Royal Pain in the Ass (32 page)

“
It hurts to breathe, so I
’
m pretty sure I either have cracked or bruised ribs, and the way my head feels tells me when I wake up tomorrow I
’
m going to feel worse.
”

“
Probably, but we
’
ll get you taken care of.
”
Xavier snuck through the servant
’
s passageways back to my room and handed me some clothes and stood guard at the door.
 

I washed the make-up off, which was which was a difficult process with my face as tender as it was and starting to swell.
 
I washed my hair and felt normal again wearing an oversized t-shirt and a pair of plaid pajama pants.
  “
Does it look as bad as I think it does?
”
I asked as I peeked out of the bathroom.

Xavier winced.
  “I
’
m afraid so . . . that is going to be difficult to explain.
”

I groaned.  “
I have got to start thinking things through.
”

“
That you do,
”
Xavier nodded as he came over, his hands carefully traced around my jaw.
  “
I hate to see you hurt.
”

“
If you would have listened, this wouldn
’
t have happened.
”
I chided.

“
If you had listened, this wouldn
’
t have happened.
”
Xavier chuckled right back.
  “
Now, there is more going on than you are letting on.
 
I need to know some of it.
 
I know you needed tonight, and that is why I gave it to you, but this cannot go on.
  I can
’
t keep letting you put yourself in positions like this.
 
If you had arrived much later, if I hadn
’
t called when I did, if anything had been different things could be very different right now.
 
There are much worse things that could happen to someone like you other than your father finding out.
 
You do not fully understand the repercussions of your actions.
 
Everything you do from here on out effects every other decision.
 
You have to understand that.
”

I nodded.
  “
I can try.
”

“
You have to do better than just try.
”

I nodded.
  “I
’
ll do my best.”

“
I hope that you do.
 
How are you at concealing with makeup?
”

“
I was pretty decent at stage makeup; let me see what I can do.
” 
Twenty minutes later the bruising was covered, the swelling was still there, but much less noticeable.
 
When I came back out, Xavier had an ice pack for me.

“
This should help with the swelling.
 
There is much for us to discuss.
”

“
Starting with?
”

“
I need to know what
’
s really going on inside that head of yours.
”

“
Wait, what?
”

“
I need to know what really has you this upset.
  You
’
re bottling things up, that alone isn
’
t healthy especially as I
’
ve begun to see how you vent.
”

“I
’
ll make you a deal.
”

“
What
’
s that?
”

“I
’
ll give you a truth for every one I get in return.
”

Xavier smiled and cocked his head to the side.
  “Okay, you start.”

“
How about where
’
d you learn that wicked right hook?
”

Xavier chuckled.
  “
That, I am very sorry about that.
  I
’
ve been boxing since I was fourteen.
 
That
’
s actually how I supported myself traveling.
 
Underground boxing matches.
 
Naturally, I bet on myself.
”

“It
’
s kind of hard to picture you fighting.
”

“
Why?
”

“
I don’
t know, I just find it hard to imagine you throwing down.
  Hell
, watching you and Harper duke it out was weird.
”

“
That wasn
’
t an occurrence I would have planned, but there are only so many times you can hit a man before he
’
ll hit you back.
 
Besides, boxing as it
’
s intended is a noble sport.
 
Now, what happened tonight?
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
What did you do tonight?
 
And why did you forget to be on time?
”

“
Well, I went out with Gwen.
 
She took me to the bar where Harper
’
s band was playing.
 
We drank, we chatted, we played some music, lost track of time, and then I got your phone call.
 
Harper dropped it all and took my home.
”

Xavier nodded.
  “
And that
’
s everything?
”

“
I think so.
”

“
What has you so upset?
”

I shrugged.
  “
I don’
t know.
 
Everything?
”

“Meaning?”

“
This is just a lot.
 
I don’
t really know how I
’
m feeling anymore.
  I
’
m going numb to be honest.
” 
Xavier gave me a concerned look and I suddenly felt self-conscious and wrapped my arms around myself.

“
Juliet, that worries me a bit.
”

“
Xavier, I need time.
 
None of this makes sense, try to fathom never knowing you have a family and then all of a sudden you have a father, a sister, a step-mother, and a gaping hole where your mother used to me.
 
Just try to fathom that for a hot minute.
  Okay? 
Do you get it now?
” 
I snapped.
 
I was losing my temper, and not complaining about it.
 
Anger I could use.
  “
I really don
’
t want to talk right now.
 
I just want to go to bed.
”

“I
’
m afraid I can
’
t let you do that.
”

“
Why not?
”

“
If you have a concussion, you can
’
t go to bed.
”

I groaned and lowered my head in my hands, but jerked back up when my hand put pressure on my jaw.
 
I hissed in pain and groaned again.

“
Let me look at it.
”  Xavier
’
s hands were gentle but firm under my jaw.
  “I can
’
t believe I did this to you.
”
He muttered as he looked it over.
  “
There are no words to explain how sorry I am, and there is nothing I can do to fix what I
’
ve done. 
This never should have happened.
 
I never should have lost my temper.
 
If I had done my job properly we wouldn
’
t be here right now.
” 
Xavier removed his hand and shook his head.
  “
I feel like a monster.
”

“
Why?
”

“
I hit you.
 
A man should never strike a woman, no matter the reason.
”

“
I knew what I was doing was stupid.
 
You wouldn’t listen, so I jumped in the middle.
 
You didn
’
t do it on purpose.
 
Granted, you and Harper never should have started fighting to begin with, but I can
’
t hold it against you that I jumped in the way of your fists.
 
That
’
s all on me.
”

Xavier sighed.
  “You don
’
t understand.
”

“
Then explain it to me.
”

“
That is a very long story.
”

“I can
’
t go to bed.
”

Xavier sighed.
  “It
’
s not a pleasant story either.
”

“I
’
m still listening.
”

“
Juliet,
”

“
Truth for truth.
”
I replied firmly.
 
He wanted trust from me, but trust is earned.
 
If he couldn
’
t trust me, I couldn
’
t trust him.

“You don
’
t understand.
”

“
Oh, I understand enough.
 
You can leave.
”

“
What?
”

“
You can leave.
 
You obviously don
’
t trust me.  
Get out.
”

“
You can
’
t be serious.
”

“
Do I look like I
’
m joking?”

“
Juliet,
”

“
Get out.
”

“
Juliet,
”

“
No, I told you to get out.
 
So get out.
”

I heard a soft knock on the door and it opened to reveal James.
  “
What is going on here?
”
he growled.

“I felt ill last night,”
I quickly said.
  “
Xavier, helped me out a bit, in all the adorable bits, I managed to slip and hit my face on the toilet.
 
Cute right?
 
Xavier was worried I might have a concussion, so he made sure I stayed awake all night, just in case.
”

“
Is that
’
s what
’
s going on in here?
”
James asked, his arms crossed over his chest and a skeptical expression plastered on his face.

“
We just got into a minor argument.
 
He just said Vivaldi
’
s Spring is better than Winter, I told him he was wrong and he needed to leave.
”

“
Mhmm, alright, well are you feeling okay now?
”

I shook my head.
  “
My head is pounding, and honestly all I really want to do is sleep.
”