly.
 

“
Give me your hat.
”
Ian looked around.
  “We
’
re in trouble.
”

“
What?
” 
I looked behind me at the window and there were about a dozen photographers.
  “Ian . . .”

“Yeah,”

“Uh oh,”

“
Uh oh is right.
”

Chapter IX

“
We are going to have to move quickly and carefully.
 
Have you ever encountered the paparazzi?
” 
Ian asked, his face solemn
.  
I shook my head.
  “I
’
m going to lead us to a taxi.
  Don
’
t say anything, they will turn it into something malicious.
  Be silent, don
’
t make eye contact and I
’
ll get us out of here.
” 
I nodded.
 
Ian led me by the arm and shoved us through.

“
Prince Ian, who is this?
 
Are things over with Amelia?
”

“
Hey you, is he a good lay?
”

“
What?
”
I asked.
 
Eww he was my cousin.

“
Shut up, Juliet,
”
Ian whispered.

“
Juliet?
 
Her name
’
s Juliet?

I felt my other arm grabbed and I was pulled away from Ian.
  “
Who are you and what do you have to say?
”

“
Where
’
d he go?
”

“JULIET!”
Ian was trying to force his way through.

“
So tell us, how does it feel to be the other woman?
” 

“
How long have you been seeing each other?
”

“We
’
re not!
  Eww!”

“Eww?  
You think he
’
s gross then?
”

“He
’
s family.
”

“Ian you
’
re into incest?
”

Ian covered his face with his hand.
  “
This is my dear cousin, I am still very much with Amelia.
”

Ian tried to help me up but I got thrown to the ground.
  “
What the fuck?
 
Watch what you
’
re doing your stupid cow!
”
I shouted as I fell on my butt.

“
What was that?
”

“
Mouth like a sailor?
”

“
American at that?
”

Ian grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me to my feet and practically threw me in the cab and jumped in behind me.
  “
Buckingham Palace, now please.
”

“
Anything you say Y
our
H
ighness.
” 
The cab driver seemed nice enough.

Ian sighed.
  “
What were you thinking?
 
I told you not to say anything!
”

I shrugged.
  “I
’
m sorry. 
My mouth works faster than my brain.
”  
I hung my head.
  “
I kind of have a temper.
 
It makes me stupid, well stupider.
”

Ian shook his head.
 
We pulled up to the palace and there were people waiting at the gate.
 
Among them were Lana, and Christine.
 
There was a man with the same blond hair as Christine and Ian
’
s strong jaw waiting. 
I had a feeling I was about to have an audience with the king.
 
The paparazzi followed us of course.
 
Ian carefully got out, his face solemn he looked up and froze.
 

“
Where have you been?
”
Lana hissed.

“
Lana, make sure Juliet gets home safely.
”
Ian ordered.
 
Lana looked taken aback then nodded.
 

“
Okay, but we have to talk later.
”

“
Much later, I
’
m pretty sure Father is going to talk to me first.
”
Ian sighed.
 
He walked up to his father.
 

“You
’
re a disgrace.
”
Was all he hissed before he turned and stormed off. I heard, and I knew we did, but it wasn
’
t loud enough for the paparazzi to heard.
  I saw Ian
’
s face for just a moment before he procured a pleasant mask.
 
He gave everyone a pleasant smile and waved before following his father inside.
 
Christine gave me a sympathetic smile before heading inside herself.
 

“
This way.
”
Lana led me to a car that was waiting and ushered me inside.
 

I could feel the tension coming off her in waves.
 
She seemed pale and flustered.
 
Her eyes had a hint of redness and looked a little puffy.
  I
’
d guess she
’
d been crying.
 
After a short while of uncomfortable silence I couldn
’
t take it anymore.

“
Hey, Lana?
”

“
What?
”
Lana asked, her head snapped to look at me.

“I
’
m in a lot of trouble, aren
’
t I?”

“Yes,”

“
How much?
”

“A lot.”

“
Um, are you in trouble?
”

“Yes,”

“
How much,
”

“
A lot more.
”

I sighed.
  “I
’
m sorry. 
I didn
’
t know.
 
I don’
t know.
  I
’
m rambling, but I really want you to know I
’
m sorry.”

Lana sighed.
  “You don
’
t know.
 
You really don
’
t. 
Are you hurt?
”

“No,”

“
That
’
s good.
 
I heard the paparazzi got rough with you.
 
I was worried.
 
We all were.
”

“
I didn
’
t mean to make you worry.
”

Lana shook her head.
  “
You need to think things through next time.
”

“I
’
m not good at that.
”

“
I noticed.
”

I hung my head.

“
But you can
’
t use that as an excuse anymore.
  I can
’
t say how things are run in America, where you
’
re from, but here we do things a certain way.
 
Royalty does not behave that way.
 
End of story.
”

I felt really guilty.
  “I
’
ve only been here a week, and I
’
m already ruining lives, aren
’
t I?”

Lana sighed.
  “
You aren
’
t ruining lives.
  You
’
re just making mine much more difficult.
  Ian
’
s too.
  He
’
s going to be in a lot of trouble.
 
I hope you understand that.
”

I shook my head.
  “
I could say I do, but I really don
’
t. 
I don’
t know what happens when a prince misbehaves.
”