Royal Pain in the Ass (54 page)

“
Juliet?
”

“
Richie!
” 
Richie pulled me into a hug.
 
He had the same blonde hair as Chase, but with honey brown eyes.
  “
How are you?
”

“
Better than you
’
ve been.
  I can
’
t apologize enough for what my brother did.
”

I shrugged.
  “It
’
s not your fault Chase can be a dunderhead.
”

Richie started laughing, it was a rich, rolling laugh that was contagious.
  “
Dunderhead?
 
Really?
 
That
’
s what you call him?
  Oh I
’
ve missed you.
 
You remember Elsie, right?
”
Richie
’
s wife, Elsie.
 
She was drop dead gorgeous.
 
She had beautiful curly blonde hair that was carefully piled in a neat bun atop her head.
 
She was warm and gentle and everything that complimented Richie.
 
Elsie had always been kind to me.
 

“
Elsie, you look just as gorgeous as ever.
”
I smiled and she pulled me into a hug too.

“
You look good darling.
 
When Chase told us what happened we were all so worried.
  I
’
m glad you
’
re doing better now.
”

I nodded.
  “
Yes, things are much better for me now.
”

“
Good to hear.
”

“
It looks like things are well for you two as well.
 
I swear Elsie, you look like you
’
re glowing.
”
I smiled and then her cheeks flushed and her hand went to her stomach.
  “
Oh my god, are you?
”

She bit her lip and smiled.
 

“Oh my god!  Congratulations!”  
I wide grin broke across Richie
’
s face.

“
Thanks, we
’
re so excited.
”

“
How far along are you?
”

“
Only nine weeks, it
’
s still early.
 
We haven
’
t announced it yet.
”
Elsie whispered.
  “
We don’
t want anyone to know yet.
”

I nodded.
  “
Got it.
 
You two are going to be great parents.
”

“I hope so.”

“
Who is your friend?
”

“
This is Xavier.
 
Xavier, this is Chase
’
s oldest brother Richie and his lovely wife, Elsie.
”

Richie shook Xavier
’
s hand and gave him a strange look.
  “It
’
s a pleasure to meet you.
 
Ladies, would you excuse us for a moment?
”

Richie led Xavier off for a moment and Elsie and I caught up.
 
I was surprised how much time had passed when they returned.
 
They
’
d been gone almost a half an hour.
 

“
Well, Juliet, I hope everything keeps going well, but I
’
ve been
 
neglecting my other guests, I must be off.
  Take care.”

“
What were you two talking about for so long?
”

“
Just politics.
”
Xavier replied smoothly, not looking me in the eye.
  “
Should we begin heading to the tables?
”

I nodded.
  “Sure.  Let
’
s go.”

To my displeasure, I had a seat right next to Chase at the Senator
’
s table. 
They tried to seat Xavier elsewhere, when I decided I would go to the table Xavier was at anyway, they made room for him.
 
This was going to be a long night.
 
I could feel it now.

We took our seats and it wasn
’
t long before everyone was seated.
 
Xavier was to my right, unfortunately, Chase was to my left.
 

“
Glad you could come, babe,
”
Chase whispered.

“I
’
m not your babe.
”
I snipped back.

“
You know what I meant.
”

“
Yes, that
’
s why I said what I said.
”

“Oh Jules,”
Chase shook his head smirking.
  “You
’
re still the same.
”

“No, Chase, I
’
m really not.
  I
’
m different from what you remember.
”

“
I like it.
”

“
Well, stop.
”

I noticed the tension in Xavier
’
s jaw, the way he pointedly wasn
’
t looking at us, but watching from his peripheral vision.
 
I jumped when a hand touched my leg.
 
I glared at Chase and took his hand off of me.
 

“Don
’t touch me.
”
I growled.
 
I noticed Xavier
’
s eyes watching Chase like a hawk.
 
While his face looked pleasant, I knew it was a mask.
 
I could see the dangerous look in his eye.
 

“
Or what?
”
Chase breathed and I shuddered.
 
It was out of disgust, but he took it another way.
  “
I knew you couldn
’
t resist me.
”

“
The only thing I
’
m currently resisting is the urge to vomit.
 
Keep your hands and every other part of you off of and away from me.
” 
I was relieved when the first course came. It gave me an excuse to ignore Chase.

“
Are you alright?
”
Xavier whispered to me.

I shook my head.
  “
Not really.
 
I think this was a bad idea.
”

Xavier nodded.
  “
Well, I
’
ll be right here all night.
  Don
’
t worry.
 
You have me for whatever you need.
”

I smiled.
  “Thank you. 
You have no idea how comforting that thought is right now.
”

Xavier
’
s hand found mine under the table and I couldn
’
t explain it but I suddenly felt more relaxed.
 
I didn
’
t question it, I just went with it.

Chase kept trying to make sly little moves under the table which I continued to shoot down.
 
It was tolerable until Senator Evans stood to make a speech.

“
Ladies and gentleman, I
’
m so glad all of you could make it tonight.
 
Tonight, I am pleased to inform all of you, that I will be running for reelection.
” 
He paused for applause.
  “
Now, this is the start for another long journey and I hope to have all of your support once again.
 
I would like to congratulate my son, Richard, for following in my footsteps.
  He
’
ll be running for Congress as well.
”
Richie looked a little sheepish but smiled politely and waved.
  “
Congratulations son, my second son, Harrison will be graduating Harvard Law next semester with honors, unfortunately it
’
s about time for midterms so he couldn
’
t join us. 
My third son, Chase, has seen the error of his ways and has happily agreed to begin his life anew with his fianc
é
, Juliet.
”

“
What?
”
I hissed at Chase.

“It
’
s alright, sweetie.
 
They can all know, it doesn
’
t have to be a secret anymore.
”
Chase purred.

“
Excuse me, Senator,
”

“
Juliet, it is not polite to interrupt.
”

“
I would hate for you to be misinformed though.
”
I replied in the most polite voice I could muster.
  “
I am not now, nor have I ever been your son
’
s fiancé.”

“
Juliet, you
’
re embarrassing me,
”
Chase hissed.
 

“You
’
re embarrassing yourself.
”
I snapped back.
 

“
Juliet, we will discuss this later.
 
Please sit down.
”
Senator Evans warned through clenched teeth.
  “
As I was saying,
”

“
If you
’
ll excuse me,
”
I snipped and stood and walked away from the tables.
 
I was so angry right now.
 
Really?
 
Really Chase?
 
Did he seriously think he could just decide something like that?
 
What the fuck was wrong with him?

Someone grabbed my arm.
  “
Juliet, you are embarrassing my family.
”
Chase snarled at me.
  “
Get your ass back in there and stop making a scene.
”

“
I warned you not to touch her again.
”
Came Xavier
’
s bass rumble.
 
I looked at Xavier and saw the rage on his face.
  “
Remove your hands from her or I will do it for you.
”

“
Oh yeah?
 
You think you
’
re a big man?”

“Chase,”
I looked up to see Senator Evans.
  “
You better check yourself.
 
Juliet, a word?
”

“
Anything you have to say, you can say in front of Xavier.
”

“
Juliet, you don
’
t want this conversation in public.
”

“
No sir, you don
’
t. 
You want this conversation kept quiet.
”

“
Juliet, I
’
m warning you.
”

“
Senator, I sincerely hope you are not threatening me.
”

 “
Juliet, you have singlehandedly ruined my son
’
s hopes for a career and his life.
 
I hope you
’
re happy.
”